Question: Forum Moderation?

[matt]

Hey all,

How strict do you think we should moderate this forum as it grows? Lately there have been quite a few spam-like posts that add no value to the discussion. My personal feeling is to crack down on these before they get out of hand.

I really just want to open up the discussion to everyone so we all know what to expect. As we grow this will become more of an issue and I'd like to have an official policy in place.

Thanks!
Matt

[htimreimer]

Hey all,

How strict do you think we should moderate this forum as it grows? Lately there have been quite a few spam-like posts that add no value to the discussion. My personal feeling is to crack down on these before they get out of hand.

I really just want to open up the discussion to everyone so we all know what to expect. As we grow this will become more of an issue and I'd like to have an official policy in place.

Thanks!
Matt

i have noticed a lot spam comes between 1 to 9 in the morning and they are getting worst  (i just reported porn spam 1 or 2 days ago)
i think what this forum needs is more moderators maybe some day and night moderators

[pacpix]

Lately there have been quite a few spam-like posts that add no value to the discussion. My personal feeling is to crack down on these before they get out of hand.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[matt]

i have noticed a lot spam comes between 1 to 9 in the morning and they are getting worst  (i just reported porn spam 1 or 2 days ago)
i think what this forum needs is more moderators maybe some day and night moderators

I'm not talking about real spam. We've cracked down on that and I don't consider it an issue any more. I'm referring to new threads that have no value and add nothing to the discussion. Check your PMs.

[jcalder8]

For me I think it's easiest to set the rules at the start so that as new people join everyone is already on the same page, otherwise it could just get overwhelming.

[jobocan]

Basically my opinion here would be... The complete opposite of something like gamefaqs. Be strict when it's needed (trolls, forum flooding, hate speech, personal attacks, overall constantly rude behavior, etc.), but not as strict on other things.
Gamefaqs lets the trolls run rampant while punishing people who report the trolls (seriously, a few weeks back I got my account temporarily suspended for marking people as trolls) or punishing people who do/say things that really aren't bad at all.
For example, swear words... yes I think it can be too much, and it's always bad when directed negatively towards other people, but when you can't say something like "this game is fucking fun", I think there's a problem It has to be handled at a case by case basis IMO.

And yeah, I agree with jcalder, putting up a set of rules would be useful. No need to be super complicated, just an overall guideline.

[amauriel]

It's hard, because I think generally most of the people here have added little blurb posts when they've found something that the rest of the community might be interested in. It's just that at the moment, it can and has been abused.

I don't want to say "No, you can't post a link you found" or whatever, but when I logged in today, there were over 20 new threads since last night and most of them (75% or more) have had no replies to them. It really clogs the works when they're being created that quickly.

[jcalder8]

I should have written Guidelines rather than rules. I think that certain things need rules: don't post derogatory comments about other users. Other things need guidelines: If you don't have anything to add to your topic you probably shouldn't post it.

I know other sites I have been on the general forum user knows what is or is not allowed from watching the topics and when a user gets disruptive other members or mods have gotten involved to help the user to see why it's not accepted.

[tpugmire]

As long as it's in the off topic forum, I have no problem with it.  If it's in the other areas, and is making it difficult to find actual on-topic conversations, then I have a problem.

[darko]

Maybe you should just start deleting threads that are in the wrong section instead of moving them. Might give people an incentive to use their brain before posting a bunch of randomness wherever they feel like it.

[matt]

Maybe you should just start deleting threads that are in the wrong section instead of moving them. Might give people an incentive to use their brain before posting a bunch of randomness wherever they feel like it.

Already deleted 2 today.

[disgaeniac]

Yeah, I'm all for there being a set of guide-lines/policies/rules/whatever.

Honestly, this is the 1st time I've came to a site where I couldn't either read/print-out (to read later) what's okay...and what's *NOT* okay at the site.

For example...by not not having a policy listed concerning, say, swearing; I think it detracts from both ends of the issue.

Example:

A new poster's typing a post and wants to say/express something w/ a curse...they'll be totally lost & unsure about what they can/can't say.

From the other side - you could get a real mean, disrespectful ass-hat that does nothing but curse (in both acceptable/unacceptable ways)...then they could always just cry "well, I didn't know"...or "If I can/can't do this...why isn't that stated somewhere", etc.

So, yeah...I think the pretty much 'traditional' "Welcome/Basic FAQ's" for beginners/new members and a set of "Policies" (I guess that sounds better and less threatening & limiting than "Rules"...would be good, clarifying, and helpful additions to this site.