Topic

New Group: Forum Lockers

I created a group for those who've ever had the embarrassment of having a forum topic locked on them. If was because you were being a general a** don't apply, but if it was because of an oversight or unintentional screw up.
 I moderate a couple of private boards myself and been asked to moderate a game site recently myself. That job is a pain, so no joining to complain about how badly you were treated either.
Do not join just to try to open up any topics that got a forum thread closed either. You can name and link to it if it still exists. You can describe what you did wrong but that's it.
Same for this thread in fact.  This is intended to be a sort-of FAQ on how NOT to behave in the forums.

Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • So we *are* censoring people on the forums?

    I feel the need to bring up how hypocritical I feel this is, yet again. I certainly hope that if someone calls me a faggot or a wetback or something that a thread will be closed. But no one has ever given me an answer to this that was satisfactory.

    So...

    Are people allowed to call me faggot and wetback and other horrible things? Because, if so, I would like to voice my anger and resentment.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Cerulean: huh?!?!
    Posted 17 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Folkian, I'm truly sorry you were embarrassed that the thread was locked, it was not intended. 

    I edited your personal information as the forums are not a place to display it, and there are proper channels for your resume and cover letter to be seen.  
    Posted 17 months ago by Pepper Rose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I can't "censor" anyone. I was probably a bit draconian there in my style. I was just trying to be concise and cover reasonable bases. Name calling would certainly be a call for a thread lock and censorship by staff, IMHO. I had a forum topic just closed because I shared some offline files that contained a considerable amount of information. This is normally not something I would do in a public forum and I hesitated before I did so. I trust this group of people and its staff enough to go that far, but I understand the staff's discomfiture in the matter. I was in the process of removing it myself when Pepper_Rose locked the thread - just bad timing. She had no ready way to communicate with me directly. Unfortunately we don't have a mechanism to continue conversations in private when the game is offline.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The forum topic about the job that Fokian wanted was edited because he disclosed all of his personal information via a link to his resume, not because someone called him an ethnic slur, so I'm not sure where that comes from, Cerulean.  

    I would imagine that staff isn't going to be keen on players calling each other racial slurs, though.

    At some point, this Forum will be public and it's pretty much a bad idea to have your name, address and phone number hanging out on the internet.  So, no surprise that this info was edited out.

    Now, as to why it was locked, well, that surprised me.  I guess we're not allowed to discuss jobs or programming here, or possibly staff just doesn't want a topic full of people asking what they need to do to get jobs at Tiny Speck.  However, there are an awful lot of topics posted here that have scant to do with general talk about the game of Glitch.  An explanation as to why this off-topic topic was closed would have been cool.

    I dunno, but we still have no community guidelines and no forum guidelines.

    I went through only about 5 pages of Forum topics, besides that one, others were closed because they were bug reports that were handled in the Bugs forum or topics with outdated info... so I'm not really sure how much traffic you're going to get in your new group since most topic closures are not about poster gaffes.
    Posted 17 months ago by zeeberk Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I already posted a thank you for that, @Pepper_Rose before I posted. You weren't the cause of my embarrassment. I did that to myself. It's just hard to communicate readily between staff and player privately when the game is offline. I understand the difficulties this causes. It's an issue that can be fixed in the future. You probably don't have access to member emails for instance. @Stoot does through my Google+ account (we are in each others Circles), but you don't.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't really know all the details about everything, but I wanted to say that I've been on a number of sites that have had rules against posting both personal information and things like completed resumes/job applications on their websites (especially ones that are applying to be a part of their website), just as a privacy thing. It's not really censoring, at least I don't see it that way XD More of a protection thing. /shrug

    I was a little concerned about it when you posted it publicly and I'm glad you decided to edit it out (even if Pepper beat you to the punch :)). Good luck with the group and this thread.
    Posted 17 months ago by Nea Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Cerulean: sorry you have felt discriminated against.  I have a great friend who is gay and I have been with him during some nasty times when people treated him badly, and it sucks.  People always surprise you how mean they can be.

    But, this was not an issue of censoring. And I stand by my opinion that I've always had, the forums don't need to be censored.  We don't need to waste someones time going through and making sure that nobody was offended or no rules were broken.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Fokian, read your resume before it went away, lol. Hey, you should go to this site and see if your interested in a job with these guys and gals, awesome bunch, our nephew works there and LOVES it and the pay ain't to bad either.

    www.gearboxsoftware.com/con...
    Posted 17 months ago by celticlady Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Cerulean - I host and moderate a couple of private forums where a large number of the members are gay. I'm not, but I'm good friends with a large number that are. I use phpBB3 software and I have a lot of ways for the members to contact me personally and vice versa.

    @Laurali - Censoring is a problem, but when you are a public company monitoring any forums you host, even private ones, is vital. I posted my private data as a way of poking fun at myself with an example of a bad resume and cover letter. :) I didn't expect it to open doors. But I was kind of lazy in not censoring out the personal data. Tiny Speck and Pepper_Rose were quite in line in trying to make sure I didn't do something to hurt myself badly. Ideally they would speak to me privately first, but that wasn't really possible here, so she did the next best thing. Kind of wish she hadn't locked it because I was seeing some really interesting conversation beginning to develop there. But new topics can be created that cover the same ground without putting anyone at risk. I'm cool with it.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @celticladyone - Thanks for the link. I'll check them out. As I expected when I posted everyone here has been awesome. :)
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Admins/GOD please delete this thread as it is just becoming silly in its direction, ty

    Was just looking at this post http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/13/internet-trolls-improbable-research
    Posted 17 months ago by riscy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Fokian:  I was simply saying I don't think forums need to be censored for bad language or offensive content, especially with this group, seems like the players pick up on the "wrong-doing" faster than any of the devs could and usually stick up for the "wronged" party.  That is enough censoring in my opinion for negative content.

    I understand this was a completely different situation, and wouldn't really consider it censorship, more like a form of protection.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @riscy - LOL. :p

    Threads like these are how the company identifies potential problem areas. As long as the conversation is relatively polite and doesn't turn anybody off from participating in either the forums or the games, or does not cause anyone to subject to injury, real or potential, it's all good.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Lol @riscy.  

    Glitch forums have replaced my Facebook because I am so tired of looking at everyones vacation pictures.  But if I am a troll, I want to be one with a gem i n my belly button.  I didn't like how some of the trolls had the cool belly button gem and others didn't.

    I will only be the best troll possible.  Rainbow hair and belly button gem and all.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Laurali - Changing your costume soon?
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 to Stoots "huh?!?!?"

    And Laurali- I have teasingly been called a troll doll before because of my bright hair color and sheer amount of hair.....hehe...I've also put a jewel in my belly button.

    Good times.

    Ah, the 90's.....<3 ;)
    Posted 17 months ago by NutMeg Botwin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Pics? :D
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • LOL Stoot, this is the 3rd thread I've brought this up in.

    When I first came to the game, I was a little less certain of the social ambience. I suggested in a thread that there be some action taken when people say things that "cross the line" (I remember using those words exactly). I appeared to have gotten an overwhelming response that, IN-GAME, it would have to be up to each user to block others so as not to hear what they had to say. No one said much about how to handle this on the forums but a few people got a little uppity about what they called "censorship."

    I brought it up again recently when someone began talking about etiquette and silencing players on the forums. I admit that I went on a tirade this 2nd time because everyone seemed rather supportive of the decision to censor certain individuals on the forums, whereas I'd felt that I'd faced significant opposition to the idea, and I had felt that there may have been an element of discrimination because there seemed to be an air of "just deal with it" when I brought it up and had specifically used examples of anti-gay epithets.

    This is the 3rd time I've brought this up and I'm doing so because it appears that, initially, Fokian has insinuated that some people are being "censored" and having their posts locked for being "asses." I think that if someone calls me a faggot or a wetback that they should be considered enough of an ass to have their threads locked or posts deleted, but no one has ever really told me, affirmatively, "YES, THAT WILL HAPPEN." I would feel a lot safer on the forums if I have the assurance that people won't simply get away with calling me faggot. I just use the example of wetback because I am Latino and I suppose someone could unjustly hold that against me, simply because they're being "as ass."

    EDIT: I think this is the first time I have been able to voice myself on this issue and in this setting appropriately, so I apologize for my earlier tirades/rants on the subject. Ultimately, I just want to feel safe here.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Actually I don't know if that has happened, @Cerulean. I stated that as a general principle. I meant things like trolling or similar conduct. Stuff where people intentionally act like jerks just to inflame passions. That kind of conduct will get you banned on most forums for good reason. And my ex-wife of seven years is from Venezuela (we are still very good friends) and I lived in San Antonio for about 10 years. My mom a lot longer. I have a niece who is Latino, and a 1/2 Peruvian nephew (my sister-in-law who died last year from cancer :(  )
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thats really sad Fokian, sorry to hear about your sister-in-law.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • She struggled with a melanoma for years. Finally died July 3 last year. My brother, her husband, has his birthday on the 4th of July (really!). Her son was about 9. He lost his job a few weeks later due to injury.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Calling me a faggot or wetback seems like trolling, or like it would be just to "inflame passions." I don't really see a valid reason for doing so, otherwise. I think that's what I'm really looking for, here -- the assurance that this space (these forums) will be kept safe if someone does cross that line. No one has ever really given me that assurance here. Like I said before, most of what I've heard about the topic seems to amount to "just deal with it," which I'm not satisfied with. :/

    EDIT: I'm also very sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. I just saw a thing on Tumblr today that read "FUCK CANCER" and reblogged it, actually. And being a social worker in a medical clinical setting, cancer is something I see first-hand all too often.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Cerulean, I completely get where you are coming from, but I am confused as to why you need this assurance when, so far, in my experience on the forums and in chat, the ONLY time I have ever seen the epithets you are using are in *your* posts?   Is there some tide of hate that I am missing out on--if so, let me know about it, and let me at 'em!  I could use some new avenues for shenanigans.

    Do you want me to call you a vile name just to test the integrity of the system?   *preps potty mouth*
    Posted 17 months ago by Nanookie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Cerulean - I forgot to mention I had a cousin die of AIDs in the 90s.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Nanookie -- You're right, in that it hasn't happened, so far. But I believe it would be foolish to thing that it won't happen at some point when an MMO is gaining as much momentum as Glitch is, and I want to know that when it does happen, myself and others like me will not have to simply deal with it.

    It's a sad reality that I face, but in today's sociopolitical environment, I and many others -- anyone from any marginalized, disenfranchised, and historically oppressed group of people --have to be prepared to face these difficulties out there. And here in the forums. It's bound to happen. It simply is.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Cerulean - Why do you think I'm trying to work on a version of forum software? In fact you just gave me an idea. Thanks.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • … ok!

    Cerulean, I get it now (but, lordy, your first comment was sure lacking context). Of course we won't allow people use racial/ethnic/gender/sexual orientation or other slurs which specifically denigrate marginalized, disenfranchised, and historically oppressed group of people in the forums.

    (But then, we also won't let people "be assholes" in general, even if the target of harassment or personal attacks or unwanted information sharing or whatever is a person from a privileged background.)

    And we will delete or lock threads or posts, remove accounts from the system and do all kinds of other things to manage the forums and the community. You could call that "censorship", but that'd be stretching the word pretty thin (a bartender kicking out a surly drunk is not really the same thing as someone on Goebbels staff reviewing all books up for publication in the Reich).
    Posted 17 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks a million, stoot. That's what I was waiting to hear. I always held the belief that, given Tiny Speck's history of really taking care of its users and trying to make this a safe environment for everyone, that the team would, in fact, stop individuals that were being excessively pejorative to others (any amount is excessive, yes, I know).

    However, it had never been officially stated, and, as I said before, people were screaming "CENSORSHIP!" when I first suggested this a couple of months ago, which put me on the edge. Because I, too, felt like that was stretching the word to an unfair extreme. And back then, from what I saw, no staff had provided any input, and I wasn't sure whether or not I should be interpreting that as "the people have spoken and the staff are going to go with that" or whether or not the staff had even seen the conversation. So I've kind of been on edge about it ever since.

    But now we have it, in writing. The staff won't let people be asses, lol. And they especially won't let people use prejudicial epithets or slurs.

    This really means a lot to me, and I have to admit that I feel much safer here. I don't have to worry that, when some ass does come and wreak havoc, it's going to simply be left alone. Thanks a lot, stoot. :D
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There we go! See? Official policy right there. Simple and easy to understand. @Stoot has run public sites before and made damned good money in the process. He didn't do it by contributing to policies that chased people off, nor did he support other people's conduct that would have the same effect. And he's doing this with a limited staff (what is it now? about 20 people? Tops?)  who have a lot of work to do yet on the primary product. They don't really have the time to police these boards and such, as much as it might be needed. That's also why they have the "Ideas" and "Bugs" forums so they have a clue about things that contribute to the end goal of a finally completed game. They sometimes have to make quick decisions right now without much consulting. When they close off a bug topic, they are trying to limit the channels they are having to focus on right now. They even know of bugs and such in these forums and personal web pages that need attention, but right now they are under pressure to get Glitch up and going. Every day without a running game costs them money. Money that is NOT recoverable.
    Posted 17 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink