Boards›Discuss the Boards

Mods are not just "failing". It seems they are intentionally censoring undesired messages and users.

Nea104·12/8/2019, 8:09:23 PM·10 votes·4,254 views

It has been some months since several users started to called out the "Mod Team" about some of their "mistakes". Several threads had been deleted for suspicious reasons, even when they were showing stats, in-depth thoughts and so on. Eg., about Pyke being out of control and reaching 60% ban rate (end of S9). That was my fav "mistake".

Now, my case.

== Fact number 1. ==

A Moderator (J.) deletes one of my comments, stating that it was violating the "Golden Rule". My comment was a reply in a thread (by another user) called: "Riot's justifications for several preseason changes don't make any sense" (here), and it was this one:

Indeed. That's basically the definition of incompetence. They don't even know what they're doing.

Or, maybe, they know, and just try to "sugarcoat" their terrible philosophy about what's left of this game.

Removed for violating the Golden Rule on the Boards: "Always be respectful to players, community members, moderators, and Rioters. Harassment and insults will not be tolerated."

Now. Where are the harassment or the insults?

  • "This is the definition of incompetence" ? Here it is: "the inabililty to do your job, or things that you are expected to do, successfully" (Cambridge Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Please note that I didn't say "name-nickname is incompent". And even if, I would have not said "he is an idiot". I'd have only stated that they weren't able to do their job successfully, ie. referring to what the whole topic was about.

  • "They don't even know what they're doing" ? This was basically the main topic's title. And, I don't see the insult, since it's an evaluation (by me) of what is happening. My opinion, you can disagree, and that's all. No "harassment or insults", as everyone can see, as for thousands of similar posts in the past.

  • "sugarcoat" ? Please :D I even had to look for this way of saying in a common english dictionary (I'm not english native), and it's just an harmless metaphor, perfectly describing what is happening from my point of view. No way it can be classified as "harassment and insults".

So? What happened? It happened that this "Moderator", J., failed once again, as for the many cases in the past weeks or months. Just to be accurate, another Mod denied that something was wrong with the Moderation team: "occasional moderation mistake".

But, one more mistake could have been overlooked and forgiven.

The problem is that, the censorship looks intentional, and the deliberate twisting of the Board Rules too.

== Part 2. ==

In fact, I re-posted my comment, explain how who failed in removing it (J.) should have been more careful about abusing his powers just because disagreeing with other users' opinions.

Someone in the Mod team failed again. Whoever you are, you can't censor users, trying to accuse them of violating the rules. "Incompetence" is not an insult, is a judgment; and I motivated it. You don't agree with my opinion? That's a personal issue of yours. Inexperience is not an excuse, in this case.

Therefore, I'm gonna repost my irresponsibly deleted comment, and I ask once again to the actual competent Mods to get rid of the oblivious, biased and overall detrimental ones.

> Indeed. That's basically the definition of incompetence. They don't even know what they're doing.
>
> Or, maybe, they know, and just try to "sugarcoat" their terrible philosophy about what's left of this game.

And here again, another guy from the Mod Team (U.) intentionally twisted the Rules that he himself should take care of. He removed my comment again, disregarding the fact that the previous Mod already had abused his powers, and applied a "3-day suspension" to my Boards account.

A 3-day ban, to cover up another Moderator's mistake. That means, it probably wasn't a mistake, and it hasn't been a double mistake neither, with that second wrong action: this looks like censorship, mod tools and powers abuse, and overall harassment towards one Board user.

I'm not sure that anyone in the Moderation team can explain this shameful events, but I would be glad in case. As I said 19 days ago: "it's not occasional, and I'd suggest to act quickly. There is a problem [with the Mod team]".

I hate to be right (sometimes).

23 Comments

ModUlanopo12/8/2019, 8:38:12 PM13 votes

You know, it's always a treat to read these threads because they come across as so earnest when they're really just willfully misguided. Let's start from the top:

Several threads had been deleted for suspicious reasons, even when they were showing stats, in-depth thoughts and so on. Eg., about Pyke being out of control and reaching 60% ban rate (end of S9).

There wasn't anything suspicious about those removals. You might think the 413th complaint thread about how "Champion X is OP because reasons" has value, but that's not the feedback we receive about Gameplay. That sort of thing belongs in either GD or RANT. We even have a whole new set of guidelines for Gameplay that are only waiting on a technical workaround to a boards issue before we publish.

Then there's the issue of your removal. Here's what you posted:

Indeed. That's basically the definition of incompetence. They don't even know what they're doing.

Or, maybe, they know, and just try to "sugarcoat" their terrible philosophy about what's left of this game.

I don't know about where you come from, but around here, we clearly recognize that as an insult. Looked at through the lens of the Three Gates of Speech, it can only pass through the first gate and only then by adopting the position that you more clearly understand the purpose and working of Boards moderation better than the moderators themselves.

https://i.imgur.com/dOiP0nu.jpg[/img]

So, yeah, the first removal was not a mistake. Moreover, you didn't even get a warning. Instead, you were told in the gentlest way possible that what you posted is not consistent with the guidelines. What was your response? It certainly wasn't to step back and consider what you had been told. Instead, you doubled down and defiantly made it clear you intended to continue doing whatever you felt like.

I'm genuinely curious what you expected from that behavior. Did you expect us to say "Oh, that Nea104, they sure showed us. We better not mess with them"? I'm going to have to disabuse you of the notion that we're ever going to roll over like that for you - or anyone else.

If you can't post within the guidelines, you are more than welcome to find a community more suited to your tastes.

Subdue12/8/2019, 8:30:06 PM6 votes

Regardless of whether or not I agree with the removal of your posts, there are ways of expressing opinions which attack others and ways in which they don't. As an example:

"The design team has missed the mark on the jungle rework. Junglers now feel perpetually behind, and small disadvantageous grow in to insurmountable ones very quickly because of how easy it is to fall behind in levels."

"The design team is full of incompetent people who don't understand the game."

Both statements are about dissatisfaction with the design team, but the first one provides valuable feedback and targets what the speaker believes is a flaw in the design, while the other is simply an insult aimed at the design team.

I can see the moderators letting something akin to the second statement slide once in a while, but if too many are flying about discussion just becomes about mudslinging instead of actually discussing the topics.

KFCeytron12/9/2019, 11:25:01 AM6 votes

I think that accusations of incompetence are a grey area that does merit discussion. However, doing the following:

{quoted}

In fact, I re-posted my comment, explain how who failed in removing it (J.) should have been more careful about abusing his powers just because disagreeing with other users' opinions.

Is incredibly and blatantly obviously a bad idea. I can see posting something that you think is within the rules and then discovering that it isn't (which you did, and got you a removal with a message but no warning). But when you know for 100% certain that a given post is not okay and mods believe that it breaks the rules, reposting that is not just a slip-up. It's breaking the rules on purpose, thumbing your nose at authority, and basically daring the mods to mess with you again. Well, guess what? They'll take that dare. When they see you ignore their message that given content is not appropriate, they'll do what they need to do to ensure that you can't repost that inappropriate content, which is suspend you.

And here again, another guy from the Mod Team (U.) intentionally twisted the Rules that he himself should take care of. He removed my comment again, disregarding the fact that the previous Mod already had abused his powers, and applied a "3-day suspension" to my Boards account.

Reposting your removed content won't convince the mods that the removal is incorrect. It just tells them you ignore rules as long as you're physically capable of doing so, which is why they suspended you.

A 3-day ban, to cover up another Moderator's mistake.

Is it not obvious to you that your snubbing of the rules didn't convince them the removal was a mistake? You were suspended not to cover up a mistake, but because it seemed to be the only way to get you to stop breaking rules.

That means, it probably wasn't a mistake, and it hasn't been a double mistake neither, with that second wrong action: this looks like censorship, mod tools and powers abuse, and overall harassment towards one Board user.

It's not about censorship, abuse of mod tools or powers, or harassment. It's about getting you to at least make an effort to follow the rules.

If you're not allowed to step on the grass but you do it anyway, a police officer might call to you and request that you exit that area. If you tell them "you failed as a police officer, you can't stop me, I didn't break any rules, stepping on the grass is a personal issue of yours, inexperience is no excuse, I'm going to keep walking on the grass, and I'm gonna call the police department and insist that they fire you" and keep stomping on the grass, the officer isn't going to suddenly think they were wrong to chastise you and walk meekly away, and they're not going to call to you again. They're gonna go in there and escort you off the grass by force.

If the issue at hand was merely whether a declaration of incompetence is an insult/harassment, that would be one thing. But your response to the removal totally destroyed any sympathy I might've had towards your position.

iMidg3t12/9/2019, 12:54:33 PM3 votes

Are you suprised? Just y-day one dude made a comment saying how the dude is toxic because hes from EUW (basically generalizing how EUW players are toxic) and it wasnt removed, while my comment insulting NA was (rightfully so btw)

And the only thing I got from it is that its fine to insult a server (even tho it indirectly insults players on that server).

Modi12/9/2019, 3:37:35 PM2 votes

Let's ignore any potential violations, regarding the golden rule.

For a conversation about gameplay, how does this either foster a productive conversation or describe a problem, and (possibly) discuss a potential solution? That is, ostensibly, the minimum bar for a conversation about gameplay.

Indeed. That's basically the definition of incompetence. They don't even know what they're doing.

Or, maybe, they know, and just try to "sugarcoat" their terrible philosophy about what's left of this game.

The above does not discuss any specific issues, and offers only a blanket "everything is bad" argument. Reasonably, if the state of the game was in such disrepair, you would be able to muster at least a few examples as to where there are issues. Also, if it is that bad, offering suggestions for solutions to the problems, would help facilitate a discussion about them.

Without at least one of those, I agree with the moderation action. I also agree with Ulanopo's assessment, that your post, minimally, belongs in Rant or GD.