Member Poll: Staff Post About Approaches to the Rules and Moderation Policies

[Debater Slayer]

Hi, all,

Recently, I was reading some articles about social media moderation, and one aspect thereof that frequently comes up is that some social media don't explicitly and transparently lay out their moderation approaches and philosophies so that users can read them.

This gave me an idea for RF: What if we (the staff) made a post explaining our approaches and general policies for the application of each rule to different situations? While the text of the 10 forum rules is accessible to all members, the nuances of policies and the details of the application of the rules to different situations are not explicitly laid out in a similar fashion.

Would you find such a post useful or conducive to more transparency? It would take a considerable amount of work to put together, but if members wanted it, I think it would be worth the effort.

The poll is anonymous. Also, if you would like to discuss specific, individual instances of moderation, please feel free to post in the Site Feedback forum, per Rule 2.

 

[Revoltingest]

I voted YES.
I especially liked the part about someone else doing all the work.

 

[Secret Chief]

Hi, all,

Recently, I was reading some articles about social media moderation, and one aspect thereof that frequently comes up is that some social media don't explicitly and transparently lay out their moderation approaches and philosophies so that users can read them.

This gave me an idea for RF: What if we (the staff) made a post explaining our approaches and general policies for the application of each rule to different situations? While the text of the 10 forum rules is accessible to all members, the nuances of policies and the details of the application of the rules to different situations are not explicitly laid out in a similar fashion.

Would you find such a post useful or conducive to more transparency? It would take a considerable amount of work to put together, but if members wanted it, I think it would be worth the effort.

The poll is anonymous. Also, if you would like to discuss specific, individual instances of moderation, please feel free to post in the Site Feedback forum, per Rule 2.

It might be informative but I'm not keen to suggest staff should take on "a considerable amount of work." The rules seem quite clear to me, although some acts of moderation are necessarily judgment calls.

 

[Eddi]

I think such a thing would be a bonus

But don't think it is actually necessary

 

[Secret Chief]

I'd be in favour of it if @JustGeorge had to do all the work.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Yes would be a good thing to set some clarity.

What would be great is a definite definition that RF will use for moderation of proselytizing (Rule 8). Having a forum inclusive of religious debates needs this clarity.

As a debates purpose is to put forward persuasive arguments from differing sides of an issue, then those arguments should not necessarily be moderated as trying to convert any person to another Faith. A person offering persuasive arguments from a specific faith is not necessarily trying to convert, they are more likely only offering what they see is a valid point, which RF has icons that can call that point a winner of thumbs down.

Regards Tony

 

[Twilight Hue]

Hi, all,

Recently, I was reading some articles about social media moderation, and one aspect thereof that frequently comes up is that some social media don't explicitly and transparently lay out their moderation approaches and philosophies so that users can read them.

This gave me an idea for RF: What if we (the staff) made a post explaining our approaches and general policies for the application of each rule to different situations? While the text of the 10 forum rules is accessible to all members, the nuances of policies and the details of the application of the rules to different situations are not explicitly laid out in a similar fashion.

Would you find such a post useful or conducive to more transparency? It would take a considerable amount of work to put together, but if members wanted it, I think it would be worth the effort.

The poll is anonymous. Also, if you would like to discuss specific, individual instances of moderation, please feel free to post in the Site Feedback forum, per Rule 2.

Like a public FBI crime statistics base?

 

[Quagmire]

I would love it if someone could finally explain the rules to me.

 

[JustGeorge]

I'd be in favour of it if @JustGeorge had to do all the work.

Great. I'll do it, and you can wait on me hand and foot.

I would love it if someone could finally explain the rules to me.

Have you tried making a Site Feedback thread?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

It is no longer clear to me who owns this forum.
However an owner has ultimate control over how their forum is run and moderated, and they set the Ethos and rules of engagement.
The day to day watch over a forum is largely left in the hands of the moderation team.
I am aware how moderation was handled a good few years ago when I was a member of the team under previous ownerships. I have no idea how it might be done today.
So some clarification would be enlightening, but not perhaps entirely necessary,
Though perhaps some further interpretation of the rules would be helpful especially to new members

 

[Quagmire]

Great. I'll do it, and you can wait on me hand and foot.


Have you tried making a Site Feedback thread?

What's a Site Feedback thread?

 

[JustGeorge]

What's a Site Feedback thread?

Its those transparent noodles in some Asian soups.

 

[Secret Chief]

Great. I'll do it, and you can wait on me hand and foot.

No change there then. Time for your foot massage?

 

[JustGeorge]

No change there then. Time for your foot massage?

Thanks for remembering.

 

[Nakosis]

Hi, all,

Recently, I was reading some articles about social media moderation, and one aspect thereof that frequently comes up is that some social media don't explicitly and transparently lay out their moderation approaches and philosophies so that users can read them.

This gave me an idea for RF: What if we (the staff) made a post explaining our approaches and general policies for the application of each rule to different situations? While the text of the 10 forum rules is accessible to all members, the nuances of policies and the details of the application of the rules to different situations are not explicitly laid out in a similar fashion.

Would you find such a post useful or conducive to more transparency? It would take a considerable amount of work to put together, but if members wanted it, I think it would be worth the effort.

The poll is anonymous. Also, if you would like to discuss specific, individual instances of moderation, please feel free to post in the Site Feedback forum, per Rule 2.

The rules seem clear enough to me. How the moderators go about interpreting them, maybe not so much.

 

[Secret Chief]

Thanks for remembering.

I got some new oil too. Rose & pomegranate.

 

[Revoltingest]

Great. I'll do it, and you can wait on me hand and foot.

What about your other parts?

 

[JustGeorge]

What about your other parts?

Those parts are all doing fine, and don't need tending.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

There's nothing wrong with a little clarity, especially where ambiguity can result in people making simple mistakes.

 

[sun rise]

The poll is anonymous. Also, if you would like to discuss specific, individual instances of moderation, please feel free to post in the Site Feedback forum, per Rule 2.

I've always taken rule 2 to mean that I could not bring up something specific even in the site feedback forum. That might be an illustration of the value of the OP proposal.