Moderation

[Insight]

Since the other thread was locked, which is hardly suprising nowadays.

I'm witnessing more and more threads getting locked, but for no obvious reasons. Above which, the moderator who locked the thread also doesn't give a reason why the thread was locked. Why is this? This seems to be occuring much more often. What's going on?

Okay, being a bit more pedantic, it's also annoying to see a thread locked for no reason, then a moderator unlock it, post a further comment (nothing to do with explaining why it was locked in the first place), then lock it again!

The main thread I'm highlighting here is the one a few days back entitled something like "What would you do if you had HIV" - there was nothing on this thread that, in my honest opinion, would upset anybody, yet the moderators felt it fit to close yet leave no explanation.

Another thread in which I could slightly (but not fully) understand was the one wishing HM of Thailand a happy birthday. Okay, sensitive subject, but there was absolutely nothing on this thread that could possibly upset anybody - only completely positive comments. Yet, once again, it was closed with absolutely no explanation. Even a bog standard "Thread closed - against TOS" would do...

There's several more - have a look through the entire board and you'll see a quite a few - locked but leaving no closing remark.

And unsuprisingly, this one will probably get locked, if not completely deleted within minutes...

[Nat]

Aristotle wisely advised moderation in all things.

[george]

Insight, you are perfectly right. When a thread is closed it should be remarked why it's closed.

We are currently having talks and internal discussions with all admins and moderators to streamline our routines. Blame me in the first place, as there has been no clear guidelines for the moderators. I hope we will moderate even better in the future!

Please bear with us until we all are synchronized.

Thanks!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Aristotle wisely advised moderation in all things.  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nothing exceeds like excess

[DaveYo]

Yea George, technically only three reasons would suffice to lock a thread.

First Such topic is being abused and or is a troll

Secondly, Such topic and length of time has expired

Third Such topic is too sensitive regarding the royals

Daveyo

[britmaveric]

Not Thailand Related.... need us forget.

[Plato]

Aristotle wisely advised moderation in all things.  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My father would have agreed with you, Nat.

Do you know my father?

Socrates...

[britmaveric]

Plato- missed you mate!! All well with you and your missus?

[GuestHouse]

I can't agree more, Moderate by all means but closing down discussions for no other reason than the Mod disagrees with what is being said or believes the discussion is going nowhere -Check out 'Home Grown Debts'

Lots of responses, lots of reads, hardly any real abuse and obviously of interest to readers - But Wolfie closes it down.

My personal opinion is there are too many moderators, and just as when there are too many policemen they have to find something to do.

The reaility is there are far fewer interesting discussions here these days.

Yes by all means let us have serious and informative discussion, but not all the time please. Peolple have different views and different beliefs, I think its good to hear them.

And anyway, what of those head to head battles I've had a few, and I've a few PMs from guys I've battled it out with saying [sic] Good to hear a different view - No hard feelings mate.

Yes this IS a Thailand site, but it is also one of the few places that expats in Thailand can express and discuss their views.

If you the moderators don't recognise that and continue to patrol this site along current lines, you will do little but steralize it.

[Boon Mee]

Aristotle wisely advised moderation in all things.  

Nothing exceeds like excess

Isn't that what Al Pachino's girlfriend said as she stuck that hundred dollar bill in her nose again in "Scarface"?

[fourbaht]

Yeah I have to agree not much interesting here any more since the Mods stepped it up a notch

[Plato]

Yeah I have to agree not much interesting here any more since the Mods stepped it up a notch

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Four Baht?

This is what the comment is worth...

[boris]

I can't agree more, Moderate by all means but closing down discussions for no other reason than the Mod disagrees with what is being said or believes the discussion is going nowhere -Check out 'Home Grown Debts'

Lots of responses, lots of reads, hardly any real abuse and obviously of interest to readers - But Wolfie closes it down.

My personal opinion is there are too many moderators, and just as when there are too many policemen they have to find something to do.

The reaility is there are far fewer interesting discussions here these days.

Yes by all means let us have serious and informative discussion, but not all the time please. Peolple have different views and different beliefs, I think its good to hear them.

And anyway, what of those head to head battles I've had a few, and I've a few PMs from guys I've battled it out with saying [sic] Good to hear a different view - No hard feelings mate.

Yes this IS a Thailand site, but it is also one of the few places that expats in Thailand can express and discuss their views.

If you the moderators don't recognise that and continue to patrol this site along current lines, you will do little but steralize it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with most of this.There are too many moderators and there are no clear guidelines in terms of closing down threads.Having said that there are mods such as George and Dr Patpong who seem to me quite excellent, balanced and sensible.I am not going to name the second rater mods but there are one or two.One in particular made me laugh in the context of a recent thread in which I had no involvement.He threatened to temporarily ban someone he accused of "badmouthing" another moderator, good old I'm alright Jack stuff.I looked at the apparent badmouthing and it was relatively mild criticism.Suggest get rid of this creep and ensure the otherwise high standards of moderation.

[Dickie]

I think the locking is very overused. Even in the case of two people bad-mouthing each other. I remember one topic where it happened and I just said "Don't you two have e-mail?". It may have been a coincidence that that was the final post.

Apart from anything liable to bring the law through the door I can't see any justification for locking topics, we're supposed to be grown-ups and doesn't that mean we have choice coupled with responsibility? Since when did we lose that?

[cojones]

i have been banned from posting any news articles by the mods !

now they dont get all the news articles because i may have different sources to them

so they miss out on some articles .

they go on about copyright issues yet they cull articles from the same sources as i might do .

[GuestHouse]

they go on about copyright issues yet they cull articles from the same sources as i might do .

The fact is - If you cut and paste and article on a webpage/into a document etc it might be infringement of copyright even if you give a reference.

BUT - It might not be infringement of copyright if the article is in the public domain (Most information posted on internets can be deemed to be in the public domain).

However: If you post a link to an article on another website where clicking on the link takes you to the original article on the original website - That is NOT infringement of copyright.

So if you post a link, say to a BBC article and a Mod' cuts you out on the grounds of 'Copyright Infringement' then he/she is talking out of his/her botty.

Rav... you're a smelly toad and don't ever come knocking on my door for a loan

[Boon Mee]

TV Forum is like a Sunday School picnic w/respect to "overmoderation" in comparison to it's sister fourm - Bearpit.

You guys that complain about it here don't know how good y'all got it!

[cdnvic]

I'm not saying the moderation is perfect, they're human after all. How far can you go on the 'free expresion' thing? Flame wars? Porn Spam?

I can remember using usenet in the late 80s when it was actually useable. Now its mostly porn spam and other junk. I'd hate to see a place like this get like that, and the only way to keep it that way is to have someone apply the brakes on things every once in a while. It may not always be done the way you like it to, but hey, its a web board, get over it.

Another option is to go to register.com, get a domain, find a host, some webboard software.... you see where I'm going.

It's also a big difference between an admin posting a copyrighted article that he has permission to post, and just anyone doing a cut/paste out of a copyrighted website.

cv

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'm not saying the moderation is perfect, they're human after all. How far can you go on the 'free expresion' thing? Flame wars? Porn Spam?

I can remember using usenet in the late 80s when it was actually useable. Now its mostly porn spam and other junk. I'd hate to see a place like this get like that, and the only way to keep it that way is to have someone apply the brakes on things every once in a while. It may not always be done the way you like it to, but hey, its a web board, get over it.

Another option is to go to register.com, get a domain, find a host, some webboard software.... you see where I'm going.

It's also a big difference between an admin posting a copyrighted article that he has permission to post, and just anyone doing a cut/paste out of a copyrighted website.

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well said Vic. Thanks.

[tuky]

i have been banned from posting any news articles by the mods !

now they dont get all the news articles because i may have different sources to them

so they miss out on some articles .

they go on about copyright issues yet they cull articles from the same sources as i might do .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats not true cojones, you and the rest of the forum members have been asked to get george to clear your articles first. Can be done via a link sent to george and a short explaination.

However, as has been mentioned before we are now trying to streamline this by tossing a few ideas around between ourselves. Stand by mate, as your contributions are infact appreciated and we hope they continue.

[Nat]

Aristotle wisely advised moderation in all things.  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nothing exceeds like excess

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...and nothing kills like overkill

[Khutan]

In my opinion the guidelines are far too loose and therefore there is alot of interpretation.

Obviously the interpretation will change accordong to how much you have got a moderators back up.

I am not going to push a barrow here, but I think there needs to be far clearer guidelines and like a penalty system.

As an example if you got 50 points, you would get a week ban, 75 points a month and 100 a year.

This would be for single posts.

Then you can apportion points according to the post.

So if I decided to vilify someone and maybe identify something in their personal life, then I might get 30 points, then If I was to add obscene content, that may be worth 40 points etc etc. So in one post you can really do it.

Then when people think the moderators are being hars they can say - you posted this - 20 points, with that - 10 points, etc etc, now enjoy your ban.

We must have moderators, without question;

cdnvic, you have hit it when you said this

....I can remember using usenet in the late 80s when it was actually useable. Now its mostly porn spam and other junk. I'd hate to see a place like this get like that....

without moderators, this place would be the same as the usenet.

Also improving the guidelines would protect both parties, the members and the moderators.

Thats all.

[Ajarn]

And the Gold Stars?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

And the Gold Stars? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are not yet invented