Levels of Banning

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Yeah, I used to be full of great ideas.

Having to actually handle things like that is now my ironic punishment.

With the benefit of time, hindsight and experience as a staff member, I can say with confidence that new ideas aren't always better ideas.





P.S. And yes, even "permanent" account bans aren't always permanent. We don't ban members out of anger, so we don't tend to hold grudges. Occasionally a banned member's account is restored, or the former member quietly creates a new account, decides to honor the T&C, leaves old drama in the past and simply starts over. Though it's rare, I wouldn't be surprised if some of our best members had done just that.

[edit on 10/15/2007 by Majic]

I thought of responding in another thread, but decided to post in here instead since it's more relevant to the thread title.

Question: why are we discouraged to ask questions about why this or that member has been banned? I mean I can understand the logic behind discouraging threads on the matter be opened, but why is it the case with U2Us?

Personally if I were to ask so via U2U, it's not to start a drama or anything. It's more to find out what exactly went wrong so that I myself can avoid it. Because sometimes when I look back at the posts of banned members, I can't figure out what happened that lead up to said member being banned.

I think that those sort of disclosures aren't detrimental to the site, because at least it helps people understand the more mysterious bannings (such a word?).

reply to post by Beachcoma

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I second you in that, Beach. Bannings can be a puzzle. Even if you have followed the 'drama' evolving, or try to trace it back, a banning often stands as a mystery.

You get an idea when you read a banned member's last posts, but not always, in my own personal opinion, from what I can read out of that, I not always find a justification. Then there's the whole behind the scenes drama with u2us and so on. So I don't judge, just "move on, nothing to see here," as someone has put it (Majic?).

I never question any banning - at least not on the board - but often I wonder about that thin line, that only a mod might see.

The Not-So-Thin Line


I used to wonder myself, and before joining the staff authored plenty of BB&Q posts expressing paranoia about and criticism of the process.

I got a taste of how things were handled as a Councilor, which gave me and other Councilors access to the Complaints forum -- and indeed that was quite an eye-opener.

But it still didn't prepare me for the shock I was in for when I first got access to Cosmic.

Turns out the line isn't thin at all, and the staff aren't the ogres they -- now we -- are so often made out to be.

Being curious and/or concerned about account bans is very understandable, especially in a community like ours, and in many ways it's frustrating not to simply be able to comment at length on why some members were banned.

I don't expect everyone to be satisfied with that, and don't blame anyone who isn't.

However, I can say that if I wasn't absolutely certain the administrators and moderators of this site are firmly committed to running ATS in a fair, ethical and reasonable manner, I would have quit a long, long time ago.

My conscience wouldn't allow any other choice, and I don't know a single staff member who feels differently.




[edit on 10/17/2007 by Majic]