Reporting posts

[agwiii]

Does this not contradict the very concept of an open internet forum?

Not necessarily. Suppose you posted something that revealed that you were being unfaithful to your spose, but another person here knew your real name, etc. Some forum members here socialize. Suppose that person revealed that information to your family, or your spouse?

OTOH, my rules are for Yahoogroups, which are slightly different than a forum.

YMMV.

[agwiii]

Hazell:

I run a number of discussion groups on a variety of topics and have never seen such dissension. Over time, I developed five very simple rules and I post them to each group upon a member joining the group, and on a monthly basis. These are the rules.

There are five basic rules under which this list operates, listed in order of importance:

1) KEEP IT LEGAL. We will not permit our members to send, knowingly receive, upload, download or use any material which is offensive, abusive, indecent, defamatory, obscene or menacing, or in breach of copyright, confidence, privacy or any other rights, or to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety among other members.

2) KEEP IT PRIVATE. All messages on this group are private and confidential and may be legally privileged. All messages posted to this group become the property of the group. You must obtain permission to forward in part or in whole, any message, data contained within, MX and other header information. Please note this is a legally enforceable contract.

3) KEEP IT NICE. We will take the good with the bad. Discussion needs to be kept respectful and civil in order to keep this a place where constructive information can be shared.

4) KEEP IT CLEAN. Foul language insults the author's own intelligence more than it insults anybody else. Again, disagreement is fine, as long as it remains respectful of the rest of the membership.

5) KEEP IT ON TOPIC. It is very tempting to discuss international political developments, the United Nations, gun control, and local issues here. Resist the temptation and find a more appropriate place to post such topics.

To keep the list easy to read and threads easy to follow:

a) SNIP EXTRANEOUS MATERIAL when replying: if you are replying to a single point in a multi-point post, please snip all but the issue you are addressing.

b) CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE in your reply if you change the topic of a thread.

c) DO NOT POST IN ALL-CAPITALS. IT IS HARDER TO READ AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE POOR "NETIQUETTE" (CONSIDERED TO BE "SHOUTING"). (Sorry about that, but it illustrates the point, yes?)

d) Thanks for keeping this List a friendly, comfortable forum for all of us.
If you have any questions, about Internet posting and etiquette, please read http://www.albion.com/netiquette/

To the coward who gave me negative points (or tried - it was gray because of your negative score), and wrote, "who the he** put you in charge of the forum?" I say - I'm not in charge here, not do I want to be. I posted the rules I use in my discussion groups to emphasize a point to Hazell in our on topic discussion of reporting posts.

I wonder what it is like to be you, dear coward. Hiding in anonymity, living under dark, dank rocks. That is some life you have, little gollem of the forum.

[Hazell B]

A forum example would be if a moderator had a personal relationship with one person on the forum and not with another, and were then called upon to address conflict between the two parties. There would be a severe conflict of interest that should disqualify the moderator in such a situation.

What do you think, Hazell?

Good question.

I know some of the mods here, and like them. I know of another and dislike that person. I personally (not speaking for everyone here!) would rather the ones I know and like and the one I dislike didn't have a say in any disagreement I'm involved with. I wouldn't ask (an example only) Iain to moderate me as it wouldn't be much fun next time I saw him socially. Nor would I go running to him or ring him up demanding to removed posts if somebody was annoying me. It's just not fair - and I wouldn't feel I'd 'won' in a currupt system anyway :

Having said that, so far it's not happened to me so I can't really say the above wouldn't change. One of the mods I know did once take away a load of posts about me, but it was only later I realised it was him. He'd also taken out some of my posts (they were miles off topic and pointless) some months before - so it worked both ways. In general, moderating here seems fair to me, but then again I stay off the F1 and political threads so never see the mean stuff :

What about other people?
Anyone got a mod in their speed dail? :

If you press the report post button, it goes to all mods doesn't it? Not just the specific ones for that section of forum, I mean.

[Hazell B]

By the way, sorry about my spelling/grammar above.
Was on the phone whilst typing

[schmenke]

BTW, often, especially recently, when reporting a post a "Network Error-orsomethingorother..." error message is displayed .

[Funks]

If you press the report post button, it goes to all mods doesn't it? Not just the specific ones for that section of forum, I mean.

Yes - that is correct.

[ArrowsFA1]

Good question.

Leading questions often are.

[agwiii]

I know some of the mods here, and like them. I know of another and dislike that person. I personally (not speaking for everyone here!) would rather the ones I know and like and the one I dislike didn't have a say in any disagreement I'm involved with.

A great example of a conflict of interest, Hazell. Ethical considerations would require that these mods disqualify themselves from your situation. I would hope they have the integrity to do so.