All Things in Moderation

There has been some discussion recently, buried with other threads, about how things are moderated here at chess.com.

Strangely, some people complain that there's too much moderating, while others complain there isn't enough.  Some folks claim the moderators are biased, while others seem to think moderators are somewhat misguided.

I'm curious, to hear not what people think about the current moderating practices, but more so about what different members might construe as ideal moderation, bearing in mind the goals and policies of chess.com.

I'm used to strict moderation such as seen at teamliquid. 

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=17883

I think there needs to be mods that are assigned to certain forum sections to read and at least make sure the first post isn't just " see that subject? Yeah..." or worse.... absaloutely nothing. For example, in this very section a few threads deserve closing. For example, the thread about the parody of 1000 signs you play chess too much that is just made for the purpose of increased post count and trolling.

Well, you think then that mods should examine every thread and move all those non-chess related to the Off Topic Forum?

Fun title, interesting topic, but no input.  It seems people, in other threads,  like to say what they don't like, but are devoid of alternatives.

I don't think it's a matter of moving threads to Off Topic; that forum is brimming over with rubbish anyway (although there are, rarely, very good and funny threads).

I'd like to see 1. a set of rules which specifically cover a lot more than the present ones, and 2. a moderation team which enforces them. Examples from the TL rules quoted by 3FFA:

"Do not post just for the sake of posting. We will warn for excessive "+1" posts. Also, don't be a backseat moderator. Our moderators handle the moderation so you don't have to.

Don't use our forums as your personal marketing resource. Don't post referral links or blatant traffic grabs. It's fine to post a thread that links to your personal blog or an article you wrote or published on another site if the content is relevant to the discussion, but treat our forums as your home, not as a tool to drive traffic. Additionally, don't treat our forum as a substitute for Google.

Gratuitous swearing, insults, or trolling will get you banned.

An opening post should set the tone for discussion by being thoughtful and well constructed. We will not hesitate to close threads that don't have enough content.

Use the Search Function before making a new thread to make sure there isn't already a topic."

All this sounds pretty Utopian compared to the forum here at chess.com. Sure, there'd be outrage among the trolls if a few were first warned and then banned, but in the long run the forum would be a much better place to visit. It's chess.com's site, and they have the right to make and enforce their own rules.

Hasn't the site been criticized many times for banning/muting various members (invariably for good reasons)? 

It's not that we don't have suggestions; rather that you just don't know where to start. I cut my post #7 by about 2/3 before I posted it; I almost erased the whole thing, because the issue is so large and disparate that you get the feeling that chess.com simply isn't able to deal with it anyway, parallel to running the actual chess site.

TeamLiquid is pretty strict, though politics is fine there, and you can eff eff eff if you wish.

Running off topic is rarer there for sure, and this has made chess.com forums much more fun at times, with the caveat that some members here only think they're funny, so the sword cuts both ways.

For a forum where 25 makes you an old man, it's pretty good.

I got modded once. IMO a mod with an ego, for the most part. Damn kids.

To be quite honest -who cares? The criticizers are in 99% of the cases fellow trolls or new accounts.

Maybe you're right. I sure don't know.  But I do think that there's a disconnect somewhere between management and membership and that people should be able to opine, without all the nonesense, openly.  Ideas, good ideas, often grow from seeds of ideas that just need to be planted and cultivated a bit.

I am of the view that we need heavier moderation.

Per the forum rules, the following behaviors are prohibited:

• spammy/pointless/distracting posts
• hijacking of threads with off-topic posts or images

These rules simply aren't enforced or cannot be enforced under the current system. Another problem is with sockpuppet accounts.

I think that a larger moderation team would be an excellent face of the website as well as providing real time customer service.

I do not know much about the tools available to moderators, but I would imagine a system of warnings and bannings could be put into place.

Following that to the letter excludes witty, off-the-cuff retorts to dumbassery.

I don't want to live in such a world.

I think that the site should continue bannings and mutings despite criticism, as palm_beetle illustrates, those that oppose these policies are usually the trolls themselves.

Goldendog: Yes, I agree. This is where it is difficult to draw the line. I have never been warned in the past for any witty remarks of my own at the forums I visit, despite moderation, but perhaps I am not as witty as you? :)

But in my opinion, the trolling, sockpuppets, etc. are out of control to a degree that restricts free discussion, and gives a bad image of the site. Enough so that I am willing to sacrifice a little of my freedom to witty remarks.

Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.

I believe that self-moderation should be the main form of moderation as it establishes the board culture.  The main moderators clear spam accounts, handle abuse reports on a case by case basis, and do whatever else is deemed necessary with their power.

I think that there needs to be a quicker movement of lameduck threads to off-topic.  Most of the questions asked on this site are answered within a couple posts or have been asked previously (see "Bishop vs. Knight" #1-60).  These are the type that should be discouraged and moved to off-topic or closed with a link to older threads.

Also, the militant approach against picture posting is disproportionate to the response given to the spamming kiddies on the board currently.

Some might say that we need moderation to where there is only chess talk is supreme, going off-topic results in a block or ban (by the OP of course), and any mention of jokes and fun should result in an immediate ban.  I would almost argue that the board culture loses its redeeming qualities (what's left of them anyways) of some fun and becomes cancerous with the current policy (which is already here).  If you wanted heavy moderation, you certainly got it people compared to two years back.

Lesson #1:

Breakfast is the soul of wit.

"forced to watch episode of Family Guy written by retards."

A most profound metaphor.

That's a redundant statement.

FIRST 1111!!

Everyone in the thread running sockpuppets, raise your hand.

Everyone in the thread back with yet another account after being banned numerous times, raise your hand.