Can we please talk about the power abuse that is boards moderation?

Succubús GF·Sep 12, 2018·5 votes·1,737 views

Like okay before this gets instalocked, deleted and me banned, like hear me out.

Whenever someone calls out the moderators being unfair/ abusing power/ not doing their job correclty (whether rude or politely) It gets locked and not talked about for bullying. Or some other wack reason. And if you talk about with them on discord they don't respond and just ban you (Like wtf.. ive seen this happen to other people like ????????)

Seriously this shit is more unfair than the old ban system where they got incentives for banning people zz

I actually just witnessed someone get kicked from the discord, no explanation to their question. What the fuck guys??

17 Comments

ModThe DjinnSep 12, 20186 votes

Like okay before this gets instalocked, deleted and me banned, like hear me out.

Reasonable discussion will not get locked, deleted, or cause you to be banned. This thread is totally fine, and I'd love to see if I can help address these issues if you can be a bit more specific.

Whenever someone calls out the moderators being unfair/ abusing power/ not doing their job correclty (whether rude or politely) It gets locked and not talked about for bullying.

If you can provide some examples of places where critique that followed the rules in tone and content (which means criticism is allowable, so long as it's civil), I'll be happy to investigate the lock personally.

And if you talk about with them on discord they don't respond and just ban you

I have never seen this happen. Banning on Discord is a rare thing (only 7 bans in the past two months, for example, two of them the same person), and something we take fairly seriously. Again, if you have individuals you have seen banned, let me know and I'll look into the circumstances. It's important to realize that most private discussion on Discord is done through a moderator pullroom for privacy reasons, so there may well have been a conversation you were not privy to.

BlenosSep 12, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=6heBIhQc,discussion-id=hguG03zV,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2018-09-12T01:24:17.604+0000)

Reasonable discussion will not get locked, deleted, or cause you to be banned. This thread is totally fine, and I'd love to see if I can help address these issues if you can be a bit more specific.

If you can provide some examples of places where critique that followed the rules in tone and content (which means criticism is allowable, so long as it's civil), I'll be happy to investigate the lock personally.

I have never seen this happen. Banning on Discord is a rare thing (only 7 bans in the past two months, for example, two of them the same person), and something we take fairly seriously. Again, if you have individuals you have seen banned, let me know and I'll look into the circumstances. It's important to realize that most private discussion on Discord is done through a moderator pullroom for privacy reasons, so there may well have been a conversation you were not privy to.

Two of them were probably me for messing and annoying one of the helpers or mods :3

ModThe DjinnSep 12, 20182 votes

{quoted}Two of them were probably me for messing and annoying one of the helpers or mods :3

At least one of them was, certainly, although the reason was a bit more straightfoward than that.

BlenosSep 12, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=6heBIhQc,discussion-id=hguG03zV,comment-id=000100000000,timestamp=2018-09-12T01:52:44.013+0000)

At least one of them was, certainly, although the reason was a bit more straightfoward than that.

You're right , I was sending nuke codes to them , spank me ;(

ModThe DjinnSep 12, 20182 votes

{quoted}

You're right , I was sending nuke codes to them , spank me ;(

Also not the reason, but okay! Also, I'm afraid I don't do corporal punishment on demand. Sorry. :P

BlenosSep 12, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=6heBIhQc,discussion-id=hguG03zV,comment-id=00010000000000000000,timestamp=2018-09-12T04:44:27.311+0000)

Also not the reason, but okay! Also, I'm afraid I don't do corporal punishment on demand. Sorry. :P

Spank me please ? ;D

ModThe DjinnSep 12, 20183 votes

{quoted}Spank me please ? ;D

Nope. I'm sure there's someone out there who will though. It's a big world. Best of luck.

BlenosSep 12, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=6heBIhQc,discussion-id=hguG03zV,comment-id=0001000000000000000000000000,timestamp=2018-09-12T04:56:58.209+0000)

Nope. I'm sure there's someone out there who will though. It's a big world. Best of luck.

Okay, thanks anyway :D pls adventure time themed skin/ward ( spread the word)

Succubús GFSep 12, 20182 votes

If you can provide some examples of places where critique that followed the rules in tone and content (which means criticism is allowable, so long as it's civil), I'll be happy to investigate the lock personally.

I lurk in the Boards discord, i won't disclose my name on there or the persons' for privacy concerns but a user asked about something (I think it was like why they got they got suspended for calling someone daft, or dumb something along the lines) The only reason i saw it at all was the light lit up and it intrigues me watching mods interact. A response wasn't given to them AFAIK, i waited a few seconds and the messages got deleted, and they were no longer a part of the server. The locked threads that I have seen are not things I have specifically kept tabs on. It was the above example that kinda had me draw the line. However there is One thread i specifically remember, i believe it was about refunds, it is still on the hot page for upvotes. However it got locked because it was "old" or something, I can pull up the actual thread if you'd like. (It was actually horrifying to see it, it was the first time I have seen a thread that wasn't toxic, just locked for being older. Like wtf..

I have never seen this happen. Banning on Discord is a rare thing (only 7 bans in the past two months, for example, two of them the same person), and something we take fairly seriously. Again, if you have individuals you have seen banned, let me know and I'll look into the circumstances. It's important to realize that most private discussion on Discord is done through a moderator pullroom for privacy reasons, so there may well have been a conversation you were not privy to.

Funny you should say that, I happened to add that user on Discord and they told me specifically what I thought had happened, nobody talked to them, it just was an auto ban with no explanation. I am very disappointed in the moderators at the moment because I really look up to you guys (I do get in trouble sometimes, what can i say we all get a bit toxic.) However I feel as though some moderators are abusing power.

Edit- I found it, it was actually under best (It's been there for months) https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/n3f5kn7V-as-a-diamond-silver-elo-is-surprisingly-hard It was about how silver is hard to climb in. It literally got locked for being old, that was it.

ModThe DjinnSep 12, 20183 votes

[{quoted}](name=Yandere GF,realm=NA,application-id=6heBIhQc,discussion-id=hguG03zV,comment-id=00010001,timestamp=2018-09-12T04:17:57.721+0000)A response wasn't given to them AFAIK, i waited a few seconds and the messages got deleted, and they were no longer a part of the server.

Users are able to delete their own messages and leave the server themselves if they wish. There has only been one ban in the past week, and that was for threatening to break the rules and ranting at moderators, which doesn't sound like this issue.

it was the first time I have seen a thread that wasn't toxic, just locked for being older. Like wtf.

Like many boards, we do have rules against resurrecting older threads past a certain point. We don't punish for it, but we do tend to lock very old threads unless the content added is meaningful and relevant to current conversation. It's mainly a procedural thing to make sure that the boards aren't flooded with years-old posts that haven't seen conversation in ages. It is discretionary, and not always necessary, but it does tend to be our policy. That one I'm on the fence about, and I'll bring up with the team to see if we want to reverse that decision. No promises, but it's worth talking about.

Funny you should say that, I happened to add that user on Discord and they told me specifically what I thought had happened, nobody talked to them, it just was an auto ban with no explanation. I am very disappointed in the moderators at the moment because I really look up to you guys (I do get in trouble sometimes, what can i say we all get a bit toxic.) However I feel as though some moderators are abusing power.

That specific ban was for a violation of a zero-tolerance rule, although out of respect for the individual I won't say what rule. We don't always pull people into Discord pullrooms to discuss bans in cases that black-and-white, although they're welcome to ask on this board if they are unsure.

Succubús GFSep 12, 20181 votes

Like many boards, we do have rules against resurrecting older threads past a certain point. We don't punish for it, but we do tend to lock very old threads unless the content added is meaningful and relevant to current conversation. It's mainly a procedural thing to make sure that the boards aren't flooded with years-old posts that haven't seen conversation in ages. It is discretionary, and not always necessary, but it does tend to be our policy. That one I'm on the fence about, and I'll bring up with the team to see if we want to reverse that decision. No promises, but it's worth talking about.

I am active on several board-like servers and websites, and i have yet to see a post ever locked for being old alone. Especially since when it is active it usually brings up current topics vs then and contrasts them. Not to mention the person that locked it (Periscope) got downvoted multiple times, a clear indication that the people who you guys are moderating, did not like that choice. It has been in best for MULTIPLE weeks, despite being locked, there's a reason for that. I am just simply stating this, this isn't an attack on you and I hope you know that. To put it simply, I get agitated with things of this nature. I moderate several mainstream discords, (1 of which contains 16k members.) It really is worth discussing with other moderators because this certain behavior forces people to join reddit instead over an area where devs can actively respond (Not that they do much of that as of late, but I digress.)

That specific ban was for a violation of a zero-tolerance rule, although out of respect for the individual I won't say what rule. We don't always pull people into Discord pullrooms to discuss bans in cases that black-and-white, although they're welcome to ask on this board if they are unsure.

I was notified that they attempted talking to several people who were online, before speaking in inquiries. Only to receive no response, so you can see why they'd be a bit on edge while ranting. Don't forget i saw what they put. I'm sure they have absolutely no interest in asking on boards, especially when the last time they tried reaching out they got banned without any reasoning whatsoever. Really hard to believe you guys are trying here. Not to mention they are literally banned.. how would they even ask.. Seriously my guy, pull it together.

ModThe DjinnSep 12, 20183 votes

[{quoted}](name=Yandere GF,realm=NA,application-id=6heBIhQc,discussion-id=hguG03zV,comment-id=0001000100000000,timestamp=2018-09-12T05:11:14.567+0000) To put it simply, I get agitated with things of this nature.

I am sorry that it agitates you, but I do not consider it mod abuse to follow the rules as laid out, which specifically mention reviving sufficiently old threads. We are always happy to consider reviewing rules, and I'll bring it up, but the fact remains that it IS a rule, and was a rule inherited by the current mod team from the previous rules.

It really is worth discussing with other moderators because this certain behavior forces people to join reddit...

Or incentivizes them to make a new post. Whichever they prefer.

I was notified that they attempted talking to several people who were online, before speaking in inquiries.

We do not always have moderators available, and we are always happy to provide reasons here. Without the logs of that specific incident I can't explain exactly why no immediate response was given, but I can say we do not maliciously withhold information.

Really hard to believe you guys are trying here. Not to mention they are literally banned.. how would they even ask.. Seriously my guy, pull it together.

Again, they are welcome to ask here, as the Discord and the Boards support each other. Ths Discord is a privelage, not a right, and certain violations can get your privelages revoked abruptly. This board remains open to communication unless someone is banned from both due to extremely severe behavior.

Imperial PandaaSep 12, 20182 votes

To be fair. Things found by "BEST" will remain as "best" until other topics get more upvotes. Which is why we can see things from 2 or 3 years ago still.

Deep Terror NamiSep 12, 20184 votes

Citations requested. I know moderation on the Boards is generally quite visible, as a comment is pinned to explain it. In the Discord, nobody gets banned without reason, but the discussion for that is not typically done in the public channel, but taken aside to try and come to an agreement and/or understanding. There's also no public notification that someone is banned so I'm unsure what you believe you witnessed.

If you could provide a little more context I'm sure the moderation team would be much more able to clear things up, or work to fix these issues.

i cant move wtfSep 12, 20181 votes

People that try to become moderators are usually the last people you want for that position. It attracts people that have little to no power in real life and so they take their frustrations out on members instead of separating themselves from the job. Just a fact of life. Try to not interact with them in the first place is my best advice.