Managing forum toxicity and negativity

[bob smith]

2 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

Just having your have your own unique definition of what is a troll, doesn't count for anything. What counts is what everyone else thinks it is and you have been given that definition. TBH Bob, if you are of the age you suggest you are and you really want to engage here, which I doubt very much, you probably need to go out, change your  name and come back in again. The fact that you don't do that speaks volumes and conforms why you are here.

why would I have to change my name?

 

i'm quite happy using my birth name thanks.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

What counts is what everyone else thinks it is

so my opinion doesn't count but everyone elses does?

 

what kind of backward logic is that?

 

my god.

[CharlieH]

 what matter is how its defined here, as per forum rules:

 

10. You will not post troll messages. Trolling is the act of purposefully antagonizing forum members by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other members into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

[Mike Lister]

3 minutes ago, bob smith said:

why would I have to change my name?

 

i'm quite happy using my birth name thanks.

Imagine you snitched on the mob and now the mob wants to kill you, so you enter the witness protection program.....that's why you should change your name.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, eisfeld said:

 

The admins and mods decide what is acceptable content on this forum. They don't just go delete content that might just barely be maybe not 100% true or maybe just barely pulling someones leg. They from what I've whitnessed delete gross violations of the rules. When you said censoring opinions is the epitome of fascism that's just a generalization and extreme point of view. There simply are in a balanced society expressions that are not ok. I can't go and say it's my opinion that novacova is an evil person that likes to touch kids. It would be an outright lie and there is nothing bad about removing such a post. Same goes for claiming things that are flat out wrong and might be harmful to others if they believed what they read. Interaction and communication between humans can't be a free for all. Modern society has established rules that we live by to prevent total chaos. It's ok to doubt and question stuff from reputable sources. It's not ok to spread completely bogus misinformation. It's a core concept for a working society. But it's a balancing act where to draw the line and enforcement wont ever be 100% correct. That's life.

IMO it would help if posters e mail admin and get a response. In the past I e mailed admin a few times with a valid complaint about a certain mod that is no longer with us, but the first time I was fobbed of with a pointless response that didn't deal with my complaint, and after that they just ignored me. If we think we got a raw deal from a mod, we deserve more than that. After all, without us there is no forum.

[Mike Lister]

5 minutes ago, bob smith said:

so my opinion doesn't count but everyone elses does?

 

what kind of backward logic is that?

 

my god.

Well, you were given an authoritative interpretation of what the term means, then you were given the forum's interpretation, perhaps on this occasion, no, your opinion doesn't count.

[EVENKEEL]

JHC trolling is what keeps this forum going. You have the country bumkins ragging on the Pattaya gentlemen and visa versa. You have the single guys ragging on the old guys with young g/fs. And on and on, it's like saying prostitution is illegal in Thailand.

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

Imagine you snitched on the mob and now the mob wants to kill you, so you enter the witness protection program.....that's why you should change your name.

Still have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Mike Lister]

Just now, bob smith said:

Still have no idea what you are talking about.

 

I was trying to be nice. But since you claim not to get it still: large numbers of posters associate your name and your posts with nonsense and trolling, it's like Pavlov's dogs, if it's from Bob, it must be crap.

[bob smith]

2 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

I was trying to be nice. But since you claim not to get it still: large numbers of posters associate your name and your posts with nonsense and trolling, it's like Pavlov's dogs, if it's from Bob, it must be crap.

who are these large numbers?

 

name names mike!

[Mike Lister]

Just now, bob smith said:

who are these large numbers?

 

name names mike!

You've trolled enough in this thread, back you go onto my ignore list, I'm not playing your stupid, "I don't know, who me" games any more!. 

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, Mike Lister said:

You've trolled enough in this thread, back you go onto my ignore list, I'm not playing your stupid, "I don't know, who me" games any more!. 

seek help mike.

 

please!

[KannikaP]

4 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

It would be much simpler and better if people wouldn't troll by emoticon in the first place and instead, tried to articulate their thoughts rather than posting silly  childish faces! If this were a kindergarten and all the posters under age 8, I might see things differently. But one minute there are intelligent and in depth discussions about taxation, economics or politics and the next we're faced with a wall of sad emojis, posted by people who presumably don't understand the subject matter or can't be bothered to join in.

Best reply yet, thanks Mike.

[bob smith]

20 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

 what matter is how its defined here, as per forum rules:

 

10. You will not post troll messages. Trolling is the act of purposefully antagonizing forum members by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other members into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

please define controversial and inflammatory, as both seem highly subjective and wide open to interpretation. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by bob smith

[CharlieH]

Just now, bob smith said:

define controversial and inflammatory. 

Here ya go again, you can say "define" this define that and end up with a telephone directory of rules because everyone wants it defined even further.

 

Not playing your game mate.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/14/2023 at 12:30 AM, farmerjo said:

Can i ask how you know a poster changed their name.

I asked the question on name changes months a go in a topic and was told only mods know.

 

 

 

 

 

On a different forum I was stalked by a certain poster, who even PM'd me as a mod, so I was able to have him banned on that basis, but he kept coming back on under new usernames. I was easily able to identify him from his style, which was unique, so I was able to get him banned again by contacting the mods. Everyone has a unique style, and I'm certain I'd be picked up fast if I came back under a new username.

 

As an aside, he was also posting on this forum under his original username, and he continued stalking me till he vanished for some unknown reason.

 

BTW have any you done a google search of your username? It can be quite interesting. In my case, the stalker used to impersonate me on other forums asking stupid questions, like "what sort of birthday present can I buy my Thai GF for under 100 baht" which elicited the expected responses. He also went on hotel sites and gave them phoney reviews.

I suspect he may have died of hatred for me, when he disappeared from TVF.

[Bkk Brian]

 

12 minutes ago, bob smith said:

who are these large numbers?

 

name names mike!

I'm another one of those large numbers

[MrPancake]

40 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I honestly have yet to see what us internet nerds would define as a genuine troll on aseannow.

 

Having been a member of forums and bulletin boards since the late 80s I know what a real troll is.

 

Not a single person on here has yet qualified to hold that title.

 

The term trolling is used far too loosely here, and seems to be used as a catch all term by certain members to degrade others or draw the attention of the mods when they don't agree with a posters particular viewpoint.

 

Exactly 👍👍

[bob smith]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

 

I'm another one of those large numbers

I thought you might be, Brian.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, bob smith said:

I thought you might be, Brian.

You thought right Bob congratulations

[save the frogs]

Trolling cannot be clearly and easily defined.

If someone starts a thread called "Pattaya sucks", maybe they genuinely hate it and are miserable there.

Or maybe they are deliberately trying to anger the folks living in Pattaya. 

 

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Trolling cannot be clearly and easily defined.

If someone starts a thread called "Pattaya sucks", maybe they genuinely hate it and are miserable there.

Or maybe they are deliberately trying to anger the folks living in Pattaya. 

 

Its not often we see eye to eye but well said frogs!

 

you are correct. So really what trolling means here is whatever the mods deem it to be.

[BobBKK]

I just wish moderation was consistent and, more importantly, politically neutral. I am a paid moderator on an international forum of many thousands and so I do understand the challenges and difficulties of the role.

[Mike Lister]

4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Trolling cannot be clearly and easily defined.

If someone starts a thread called "Pattaya sucks", maybe they genuinely hate it and are miserable there.

Or maybe they are deliberately trying to anger the folks living in Pattaya. 

 

It's not a Phd course, the absolutely precise interpretation of what it is wont save the planet. Somewhere along the way people have to use their judgement and common sense, much of which has been lacking in the debate on this subject, especially by Bob. The forum definition is right there, it's as good as it gets, if people can't sensibly work with that they shouldn't be consuming oxygen.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

It would be much simpler and better if people wouldn't troll by emoticon in the first place and instead, tried to articulate their thoughts rather than posting silly  childish faces! If this were a kindergarten and all the posters under age 8, I might see things differently. But one minute there are intelligent and in depth discussions about taxation, economics or politics and the next we're faced with a wall of sad emojis, posted by people who presumably don't understand the subject matter or can't be bothered to join in.

I disagree. One only knows what other posters think about one's posts from the emoji response. No one is going to write a reply saying "I really liked that post" or I hated that post", and if they had to, every thread would have pages of such posts.

 

If you don't like the laugh emoji specifically, address that to the mods, as none of us can do anything about that.

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

It's amusing that you're such a prolific poster but  unable to use google to research a subject, nevertheless, I'll humor you, buddy!:

 

Trolling is when someone post or comments online to deliberately upset others. In short: Trolling is when someone deliberately tries to upset others online.

 

https://www.esafety.gov.au/young-people/trolling#:~:text=Trolling is when someone post,likely to make things worse.

I can agree with that, but if that's the accepted definition I must have loads of trolls attacking me judging by the number of personal insults I get. I don't see most now as they are on ignore, but I do when they are quoted by another poster.

[save the frogs]

14 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

It's not a Phd course, the absolutely precise interpretation of what it is wont save the planet. Somewhere along the way people have to use their judgement and common sense, much of which has been lacking in the debate on this subject, especially by Bob. The forum definition is right there, it's as good as it gets, if people can't sensibly work with that they shouldn't be consuming oxygen.

 

I'm not convinced it's so simple.

If someone posts sth really really really stupid, are they trolling or are they just really stupid?

Should people with a really low IQ level be banned?

 

Maybe a poster is really really eccentric and starts strange topics. Is he trolling or just being himself?

Should strange people be banned? 

 

Maybe someone always starts negative topics.

He could be trolling or that's the way he is in real life. 

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by save the frogs

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

I just wish moderation was consistent and, more importantly, politically neutral. I am a paid moderator on an international forum of many thousands and so I do understand the challenges and difficulties of the role.

consistent and, more importantly, politically neutral

 

The above are the relevant words concerning moderation on this forum. One mod that is no longer with us was neither, and any search of his/ her user name + Thai Visa Forum was very illustrative of the opinion of the myriad posters s/he had banned ( it wasn't flattering ).

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, save the frogs said:

Maybe a poster is really really eccentric and starts strange topics.

No prizes for guessing who that refers to, LOL.

[Mike Lister]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I disagree. One only knows what other posters think about one's posts from the emoji response. No one is going to write a reply saying "I really liked that post" or I hated that post", and if they had to, every thread would have pages of such posts.

 

If you don't like the laugh emoji specifically, address that to the mods, as none of us can do anything about that.

I can agree with that, but if that's the accepted definition I must have loads of trolls attacking me judging by the number of personal insults I get. I don't see most now as they are on ignore, but I do when they are quoted by another poster.

I suppose we have to take the good with the bad. If posters want the feedback and positive reinforcement that positive emoji's give, they have to be prepared to accept the obverse. Personally, I never felt the need to chase after reinforcing feedback but I am always open to rebuttal or an explanation explaining why my beliefs are misguided. That's how people behave in every other scenario in life, apart from on internet forums so why should this be any different! If somebody says something and I respond, I don't need emojis to confirm to me, over the course of the debate, whether I am right or wrong. If I am right, I don't need the approval of others to reinforce that, because it is after all my belief. As for people liking or not liking my beliefs, why would anyone care about that, debate is not a popularity contest, it's an exchange of ideas and thoughts that leads to a conviction that something is or is not.

[Mike Lister]

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

I'm not convinced it's so simple.

If someone posts sth really really really stupid, are they trolling or are they just really stupid?

Should people with a really low IQ level be banned?

 

Maybe a poster is really really eccentric and starts strange topics. Is he trolling or just being himself?

Should strange people be banned? 

 

Maybe someone always starts negative topics.

He could be trolling or that's the way he is in real life. 

 

One only has to take a quick look at a posters posting history to see what they have said from time to time on different subjects, to see if they are trolling stupid or if they are really really stupid.