To Site Owner: More Members, better moderation improvements necessary

First off, I wish to applaud this site ATS and owners for the years opportunities of information shared and learnt, and growing as more members join this site opening minds to different cultures and perspectives across the world, something which no other site can offer as much.

Secondly, I wish to applaud the many self sacrificing Moderators, whom had taken part of their time to moderate this site for an enjoyable experience for ALL.

They are not paid, but believed strongly in the mission of ATS - to deny ignorance and more importantly, a chance for anyone - the wise to the fool, to have his/her free will to speak freely without fear and favor, again something few if no other sites allow, an issue that I personally had experienced often, for I am no wiseman, just an ordinary average John Doe.

However, as forums and members grow, it seems more and more volunteer moderators are needed to keep this great site up. And as such, more so in these critical times - recessions, depressions, climate change, tech advances, rumours of wars, elections, etc, there will be some moderators whom have unshakable beliefs and personal agendas to direct discussions and forums, and lose their objectivity.

Nothing wrong in that, for all, including me, are only flawed humans.

But the danger lays in the extend of how the few moderators may push their personal agendas so far that it may alienate members of this great site, for without contributors, this site will not have paying advertisers and donors, and perish. No human is neutral or fully objective. Let us not kid ourselves. We all have liberal or conservative, religious or secular, or the thousands of differences that set us apart from one another, through our own self interests. Moderators are no different.

The great founders of the Illuminati, with grand principles and wisdoms that led to the enfranchisement of serfdom for millions around the world during the age of enlightenment during the 17th century, unfortunately, was infiltrated by humans of baser instincts, had led and twisted it to its demise and tarnishment till today. What more any other noble human institutions that seeks to elevate mankind?

Moderators are only human, and like everyone else, can have more than one nick. Thus, many innocent and naive contributer may had offended such nicks or pursued an agenda that is greviously against the other nick, whereby, a sleight of hand through the use of his moderator's nick is a way to ban or censor a nick, or would do so for his friend, and resulting in disillusionment with ATS. One person gone may be no hurt, but when enmass, it will not do well for ATS, and would only reduce it to another run of the mill internet site, which it is never meant to be.

The Site owner will face and would have known such problems. They are only common problems on great internet sites, but even in the real world of governership as mankind evolves. What are the solutions?

The independent Regent alongside our great moderators is one way for a system to seek redress or justice.

Perhaps another is to stick CLEARLY to the rules and regulations, or even a new constitution such as USA or UN in view of the diverse worldwide members we have today, to ensure that freedom of speech is advocated and protected.

Readers on ATS are not all that young or immatured, to not differentiate between right or wrong, logic or illogical, relevant or irrelevant, etc, that needs a moderator's personal banning or censoring touch to a discussion, unless it truly goes against the very fibre of commonly shared human rights, of being a human on our planet sharing our diverse world.

At the end of the day, it boils down to profits, although I honestly doubt if Site owner started ATS because of profits. It was more of an altruism. Fact is, there is a chance of ATS gaining handsomely, more than FB, and NO ONE should begrude the owners of it - for it had only been a fair capitalist exchange - a chance for one to speak freely and the other to profit for the expenses of maintaining the server costs by others.

A win win solution for all, but ATS must never forget who were the ones, old or new 1 day old members, largely responsible for ATS beside the total team - members, whom seek for the freedom to express themselves, either rightly, or foolishly, but only a chance to have their views heard by the world that no other site offers responsibly as ATS had done for years.

I, only a guest, humbly apologise if I offended anyone else, and give full authorisation to Site owner to delete this post if he feels necessary.

You apparently don't realize that our staff is not only immensely diverse (from all over the world and of just about every persuasion you can imagine) no single staffer "bans" anyone singlehandedly. There is always a discussion and a consensus, for the very reasons you illuminate and caution against.


Edit add:

The "Regent Election" is in OFF TOPIC for a reason, it's nothing more than a social experiment several members wanted to participate in, is in no way "official", nor will the "Regent" have any "powers" or authority on ATS greater than any other member.


Springer...

Yep this site, like all others has the opportunity to be tainted with personal grudges from the mods. For instance, peoples threads get thrown out if they don't like the topic or poster.
All it takes is one mod having a bad day to poison the well

reply to post by HamrHeed


Which part of Springers post did you not read - 'cause it looks like you missed about 100% of it?

The questions raised have been answered.

Closed.

Springer...