When ATS Moderators abuse POWER!

I think there should be a Forum to Vote Moderators OFF! Now there is an idea! Sometimes there opinions get away from them and they delete posts and sometimes they just take away priveledges like editing your own thread without even a warning. It surprises me that an Above Top Secret site would not have something like this already where the abuse of Power in all things is freely discussed.

reply to post by iLoGiCViZiOnS


You've been here a week and you're that mad?



Naww, what's your old name? The one that got banned?

reply to post by badw0lf


Easy to find out just look who was punted the same day they signed up.

reply to post by badw0lf


WOW I'm not even THAT mad. I'm just making a point and didn't know I had to be here longer before I could make a valid one. I don't think peoples posts/threads deserve to be messed with unless it is in fact good cause and not just mere Moderator opinion. Never been booted out or anything.....that is until this Thread I suppose hehehe

reply to post by iLoGiCViZiOnS


What I find annoying is when a mod says something real dumb but hates it when someone says they should be setting more of an example.

A mod is also a regular member but that shouldn't detatch from the responsibilities they hold as a mod when posting personal opinions.

So often we have official threads reminding the members about T&C, conduct and decorum but that should apply to everyone shouldn't it?

Whether you've been a member for a few days, weeks or even years, you have a right to point out what you feel is wrong. Kudos for starting this thread.

Personally, I don't have many issues with mods, but I say what is needed when I feel they don't tow their own line. On the whole, they do a great job but there are always a few ego fed bad apples who let it go to their heads. Some are good and have patience and courtesy, others are brash, intolerant and rude. Not a position I would want on ATS, I like my groove and I wouldn't want that to change.

Cheers.

reply to post by nerbot


Well said...

I am certainly NOT a Moderator hater and feel the position is needed. I just want them to be accountable and justifiable for their actions they impose onto others.

::Slaps palm with nightstick::
"What seems to be the problem here?"
"Show me some ID and your registration please"

Personally, I like spunky people who aren't afraid to speak their minds. I think it takes a certain amount of intellectual courage to even seriously look into many of the topics discussed here.
I'll let you in on a little secret: we make mistakes.
SHHH!! TELL NO ONE!!

Despite our best efforts to have clear cut rules there are many times when Moderators have to make judgment calls. Most of those times one Mod will alert the others to have a look at the problem and we all throw in our 2 cents. I can't tell you how many times I have seen decisions made by consensus of the Moderators which frankly, was a real surprise for me.
What often makes the difference between say getting a warning or being popped with a post ban is the attitude of the member.

You may have some valid criticisms which A) you need to gather evidence to prove your point and B) you should post in the complaints forum.

Yes, as Moderators we do muck up sometimes. We're people too AND i might add we're also volunteers. I can only speak for myself but I agreed to do it because I really like ATS and all the insane, crazy and brilliant people we have here. There's some true geniuses and then there's.......

I'm here most of all because I want the truth to have a chance to come out. ATS is really about as democratic a website as there ever was. Entirely fueled and fed by member contributions. I think that is pretty awesome myself!

Your opinion has been heard and is valued. We can't improve without input from the members.
I can understand your viewpoint and will say that we actually do try our best to fair but in reality we fall far short of the mark because we're just people.

We're trying our best.
Keep us honest.

Cheers,
~ Asktheanimals

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Me personally find the mods quite good here. There was awhile there when i kept on getting warning for telling the truth about what the uk gov and police have done to me. But the mods asked me just not to say it all the time, and tone it down. I have done that, and the mods seem to leave my posts alone now for most parts.

Ats moves in cycles too i think, and sometimes there seems to be alot of threads where mods may be giving out warnings, and alot of the other times it must be pretty mundane.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Perhaps my expectations are to high as I do know that people make mistakes. I think its funny some people are to afraid to post a response in fear they will get kicked off, but that kinda takes the whole point out of the ATS Forum.

Thanks for responding and I can live with that.

Originally posted by iLoGiCViZiOnS
Perhaps my expectations are to high as I do know that people make mistakes. I think its funny some people are to afraid to post a response in fear they will get kicked off, but that kinda takes the whole point out of the ATS Forum.

I just haven't had the pleasure of having any major disagreement's with any of the Mod's yet. I am sure that one day I will as like you say, we are all human, but so far I have found the moderation here pretty decent.

I do know that a couple of years ago I had a post removed and it was like a slap in the face to me, but upon reflection, I did deserve it.

Then again, maybe I am just too dam polite.....

Originally posted by nerbot
reply to post by iLoGiCViZiOnS

 

What I find annoying is when a mod says something real dumb but hates it when someone says they should be setting more of an example.

A mod is also a regular member but that shouldn't detatch from the responsibilities they hold as a mod when posting personal opinions.

So often we have official threads reminding the members about T&C, conduct and decorum but that should apply to everyone shouldn't it?
How do i start a new thread?I just joined and i have important info.
Whether you've been a member for a few days, weeks or even years, you have a right to point out what you feel is wrong. Kudos for starting this thread.

Personally, I don't have many issues with mods, but I say what is needed when I feel they don't tow their own line. On the whole, they do a great job but there are always a few ego fed bad apples who let it go to their heads. Some are good and have patience and courtesy, others are brash, intolerant and rude. Not a position I would want on ATS, I like my groove and I wouldn't want that to change.

Cheers.

Originally posted by iLoGiCViZiOnS
reply to post by badw0lf

 

WOW I'm not even THAT mad. I'm just making a point and didn't know I had to be here longer before I could make a valid one.

No one said you had to be here a set time before you could make a point, but for the short time you've been here, you're starting a rant about over zealous mods - I find it a bit strange.

I've been post banned in the past, and ended up having a great discussion with the mod who did it, to the point he told me that he was more laid back than others, which is just how life is.

You have to remember, these guys and girls are not paid to look after this site, some of them are just as stressed by every day life as you or I, and sometimes bad choices are made - YOU have every option available to request a different moderator look into any problem you have.

So I really don't get your issue.

If you break the rules, or ignore a mods post to abstain from continuing in a disruptive manner in a thread by posting off topic or against a poster and not the point, expect them to do their job.

I don't think peoples posts/threads deserve to be messed with unless it is in fact good cause and not just mere Moderator opinion. Never been booted out or anything.....that is until this Thread I suppose hehehe

They became Moderators because of their consistent quality in dealing with threads they contributed in. They weren't just picked out of a hat - so their opinion DOES have merit.

But as has been stated, they are fallible, just as you or I can get in a mood, so can they - which is why you have the option to take it further.

And believe me, I've done that and found out I completely missed the mark in what I was thinking and ohhh the egg on my face was sticky and cold... :/

Originally posted by nerbot
reply to post by iLoGiCViZiOnS

 

What I find annoying is when a mod says something real dumb but hates it when someone says they should be setting more of an example.

A mod is also a regular member but that shouldn't detatch from the responsibilities they hold as a mod when posting personal opinions.

When a Mod is not acting as a moderator in a thread - this happens a lot, in threads they contribute their own opinions into generally they are not allowed to moderate it - they have every right to be as flippant as anyone else, as long as the T&C are met.

Gaining moderator status doesn't suddenly replace the fact they were members who came here drawn by the same topics as all of us.

We all have the responsibility to contribute quality posts to the forums. And unless we derail a thread, post off topic, break the T&C or simply act like a complete nob in which we get handed a U2U, we can - and do - post a rather lot of twaddle most of the time, freely.

So often we have official threads reminding the members about T&C, conduct and decorum but that should apply to everyone shouldn't it?

I've never seen a mod break the T&C, which is different to what you just suggested. Saying something dumb? 99% of ATS would be post banned..

Whether you've been a member for a few days, weeks or even years, you have a right to point out what you feel is wrong. Kudos for starting this thread.

Personally, I don't have many issues with mods, but I say what is needed when I feel they don't tow their own line. On the whole, they do a great job but there are always a few ego fed bad apples who let it go to their heads. Some are good and have patience and courtesy, others are brash, intolerant and rude. Not a position I would want on ATS, I like my groove and I wouldn't want that to change.

Cheers.

That I agree with... No names, but there are one or two mods who I think do not deserve the status.

But there are far more that I have personally dealt with and they make this place what it is, and what separates ATS from all the other rabble out there..

Moderators are just like older sibilings, or teachers. They may #$%$% you off, or do stuff that you don't agree with. But generally they are just the ref's in the middle of our game. They have the rules to follow, and you follow them or go some where else. That's what you agreed to when you joined this site. You also have to remember that they are people. They aren't machines, so they can make some mistakes. Not that i have ever seen one PS if you really want to get ride of a Moderator just buy the sight. It's capitalism at its finest.

Originally posted by iLoGiCViZiOnS
I think there should be a Forum to Vote Moderators OFF!

Here you go. Seriously. Use it. It goes to a forum accessible by all staff, admins and owners. If a staff member isn't following the Terms and Conditions, or you feel is treating you unfairly and not in line with the Terms and Conditions, then you should report it. If it's about a specific post, hit the little Alert button found associated with every post.

It isn't a popularity contest. No one has ever reached staff by being popular with the membership. No one has ever been booted from staff for not being popular with the membership. It's all about the T&C. Any moderator acting unilaterally and in opposition to the T&C doesn't last long on staff. Fortunately, we're pretty good at having a real feel for who gets it and who doesn't when extending the invitation.

I'm not sure what POWER you think we have, but virtually anything any staff member does can be undone if it's determined it shouldn't have been done. And that happens, but not with any real frequency, because the vast majority of actions are preceded by a discussion for consensus.

Abuse of power? Pshhht. The occasional mistake will occur, and those are corrected.

Originally posted by yeahright
I'm not sure what POWER you think we have,

reply to post by tribewilder


That's a good one. My personal power is more like Mr Furious from Mystery Men. Dr Love is The Spleen.

If nobody is mad at a moderator then he's been neglecting his/her duties.
Too many emotional people that take things personally and lash out or break the rules to push their point...or lack of one.

Keeping to the rules is a big part of what I like about this site.

Most other sites are pretty much gang touretts episodes any more.