AbsentElement
04-12-2006, 01:47 PM
Hello everyone,
I'd like to take a moment to point out some of the features of these forums which are available to all members. These features will all help you to help us (the moderators) deal with postings or posters that you feel are offensive (directly or indirectly).
Report Bad Post:
This is the most important feature for dealing with improper posts or posts that break the rules. At the top right corner of each post, you will see a red and white triangluar shaped 'alert' icon. Click on this icon and fill out a short form to report the posting to the moderators. When you report a post to the moderators in this way, all moderators will receive an e-mail with a link to the post and your reason for reporting the post. This generally ensures that someone will be able to respond (and intervene, if necessary) much quicker, thereby helping to keep threads on topic and reduce emotionally escalated responses to posts.
When you should report a post:
You should report a post to the moderators if it contains instances of 1) profanity; 2) personal attacks on, or implications about, other forum members (flaming); and 3) thread hi-jacking (postings completely unrelated to the thread). These are all clear violations the forum rules, and the moderators will take necessary measures to deal with offenders and the postings.
You may also report a post if you feel that a person continuously uses provocative sarcasm or condescending tone towards other members, directly, with the seeming purpose of drawing others to break forum rules (a.k.a. flame-baiting). Keep in mind that postings such as this may only toe (but not necessarily cross) the line of violating forum rules and may not specifically warrant disciplinary action by the moderators. In any event, reporting such posts helps the moderators monitor and warn the poster for potential rule-breaking.
Reputation: (REPUTATION IS CURRENTLY DISABLED).
You will notice that, near the upper-right corner of each posting, members have green (or in some cases, red) squares. These squares represent that poster's 'reputation' with the other members. You may 'add' points or 'deduct' points from a member's reputation by clicking on the 'scales' icon in the upper-right corner of the posting. If you agree with what the poster says, or if you feel the poster put some real thought and effort into the posting, give them some reputation points. If you feel that it is a bad post, deduct some of their reputation points. Keep in mind, you must 'spread' around some reputation. You cannot, for example, add or deduct more than once from my reputation points without first giving others some reputation.
For more information on how the reputation point system works, visit this thread: http://www.idolme.com/thread543.html
Ignore:
This is another useful tool to help the masses deal with bad/offensive postings or posters. It is also useful in dealing with posts/posters that try to stretch the boundaries of the rules without necessarily breaking them. Some posters know just how to "push others' buttons" without necessarily breaking forum rules. Sarcasm and condescending tone are often the main tools used by such posters. Comments of this nature have the potential to enfuriate other members, causing them to reply in a manner which only escalates the heat in the thread. This can lead to mass participation in flaming and thread-jacking. This causes a real headache for everyone involved.
Think about the reasons you vistit these forums for a moment. Chances are they include most of the following: you enjoy discussing a particular aspect (or several aspects) of a contestant (or contestants) of American Idol or the show itself; you enjoy the virtual relationships developed with other members of the IdolMe.com community; you enjoy hearing what other people have to say about your opinions/posts. The third reason mentioned above is what makes the "ignore" tool so useful. If I continuously push other members' buttons with my posts, most likely I'm going to come back to see what their responses are. If there are no responses at all, I am likely to become bored and either leave the forums, or stop pushing members' buttons.
To use the ignore feature: 1) click on the name of the member you'd like to ignore (to view their profile); 2) just under the user's profile name, find the bar with "add member to your buddylist" and "add member to ignore list"; 3) click on "add member to ignore list." When that member makes a posting, their posting will still appear to you in the thread, but the text of the posting will be hidden. The best thing to do is to leave the person on your ignore list and not view the posting. If you remove the person from the ignore list, so you can view the posting, you may see something you don't like and you'll be more inclined to respond. If you don't see the posting, you're much less likely to respond and give the poster the satisfaction they seek.
How not to deal with an improper post:
No matter how offended you are by a particular post, you should not respond in any way that breaks the forum rules. You should also not respond in any way that further escalates potential flaming. The function of the moderators is to monitor and deal with such postings. If you find a particular posting offensive, you should simply report it to the moderators, and not respond to offensive material within the posting. When members lose control of their emotions and begin participating in flaming/profanity/de-railing threads, it is counter-productive to 1) the discussion of the thread topic; 2) the moderators' ability to single out offenders; and 3) the members' desires to have the initial offenders dealt with appropriately by the moderators. This is not to say you shouldn't respond to the thread... you may certainly respond to the topic of the thread, but you should avoid addressing the offensive portion of any posting in any manner.
You should also avoid reporting a bad post to the moderators by Private Message (PM). Sending a moderator a PM relating to a bad post may delay the response time. We currently have four moderators, all of whom are capable of dealing with bad posts. When you use the 'report bad post' feature, you will likely receive a quicker response, and it allows all moderators to discuss how to appropriately deal with the issue.
To sum it up:
If there is a particular poster that bothers you or offends you, you should: 1)report the post/poster to the moderators (using the 'report bad post' icon); 2) deduct points from the poster's reputation; and 3) use the 'ignore' feature.
For related information, visit these threads by Son of Simon:
Jabbing, flaming and FLAMETHROWING.... (the PG rated version)
http://www.idolme.com/thread791.html
Productive Posting and Proper Debate Ettiquette
http://www.idolme.com/thread611.html
I'd like to take a moment to point out some of the features of these forums which are available to all members. These features will all help you to help us (the moderators) deal with postings or posters that you feel are offensive (directly or indirectly).
Report Bad Post:
This is the most important feature for dealing with improper posts or posts that break the rules. At the top right corner of each post, you will see a red and white triangluar shaped 'alert' icon. Click on this icon and fill out a short form to report the posting to the moderators. When you report a post to the moderators in this way, all moderators will receive an e-mail with a link to the post and your reason for reporting the post. This generally ensures that someone will be able to respond (and intervene, if necessary) much quicker, thereby helping to keep threads on topic and reduce emotionally escalated responses to posts.
When you should report a post:
You should report a post to the moderators if it contains instances of 1) profanity; 2) personal attacks on, or implications about, other forum members (flaming); and 3) thread hi-jacking (postings completely unrelated to the thread). These are all clear violations the forum rules, and the moderators will take necessary measures to deal with offenders and the postings.
You may also report a post if you feel that a person continuously uses provocative sarcasm or condescending tone towards other members, directly, with the seeming purpose of drawing others to break forum rules (a.k.a. flame-baiting). Keep in mind that postings such as this may only toe (but not necessarily cross) the line of violating forum rules and may not specifically warrant disciplinary action by the moderators. In any event, reporting such posts helps the moderators monitor and warn the poster for potential rule-breaking.
Reputation: (REPUTATION IS CURRENTLY DISABLED).
You will notice that, near the upper-right corner of each posting, members have green (or in some cases, red) squares. These squares represent that poster's 'reputation' with the other members. You may 'add' points or 'deduct' points from a member's reputation by clicking on the 'scales' icon in the upper-right corner of the posting. If you agree with what the poster says, or if you feel the poster put some real thought and effort into the posting, give them some reputation points. If you feel that it is a bad post, deduct some of their reputation points. Keep in mind, you must 'spread' around some reputation. You cannot, for example, add or deduct more than once from my reputation points without first giving others some reputation.
For more information on how the reputation point system works, visit this thread: http://www.idolme.com/thread543.html
Ignore:
This is another useful tool to help the masses deal with bad/offensive postings or posters. It is also useful in dealing with posts/posters that try to stretch the boundaries of the rules without necessarily breaking them. Some posters know just how to "push others' buttons" without necessarily breaking forum rules. Sarcasm and condescending tone are often the main tools used by such posters. Comments of this nature have the potential to enfuriate other members, causing them to reply in a manner which only escalates the heat in the thread. This can lead to mass participation in flaming and thread-jacking. This causes a real headache for everyone involved.
Think about the reasons you vistit these forums for a moment. Chances are they include most of the following: you enjoy discussing a particular aspect (or several aspects) of a contestant (or contestants) of American Idol or the show itself; you enjoy the virtual relationships developed with other members of the IdolMe.com community; you enjoy hearing what other people have to say about your opinions/posts. The third reason mentioned above is what makes the "ignore" tool so useful. If I continuously push other members' buttons with my posts, most likely I'm going to come back to see what their responses are. If there are no responses at all, I am likely to become bored and either leave the forums, or stop pushing members' buttons.
To use the ignore feature: 1) click on the name of the member you'd like to ignore (to view their profile); 2) just under the user's profile name, find the bar with "add member to your buddylist" and "add member to ignore list"; 3) click on "add member to ignore list." When that member makes a posting, their posting will still appear to you in the thread, but the text of the posting will be hidden. The best thing to do is to leave the person on your ignore list and not view the posting. If you remove the person from the ignore list, so you can view the posting, you may see something you don't like and you'll be more inclined to respond. If you don't see the posting, you're much less likely to respond and give the poster the satisfaction they seek.
How not to deal with an improper post:
No matter how offended you are by a particular post, you should not respond in any way that breaks the forum rules. You should also not respond in any way that further escalates potential flaming. The function of the moderators is to monitor and deal with such postings. If you find a particular posting offensive, you should simply report it to the moderators, and not respond to offensive material within the posting. When members lose control of their emotions and begin participating in flaming/profanity/de-railing threads, it is counter-productive to 1) the discussion of the thread topic; 2) the moderators' ability to single out offenders; and 3) the members' desires to have the initial offenders dealt with appropriately by the moderators. This is not to say you shouldn't respond to the thread... you may certainly respond to the topic of the thread, but you should avoid addressing the offensive portion of any posting in any manner.
You should also avoid reporting a bad post to the moderators by Private Message (PM). Sending a moderator a PM relating to a bad post may delay the response time. We currently have four moderators, all of whom are capable of dealing with bad posts. When you use the 'report bad post' feature, you will likely receive a quicker response, and it allows all moderators to discuss how to appropriately deal with the issue.
To sum it up:
If there is a particular poster that bothers you or offends you, you should: 1)report the post/poster to the moderators (using the 'report bad post' icon); 2) deduct points from the poster's reputation; and 3) use the 'ignore' feature.
For related information, visit these threads by Son of Simon:
Jabbing, flaming and FLAMETHROWING.... (the PG rated version)
http://www.idolme.com/thread791.html
Productive Posting and Proper Debate Ettiquette
http://www.idolme.com/thread611.html