Banning Members

[kramttocs]

Bottom to top: Good idea on the admin from the other forum. The guy you met in September. I've talked with him about this kind of thing before, but not the specifics. I will.

As for transparency in removing posts, if we get on it quickly before someone else posts it is easy and clean. Not so later, and it can become very tedious.

Concerning email, if we remove the offending post then we could wait a few days before the member gets back to us. In the interim we might want to put a temp ban on so that member isn't posting on another thread and, possibly compounding the problem.

Thanks.

I like the temp ban idea.

I've always been a fan of if an admin removes a post that they make one of their own along the lines of (just making the wording up but you get the point):

---

A previous post was removed as it violated the rules all members agreed to upon registering for this forum. The admins are handling the situation and will only discuss it with the necessary parties.

---

Again, I just find that some level of transparency is better than posts just disappearing - don't get me wrong, I am not saying the content should be left. Hopefully this will be a very few and far between situation.

[Ray Cecil]

Hopefully this will be a very few and far between situation.

We don't need to worry about 95% of users. It is my experience on other forums that there is always one or two guys that have a need for validation, cannot admit they are wrong, and somehow find themselves in the middle of all the controversy.

This forum is still so small, we all pretty much have an general understanding of the "regular's" personalities. As membership grows, it is important to have swift disciplinary action.

I got in real early with a start-up company. There are a lot of similarities between this forum, and a young company. I do believe my experience with the startup can lend some valuable advice as this forum progresses.

 

[Ford F834]

Bottom to top: Good idea on the admin from the other forum. The guy you met in September. I've talked with him about this kind of thing before, but not the specifics. I will.

As for transparency in removing posts, if we get on it quickly before someone else posts it is easy and clean. Not so later, and it can become very tedious.

Concerning email, if we remove the offending post then we could wait a few days before the member gets back to us. In the interim we might want to put a temp ban on so that member isn't posting on another thread and, possibly compounding the problem.

Thanks.

I say +1 to the temporary ban idea. I already mentioned to Gary via email that I think it is important that the member not be allowed to post until the problem has been addressed.

I like the idea of removing the content of the post, and replacing it with a notice that something inappropriate has been deleted. Not only for transparency, but it may help validate the member(s) who were wronged. However, before removing it I think the content should be copy pasted or quoted into a new post in the quarantine folder. That way if there are further issues the exact words are still there for future reference, and are preserved for the other admins to look at.

I also think Ray is on point regarding tracking time limits. It is starting to sound like a union contract or corporate attendance policy. I think 3 strikes and you’re out (for the lifetime of the user) is fair enough, with the understanding that each situation is up to the discretion of the admins.

[Ray Cecil]

I say +1 to the temporary ban idea. I already mentioned to Gary via email that I think it is important that the member not be allowed to post until the problem has been addressed.

I like the idea of removing the content of the post, and replacing it with a notice that something inappropriate has been deleted. Not only for transparency, but it may help validate the member(s) who were wronged. However, before removing it I think the content should be copy pasted or quoted into a new post in the quarantine folder. That way if there are further issues the exact words are still there for future reference, and are preserved for the other admins to look at.

I also think Ray is on point regarding tracking time limits. It is starting to sound like a union contract or corporate attendance policy. I think 3 strikes and you’re out (for the lifetime of the user) is fair enough, with the understanding that each situation is up to the discretion of the admins.

Jonathan, I think that everyone should be given a 2nd chance.

1st chance is at website registry. You are given the guidelines and told not to cross the line.

2nd chance comes after you cross the line the FIRST time.

If a grown man can not act civil in an online forum after being given two chances..... what do you need to give him a 3rd for?

Im in favor of swift justice, so we dont have to waste energy on the foolish.

Thats my $0.02

[Ford F834]

Jonathan, I think that everyone should be given a 2nd chance.

1st chance is at website registry. You are given the guidelines and told not to cross the line.

2nd chance comes after you cross the line the FIRST time.

If a grown man can not act civil in an online forum after being given two chances..... what do you need to give him a 3rd for?

Im in favor of swift justice, so we dont have to waste energy on the foolish.

Thats my $0.02

For dealing with run of the mill snarkiness or dogmatism I don’t think that two warnings before perma ban is unreasonable. I’m okay with one warning, but it does make me feel a little less free to use it. It would have to be pretty bad. Ultimately it is up to our discretion to perma ban. If someone was ugly enough they might deserve it on the first offense with no second chance.

[salans7]

1st chance is at website registry. You are given the guidelines and told not to cross the line.

That's a pretty valid point.

[ArdWrknTrk]

For dealing with run of the mill snarkiness or dogmatism I don’t think that two warnings before perma ban is unreasonable. I’m okay with one warning, but it does make me feel a little less free to use it. It would have to be pretty bad. Ultimately it is up to our discretion to perma ban. If someone was ugly enough they might deserve it on the first offense with no second chance.

Jonathan, I think a little snark is okay, say between acquaintances, or in the lounge for example.

I know I have jested with Matthew and Gary on the forum, but never in a mean spirit, and usually with a wink or tongue out.

Hard snark in reply to a members question, or ANY ad hominem should result in an immediate ban imho.

We're all here to share, not only what we have in common (Ford trucks) but our differences as well.

There seems to be a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds here, though demographically I'd expect the vast majority of us are white males, I did see that Emma signed up.

In an earlier thread about starting the F.O.R.D. Lounge I expressed my reservations with regard to the subjects of politics and religion, and provided examples of what I would be comfortable with.

The Friendly Open minded Respectful Discussion guidelines are not hard to follow, and if you can't, you really don't belong here.

And I agree with Scott.

A simple statement that ~' this post (or thread) has crossed the line and its contents have been quarantined' is much better that sweeping it under the rug and pretending it never happened.

[Ray Cecil]

Jonathan, I think a little snark is okay, say between acquaintances, or in the lounge for example.

Yup. This is what grown men do. We poke fun at each others flaws...its not bullying...its a friendship thing. My best friends and I are always being "snarky" with each other. Its how we re-inforce our friendship. Its all in good jest.

Jim and the regulars here know where the line is. Anyone can move from poking your buddy for fun to being condescending really quick. Im 33, less than half the age of some other admins, so all the above is a lesson learned by them many moons ago, so I am not saying anything new to most users here.

However, texting, online forums, emails etc make it more difficult to give your buds friendly jabs. Social media has created a bunch of whiners and cry babies because typing words into a screen is cheap and still somewhat anonymous. It effectively draws out some people's insecurities. Those who are aware of this can spot the insecure person immediately. Its best to ignore them, just like in real life. Sometimes you have to ban them so that their attitude doesnt infect the group.

We've had to deal with this issue at work recently. Somehow we hired a SJW snowflake....he wont be around much longer. We'll need to "ban" him very soon. He doesn't play well with alpha personalities.