Suggestion Bannings...

[The Chairman]

OK gang... give me some input.

What should (if anything) warrant a temp ban (5 day suspension)?

What should (if anything) warrant a perm ban?

 

[cornfed]

NetDoc,

Temporay Bans: Mean people!! Rude, hurtful, and just out to be a jerk people. Also anyone trolling. Anykind of harrassment(sexual, racial)
3 warnings(confirmed PM's) and you're banned.

Permenant Bans: Anyone who has been temporaly banned 3 times in a 6 month period.

Does that help any?

I would change the thresholds a bit. Probably drop the permanent ban to two or three temporary bans in a 12 month period. And I might put a higher level on harassment, eg an automatic permanent ban for sever sexual, racial, etc harassment.

 

[cornfed]

1) ANY harrassing posts

It might be to hard to draw the line on what constitues harrassement for an automatic permenant ban.

2) ANY posts condoning or promoting illegal behaviour

Might be hard since this is an technically an international forum.

 

[DFC5343]

Make no rules. Take each incident case by case. Admin on any internet site is hard to please everyone but it IS the internet. Because someone expresses their opinion shouldn't be cause to do anything regardless how much people whine about it. The groups that people put themselves into sometimes can create a lynch mob mentality. I think maybe a biased position from those making the decsion is all thats needed. As far as why and who was 86ed for whatever is only information to those it concerns. Explanations need and should be dealt with offline. Communication is crucial but too much can cause serious problems within a community like this one.

 

[cornfed]

As far as why and who was 86ed for whatever is only information to those it concerns. Explanations need and should be dealt with offline.

I disagree. Maybe that were banned for something which I wasn't aware would cause problems.

Communication is crucial but too much can cause serious problems within a community like this one.

Lack of communication can cause for more sever problems. I don't see how saying, "So-and-So was banned because <insert reason here>" could cause problems. Making an official statment of this nature will do nothing but help defuse the situation.

 

[Ontario Diver]

It might be to hard to draw the line on what constitues harrassement for an automatic permenant ban.


Might be hard since this is an technically an international forum.

Fair enough... Let's define a harassing post as any post that attempts to create a demeaning, insulting, intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. This may include slurs or insults to race, sex, colour, creed, or religous beliefs. This may also include unwelcome sexual comments or advances. (Does DIR count?) The post must also be unwelcome and not invited nor encourgaged by the harrassesed party.

As for legality issues, although the forum is international in scope, I cannot forsee a situation where Pete would be wisked off to stand trial in a secret court in Bali (but if he is; can I be defense counsel - "Your honour, I request a recess until after my afternoon dive").... I can resonably see him being spoken to in a harsh manner by Mr. Ridge. Hence, I am willing to conceed US Law.

 

[chrpai]

I disagree. Maybe that were banned for something which I wasn't aware would cause problems.

Lack of communication can cause for more sever problems. I don't see how saying, "So-and-So was banned because <insert reason here>" could cause problems. Making an official statment of this nature will do nothing but help defuse the situation.

Don't confuse having an unpopular opinion ( or unpopular with the vocal minority ) with trolling. It seems pretty obvious that some people around here have an agenda, and it seems several moderators are sharing this agenda.

Moderators should be just that, moderate. Not partisan using the power of admin to control the conversation through fear and intimidation.

And above all, remember the diversity of the users is what makes this board good, not some server or some moderator.

 

[DFC5343]

Cornfed...I hear you but I am new round here so I kinda see it from a very untarnished perspective. Its the moderators job to moderate not be popular. They have to remain biased 100% but that sometimes is hard. As far as the crimes...thats between them and the indivduals. Everyone wants dirt but really its not our bizness.

 

[chrpai]

They have to remain biased 100% but that sometimes is hard.

LOL Thats a freudian slip. Some don't have a hard time being biased 100% of the time.

 

[crispos]

I've been reading about this issue and how it is unfolding since Friday night, when I had a beer with the persons involved and they mentioned something about the banning. I didn't ask why and they didn't elaborate.

What is basically being discussed is the freedom of speech versus censorship question, and I don't think that is going to be solved over night by anybody.

What seems to me is that SB is a public venue just like any coffeehouse/bar, and of course the owners have the right to have a few house rules that make sense and also doesn't upset their clientele. It seems to me quite onerous for the Moderators to have to set up and administer a database to track the number of violations, scale them, within what time period occurred, etc etc.After all, from what I can tell, this is not a paying gig from what I understood.

One rule I think makes sense and in keeping with the gracious nature the people running SB should have, is to allow someone a period of probation after being warned before being deleted, and of course, please tell them what did it.

Finally, like in any free enterprise, in any open place, people can vote with their feet. Sure you have vested time and effort here, and made friends. But
at the end of the day, if the service isn't popular, people will go somewhere else. I would think SB would not want that and would take measures to avoid that scenario.

I think we should let the head of this thing develop the system the way they want. Obviously, gathering feedback from Members is a good thing but very few really make their voices heard (how many of those 20,000 are active??).

Making more administration and regulation will add to the bureacracy and I would personally lean towards a lessor amount of censorship. After all, we are here because we can openly express our views. Trust that the rude and oppressive people will eventually be ostracized by virtue of their own actions.

 

[Rooster1]

Listed by hnladue
Temporay Bans: Mean people!! Rude, hurtful, and just out to be a jerk people. Also anyone trolling.






That would be like picking em off one after the other!!! I've been reading here for a couple of years and have seen lots of posters and yes even mods partake in the above mentioned.