Decline in quality of the Moderation decisions

[-:Undertaker:-]

Hello.

I have defended the Moderation Department quite often ever since the days of ---MAD--- passed as I feel on the whole, despite everyone getting the one or two PMs they think are a bit silly, it has been relaxed and pretty fair and balanced. I also understand it is a tough job given different interpretations of rules and pressure from people to act on one side of an argument/issue and pressure not to act on another. I get all that.

But you know, lately since perhaps the summer after thankfully the ridiculous moderation decision over a flag was reversed I have had a series of PMs for quite silly reasons and they seem to be increasing. I don't know whether moderators are out to get the highest number of warnings or infractions they can that week or whether they've been instructed/led to be more tough with the rules - I do not know. But what I do know is that I am now receiving PMs and warnings for the most absurd of posts ever. The examples are below.

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Example 1

My exchange to @Khloe; over using facial cream

LAB Series face scrub, moisturiser and eye cream. Love them!

gayyyyyyyy

Apparently this breaks the rule of Respecting other Forum Members. Really!?!? Is this a 11+ forum or is it for primary school ages?



Example 2

My exchanges to @abc; over the Independent newspaper thread

The attitude stinks. Drop it.

You may think of yourself as cleverer than everybody else for reading it but the reality is you are just out of touch, not clever.

No smart arse, voting is a tribal act for most of the public.

I am told the above comments, directed at @abc; , are aimed to get him to retaliate. Well of course they are. That's kinda the point in heated debate. All those who debate with me in that forum know that what happens in the debate stays in the debate, and I do not see why comments aimed at getting people to retaliate (aka post back which is what the forum is FOR) are now being moderated.

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Other example

I also heard from my good friend @Evanora; that she was apparently moderated for something like a racist post when all she did was post "the indian one" in the "Your least favourite YouTuber" thread. How on earth can anybody by any stretch of the imagination find racism in this?

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Basically the point in this thread is to ask you all whether you find comments such as....

"gayyyyy"

"the indian one"

"The attitude stinks"

...worthy of moderation?

Because I don't. And why post a thread about it? Because it needs to be nipped in the bud now and some common sense restored.

[GoldenMerc]

Moderation has been rubbish for years, same with the posting. It's on a decline as is Habbo who provides the users


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[David]

yes i got a post warning for forgetting to use a spoiler

sort it out mdport

[-:Undertaker:-]

All i'm asking for from moderation is some common sense to be deployed. In giving warnings and sending private messages, the thought behind moderation shouldn't be "what can we catch them out for?" which leads to very liberal interpretation of what things mean but rather a healthy scepticism when it comes to any reports, claims of offensive posts and so on. In other words, warnings etc shouldn't be handed out unless it is absolutely 100% clear it is deserving, ie I tell you all to **** off.

[Samantha]

Example 1 - I don't think this needs to be brought up again as you didn't receive a warning nor a usernote for it, I'm pretty sure @lawrawrrr; sent you a message and informed you that it wasn't a warning or anything it's just to be a bit more cautious. However, you did make another comment that could be seen as homophobic in a more recent thread, but it was decided that it wouldn't be moderated as it was seen that it wasn't used with malicious intent but more in jest. The other one just seemed out of context at the time!

The second example I can't really comment on as I didn't know it had been moderated, perhaps it just seemed too heated for the current affairs forum.

[lawrawrrr]

The first and last examples weren't warnings, as you are WELL aware (in your case). Sam has pretty much summed it up perfectly so I have nothing to add to that. We asked Evanora to clarify her post in the thread because it could easily have been interpreted as her saying that Indian you tubers annoy her for no other reason than being Indian - same with your post, can be interpreted in an offensive manner which is why they were just messaged about rather than user noted.

All decisions are discussed between the entire moderation department and myself and everyone is welcome to appeal. But as you'll find, they won't be reversed as myself or Matt are involved in said warning process.

Funnily enough for the middle one, calling someone a smart arse and your rude tone is enough to warrant a warning. It's just as easy to say "I don't really like the attitude in your post and you are misreading this paragraph" rather than "you're not clever, smart arse" (paraphrasing, of course).


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[-:Undertaker:-]

I don't think this needs to be brought up again as you didn't receive a warning nor a usernote for it

I have no idea what they are all I know is I am being hounded with private messages over trivial comments.

it could easily have been interpreted as her saying that Indian you tubers annoy her for no other reason than being Indian - same with your post, can be interpreted in an offensive manner which is why they were just messaged about rather than user noted.

Point being the word could.

Anyone could find offence in anything but whether it actually deserves a warning/infraction/caution/whatever it is called is another matter.

Moderation need to do a lot less "interpreting" (leave that to the artists) and some proper moderation.

Funnily enough for the middle one, calling someone a smart arse and your rude tone is enough to warrant a warning. It's just as easy to say "I don't really like the attitude in your post and you are misreading this paragraph" rather than "you're not clever, smart arse" (paraphrasing, of course).

how ridiculous, just sounds like ass kissing.

maybe general management/moderation should just take over posting on the forum as they seem to know how the rest of us should all argue/post/have a laugh.

[lawrawrrr]

If something could be interpreted as offensive, it is going to be removed because if a new member sees that they're going to think "this isn't a nice place to be" and leave. Things are reported all the time that we decide not to follow up on because of common sense or interpretation but when things cross the line that's when we give people a chance to explain.

Once again though, you haven't had a warning, infraction, caution or even a USERNOTE over the interpreted comments because, as I explained to you, they probably weren't intended in the potentially offensive manner that was reported to us. Calling someone a smart arse, directly after a heated debate can't really be interpreted any other way than rude though.


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[Inseriousity.]

"feel free to appeal but don't bother cos it's not gonna change." haha. I suppose there are so few posts these days that it's not that difficult for the general manager to be involved with discussions about every rule break. That system sounds like some serious micromanagement though!

Charlie has sent me a PM or two about some of my posts more recently but it's a petty thing to get so worked up about and I just don't care anymore.

[RyRy]

Some things are genuinely offensive, then other things are just like moderators trying to promote *+*+ safe spaces *+*+* which kinda gets my back up a bit but whatever.

Those decisions you quoted dan, are downright terribl, but you shouldn't have to punish for either of those things. moderation around here is probably taking a nose dive because people take it as seriously as the police do their national statistics, so they try hard to look for mishaps in people when they'd do the same themselves but not get punished for it.

that said, people just gotta chill the **** out. its a habbo forum, moderators are as insignificant as the platform they police, so i beg of people to get a reality check, check your privelige (LOL?) and stop telling people off for shit they'll probably be saying in a years time when they've left the mod team to be super edgy.