PH Moderation Policy

[Drek]

Oi, grown ups, sort out your moderation policy it's utter, utter garbage. Named mods for forums, ground rules for serious areas and not so serious and generally stopping people from derailing threads by obviously bone and deliberately stupid comments. Infractions wouldn't go amiss either.

Sort it out FFS!

[ZOLLAR]

RULES said:

If you wish to speak to someone regarding forum conduct or moderation issues please contact Paul Garlick ([e-mail])

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/rules.htm

[AndrewEH1]

It would be nice to have a list of all the mods for each of the sections.

Maybe a sticky in this section?

[TonyHetherington]

The rules are readily available when you post.

A genuine question - why do you want to know who the moderators are?! Would it make a difference to how you act?

You'll never have a need to converse with them; your route for reporting is the "report" button on each message, not to individual mods.

[Engineer1]

Personally I feel it is friendlier without the MODS being identified as MODS too many other forums seem to have the MODS as gods and if a MOD answers a question (even if there is a better answer) the discussion is dead.

[TonyHetherington]

We've discussed it before and that's the general thought, Engineer1, that the normal conversations had would in some way be impeded.

We have published who they are before, I'm pretty sure, but don't have it under our names.

[PoleDriver]

Drek said:

Oi, grown ups, sort out your moderation policy it's utter, utter garbage. Named mods for forums, ground rules for serious areas and not so serious and generally stopping people from derailing threads by obviously bone and deliberately stupid comments. Infractions wouldn't go amiss either.

Sort it out FFS!

Are you the new boss of PH or has someone disagreed with you somewhere?

[Kinky]

[Papa Hotel]

Engineer1 said:

Personally I feel it is friendlier without the MODS being identified as MODS too many other forums seem to have the MODS as gods and if a MOD answers a question (even if there is a better answer) the discussion is dead.

What he said. Here on Pistonheads the moderators are just part of the gang and are open and receptive to the same banter and criticisms as the rest of us. Cross a line and you'll get your collar felt, it doesn't matter who is doing it.

[Drek]

TonyHetherington said:

The rules are readily available when you post.

A genuine question - why do you want to know who the moderators are?! Would it make a difference to how you act?

You'll never have a need to converse with them; your route for reporting is the "report" button on each message, not to individual mods.

The trouble with website rules is that nobody ever looks for them, they're usually ignored until a grown-up points out the error of their ways. I don't particularly want to know who the moderators are, it's of no interest to me although if they were easily identifiable it would be useful in the sense of simply knowing who they are, nothing more. As you say, you can just hit the report button and hope that something gets done. The issue I have is that the forums are poorly moderated as there is no obvious policy in place nor are mods assigned to look after particular areas that might help stop some of the genuine threads being turned into mongfests by idiots banging on about X which has bugger all to do with the OP's question, whatever that is.

I mod over on ARRSE with about 30 others, some more active than others. As an example, we have the NAAFI bar where just about anything goes with five dedicated mods who make sure that nothing libellous is posted but apart from that, anything goes (and it usually does, some the stuff in there would make you weep). Alternatively, we have the serious section where there is no swearing, flaming, trolling or otherwise and is policed by three dedicated mods who keep that side in check. We can hand out infractions, ban people, lock threads, delete stupid posts, etc and are identifiable by the word MOD in our avatar. The mods also have rights across the site but choose to mod certain areas because they're either interested in it or have volunteered for the greater good.

I'm not suggesting that ARRSE's model will fit PH but I genuinely believe that your mod policy is poor and needs ramping up a level in order to stop some real throbbers on this site derailing threads constantly. It's genuinely almost impossible to asks genuine question without some plonker turning it around and turning it against the OP to attack, it's just crap and needs to stop. More overt moderation would help.

And if I really need to reply in a way not befitting a hallowed mod, I log out and use my alternative ID. Not difficult really!

Edited by Drek on Wednesday 27th November 21:40

[Kinky]

Well, it's been 15 years now (in a few weeks) and it's managed fine. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

And it's not broken

But do bear in mind that the principle of PH is self-moderation - emphasis on self

[PoleDriver]

Just out of interest, how long has this arse been running and how many people view it?

[Drek]

PoleDriver said:

Just out of interest, how long has this arse been running and how many people view it?

Since 2002. I'm unsure of the stats but the average server load is over 6000 online of which just over 1000 are members. Could easily find out exact figures from the site owners if interested.

[PoleDriver]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

I thought there was hell and furore before when linked to a thread on the aforementioned military based site?

Yep, their mods couldn't cope!

[Drek]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

I thought there was hell and furore before when linked to a thread on the aforementioned military based site?

Yeah, that can be a real problem. We had a right set-to with bloody mumsnet a while ago, utterly ridiculous of course but some of our more lairy members don't know when to stop.

[Kinky]

PoleDriver said:

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

I thought there was hell and furore before when linked to a thread on the aforementioned military based site?

Yep, their mods couldn't cope!

[deeen]

Drek said:

Oi, grown ups, sort out your moderation policy it's utter, utter garbage. Named mods for forums, ground rules for serious areas and not so serious and generally stopping people from derailing threads by obviously bone and deliberately stupid comments. Infractions wouldn't go amiss either.

Sort it out FFS!

When you meet real people, in real life, do you only talk to people who accept your approved "moderaton policy"? Or do you manage to have actual conversations without "mods"?

Whatever you do when talking to real people, just do that here, you'll be fine (FFS)!

[Drek]

Kinky said:

Well, it's been 15 years now (in a few weeks) and it's managed fine. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

And it's not broken

But do bear in mind that the principle of PH is self-moderation - emphasis on self

But it can still be improved and whilst the notion of self-moderation is laudable, it ain't happening as well as you think.

Look, this all a suggestion and you can take it or leave it, it's no skin off my nose but you just need to understand that for the average punter mincing around on your website it can be a real pain in the arse sometimes with some internet hardmen scribbling all over threads and generally being dicks. It's your community, you do what you want with it but for us mere mortals it can rob the fun out of 30 mins mucking around on a general interest site.

[Kiltie]

TonyHetherington said:

We have published who they are before, I'm pretty sure, but don't have it under our names.

From here ...

Plotloss said:

In the interests of transparency:

Kinky
Big Al.
dazren
FourWheelDrift
Plotloss
Ballistic Banana
Bonce
BO55 VXR
David Godfrey
DennisTheMenace
domster
ehasler
ErnestM
Gazboy
Graham
Hughesie
Meeja
neil_bolton
missdiane
Mrs Fish
nick heppinstall
Nubbin
Stig
TonyHetherington
Tuscan Rat
Bill
GlenMH
Matt172
ThatPhilBrettGuy
jeremyc
mikeb
mrs triple s
bosscerbera
M3John
Eddie 4.2
justayellowbadge

That's a fairly complete list excluding the HM staffers, most of which are widely known.

Not all mods can moderate site wide.

HTH

[Kinky]

Drek said:

... But it can still be improved and whilst the notion of self-moderation is laudable, it ain't happening as well as you think ...

I don't think anything, I'm only a Billy Punter.

But, emphasis again is on self-moderation. If you don't like something, report it. Simple. It's been fine for 15 years, so can't see the PH powers that be changing anything.

I guess the old addage also applies - can't please all of the people all of the time. Ho hum.