Your thoughts on moderating?

Anything off-topic. If you're a new user please feel free to introduce yourself here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Taz Ales
Site Admin
Posts: 467
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:07 am
Location: Bristol
Contact:

Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by Taz Ales »

Last night I found out that a number of people had been offended by the comments made on the NHC thread I started. That thread has been a bit of a disaster for me as I was genuinely calling for help with judging of the NHC, and unfortunately my message got diluted by the following discussion. I probably ought to start again with the call out, but in reality the damage has been done now, so the only way I can salvage anything is by talking to people direct to try and persuade them that this quarrel won't extend to the actual event.

Anyway, one of the points raised about this was that the forum moderators did nothing. Well technically I'm the moderator of these forums, but I can't remember the last time I had to do anything. In fact I think the only time I have had to moderate any posts was before I implemented the more effective anti-spam measures, and we had the odd person get through who'd then promote something irrelevant. I don't think I've had any instances of members using the "Report this post" button to date.

Personally I don't like the idea of having a "moderated" set of forums. I believe in freedom of speech, so I don't think anyone has the right to decide what can and can't be said in a community. We have a set of usage guidelines which covers most things. Perhaps they could be enhanced a little, but in general I think members tend to stick to them.

But I'm interested in your thoughts. I don't want to stir up the previous debate, and I don't want this to turn into a heated argument, but if you think that we ought to have some form of moderation on these forums or you have other suggestions, please comment.

Taz
User avatar
vacant
Posts: 183
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 8:33 am
Location: downstairs

Re: Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by vacant »

You only found out four days after it "went bad"? No chance of mediating in a timely manner then.

People can PM or email you if they miss the "Report Post" button. Nothing more you can do apart from change the "Report Post" button from "!" to "Report Abuse".
When a man is tired of beer, he is tired of life; for there is in beer all that life can afford
User avatar
I_used_to_brew
Posts: 2356
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:06 pm

Re: Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by I_used_to_brew »

To be honest, I was suprised nobody had reacted to the (offending) post in the 12 hours before I replied. Ali, who is a moderator (althought most people are surprised at that) also replied without reacting.

Nothing surprises me, but hurling homophobic abuse around on a beer forum is novel.

Should anything be done about it? I don't really care anymore.
User avatar
alikocho
Posts: 1540
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:31 am

Re: Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by alikocho »

Well I wasn't really offended.....I did point out to the individual making the original comments that that had perhaps overstepped a line. But to be honest the stirring that went in afterwards just made it worse. Roger, you made what was a throwaway comment (I presume) into a much bigger issue, although you said you weren't offended.

As to me being a moderator - id forgotten I was. That status had been for practical purposes surrounding the bjcp course and bulk ordering.

But seriously, this debate wasn't started by me and I dont want it spilling further into the competition.
Ali

BJCP National Judge
BJCP Assistant Regional Director (North-East/Europe)
American Homebrewers' Association International Subcommittee
Organizer, National Homebrew Competition
CBA UK Competition and Training Coordinator

http://serenbrewing.com
User avatar
alikocho
Posts: 1540
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:31 am

Re: Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by alikocho »

RogerP wrote:To be honest, I was suprised nobody had reacted to the (offending) post in the 12 hours before I replied.
Maybe nobody saw it before you responded, and if they did likely recognized it as a throwaway comment rather than a slur. And by the time you'd reacted and used the offensive term four times or so in your response, the damage was probably done...and then you said you weren't offended...

But on the topic of moderation - like Taz I believe in freedom of expression rather than censorship.
Ali

BJCP National Judge
BJCP Assistant Regional Director (North-East/Europe)
American Homebrewers' Association International Subcommittee
Organizer, National Homebrew Competition
CBA UK Competition and Training Coordinator

http://serenbrewing.com
User avatar
I_used_to_brew
Posts: 2356
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:06 pm

Re: Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by I_used_to_brew »

I'm really not interested.

It's a beer forum of sorts and of no great importance.
Capn Ahab
Posts: 887
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:32 pm

Re: Your thoughts on moderating?

Post by Capn Ahab »

To be honest it was, in my mind, a throwaway comment, not directed at anyone in particular. Primarily I was trying to express my annoyance that people would so nakedly embark on a programme of education that was offered for free “to anyone who wants to become a BJCP judge” and then back out of their implicit obligation. I realise that using abusive language may offend some people, but I think it’s a bit sad that the original point of the comment was lost as certain individuals latched onto the one phrase.

I don’t think we need moderation on this board; we’re all adults and should not need it. However I accept that abusive language probably only serves to cloud any point I am making for some, so will forego its use in future.

Bickering makes everyone look like an idiot though and there are now at least 10 judges from the Bristol area signed up for the NHC, so alles gut as far as I'm concerned.
Eat sh*t or die trying
Post Reply