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Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:00pm
Compilation of suggested moderation changes to improve the forums
Since there's so many things that really ought to be changed, instead of posting individual threads, I think I should finally just compile a large (albeit still non-exhaustive) list of moderation changes that would greatly improve the forums and foster a more welcoming community. Here are the suggested changes:

1. Train moderators to better understand nuance and not ban people over their political biases. People get banned way too often just for having political opinions that don't align with the majority on the moderation team. As a result, they're far more likely to get unfairly banned. If the current moderation team cannot handle this, fire them and find a more balanced team.

2. Full stop, cease locking threads entirely already. It doesn't solve anything. "Non-productive argument" is fair too vague, and quite frankly, can easily be applied to any large thread. But most large threads don't get locked. It's completely random, and completely nonsense. Enough with this. Stop punishing thread creators for people misbehaving in the thread replies.

3. Empty trolling accusations need to be taken more seriously. This is just a poor attempt at discrediting someone's arguments or suggestions. Nothing more needs to be said about this one.

4. Bringing up people's post histories or "rap sheets" (aka ban history, which is NOT public to begin with), also needs to stop being tolerated. It's irrelevant, and a users bans are between them and Steam Support/the moderators, NOT regular users. Stop letting this slide.

5. This could be considered as part of the previous one, but quoting another post made by someone out of context, especially if it is from a DIFFERENT THREAD, should also not be allowed.

That's all I have for now, but I may update this list periodically as more suggestions come to mind.
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Originally posted by WANG ATTACK:
good suggestions
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Showing 1-15 of 31 comments
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WANG ATTACK 15 Jun @ 6:05pm 
good suggestions
#1
Brian9824 15 Jun @ 6:13pm 
Only if they also make a compilation of all the suggestions to crack down on repeat offenders, ban evaders, and trolls and to actually moderate and ban those toxic users instead of slapping them on the wrist.
#2
Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:14pm 
Originally posted by Brian9824:
Only if they also make a compilation of all the suggestions to crack down on repeat offenders, ban evaders, and trolls and to actually moderate and ban those toxic users instead of slapping them on the wrist.
Sure, I'm not opposed to that.
#3
datCookie 15 Jun @ 6:17pm 
1. Users do not get banned for political alignments. This has literally never been proven by anyone making the claim. OT is full of people with variously different political opinions and only those who actively break the rules are banned.

2. Mods will only lock threads for two reasons:
a) An old thread with potentially outdated information is locked to prevent confusion
b) Threads that have turned into nothing more than slander between users are considered "unproductive"
Keeping threads open will increase toxicity between users.

3. "More seriously" is subjective. People do get banned for repeated slander, but you cannot expect mods to take action against every user who accuses someone of trolling even once. Hint: If multiple people in a thread accuse you of trolling, there's a high probability that you are.

4. Using a person's public post history in the context of the conversation is often very relevant to what's going on. Nobody knows anyone's ban history, but people do notice users who keep being banned over and over again. There is no need for mods to do anything about this. If you think someone is posting something completely off topic in a thread, report it.

5. Again, nothing wrong with quoting someone's words, even from threads outside of the one you're in. And again, if you think someone is posting off topic stuff in a thread, report them.
#4
mldb88 15 Jun @ 6:20pm 
Ah so another thread directly aimed at people you disagree with.

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Originally posted by Brian9824:
Only if they also make a compilation of all the suggestions to crack down on repeat offenders, ban evaders, and trolls and to actually moderate and ban those toxic users instead of slapping them on the wrist.
Sure, I'm not opposed to that.

Same, though I’m not sure you’d be happy with the results if they did.
#5
Mr. Smiles 15 Jun @ 6:21pm 
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Originally posted by Brian9824:
Only if they also make a compilation of all the suggestions to crack down on repeat offenders, ban evaders, and trolls and to actually moderate and ban those toxic users instead of slapping them on the wrist.
Sure, I'm not opposed to that.

I am also ok with this.

But you might not be...
Originally posted by mldb88:
Ah so another thread directly aimed at people you disagree with.

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Sure, I'm not opposed to that.

Same, though I’m not sure you’d be happy with the results if they did.
Last edited by Mr. Smiles; 15 Jun @ 6:22pm
#6
Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:22pm 
Originally posted by datCookie:
1. Users do not get banned for political alignments. This has literally never been proven by anyone making the claim. OT is full of people with variously different political opinions and only those who actively break the rules are banned.
They do in fact get banned for political alignments.

Originally posted by datCookie:
2. Mods will only lock threads for two reasons:
a) An old thread with potentially outdated information is locked to prevent confusion
b) Threads that have turned into nothing more than slander between users are considered "unproductive"
Keeping threads open will increase toxicity between users.
The word you're looking for is libel. Slander is spoken. Anyway, I find that in my experience it is not really about two users posting libel against one another. I find that there is no discernable pattern at all. If it were the case, a lot of the longer lasting threads in OT would have been locked a long time ago, but many of them still stand. There is no consistency here to what gets locked for "non productive argument" in my opinion.

Originally posted by datCookie:
3. "More seriously" is subjective. People do get banned for repeated slander, but you cannot expect mods to take action against every user who accuses someone of trolling even once. Hint: If multiple people in a thread accuse you of trolling, there's a high probability that you are.
One would think that if multiple people thought a particular person was a troll, they would stop engaging with them, yet many seem unable to help themselves.

Originally posted by datCookie:
4. Using a person's public post history in the context of the conversation is often very relevant to what's going on. Nobody knows anyone's ban history, but people do notice users who keep being banned over and over again. There is no need for mods to do anything about this. If you think someone is posting something completely off topic in a thread, report it.
No, it is generally not relevant. Attack a user's arguments on the basis of what the argument is, not what the user has said in the past.

Originally posted by datCookie:
5. Again, nothing wrong with quoting someone's words, even from threads outside of the one you're in. And again, if you think someone is posting off topic stuff in a thread, report them.
No. See above.
#7
Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:24pm 
Originally posted by mldb88:
Ah so another thread directly aimed at people you disagree with.
The same could be said of any post or thread suggesting changes to the moderation, not just mine. But that's not the case here and for most other people I doubt it is either.
#8
mldb88 15 Jun @ 6:25pm 
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Originally posted by datCookie:
1. Users do not get banned for political alignments. This has literally never been proven by anyone making the claim. OT is full of people with variously different political opinions and only those who actively break the rules are banned.
They do in fact get banned for political alignments.

Originally posted by datCookie:
2. Mods will only lock threads for two reasons:
a) An old thread with potentially outdated information is locked to prevent confusion
b) Threads that have turned into nothing more than slander between users are considered "unproductive"
Keeping threads open will increase toxicity between users.
The word you're looking for is libel. Slander is spoken. Anyway, I find that in my experience it is not really about two users posting libel against one another. I find that there is no discernable pattern at all. If it were the case, a lot of the longer lasting threads in OT would have been locked a long time ago, but many of them still stand. There is no consistency here to what gets locked for "non productive argument" in my opinion.

Originally posted by datCookie:
3. "More seriously" is subjective. People do get banned for repeated slander, but you cannot expect mods to take action against every user who accuses someone of trolling even once. Hint: If multiple people in a thread accuse you of trolling, there's a high probability that you are.
One would think that if multiple people thought a particular person was a troll, they would stop engaging with them, yet many seem unable to help themselves.

Originally posted by datCookie:
4. Using a person's public post history in the context of the conversation is often very relevant to what's going on. Nobody knows anyone's ban history, but people do notice users who keep being banned over and over again. There is no need for mods to do anything about this. If you think someone is posting something completely off topic in a thread, report it.
No, it is generally not relevant. Attack a user's arguments on the basis of what the argument is, not what the user has said in the past.

Originally posted by datCookie:
5. Again, nothing wrong with quoting someone's words, even from threads outside of the one you're in. And again, if you think someone is posting off topic stuff in a thread, report them.
No. See above.

Your prior thread shows just how everything you just said here is quite blatantly incorrect.
#9
Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:27pm 
Originally posted by mldb88:
Your prior thread shows just how everything you just said here is quite blatantly incorrect.
Nope.
#10
mldb88 15 Jun @ 6:29pm 
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Originally posted by mldb88:
Your prior thread shows just how everything you just said here is quite blatantly incorrect.
Nope.

Thus proving why prior history is relevant. If your argument is just "Nope" then what is there to fight? There's a clear pattern of starting fights then crying foul spamming the boards with self serving suggestions when rightfully moderated. Should I hand you a shovel to help dig that hole deeper?
#11
datCookie 15 Jun @ 6:32pm 
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
They do in fact get banned for political alignments.

They don't, users in OT would demonstrate otherwise. You can keep perpetuating this lie as much as you want, it doesn't make it true. If users got banned for political affiliations, then OT would be a graveyard.

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
The word you're looking for is libel. Slander is spoken. Anyway, I find that in my experience it is not really about two users posting libel against one another. I find that there is no discernable pattern at all. If it were the case, a lot of the longer lasting threads in OT would have been locked a long time ago, but many of them still stand. There is no consistency here to what gets locked for "non productive argument" in my opinion.

Either way, they're not going to do anything about this, just because you want them to. Otherwise, you'd probably end up in the same boat as everyone else. You don't want that now, do you?

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
One would think that if multiple people thought a particular person was a troll, they would stop engaging with them, yet many seem unable to help themselves.

If said troll is deliberately spreading false and misleading information about a particular topic, users will still reply in order to correct that information. I wonder why the same people keep responding to your threads then?

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
No, it is generally not relevant. Attack a user's arguments on the basis of what the argument is, not what the user has said in the past.

So you don't want to be held accountable to something you've said before? Good to know. You're always welcome to address someone using your own words against you and explain you've changed your mind since that post, or you can just continue to pretend it's "irrelevant" and see nothing happen at all.


This will be my last comment on this thread. I don't see any further point in engaging.
#12
Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:32pm 
Originally posted by mldb88:
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Nope.

Thus proving why prior history is relevant. If your argument is just "Nope" then what is there to fight? There's a clear pattern of starting fights then crying foul spamming the boards with self serving suggestions when rightfully moderated. Should I hand you a shovel to help dig that hole deeper?
Your own argument is a single sentence. I was going to post this on the other thread, but I guess I'll just paste it here since you're reading this one;

Let me put it this way, as I've said to someone else before. If you think I am a troll, maybe it's time to stop replying to my threads. Stop wasting your own time and mine and just report my threads if you truly think I'm trolling and breaking the rules, it's a pointless argument when you will never agree with me. Prove me wrong about my statement that you love arguing with me.
#13
mldb88 15 Jun @ 6:36pm 
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Originally posted by mldb88:

Thus proving why prior history is relevant. If your argument is just "Nope" then what is there to fight? There's a clear pattern of starting fights then crying foul spamming the boards with self serving suggestions when rightfully moderated. Should I hand you a shovel to help dig that hole deeper?
Your own argument is a single sentence. I was going to post this on the other thread, but I guess I'll just paste it here since you're reading this one;

Let me put it this way, as I've said to someone else before. If you think I am a troll, maybe it's time to stop replying to my threads. Stop wasting your own time and mine and just report my threads if you truly think I'm trolling and breaking the rules, it's a pointless argument when you will never agree with me. Prove me wrong about my statement that you love arguing with me.

Well when spreading blatant misinformation like bans being based on political alignment (which we have provided demonstative proof that it is, in fact, not based on politics in the slightest), you shouldn't be surprised the same people correct that information for the benefit of those who are either newer to the forums or less aware of how things ACTUALLY work. It's fine though, we can keep playing this little game back and forth. We both know how it'll turn out anyway, another long vacation and then another slew of "suggestions" indirectly whining about said forced vacation.
#14
Sex Alarm 15 Jun @ 6:38pm 
Originally posted by datCookie:
Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
They do in fact get banned for political alignments.

They don't, users in OT would demonstrate otherwise. You can keep perpetuating this lie as much as you want, it doesn't make it true. If users got banned for political affiliations, then OT would be a graveyard.
It kind of is. You should see how many (Banned) red texts there are around there in some threads whenever moderators start sifting through reports on OT threads.

Originally posted by datCookie:
Either way, they're not going to do anything about this, just because you want them to. Otherwise, you'd probably end up in the same boat as everyone else. You don't want that now, do you?
The same argument could be applied to basically every suggestion thread.

Originally posted by datCookie:
If said troll is deliberately spreading false and misleading information about a particular topic, users will still reply in order to correct that information. I wonder why the same people keep responding to your threads then?
This forum works the way most classic forums do; replies are what make them visible. If you perceive a user to be spreading false and misleading information, stop engaging with their topic and giving it visibility. This isn't reddit where downvotes and upvotes are what determines visibility and amount of comments is irrelevant, it's the opposite. There are no downvotes and no upvotes, and comments are what determines visibility.

Originally posted by datCookie:
So you don't want to be held accountable to something you've said before? Good to know. You're always welcome to address someone using your own words against you and explain you've changed your mind since that post, or you can just continue to pretend it's "irrelevant" and see nothing happen at all.
The only people who should be worried about holding someone "accountable" are the moderators.
#15
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Date Posted: 15 Jun @ 6:00pm
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