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Ability to police comments: Please delete thread

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  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    edited May 2021
    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.

    That's decided by the forum's control panel. The admin of the forum has a checklist.....
    ..... Members are allowed to (click boxes for following)
    ..... Moderators are allowed to (click boxes for following)
    .......... click save..... done.
  • HermitgirlHermitgirl Posts: 8,825 Member
    Downvotes get abused. Deleting threads or comments could also be abused easily .. people could post inflammatory stuff then remove it when they feel the moderators are around.
    It is sometimes hard to do when you feel you are being targeted or that your thread is the best course of action is to flag the person that out of line or breaking the rules for whatever reason and move on. As the OP could maybe tell others to do the same. The argument and derailment only continues if people participate in it.
    egTcBMc.png
  • KironideKironide Posts: 804 Member
    edited May 2021
    Deleted
    Post edited by Kironide on
  • SindocatSindocat Posts: 5,622 Member
    First, consider the potential for any tool to silence anyone to be used against marginalized voices. Attacks on inclusiveness are already commonplace in gaming spaces. Let the Community team curate the Forums. They do.
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    edited May 2021
    The ideas I mentioned in my initial post was added because I am familiar with how a forum control panel works, and what options already exists in the coding. I could likely offer a different list of ideas, but that would require different coding to be added by the admin, and I trust that likely won't happen as easily.

    So yes, I agree with all of your comments concerning my ideas, but i'm limited to existing coding.
  • SindocatSindocat Posts: 5,622 Member
    edited May 2021
    So is the Moderation team. This platform is licensed by Vanilla. Some aspects are not amenable to coding fixes in-house by EA/Maxis, and others are constrained by license agreement. I am sure the Community Team is already patched into an extant network of other professionals in their field who also consider these issues more deeply than we easily can. Some of those people (not at Maxis or EA) are people I know. They take this stuff seriously. Big houses want more automated moderation, because it's cheap, but it's also error-prone and ineffective. CS professionals know that "hire and adequately train and support a strong, dedicated moderation team" gets best results. It's also the most expensive.

    I'd not trust the members of this community to do better at self-moderation.

    Edit - I accidentally said trained, supported, live moderation was most effective, and it is. But I meant to say it is expensive - but a wise investment in public facing engagement, in my book.
    Post edited by Sindocat on
  • ncisGibbs02ncisGibbs02 Posts: 2,018 Member
    muzickmage wrote: »
    The ideas I mentioned in my initial post was added because I am familiar with how a forum control panel works, and what options already exists in the coding. I could likely offer a different list of ideas, but that would require different coding to be added by the admin, and I trust that likely won't happen as easily.

    I have found cost is a factor I’ve come across.

    In one job I worked was a call centre in a medium company and our phone system would let people hang on indefinitely. They’d just get stuck until they hung up. So there were a lot of complaints because some people were hanging on twenty/thirty minutes to get through.

    The management found a batch of other phones that were destined for a new department that didn’t happen. So they switched and the new lines would cut out after five minutes if they weren’t answered.

    I don’t know much about coding but if they have to hire new staff or technology to implement new coding, I imagine costs must come into somewhere.
    Now alternating between Sims 2,3 and 4! 😊☕️🌞
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    Sindocat wrote: »
    So is the Moderation team. This platform is licensed by Vanilla. Some aspects are not amenable to coding fixes in-house by EA/Maxis, and others are constrained by license agreement. I am sure the Community Team is already patched into an extant network of other professionals in their field who also consider these issues more deeply than we easily can. Some of those people (not at Maxis or EA) are people I know. They take this stuff seriously. Big houses want more automated moderation, because it's cheap, but it's also error-prone and ineffective. CS professionals know that "hire and adequately train and support a strong, dedicated moderation team" gets best results. It's also the most effective.

    I'd not trust the members of this community to do better at self-moderation.

    Self moderation... isn't that the road we're going down. (You said it yourself, a tool used for silencing can be used against marginalized voices).... whether that tool is used by us, or someone else.

    Its already been suggested by a few posts on this thread that it is "us" who should refrain from responding, rather than work out options to rid our threads of the behavior.

    So rather than silence those who are rude, we silence ourselves instead.... self moderation.

    Even Facebook is having trouble with one of their suspended accounts, and with their Right to silence (like a moderator) being in question.
  • CelSimsCelSims Posts: 2,270 Member
    muzickmage wrote: »
    Sindocat wrote: »
    So is the Moderation team. This platform is licensed by Vanilla. Some aspects are not amenable to coding fixes in-house by EA/Maxis, and others are constrained by license agreement. I am sure the Community Team is already patched into an extant network of other professionals in their field who also consider these issues more deeply than we easily can. Some of those people (not at Maxis or EA) are people I know. They take this stuff seriously. Big houses want more automated moderation, because it's cheap, but it's also error-prone and ineffective. CS professionals know that "hire and adequately train and support a strong, dedicated moderation team" gets best results. It's also the most effective.

    I'd not trust the members of this community to do better at self-moderation.

    Self moderation... isn't that the road we're going down. (You said it yourself, a tool used for silencing can be used against marginalized voices).... whether that tool is used by us, or someone else.

    Its already been suggested by a few posts on this thread that it is "us" who should refrain from responding, rather than work out options to rid our threads of the behavior.

    So rather than silence those who are rude, we silence ourselves instead.... self moderation.

    Even Facebook is having trouble with one of their suspended accounts, and with their Right to silence (like a moderator) being in question.

    The thing is, some one being rude and looking for an argument, needs an audience. Simply not responding, (while reporting if you feel it's necessary), is the best way to go. No responses leads very quickly to the poster giving up. I can see how it might feel unfair to silence ourself but actually that silence is very clearly sending a message that no one is going to engage with the person. Hard to do. I've done my fair share of responding when I shouldn't I'm sure, but lack of engagement has another huge benefit over any kind of attention - individual trolls give up on the forum completely, eventually.
  • logionlogion Posts: 4,712 Member
    edited May 2021
    I feel that the system is kinda working right now. These forums are a nice place to read and discuss different topics.

    You are the one that is deciding where your conversation is going and if someone tries to get a response from you that you don't want the best thing to do is mostly not to respond... Respond to the people that you want to respond to instead.

    For me it helps to think like this: You don't have to respond to messages you don't want to, and there is no winning or losing.

    I think the best way is to direct the conversation somewhere else and don't allow that person to direct the conversation. That's why likes and awesome's work well here too because they can help direct a conversation.

    I know it doesn't always work, but I think that's better than having downvotes or dislikes.
  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    Shouldn't this be posted in the Forums Feedback Section?
  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,703 Member
    Don't chat about moderation. Our moderators are here to keep this place happy and helpful for everyone. Discussing the way they do things on the forum is not okay, if you have any questions about your own moderation history feel free to reach out to a moderator or Community manager.

    https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/979770/forum-rules-guidelines#latest
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    Don't chat about moderation. Our moderators are here to keep this place happy and helpful for everyone. Discussing the way they do things on the forum is not okay, if you have any questions about your own moderation history feel free to reach out to a moderator or Community manager.

    https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/979770/forum-rules-guidelines#latest

    I don't think a conversation about "our own moderation" is against the rules.
  • muzickmagemuzickmage Posts: 986 Member
    TS1299 wrote: »
    Shouldn't this be posted in the Forums Feedback Section?

    No. I'm not offering, and in no way interested in, providing feedback. This topic is meant as a conversation for site members to talk about, not an issue for the site moderators to debate.

    But thanks.
  • BrittanyChick22BrittanyChick22 Posts: 2,130 Member
    edited May 2021
    They tried the down vote button, people can't handle others disagreeing with their opinions here. Yes some people might of abused it, but truth is people just didn't want to see others not like their opinion. personally had no problems with it. People disagree with me all the time, disagreement is part of life.
    giphy.gif


  • DaraviDaravi Posts: 1,135 Member
    I never like the downvote option in many forums I've been before and I barely wrote in them, and they have been cancelled with the time. It's not just the abuse. Worse is the laziness of the readers. You don't like the idea? It's okay, just downvote it and let the thread opener guess why you don't like it. Getting no answers or feedback, beside obviously trollposts, is kind of frustrating.

    Not sure if the the thread opener could close his own thread, because it could be abuse too. But deleting when nobody has answer should be okay, I think.
  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    I couldn't think of anything worse than a downvote option to be honest. It just leads to people being rude to others for no reason as they're completely anonymous.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    Onverser wrote: »
    I couldn't think of anything worse than a downvote option to be honest. It just leads to people being rude to others for no reason as they're completely anonymous.

    Haha yes but even the "Likes" and "awesomes" are currently being abused by a lot of people. There have been numerous times that I have seen someone clearly attack another person (that had a more unpopular opinion) and even though personal attacks are against the rules people still gave it tons of likes and awesomes because they were anonymous.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • To7mTo7m Posts: 5,467 Member
    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.

    This is just another way to censor people. You know what is easier? Just ignoring the people you think are being rude. You are aware there are mute buttons right? Use them.

    You know, I pretty much think anyone that likes TS4 currently either hasn’t played a sims game before or genuinely likes being taken for a ride. But I would not, for one second stop you from expressing how you feel.

    I notice anyone considered “abusive” is pretty much anyone that holds a negative opinion about this game.

    Honestly? Grow up. Don’t read the comments your poor feelings can’t handle 🤷🏼‍♂️

    —T
  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    edited May 2021
    They tried the down vote button, people can't handle others disagreeing with their opinions here.

    The thing with downvoting is it's more of a rude way of disagreeing. If someone were to reply to something I said saying they disagree for -- reason that's totally cool and they're free to disagree, but with a button there's no room for adult conversation or mature discussion it's just "your opinion is bad". It's just a childish and quite petty way of dealing with something imo. I find that that's the problem with social media, people just shout that "you're wrong!" and refuse to have mature conversations over differences in opinions, that's one of the reason why I like forums because it's not like that and you can actually talk about things like grown ups, and in my opinion a downvote button would just bring that sort of thing into the forums.
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    edited May 2021
    Onverser wrote: »
    I couldn't think of anything worse than a downvote option to be honest. It just leads to people being rude to others for no reason as they're completely anonymous.

    Haha yes but even the "Likes" and "awesomes" are currently being abused by a lot of people. There have been numerous times that I have seen someone clearly attack another person (that had a more unpopular opinion) and even though personal attacks are against the rules people still gave it tons of likes and awesomes because they were anonymous.

    It happens sometimes but 9 out of 10 it's not an "attack" it's someone who disagrees with a certain pov or maybe has an unpopular opinion and people actually agree with it. Surprise surprise. Then the "oposer" (google says thats not a word but it sounds right🥴)gets mad that people are agreeing with the opposite opinion and consider themselves "attacked"

    Sure every forum has a few trolls here and there but from what I observe it still comes down to people needing to learn to accept that everyone is individual, and has a right to their individual opinion.

    Everyone will not agree with all of anyone (that sentence sounds weird but you know what I mean lol🥴) and that's okay.🙂

    I like the awesome button. So many awesome people and opinions are on this forum.👍even you have gotten many awesomes from me for some good points you made.

    If people find ways to take offense from an awesome button it just proves how overly sensitive and PC the culture has become where people need everything nerfed and a blank white room with nothing in it just to feel safe in their own little world.
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • logionlogion Posts: 4,712 Member
    Onverser wrote: »
    I couldn't think of anything worse than a downvote option to be honest. It just leads to people being rude to others for no reason as they're completely anonymous.

    Haha yes but even the "Likes" and "awesomes" are currently being abused by a lot of people. There have been numerous times that I have seen someone clearly attack another person (that had a more unpopular opinion) and even though personal attacks are against the rules people still gave it tons of likes and awesomes because they were anonymous.

    I haven't seen it happen that often but I guess it could happen. Likes and awesomes could sometimes be directed towards the more popular opinion so people that have a different opinion could have more trouble getting their points across.

    But generally I feel that friendly and helpful comments tend to get more likes and awesomes than rude and unhelpful comments.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    edited May 2021

    If people find ways to take offense from an awesome button it just proves how overly sensitive and PC the culture has become where people need everything nerfed and a blank white room with nothing in it just to feel safe in their own little world.

    @Babykittyjade Well actually there have been a lot of instances where people (and I don't want to give detailed examples cause you'll know which ones I'm talking about) will reply to someone with an unpopular opinion by saying.

    "Oh you just say that cause you're a preson who likes to see other people miserable"
    or "Your existence in these forums is unwelcome"
    or even "You're just attention-seeking and bored during quarantine, nobody should take you seriously"

    These are comments aimed towards people who voiced an opinion that wasn't popular and all these comments go against the forums rules of not attacking people "personally" and keeping it "constructive". Yet these comments got over 20 or 30 likes and awesomes from people who by staying anonymous, could support these insults.
    Ofc it's a more rare phenomenon, but it happens and when it happens it's ugly.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
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