There’s been quite a few complaints recently about moderation and “echo chamber” bias on the BBS… usually in the middle of topics that are completely unrelated to issues of moderation. Those posts are promptly Flagged by community members as Off-Topic (because they are), only to spur cries of “censorship!” and “favoritism!” (which isn’t the case when a Flagged post violates the Guidelines.)
Whelp, here you go. Here, for your enjoyment, is a thread to argue and complain about this issue to your heart’s content. I humbly request that such complaints be brought here, instead of derailing countless conversations on a daily basis. (Feel free to link or quote posts here as needed.)
Thank you.
(Mods, if I’m out-of-line in doing this, please don’t hesitate to nuke the whole thread.)
It hasn’t been removed for me, only hidden. I can still view it if I click on “view ignored content”
I think a comment is hidden when it receives too many flags from the community. That also flags it for the moderator, so they can decide if it violates the TOS. Probably so really offensive or triggering content can be hidden quickly until a moderator can view it.
I remember that beekeeping post. It insulted other commenters which is why it got flagged, as that goes against the TOS/site rules.
The mods disagree with you. They have stated more than once that it is there preference that we flag, but do not engage. If you have issues with those policies, I would suggest taking it up with them.
You might try looking at the last comment in that thread for an answer to your questions.
It wasn’t removed, but simply hidden behind a click per community guidelines re: flagging. In other words, the bOing bOing community found it irrelevant and badgering and flagged it thusly. This is one of the few well moderated and well informed commentariats on the web. If someone comes in talking shit on the mods or the community, in fact inciting them, the community will flag. Pretty simple.
If the person doesn’t edit the comment to remove the part that violates the rules, then yes, it will likely be deleted by the mods. They have the final decision on those matters. As others have noted, if you have a problem with the system here, take it up with @orenwolf in the General Moderation Topic.
I’d say you’re missing mine. Which is that this site is in danger of becoming an echo chamber, like pretty much every other online forum in the modern era. I hate to use the phrase “safe space”, but I think it applies. It’s much more interesting when opposing viewpoints are acknowledged and addressed than stifled. Granted in this case the opposing point of view was ranting, but Ive seen the same happen to reasonable posts here lately.
One of the reasons I enjoy this site is that we don’t have to suffer fools who show up just to say “you guys are a bunch of commies and I know this post will be deleted because I’m not part of your leftist echo chamber.”
BS. We recently had an ethnostate proponent who was allowed to spew his poison here for months despite many flagged comments. Before that, a white supremacist spent years here dumping his turds under two usernames. There have also been more than a few Libertarians who came here regularly to argue in (typical) bad faith. All were sneaky enough to just skirt the line of the rules, but eventually they all slipped up and broke them.
All this site acknowledges, in contrast to other platforms, is that some points of view and approaches to debate were discredited long ago and don’t need to pollute and derail the discourse. It’s Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance in action.
Either A.) they don’t want to actually debate the topic but hurl insults, or B.) they have been eviscerated before for making weak arguments.
I have seen plenty of conservatives show up here, engage in actual debate without crossing community guidelines (and the guidelines say nothing about politics). Usually they give up after a while when their arguments are countered.
But it’s easier (lazier) to just create the self-fulfilling prophecy.
I know some conservative sites that are far more keen to censor political points that counter their own narrative.
As Melizmatic/Melz, I’ve had more than a few comments get eaten in my time here, and yet I never waste a single moment bitching about it needlessly because:
It’s clearly stated in the terms and conditions that the staff/mods/Auntie Entity can delete any content at any time for pretty much any reason. That’s the nature of a free social network which we don’t pay to maintain. They get to make the rules, and we can either abide, or we can go Elsewhere. It’s really that simple.
“I already knew this job was dangerous when I took it.”
I can see it both ways. I have had loads of my posts flagged and removed but I don’t really have a problem with it. I have read the TOS but there are always going to be interpretative differences and I cant remember half of it most of the time. The way I see it, I am often wrong and being corrected is useful and a kindness to me. How can I complain if my hosts here do not think my posts make the place better?
If I am right and the post is suppressed how have I lost?
Those who work to make this community are entitled to shape it to best fit their preferences. Its a big internet, we can always go elsewhere.
Nah, son… it was MUCH longer than that; nearly two full years, although over the last few months he had become far more careless in his shit-posting; until he finally crossed way over the line, and the mods’ generosity was finally depleted.
I know I’m no ‘Little-Miss-Mary-Sunshine-Goody-Two-Shoes’ my damn self, but I still don’t complain if I happen to fail to uphold the code of conduct, and then get zinged for it. ‘Them’s the breaks.’
As a responsible adult, I get it that there are consequences for my words and actions, and I alone have control over how I choose to behave.
Anybody who actually seriously thinks that they somehow are ‘above’ abiding by the rules that we all agreed to when we joined the site* should to not only do some serious self-evaluation, but they probably need to just go start their own damn forum.
*Whether we bothered to actually read the terms, or not.
I agree! That’s quite precisely what happens here every single day. Maybe because it doesn’t devolve into abuse and polarization you mistake it for an “echo chamber”. I’m fact that’s what you’re seeing this very moment. Someone engaging with you respectfully, point by point while also disagreeing.
And to the original point, it’s the community that flagged the offensive, abusive post, not the mods. If you went before a judge and started by saying “you’re just going to throw me in jail because this county is run by cuck leftist who don’t believe in liberty”, how do you think you’d be received?
You make us sound like dogs marking our territory. Or a clique of high-schoolers, shutting out all the uncool kids. Speaking for myself, that’s not the case, and I feel more than a little insulted.
I Flag if someone: (a) violates the Guidelines or (b) disrespects other board members without provocation (which actually falls under violating the Guidelines.) That’s it. Somebody wants to disagree with me? It’s the Internet. I expect it. And that’s fine. It would be boring if everyone agreed with me all the time. I appreciate the wide variety of knowledge and viewpoints here. I learn from it on a daily basis. It’s part of why I keep coming back, why I’ve stuck around here for years.
I admit, I do think of this place (and a couple of other sites) as my cyber-home, and consider my fellow Happy Mutants as my tribe. But if someone new comes along, and they behave… cool! The more, the merrier. And that’s how it should be.
That having been said, I don’t believe racism, sexism, or other bad-faith behaviors have a place here. And I reserve the right to Flag them if I see them.
In the original the first sentence was “This is ridiculous”. I edited it to “Please do not overreact.” It is the only edit. I did not intend to insult anybody.
