What do the ToS mean to you?

[livinoz]

I agree with you completely, but ... but ... but ... it's difficult to let the obnoxious stuff slide by unchecked. The obvious attacks comprised of insulting pot shots tossed unprovoked at undeserving members are hard to watch and do nothing about. Bullies roam the threads of online forums, just as they did the halls of our schools, with predatious intentions. Pounding them down now is just as much fun as it was back then. I know, in some reverse psychology way that makes me a troll too. So, I will endeavor to reduce my desire to slap the trolls ... but the bully basher in me still wants off his leash.

As Hoomi said so well, it's best to leave the "pounding down" of the "trolls" to those who have the power to do so. In my opinion I think it would be easy to fall into the trap of becoming a bully yourself, even though you might start out with the very best of intentions. I admit my sense of justice (or whatever!) makes me see red occasionally, especially when I see someone attacked or provoked for no reason, but I'll hit the report button now and save my blood pressure and what's left of my sanity!

 

[In10se]

As Hoomi said so well, it's best to leave the "pounding down" of the "trolls" to those who have the power to do so. In my opinion I think it would be easy to fall into the trap of becoming a bully yourself, even though you might start out with the very best of intentions. I admit my sense of justice (or whatever!) makes me see red occasionally, especially when I see someone attacked or provoked for no reason, but I'll hit the report button now and save my blood pressure and what's left of my sanity!

See it's those same red moments for me that are so difficult to work through. Yes, I am here for the knowledge, the networking with my local diving community, and the info on where to find inexpensive gear and interesting dive spots. Along the way I get to yack with like minded people a bit, but as I meander around the site the trolls just appear before me. They're just there ... calling out for the attention Hoomi so articulately defined, and it is hard not to dispense the requested ... ehhh ... interaction.

I am working on this skill set. "I will not feed the trolls" ... *writes this down on a post-it note* ... but it's not easy.

 

[livinoz]

See it's those same red moments for me that are so difficult to work through. Yes, I am here for the knowledge, the networking with my local diving community, and the info on where to find inexpensive gear and interesting dive spots. Along the way I get to yack with like minded people a bit, but as I meander around the site the trolls just appear before me. They're just there ... calling out for the attention Hoomi so articulately defined, and it is hard not to dispense the requested ... ehhh ... interaction.

I am working on this skill set. "I will not feed the trolls" ... *writes this down on a post-it note* ... but it's not easy.

I find sticking a post-it on my forehead works well!

Truly, I know how you feel. I suppose my original reason for posting this thread has been sort of lost, but I wanted to say how hard I found it when people argued rather than debated reasonably and how I really was put off asking diving related questions because of that. So instead I read, and putter around trying to weed out the more "difficult" stuff and keep my posting to the more social threads...mostly! It's a learning experience for me, but I can say there's some excellent information on here as well as some excellent people. I suppose the moral is I shouldn't let a vocal minority spoil my time here!

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Thanks NetDoc for your information I feel more comfortable about using the Report button now. While people don't need to agree on things, we can learn through our disagreements in a polite and respectful way. The tones of some of the responses have taken away from my enjoyment of this board. Some are very clever at implying insults but hiding behind modifying words. I would suggest that if reading a post increases it was not done by accident. I will not succumb to the trolls. I would prefer to walk softly and leave a smile ......Thanks for a very positive thread everyone

 

[thanksforallthefish]

Thanks for an interesting discussion.

The TOS states

"Cyberbullying" is when a person is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another person using the Internet.

Is this restricted to posts or does it also refer to PM's?

 

[El Orans]

Thanks for an interesting discussion.

The TOS states

"Cyberbullying" is when a person is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another person using the Internet.

Is this restricted to posts or does it also refer to PM's?

Though there's no report button for PMs, we do want to know if that is happening in PMs...

 

[Kim]

Hoomi "gets" it. Thanks for such a lucid description of a troll.

But unfortunately, experience shows that that in itself isn't enough to control them.

Trolls who have something "endearing" or whatever it is..... maybe usefulness..... seem to get a free pass.

I guess it comes down to the "eye of the beholder", and the "beholder" is the owner of the board.

In the end, it will always be the owners decision and responsibility as to what is tolerated or accepted, and how decisions are ultimately made. That's normal in any business, and at the end of the day that's exactly what SB is.

 

[thanksforallthefish]

Though there's no report button for PMs, we do want to know if that is happening in PMs...

Thanks for that, it has not happened to me, I was just wondering.

 

[NadMat]

But unfortunately, experience shows that that in itself isn't enough to control them.

Trolls who have something "endearing" or whatever it is..... maybe usefulness..... seem to get a free pass.

I guess it comes down to the "eye of the beholder", and the "beholder" is the owner of the board.

In the end, it will always be the owners decision and responsibility as to what is tolerated or accepted, and how decisions are ultimately made. That's normal in any business, and at the end of the day that's exactly what SB is.

I do not believe that any trolls get a free pass here, although I do think that the mods may consider the past good posts to offset an occasional bad post and give some posters a little more leeway to express themselves on occasion. These people can sometimes be very frustrating since their good advice prevents me from putting them on ignore and their viewpoint differs so far from mine on some things that I may tend to take the posts on those subjects personally. But if they stay within guidelines, they are allowed to express their opinion just as I can express mine.

 

[livinoz]

But unfortunately, experience shows that that in itself isn't enough to control them.

Trolls who have something "endearing" or whatever it is..... maybe usefulness..... seem to get a free pass.

I guess it comes down to the "eye of the beholder", and the "beholder" is the owner of the board.

In the end, it will always be the owners decision and responsibility as to what is tolerated or accepted, and how decisions are ultimately made. That's normal in any business, and at the end of the day that's exactly what SB is.

It's my personal opinion that there's nothing particularly "endearing " about trolls. I think they have a set agenda and that's usually to bait or disrupt, and then sit back and watch the havoc unfold and gain some sort of vicarious enjoyment from their exploits. I believe that the ToS are there for a reason and that the "spirit" engendered in them should be something to which we aspire.

Yes, it's a business, but it's far more than that; it's a place to debate and learn and make friendships and gain support, and all because of a love of diving. And therefore I think civility and common courtesy should be high on the list; sometimes they seem to go out the window once someone logs on.

Another 2 cents worth from me.