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Ability to police comments: Please delete thread

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muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
edited May 2021 in Forum Ideas & Feedback
There still seems to be a bit of a problem with people popping in and out of threads posting rude/insulting comments.... which the OP doesn't have any control over. The only option for an OP of any thread to fight against offensive comments is to click the "flag" icon and watch water boil while waiting for a moderator to finally show up.

As it stands, all we can do is ignore these people, which provides them free reign to do what they want without consequence, or push back with comments of our own... which derails the thread and chance having the thread closed by moderators.

There should at least be a "downvote" option attached to everyone's posts.....

"Flag" - "Down Vote" - "Quote" - "Insightful" - "Like" - "Awesome"

..... So people could see by public opinion that their bahavior/comments isn't accepted. Even that could be abused as people use it to silently attack people's posts, but the word "silently" is the key. That option could be the push back without having to make comments in response.

IMO, the OP of a thread should have better options to protect their thread from rude or abusive comments. Thread starters should have the ability to block people from posting in their thread, and, most importantly, be given the ability to delete any posts he/she/they see as offensive, or off topic.... derailing.

Its frustrating to watch an OP have their thread derailed, and closed, to know fault of their own, and them not be able to do anything about it but just sit there and watch their thread get turned upside down by people who clearly have little respect for others.

IMO, there needs to be changes to the forum options to help us police our own threads.
Post edited by muzickmage on

Comments

  • Ersa_MiddletonErsa_Middleton Posts: 697 Member
    edited May 2021
    Am not found of the downvote idea as that's too reddit-like and we know how reddit users like to abuse the downvote button when they come across a poster who says something that isn't part of their 'status quo'. I also don't think such amount of power of post deletion should be given to the OP of a thread - that can be abused, big time. If there must be some measure of power then at the very least the ability to close their own threads.
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    edited May 2021
    SamDenny wrote: »
    Am not found of the downvote idea as that's too reddit-like and we know how reddit users like to abuse the downvote button when they come across a poster who says something that isn't part of their 'status quo'. I also don't think such amount of power of post deletion should be given to the OP of a thread - that can be abused, big time. If there must be some measure of power then at the very least the ability to close their own threads.

    So you're suggesting that the OP should remain in their current position having no defense from those who are rude and abusive, and just close their thread, or have it closed by moderators?
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    Don't particularly agree. Downvotes always get abused even youtube removed them.
    Sucks to have a derailed thread closed but it's kind of unavoidable. If people ignored someone trolling instead of engaging in a back and forth argument threads would not get closed.
    I'm not a fan of policing and I tend not to engage in things that are heavily "policed"

    That said we are all adults here. I think we need to learn how how have more patience with eachother, maybe learn a bit more tolerance and compassion, and try to see things from each others POV.
    If we can start practicing now and learn to police "ourselves" then there is no need for policing frok mods or any others. A lot of times we are a lot like children. Just because you pass a certain age doesn't mean we don't have anything more to learn in life. Hopefully we can all reflect on this.

    Trolls should be flagged,ignored and moved on from. Though rarely do I see any trolls here. Just people who can't tolerate the fact that their opinion is not shared by the world.
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  • FelicityFelicity Posts: 4,979 Member
    Chazzzy wrote: »
    I think they should upgrade the ignore option so that if you put someone on ignore, not only can you not see any of their posts but they cannot see anymore of your posts either.

    It's not like that? There was one person who made a very public pronouncement of ignoring me and I was unable to see their posts for a very long time. I can see them again, but I assumed that meant I was taken off their ignore list. Maybe they changed it.

    They used to have a dislike button -- zabadoo. It apparently didn't work out well.
  • Mstybl95Mstybl95 Posts: 5,883 Member
    edited May 2021
    I remember when we has a dislike button. It lasted all of 12 hrs.

    I do think we need more measures to control our topics. Downvotes aren't the way to do it. The problem is that people just can't take other people not sharing their exact opinion and think of their opinions as facts. And then one side is fighting the other side and both are baring teeth and snarling while claiming to be right and also peaceful...or funny gets used a lot, too.

    Honestly for things like...the game is bad, well, if you think the game is great, stay out of the thread and let those people rant if you don't know how to be civil. Same for the other way around. Just be civil and understand that there are no right or wrong opinions. Someone hating something you love doesn't change the thing, but now you know there are people who don't always like what you do. And same for those who hate the game. Be civil in your statements or move on from the game. There's no reason to be rude to people who are enjoying something. And then...stop being buttheads when you get into groupthink.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    The best way to police rude comments is to flag and ignore them. If everyone did that then that would be enough. But because a lot of people end up actually responding to rude comments, then get a response back then they respond again and everything derails completely.
    This is why one of the forum rules is to stay on-topic.

    So I belive the problem isn't really that there is no way to remove rude comments, I think the issue is that a lot of us give to much attention to the rude comments and derail the threads on our own.
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  • JyotaiJyotai Posts: 505 Member
    edited May 2021
    muzickmage wrote: »
    There still seems to be a bit of a problem with people popping in and out of threads posting rude/insulting comments.... which the OP doesn't have any control over. The only option for an OP of any thread to fight against offensive comments is to click the "flag" icon and watch water boil while waiting for a moderator to finally show up.

    As it stands, all we can do is ignore these people, which provides them free reign to do what they want without consequence, or push back with comments of our own... which derails the thread and chance having the thread closed by moderators.

    There should at least be a "downvote" option attached to everyone's posts.....

    IMO, there needs to be changes to the forum options to help us police our own threads.

    Almost everywhere online where a 'downvote' option has been added it has ended up being used primarily by 'trolls' to harass women and POC by incessantly voting down their posts. While it's a good idea in principle - it becomes an 'excuse' for moderators to step back, and an amazingly effective tool to silence types of people haters have an agenda against.

    Perhaps a better solution would to prevent anyone someone 'A' has blocked from being able to quote, reply, or 'emoji tag' any comment that person 'A' has made. And no ability to '@A' if 'A' is someone who has blocked you.

    With the exception being that person 'A' can't block from the posting into a thread person 'A' made, because otherwise the blocking itself could become a way to 'shadowban' people from the forum. Ie: if you started a thread, they could still participate in it, but just not reply to you or quote you.
    I don't use Discord because it doesn't support multiple accounts and I don't need folks at work wondering what I'm doing even on my own time. Until Discord catches up with every single other voice / video conferencing system, I limit where I use it:
  • ChazzzyChazzzy Posts: 7,166 Member
    edited May 2021
    Felicity wrote: »
    Chazzzy wrote: »
    I think they should upgrade the ignore option so that if you put someone on ignore, not only can you not see any of their posts but they cannot see anymore of your posts either.

    It's not like that? There was one person who made a very public pronouncement of ignoring me and I was unable to see their posts for a very long time. I can see them again, but I assumed that meant I was taken off their ignore list. Maybe they changed it.

    They used to have a dislike button -- zabadoo. It apparently didn't work out well.

    Nope, I'm quoted all the time by people I have put on ignore. They even comment in my threads. Putting someone on ignore doesn't even hide their posts. They're still visible in threads, they're just a lighter color as though that somehow makes them less obtrusive. It's all very shoddily done in my opinion.
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    The best way to police rude comments is to flag and ignore them. If everyone did that then that would be enough. But because a lot of people end up actually responding to rude comments, then get a response back then they respond again and everything derails completely.
    This is why one of the forum rules is to stay on-topic.

    So I belive the problem isn't really that there is no way to remove rude comments, I think the issue is that a lot of us give to much attention to the rude comments and derail the threads on our own.

    I have to admit, i'm guilty of responding to rude comments. I don't always have a very high tolerance for them, and tend to push back. I agree, its not the best resolve as it does encourage a back-and-forth which has a great potential to get out of control.

    I also must disagree that ignoring these people would be enough. As I mentioned in my initial post... leaving these people unchecked simply allows them free reign to do what they want without consequence. I don't think that's the best resolve either.

    Clicking the "flag" icon is our only tool to keep the thread free of rude and abusive comments. Which would be fine, but it takes forever and a day for moderators to respond to any need of assistance against these posts.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    Interesting.

    I don’t think downvotes or giving OP the ability to delete comments and close their own thread offers a solution.
    As others mentioned, downvotes WILL be abused and by giving OP policing power there’s a chance you’ll end up with only half a discussion or no comments at all.

    A very sensitive OP might get so upset they’d be hitting that “delete post” button until they’re left with nothing but the sound of their own crickets...




    *cricketsound*






    Indeed, we’re all over 12’s and we all have to do our bit. All we can do is try and keep it civil, try and be open to discussion, try and listen to one another and ignore or flag any troll or clown (guilty) who derails the thread with rude or smart comments.
  • SharoniaSharonia Posts: 4,853 Member
    edited May 2021
    I’ve never really been a fan of downvoting. Like even if I disagree with somebody I still wouldn’t downvote their post. It just seems so unnecessary.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    muzickmage wrote: »
    I also must disagree that ignoring these people would be enough. As I mentioned in my initial post... leaving these people unchecked simply allows them free reign to do what they want without consequence. I don't think that's the best resolve either.

    Clicking the "flag" icon is our only tool to keep the thread free of rude and abusive comments. Which would be fine, but it takes forever and a day for moderators to respond to any need of assistance against these posts.

    I agree with that. This is why I believe there should be like 10 times the amount of mods there are now, so things get moderated faster. We have all seen threads derail, go off-topic be toxic and absolutey innapropriate for several days before a mod takes action.

    Some other threads that derail and become toxic involve huge arguements that evetually die down and the thread is forgotten about but then a mod posts that they removed the innapropriate replies and I think to myself "It's been 4 days since people were last fighting in that thread and you take action just now?"
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  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    edited May 2021
    Interesting.

    I don’t think downvotes or giving OP the ability to delete comments and close their own thread offers a solution.
    As others mentioned, downvotes WILL be abused and by giving OP policing power there’s a chance you’ll end up with only half a discussion or no comments at all.

    A very sensitive OP might get so upset they’d be hitting that “delete post” button until they’re left with nothing but the sound of their own crickets...




    *cricketsound*






    Indeed, we’re all over 12’s and we all have to do our bit. All we can do is try and keep it civil, try and be open to discussion, try and listen to one another and ignore or flag any troll or clown (guilty) who derails the thread with rude or smart comments.

    I have to agree with both of your opinions (as well as others who are against the "down vote" option).

    As pointed out by many of you so far, having a down vote option could very well end up being just as big an issue, with it being used as a way to encourage minority groups of opinions, and silent attacks against particular people (which I also noted in my initial post).

    Also, the idea of the OP deleting post, as you pointed out, would greatly open the door to one-sided opinions, with any opposition being deleted by biased OPs.... agreed.

    Unfortunately however, this is the internet. There will always be someone in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to attack people. I don't think that will change. Also, unfortunately, there will likely always be people (like myself) with a low tolerance to such people, and push back.

    I can work on not responding to these people any more. But, I can't make that promise for the other 5+ billion people on the internet.

    We need a better system to combat these activities, that discourage any further conflicts.
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    You can always @ a moderator too. If you tag the mods, they will know what threads they should be paying more attention to. When you have a bazillion people making posts all over a forum, it's to be expected that it could take some time for a mod to get to a specific thread.

    I don't agree that people should be given more power to police their threads and silence others. This is already what's wrong with social media all over the internet where certain perceptions are being favored and many aren't allowed to express an independent intelligent opinion or debate anymore without being "cancelled" or ganged up on and silenced by bullying. A moderator is a more neutral party who only pays attention to the forum rules.

    Maybe we just need more moderators.
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  • elanorbretonelanorbreton Posts: 14,518 Member
    I disagree with downvoting or giving power to an OP. Too much potential for abuse.

    I actually feel that the current system is fine. Some may get a little abusive and threads can become arguments but there's always the option to keep out of a thread until a moderator comes along.

    None of them get anywhere near as bad as places like Twitter.
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    You can always @ a moderator too. If you tag the mods, they will know what threads they should be paying more attention to. When you have a bazillion people making posts all over a forum, it's to be expected that it could take some time for a mod to get to a specific thread.

    I don't agree that people should be given more power to police their threads and silence others. This is already what's wrong with social media all over the internet where certain perceptions are being favored and many aren't allowed to express an independent intelligent opinion or debate anymore without being "cancelled" or ganged up on and silenced by bullying. A moderator is a more neutral party who only pays attention to the forum rules.

    Maybe we just need more moderators.

    I agree. Especially on the opinion by you, and @SimmerGeorge that we need more moderators. We wouldn't need our own moderating tools if we had more moderators.

    So, it comes down to the moderators then. Either we are going to get more of them to combat the issue, or.... in absence of such... provide us with better tools to do it ourselves.

    Continuing under the current system clearly isn't working. So unless we actually are going to get more moderators, then IMO, something else has to change.
  • SimmingalSimmingal Posts: 8,888 Member
    I mostly wish that OP had option to delete/close threads they started

    and it would certainly help to prevent people from bringing back discussions from trillion years ago by mistake

    and to nicely end any thread thats gotten out of hand

    aaand also sometimes you just realize your thread didnt need to happen right after posting it cause you found out there is another thread about it

    +id also like option to block/ignore threads

    like for example sometimes you keep getting same thread over and over in recent discussions so you miss other recent discussions

    and you dont really have anything against the starter of thread you just dont feel like discussing that yourself so it be neat to get it out of way
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  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    I disagree with downvoting or giving power to an OP. Too much potential for abuse.

    I actually feel that the current system is fine. Some may get a little abusive and threads can become arguments but there's always the option to keep out of a thread until a moderator comes along.

    None of them get anywhere near as bad as places like Twitter.

    True, but making a lot of noise against their behavior does bring their posts to the forefront without naming people. Maybe some of them will read this thread and decide to leave people alone. Well, one can dream lol.
  • EliteGirlEliteGirl Posts: 537 Member
    edited May 2021
    muzickmage wrote: »
    There still seems to be a bit of a problem with people popping in and out of threads posting rude/insulting comments.... which the OP doesn't have any control over. The only option for an OP of any thread to fight against offensive comments is to click the "flag" icon and watch water boil while waiting for a moderator to finally show up.

    As it stands, all we can do is ignore these people, which provides them free reign to do what they want without consequence, or push back with comments of our own... which derails the thread and chance having the thread closed by moderators.

    There should at least be a "downvote" option attached to everyone's posts.....

    "Flag" - "Down Vote" - "Quote" - "Insightful" - "Like" - "Awesome"

    ..... So people could see by public opinion that their bahavior/comments isn't accepted. Even that could be abused as people use it to silently attack people's posts, but the word "silently" is the key. That option could be the push back without having to make comments in response.

    IMO, the OP of a thread should have better options to protect their thread from rude or abusive comments. Thread starters should have the ability to block people from posting in their thread, and, most importantly, be given the ability to delete any posts he/she/they see as offensive, or off topic.... derailing.

    Its frustrating to watch an OP have their thread derailed, and closed, to know fault of their own, and them not be able to do anything about it but just sit there and watch their thread get turned upside down by people who clearly have little respect for others.

    IMO, there needs to be changes to the forum options to help us police our own threads.


    I think we should have the option to delete or close our threads ourselves. That way the drama doesn’t continue. But I think downvoting will cause even more drama that is unnecessary and can be taken advantage of by trolls.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    Simmingal wrote: »
    I mostly wish that OP had option to delete/close threads they started

    @Simmingal Does anyone know why we're not able to delete our own threads or comments? I am really curious as to why we don't have that kind of control over our own posts.
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  • ncisGibbs02ncisGibbs02 Posts: 2,019 Member
    I disagree with downvoting or giving power to an OP. Too much potential for abuse.

    I actually feel that the current system is fine. Some may get a little abusive and threads can become arguments but there's always the option to keep out of a thread until a moderator comes along.

    None of them get anywhere near as bad as places like Twitter.

    Yes Twitter is the worst. Most people here are great.

    I wouldn’t like a downvote. Power to the OP sounds good but it can be misused.
    More moderators?
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  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    It should be acknowledged as well that the "downvote" icon already does exist, to an extent, just very well hidden.

    Posting a complaint against someone's rude post, and having that post receive a swarm of "likes", and "awesome" isn't much different than downvoting the rude post to begin with.

    Downvoting the rude post vs upvoting the post against it. The second idea is just less direct. I can understand how everyone is against the first idea, but the second idea isn't really all that different either.

    If someone posts a comment in reply to my own, and their comment receives 20 or so likes and awesome vs my icons receiving nothing..... that in itself is just like downvoting my post instead. Its.. message received.

    There is a difference yes. But for those of us who can read between the lines, that differences isn't very big.
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