who should be banned?

[Keith]

The trouble is that as soon as you disclose information about a particular fracas resulting in a leaving or banning you're inviting people to take sides ... which can start a whole new debacle.

Forum politics would be good fodder for a PHD on internet behaviour IMO ... and why some usually civilised individuals turn into a-holes when you give them an internet connection, a keyboard and a level of anonimity.

 

[charjohncarter]

i suppose I will be 'Banned' next
for showing my Panties...lol

I didn't see that, darn.

But don't put the legs avatar up again, it will cause trouble.

 

[Brian Legge]

This reminds me of layoffs or people leaving at a moderately large company.

Rumors travel instantly if the management doesn't acknowledge what happened. Talking publicly about the details or an individuals problems in public can only backfire unless the infraction was severe enough for it to be a legal issue. Both sides need the ability to protect their interests. Problems should be dealt with privately, potentially with probation. All individuals react differently. People find out over time.

On big difference is that individuals generally talk about issues in private. Here, the board is the only method of communication. In addition, there is no boss to potentially filter news of act as a point of private upwards feedback. Relatively few have personal relationships with the mods.

To that end, a few thoughts -

- Be up front about high profile departures. Details about why they left should remain private but acknowledge departures before rumors spread.
- Periodically reiterate rules people commonly break (without naming people). As much as possible keep individual criticism private.
- Give public feedback to people who get threads back on track or who self police/admit wrong doing.
- Keep the roster up to date. If someone named in the sidebar leaves or takes a hiatus, close or rename it to avoid confusion.
- Give people dealing with a loss of someone valued here some time to talk about it before closing a thread about a departure and helping everyone move on.
- Accept that not everyone will be happy analogy decisions or understand what went on behind the scenes but trust that the value brought to the community by this self policing improves it in the long run.
- As a community we need to remember to express out gratitude to though volunteering there time to help make this a great place to hang out.

 

[yanchep_mike]

Do i miss something?, this is the internet, in any forum you will find people which try to upset the apple cart, i mainly read here and really enjoy the community spirit. I look at the galleries and paint myself a picture of the various members, its beautiful.
I just don't read the rubbish some people put on, and if no one replies then they will post to them self's and will get bored and hopefully go away.
Just ignore them.

If i misunderstood please ignore my post.

 

[splitimageview]

How about the contributing factor of moderators just deleting posts/threads because they a: don't like what's being discussed, b: don't like what they hear?

Haven't seen that here with the long-time mods.

Obviously if people are making personal threats of violence towards others they should be reeled back in - but aside from that, people should have the freedom to say whatever they want to say. Responders/listeners have the equal right to listen to it or not.

There are forums like that, where anything goes. They aren't much fun to visit for most.

What gets a lot of long time people worked up around here is moderation reaching in with the artificial hand and manipulating the ability for people to speak freely. There are countless examples of this happening here on RFF.

It's one thing to speak freely, another to say things in a way that does not cause undue friction. I have not seen any 'manipulation.'

The mods are here to keep things on an even keel, as there are always those that (a) intend to rile things up (trolls) or (b) simply don't perceive how their written words are perceived by others.

Attempting to beat everyone into submission until all views are compatible and "everyone just gets along" is a problem.

If you think this is what RFF is, perhaps it's not the forum for you...

Clearly, an open discussion of what a mod has to deal with is not the sign of trying to make 'all views compatible.'

 

[redisburning]

Sorry but 30 ppl speaking is not as effective as one person (mod) doing...

I've been banned. Twice I think-- I've lost track. If you are not entirely an idiot, you can work your way back in. I'm pathetic.

Ive been temp banned on nearly every forum Ive ever posted on and even been permabanned on one for embarrassing a mod in a political sub-forum with statistical evidence. Hell, I even got banned from /b/ once without doing something illegal which took a lot of effort back when I actually read that board.

Ive had many hobbies and as a result posted on quite a few boards, and at this point my sample size is probably large enough to say something about this whole thing and what I've seen is that self-policing boards deal with intolerable people a whole lot better than heavily moderated forums.

on one forum I frequent you can nominate people for 2 week bans and that includes mods. two newer mods recently got timebanned for being **** at being mods. that forum has more flaming than RFF and more sketchy stuff said but in reality it doesnt have the same problem with the really extreme posters that most heavily modded forums have. at the end of the day, I think having to have thick skin is an OK price to not have to worry so much about the really extreme cases.

obviously illegal material should still warrant bans.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Murchu's Post +1

 

[back alley]

How about the contributing factor of moderators just deleting posts/threads because they a: don't like what's being discussed, b: don't like what they hear? Obviously if people are making personal threats of violence towards others they should be reeled back in - but aside from that, people should have the freedom to say whatever they want to say. Responders/listeners have the equal right to listen to it or not.

What gets a lot of long time people worked up around here is moderation reaching in with the artificial hand and manipulating the ability for people to speak freely. There are countless examples of this happening here on RFF.

People will feel more comfortable/more loyal if they didn't have to worry about this. Even this discussion of banning - there's very little reason to ban people other than outright and overt problem causing. Having a differing viewpoint is not a problem. Attempting to beat everyone into submission until all views are compatible and "everyone just gets along" is a problem.

not so...there are rules and the mods are here to enforce them...plain and simple.

 

[redisburning]

If you think this is what RFF is, perhaps it's not the forum for you...

is this a cultural thing? the vast majority of the times Ive heard this it has been in Texas.

I thought the idea was to have a community built around rangefinder photography, not a circle jerk of like minded people. even implying that people should take a hike just because they feel that some things would be better off different is inappropriate moderator behavior.

if you really think this attitude better serves the purposes of the RFF, then by all means continue uninterupted. it doesn't bother me if the mods drop the hammer on what people say because for me this is a forum experience where I look at pictures other people post and post my own 95% of the time regardless. the other 5% of the time someone who actually has an opinion I trust posts about gear or I post myself.

 

[Keith]

This has been an interesting discussion ... congrats to Joe for posting such a direct question and letting the ideas and opinions flow.

I'm off to hug a tree! 😀

 

[squareshooter]

Anybody who mentions barnack or bokeh should be immediately suspect. And the dudes who plead for info about what bag they need to buy to complete their ensemble should be boiled in hypo. That is my humbug opinion.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Its Anonymity's fault! She brings out the worst in a fellow.

 

[semilog]

Hell, I even got banned from /b/ once without doing something illegal which took a lot of effort back when I actually read that board.

........whoa.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Wow, I really haven't been lurking much. The layout of the forum is different and obscure when viewed on the ForumRunner app (I've been living out of my phone for internety stuff) so I only see the threads I'm subscribed to usually.

I've been in some heated discussions here and pointed some fingers directly at a few folks over myopic points of view or things that I find distasteful and disrespectful. I haven't been banned but I've had a couple private messages from mods cool me down. These days I'm shooting a lot more and commenting a lot less, which is good for me and, dare I say, could be good for us all.

I don't know what I missed but this buildup must have been a doozey.

Phil Forrest

 

[seakayaker1]

Just don't take the bait . . . . .

best to ignore those who make comments you do not like.

Once you react they work on you . . . . .

unless they are laying hands (which is hard since this is the internet) on you just ignore and walk away, you'll have a pleasant day.

 

[thirtyfivefifty]

I think the question of who should be banned depends on the culture of RFF, and what is deemed "normal" by the majority of its members.

Lately, I've been noticing posts by cultural outsiders and minorities, buried deep in certain threads, questioning what is the general belief held by the demographic majority in this forum.

I love their insight and commentary.

Personally, I try not to to comment, let alone visit this forum too much. I would identify myself as a minority, and I find myself editing myself many times, or figuring out how to phrase a question or comment to be somewhat RFF acceptable without any ridicule and such just because I can predict what kind of responses I would get.

I'm simply here for the facts, but I have to filter out so much emotion and strong opinion to get to the facts. Some personalities are just too much and drains my soul. It's not nice, it's not pleasant, sometimes I find it offensive as well, breaking harmony, but it seems to me that because no one says anything otherwise that it's normal behavior...

... until someone speaks their mind out.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

This is all interesting stuff but, at the end of the day, it's going to come down to what the moderators think is correct. I'm pretty sure they have their own limited space where they discuss this sort of thing and try to get it right.

It seems to me that, so far, they're succeeding.

:angel:

 

[Sparrow]

boxers or briefs?

...... or worse?

 

[sanmich]

I sometimes see systematic aggressive and rude behavior from some posters.
I've learned not to answer.
Ideally, with time, these will get warnings and if they don't get the hint, I would like to see them banned.

There was one time, one long term resident here posted a seriously racist remark.
He then answered with idiotic " It was just a joke" kind of excuses to the outraged responses. Nothing happenned to him, which I personally find unnacceptable.

But generally, I'm thankful of the mods work here. It keeps the general atmosphere curteous and friendly (mostly).

 

[Sparrow]

I've never wanted anyone banned, I don't mind reading things I don't agree with. Some of the political correctness censorship we get is a bit odd ... but not odd enough to get angry about ... what I want to know is why did you let that Keith chap back in?