[Techsoda] "Anandtech forums on trial: The corruption runs deep."

[OCGuy]

The problem is that many "illegal activity" threads are not locked. The problem is that many posts that are out of bounds by anyone with any sense of morality are not locked. The problem is that thieves, racists and criminals are allowed to post whatever they want if they are one of the selected few. But then if someone who is on the shit list posts something even near the out of bounds marker, they are dealt with very harshly.

People are not and have never been treated equally here. Many of my friends have been banned, pushed out or ran off simply because the mod staff didn't like them on a personal level. The mod staff will bring up and repost things that happened years in the past but if a member does it, its a callout and they are banned. God forbid someone speak out against the mods here! They will surely be shunned!!!!

I stuck up for the mods for years. Even after getting perma banned. I defended them because I liked most of them on a personal level. But that has changed. I cannot defend a crew who use their mod powers to settle personal vendettas. Its almost as if the mod crew want the masses to fear them. Then when someone comes along who will not bow down to them, the ban stick comes out.

I look forward to my impending infraction for discussing this outside of MD.

"Morality".....oh man. Can you imagine a "morality" forum rule?


I think what people are missing is that they have been duped by a common propaganda technique. Turn on any "documentary" that you know involves a horseshit theory, and by the end of it, you will find yourself having to stop yourself from believing it.

Presenting information without context, or even framing your own context around bits of real information, is a very powerful tool. Looking at posts in isolation, with no background information on the subject or poster, and with some moron directing your train of thought, is not a way to form an opinion on moderation.

You could easily do what the OP did but in a California court-room. I'll call my documentary "Short people get 15x the prison term for lesser crimes"

I'll flash forward to the judge reading the charges and the sentence for a tall person who was hit someone with his car and left the scene, and the victim died. He gets 18 months in state prison.

Then, a short person, who is charged with check fraud, gets read a 15 to life sentence by the same judge. OMG!!!! HOW CAN THIS BE???

Of course I will not tell you that the first person has never been in trouble, and the second person already had 2 strikes, with one being a violent felony. But your human instinct will be to confirm the theory I presented about midget discrimination.

 

[waggy]

Maybe that's because the Black "race" was subjugated for centuries by the white majority in this country.

It's not rocket science, Waggy, I'm sure you could grasp the concept if you would just try a bit harder.

Why make your own life needlessly difficult?

and Many white races have been slaves for centuries. guess what? everyone that was a slave is dead. the children of them are dead.

but what does that have to do with justifying racist remarks against anyone?

You could easily do what the OP did but in a California court-room. I'll call my documentary "Short people get 15x the prison term for lesser crimes"

DAMN RIGHT! the word is against short people! about time someone recognizes it! DOWN WITH TALL PEOPLE!

 

[norseamd]

and Many white races have been slaves for centuries. guess what? everyone that was a slave is dead. the children of them are dead. but what does that have to do with justifying racist remarks against anyone?

for sure

greeks
slavs
central eurasians

 

[feralkid]

and Many white races have been slaves for centuries. guess what? everyone that was a slave is dead. the children of them are dead.

but what does that have to do with justifying racist remarks against anyone?

"Subjugation" does not only imply "Slavery".

This country institutionally subjugates Blacks to this very day.


Who cares about individual racists? Well, they annoy any sane person, and likely get kicked off of internet forums, but they aren't even on the radar screen of civil rights advocates. The Archie Bunkers of the world will go away in time, solving that part of the problem; rather it is "institutionalized" racism that is the front line of the war on racism.

How much "institutionalized" racism has white America been subject to?

 

[waggy]

"Subjugation" does not only imply "Slavery".

This country institutionally subjugates Blacks to this very day.


Who cares about individual racists? Well, they annoy any sane person, and likely get kicked off of internet forums, but they aren't even on the radar screen of civil rights advocates. The Archie Bunkers of the world will go away in time, solving that part of the problem; rather it is "institutionalized" racism that is the front line of the war on racism.

How much "institutionalized" racism has white America been subject to?

no slavery means slavery. look up some history

and the rest of it WTF? lol none of that has anything to do with the forum. you allow racist comments against one but ban those of another is wrong.

you want to end racism? you need to be fair and firm. otherwise you are just going to increase racism.

 

[CZroe]

Maybe that's because the Black "race" was subjugated for centuries by the white majority in this country.

It's not rocket science, Waggy, I'm sure you could grasp the concept if you would just try a bit harder.

Why make your own life needlessly difficult?

This country is now over two centuries old. Slavery was abolished when this country was less than one century old. Granted, other kinds of racial subjugation continued until the Civil Rights era, but that wasn't the case everywhere here. Similarly, slavery wasn't accepted everywhere for many years leading up to the Civil War and the eventual emancipation of the slaves. In other words, much of the country was against it even before the Civil War and yet you seem to think that our shame went on for centuries. None of us alive today had anything to do with it, so even if it were "centuries" then it should still be irrelevant to race relations today.

 

[rudeguy]

"Morality".....oh man. Can you imagine a "morality" forum rule?


I think what people are missing is that they have been duped by a common propaganda technique. Turn on any "documentary" that you know involves a horseshit theory, and by the end of it, you will find yourself having to stop yourself from believing it.

Presenting information without context, or even framing your own context around bits of real information, is a very powerful tool. Looking at posts in isolation, with no background information on the subject or poster, and with some moron directing your train of thought, is not a way to form an opinion on moderation.

You could easily do what the OP did but in a California court-room. I'll call my documentary "Short people get 15x the prison term for lesser crimes"

I'll flash forward to the judge reading the charges and the sentence for a tall person who was hit someone with his car and left the scene, and the victim died. He gets 18 months in state prison.

Then, a short person, who is charged with check fraud, gets read a 15 to life sentence by the same judge. OMG!!!! HOW CAN THIS BE???

Of course I will not tell you that the first person has never been in trouble, and the second person already had 2 strikes, with one being a violent felony. But your human instinct will be to confirm the theory I presented about midget discrimination.

The mods have a lot of judgement calls to make. If they are not using morality to make them, what are they using?

 

[zinfamous]

The problem is that many "illegal activity" threads are not locked. The problem is that many posts that are out of bounds by anyone with any sense of morality are not locked. The problem is that thieves, racists and criminals are allowed to post whatever they want if they are one of the selected few. But then if someone who is on the shit list posts something even near the out of bounds marker, they are dealt with very harshly.

People are not and have never been treated equally here. Many of my friends have been banned, pushed out or ran off simply because the mod staff didn't like them on a personal level. The mod staff will bring up and repost things that happened years in the past but if a member does it, its a callout and they are banned. God forbid someone speak out against the mods here! They will surely be shunned!!!!

I stuck up for the mods for years. Even after getting perma banned. I defended them because I liked most of them on a personal level. But that has changed. I cannot defend a crew who use their mod powers to settle personal vendettas. Its almost as if the mod crew want the masses to fear them. Then when someone comes along who will not bow down to them, the ban stick comes out.

I look forward to my impending infraction for discussing this outside of MD.

I agree with this, rudeguy. I do feel that certain members get "special" treatment based on past history--the slightest thing will lead to insta- vacations or whatever.

While I've received infractions and short vacations over the years, I sometimes feel that I have gotten away with way more than other posters have--I can think of a few that have engendered special attention from the mods and who, for some reason I don't really understand, will get long vacations for essentially saying the same things someone like myself might say, and get a warning, infraction for it.

Granted, I don't tend to make a habit of going after people on a regular basis (meaning balls-to-the-wall comments every time I post, regardless of who I am addressing)--And while I know I will certainly break the rules of conduct at times, it seems that when I do, I tend to go after certain posters who, based on their behavior, have already created a universal amount of ire in the general membership, anyway. So, perhaps it depends on "your target," as it does with the particular subject matter, as it does with your past history, that determines the nature of punishment. Honestly, I don't think that is terribly fair. :\

I don't know any mods personally or have any general on-going rapport with them, but it seems that there is some degree of tolerance afforded to different members, for whatever reason.

Regardless, I think developing the type of butthurt as displayed in the subject of this thread (the posted article) for any online activity such as this, is evidence of some sort of personal mental/social disorder, and a greater problem than some kind of endemic "moderator corruption" on an online forum.

 

[Pulsar]

I agree with this, rudeguy. I do feel that certain members get "special" treatment based on past history--the slightest thing will lead to insta- vacations or whatever.

While I've received infractions and short vacations over the years, I sometimes feel that I have gotten away with way more than other posters have--I can think of a few that have engendered special attention from the mods and who, for some reason I don't really understand, will get long vacations for essentially saying the same things someone like myself might say, and get a warning, infraction for it.

Granted, I don't tend to make a habit of going after people on a regular basis (meaning balls-to-the-wall comments every time I post, regardless of who I am addressing)--And while I know I will certainly break the rules of conduct at times, it seems that when I do, I tend to go after certain posters who, based on their behavior, have already created a universal amount of ire in the general membership, anyway. So, perhaps it depends on "your target," as it does with the particular subject matter, as it does with your past history, that determines the nature of punishment. Honestly, I don't think that is terribly fair. :\

I don't know any mods personally or have any general on-going rapport with them, but it seems that there is some degree of tolerance afforded to different members, for whatever reason.

Regardless, I think developing the type of butthurt as displayed in the subject of this thread (the posted article) for any online activity such as this, is evidence of some sort of personal mental/social disorder, and a greater problem than some kind of endemic "moderator corruption" on an online forum.

The only infraction I've ever earned:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=33568011&postcount=8

How using the term 'knee jerk drivel' gets called an 'insult' while other people f/u this and a/hole that.....

Of course, I don't think there is any great conspiracy. I'm a mod on another site, and see everything that goes on behind the scenes. They just do their best.

 

[rudeguy]

I agree with this, rudeguy. I do feel that certain members get "special" treatment based on past history--the slightest thing will lead to insta- vacations or whatever.

While I've received infractions and short vacations over the years, I sometimes feel that I have gotten away with way more than other posters have--I can think of a few that have engendered special attention from the mods and who, for some reason I don't really understand, will get long vacations for essentially saying the same things someone like myself might say, and get a warning, infraction for it.

Granted, I don't tend to make a habit of going after people on a regular basis (meaning balls-to-the-wall comments every time I post, regardless of who I am addressing)--And while I know I will certainly break the rules of conduct at times, it seems that when I do, I tend to go after certain posters who, based on their behavior, have already created a universal amount of ire in the general membership, anyway. So, perhaps it depends on "your target," as it does with the particular subject matter, as it does with your past history, that determines the nature of punishment. Honestly, I don't think that is terribly fair. :\

I don't know any mods personally or have any general on-going rapport with them, but it seems that there is some degree of tolerance afforded to different members, for whatever reason.

Regardless, I think developing the type of butthurt as displayed in the subject of this thread (the posted article) for any online activity such as this, is evidence of some sort of personal mental/social disorder, and a greater problem than some kind of endemic "moderator corruption" on an online forum.

I'm just posting from personal experience. I have been banned so many times that its not even funny but the negative effect of that is that I don't care about getting banned anymore. Threatening to punch someone in the face usually scares them. Unless that person has taken lots of punches to the face before and knows how to handle them. Its the same thing here.

My last ban was for "ignoring moderator instructions" because I responded to someone calling me out, insulting me and my son. Try to find it. You can find my post but not what led up to it. The mods deleted the post I replied to but left mine there. What was really funny was I predicted it. I knew the mods had it out for me and even brought it up to them. A week later I was on vacation.

I used to stick up for them. I used to converse with them quite often. Not now. Now I refuse to even address any of them as individuals. They are a team and what they have done, they did as a team. Its a sad day when people who have been here for over a decade don't value their membership here anymore than they value a penny that fell out of their pocket.

 

[zinfamous]

The only infraction I've ever earned:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=33568011&postcount=8

How using the term 'knee jerk drivel' gets called an 'insult' while other people f/u this and a/hole that.....

Of course, I don't think there is any great conspiracy. I'm a mod on another site, and see everything that goes on behind the scenes. They just do their best.

lol what the hell?

Though that looks to be early in the more recent history of Incorruptible establishing himself as the resident dingbat supreme on these forums. I think his copy-pasting robo posting is less tolerated now.

 

[OCGuy]

lol what the hell?

Perfect example!

That post was during a time when an attempt was made to clean up P&N. Insults were completely banned in 2012, and that post was certainly an infraction.

The community complained, so the rule was put up for a vote. The majority of P&N (including me) voted to overturn it. The rule was rescinded later on the exact day that infraction was issued. A few hours later and it wouldn't have been a problem.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2250645

There was still a big push for a "cleaner' P&N, so the Discussion Club sub-forum branched off.



Now this is all extremely relevant information that changes the context of Pulsar's post and infraction, and without knowing it, it looks like overly aggressive moderation.

 

[shortylickens]

Holy crap is this still going?

Look, I think this place is corrupt, and frankly I just dont care enough for a 5-page thread.

Let it go you fuckwits.

And who the hell brought up asian slavery? What in the holy hell does that have to do with Anandtechs forums?

 

[zinfamous]

Perfect example!

That post was during a time when an attempt was made to clean up P&N. Insults were completely banned in 2012, and that post was certainly an infraction.

The community complained, so the rule was put up for a vote. The majority of P&N (including me) voted to overturn it. The rule was rescinded later on the exact day that infraction was issued. A few hours later and it wouldn't have been a problem.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2250645

There was still a big push for a "cleaner' P&N, so the Discussion Club sub-forum branched off.



Now this is all extremely relevant information that changes the context of Pulsar's post and infraction, and without knowing it, it looks like overly aggressive moderation.

Ah yeah, good point. I remember those days.

And who the hell brought up asian slavery? What in the holy hell does that have to do with Anandtechs forums?

Hmm, if I had to guess, probably Texashiker in a classic false analogy?

 

[BikeJunkie]

the only infraction i've ever earned:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=33568011&postcount=8

how using the term 'knee jerk drivel' gets called an 'insult' while other people f/u this and a/hole that.....

Of course, i don't think there is any great conspiracy. I'm a mod on another site, and see everything that goes on behind the scenes. They just do their best.

lol wtf?!

 

[james1701]

Has Anand actually posted an opinion on this matter?

 

[_Rick_]

Has Anand actually posted an opinion on this matter?

I'm convinced he doesn't care about it, as long as it doesn't impact the bottom line.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I'm convinced he doesn't care about it, as long as it doesn't impact the bottom line.

Why would he waste his time? That's what the cult of Anand are for.

 

[olds]

Why would he waste his time? That's what the cult of Anand are for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxgRUyzgs0

 

[SolMiester]

I dont know about frowning because of diverting traffic, however this wont help the site!, especially when the article is legit!

 

[SheHateMe]

P&N is a really good example of why people don't like this forum.
Also, there are a lot of posters here who hold grudges about old shit, and a few posters who say really nasty things to other posters.

I was recently called "Dumb ghetto trash" by someone who is still beefing with me about something I said over a year ago about rednecks (and he's asian. What a joke). This poster knows I am black and has frequently made remarks about me being a baby mama, being ghetto or being on welfare. He also makes sure to use ebonics when he is directing posts towards me. It really surprises me about what is allowed to be said here and the fact that you have to report people when mods are sitting right there commenting in the thread. I really do think there is a lot of nastiness here at times and that it often goes unchecked even if its out in the open.


Luckily, I reported that person and he FINALLY got vacationed after being reported by me several times for his disgusting comments.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Every time I see off topic or troll posts in VC&G I report them. After a while nothing was ever being done so I just trolled back. I then get infractions telling me to take my whining elsewhere.

Was a really professional reply from a mod.

 

[Smoblikat]

Meh, not really news. This place is full of horrible moderators.

 

[Exterous]

So, perhaps it depends on "your target," as it does with the particular subject matter, as it does with your past history, that determines the nature of punishment. Honestly, I don't think that is terribly fair. :\

I wonder if it somewhat has to do with some posters using the 'Report' feature while others don't. I can't imagine the Mods read everything so I would be willing to bet that if your target is more likely to use the report feature you will be more likely you are to receive an infraction. Make a comment about someone who doesn't care or doesn't know where the report button is and no infraction. Make the same comment towards someone who reports you and get an infraction

 

[Tweak155]

P&N is a really good example of why people don't like this forum.
Also, there are a lot of posters here who hold grudges about old shit, and a few posters who say really nasty things to other posters.

I was recently called "Dumb ghetto trash" by someone who is still beefing with me about something I said over a year ago about rednecks (and he's asian. What a joke). This poster knows I am black and has frequently made remarks about me being a baby mama, being ghetto or being on welfare. He also makes sure to use ebonics when he is directing posts towards me. It really surprises me about what is allowed to be said here and the fact that you have to report people when mods are sitting right there commenting in the thread. I really do think there is a lot of nastiness here at times and that it often goes unchecked even if its out in the open.


Luckily, I reported that person and he FINALLY got vacationed after being reported by me several times for his disgusting comments.

Ebonics are you serious?

I used to know this guy in high school where we would throw racial slurs at each other and crack everyone up (he was black and I'm white), but we were pretty good friends and it was mutually all in good fun. I don't know why that would be tolerated here though.