Why is talking about the Moderation in a respectful way cause for a lock?

[ProfJohn]

This thread

I will agree that the thread got a little off topic.

But why is talking about the actions of a moderator grounds for a lock if it is done in a respectful manor?

MODs are humans, they make mistakes or make actions that people might view as mistakes so why shouldn't we be able to discuss their actions?

Especially in this case where the MOD action in question amounts not to an 'official' act of Moderation but a mod stating their opinion about a thread as a Mod.

Also, I don't think the MODs should be apologizing for a post, unless they are going to lock the post.

 

[Red Dawn]

P&N isn't the proper forum to discuss Mod actions. This has been discussed many times before.

 

[bsobel]

Those discussion must occur in PFI, not in the actual thread.

 

[SickBeast]

That thread should have been locked based on the title alone.

It was severe baiting, combined with an element of inappropriate content.

 

[apoppin]

i have a somewhat related question
[as i am actually thinking of starting a *single* thread in P&N :Q]

If a thread is locked due to something inappropriate - perhaps just due to flaming by posters who want to shut it down or perhaps the title or OP was not particularly well thought-out - but otherwise it appears to have "value"; it is OK to PM the mods and ask that a reworked "new thread" on the same subject be reposted by the OP [subject to approval]?

Is there precedent for this in P&N?

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: apoppin
i have a somewhat related question
[as i am actually thinking of starting a *single* thread in P&N :Q]

If a thread is locked due to something inappropriate - perhaps just due to flaming by posters who want to shut it down or perhaps the title or OP was not particularly well thought-out - but otherwise it appears to have "value"; it is OK to PM the mods and ask that a reworked "new thread" on the same subject be reposted by the OP [subject to approval]?

Is there precedent for this in P&N?

Yes. While we are not perfect, I like to think we can take steps to figure out of a thread was intended to flame or some posters caused problems. If a thread gets that derailed, sometimes a fresh start is needed along with guidelines for those that derailed it.

 

[Rio Rebel]

I'll be glad to discuss this here, if you wish.

First off, I found it more than a little amusing that you were defending me as a newbie. You might want to check that out.

I am certainly not above mistakes. This may have been one - I am still listening and thinking and taking it all in. I think a few of you may be oversimplifying the situation. Here were my thoughts at the time:

1. The thread title was clearly offensive to black people. That point, in my mind, is not debatable amongst reasonable people.
2. The thread content, on the other hand, was a somewhat useful discussion of the topic. I didn't agree with much of what was said, but it wasn't over the line and we want to encourage that type of discussion.

With these in mind, I was feeling highly motivated to both act and not act at the same time. I wanted people to know that the title was not acceptable, and particularly I wanted our black members to know that it doesn't reflect our values here (which would have been the message had I remained silent). At the same time, I wanted to give some latitude to a discussion that was for the most part very acceptable, and to demonstrate that we encourage honest discourse.

In my initial wording of my mod edit, I used the term "we". I immediately realized that I couldn't speak for Anandtech that broadly, and that the whole point was to have a discussion in our mod forum to determine direction, so I changed the statement to "I". What I didn't stop to realize was that by doing so, I had just called my own objectivity into question and given the impression that I was acting on my own personal political beliefs rather than Anandtech.

I will tell you this - I will continue to do the best I can to see that those two sometimes competing principles are upheld. It is critical that members have the opportunity to express honest opinions, even unpopular ones. But it is also critical that ALL of our members here can enjoy and participate without being belittled because of their race - which includes thread titles which call black people "ungrateful SOB's". And hopefully, we've all learned from this situation, but the one thing I would not change is my commitment to those two principles and my careful attention to the impact of moderating between them.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
But why is talking about the actions of a moderator grounds for a lock if it is done in a respectful manor?

As Red said, P&N and other forums are not the proper venue. Your first recourse, per the rules, is to moderator@anandtech.com. Derek, our principal admin, is your court of appeal.

To anyone thinking of posting here, one thing we will simply NOT allow is for any PFI thread to turn into mod bashing or mod baiting or grandstanding.

We ask that everyone please respect this.

Rio Rebel made a unpremeditated technical mistake, which will not be repeated, while faithfully trying to do his job.

This entire matter has already bleen discussed in depth by Derek and the mod community.

OP, you have been given an explanation in depth. I hope you are satisfied, but if you somehow are not, please contact Derek.

Thanks. :thumbsup:

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: apoppin
i have a somewhat related question
[as i am actually thinking of starting a *single* thread in P&N :Q]

If a thread is locked due to something inappropriate - perhaps just due to flaming by posters who want to shut it down or perhaps the title or OP was not particularly well thought-out - but otherwise it appears to have "value"; it is OK to PM the mods and ask that a reworked "new thread" on the same subject be reposted by the OP [subject to approval]?

Is there precedent for this in P&N?

Yes. While we are not perfect, I like to think we can take steps to figure out of a thread was intended to flame or some posters caused problems. If a thread gets that derailed, sometimes a fresh start is needed along with guidelines for those that derailed it.

Thank-you!

We are actually trying to constructively address similar issues in Video [which as you may well know has been occasionally labeled as the "Tech P&N" Forum ]. i started a thread that turned into a poll and it offered some good suggestions for us that may be a possible analogy to your own situation in P&N:

NVIDIA vs. AMD - How do we *constructively* discuss them on our forum ?

 

[ProfJohn]

Rio... thought you were one of the new guys... oops

As you explained it in your post here your edit makes far more sense than the way it came across in P&N.

The way it came across in P&N is that you were calling the content of the leter the 'offensive part' which is how several of us read your comment. (Go back and read our responses to see what I mean.)

IMO you should have locked the thread for a bad title and offered to unlock after a title change, or removed the offensive part of the title.

Either choice would have removed the idea that you were injecting your personal opinion into the thread while acting as a MOD.

Finally, isn't ironic that a guy writing about an 'offensive' leter does so via a thread with an 'offensive' title.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Rio... thought you were one of the new guys... oops

As you explained it in your post here your edit makes far more sense than the way it came across in P&N.

The way it came across in P&N is that you were calling the content of the leter the 'offensive part' which is how several of us read your comment. (Go back and read our responses to see what I mean.)

IMO you should have locked the thread for a bad title and offered to unlock after a title change, or removed the offensive part of the title.

Either choice would have removed the idea that you were injecting your personal opinion into the thread while acting as a MOD.

Finally, isn't ironic that a guy writing about an 'offensive' leter does so via a thread with an 'offensive' title.

I'd like you all to have a look at this - An experiment in self moderation.

Way to go guys!
- i even returned to P&N today
:Q





- for a single thread . ... . c-ya someday in P&N again, i hope

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Rio... thought you were one of the new guys... oops

As you explained it in your post here your edit makes far more sense than the way it came across in P&N.

The way it came across in P&N is that you were calling the content of the leter the 'offensive part' which is how several of us read your comment. (Go back and read our responses to see what I mean.)

IMO you should have locked the thread for a bad title and offered to unlock after a title change, or removed the offensive part of the title.

Either choice would have removed the idea that you were injecting your personal opinion into the thread while acting as a MOD.

Finally, isn't ironic that a guy writing about an 'offensive' leter does so via a thread with an 'offensive' title.

I'd like you all to have a look at this - An experiment in self moderation.

Way to go guys!
- i even returned to P&N today
:Q





- for a single thread . ... . c-ya someday in P&N again, i hope

Come December/January, it will be safe to visit