A moment's reflection, and fermi for moderator

wherediditallgo

I remember when this issue came up before, & I was one of the people that was suggested as someone to be a board guide/mod. Martin made it very clear at the time why he wouldn't be taking up the suggestions members had made.

When you've been BR, you see things differently in the first week or so from how you see it in the first month, & differently again a few months down the line. You are less sensitive to certain things, but more aware of others. When you haven't been BR but are considering it, you see things differently & if you've never even thought about going BR, you'll probably see them differently too, especially if you've no experience of people you know who've done it or being taken down that route by a creditor. All these differing views make for a vibrant board, only spoiled occasionally by comments from those who've either been here long enough to know better or those using new memberships or AEs to deliberately make comments they know will cause upset.

I understand the position of a BG (& I'm not knocking nearlyrich or plumpmouse for what they do), but I think on a board such as this one, a BG needs to seen as well as be known to exist, & we also need to see action taken rather than just know that it apparently will be (whether that be by a BG or the Abuse team). For instance, this board is supposed to be about "help and support, not judgement", yet I've never heard of anyone being warned about their posts when they've gone against this, & I've never seen anyone's membership info annotated with something like "banned" or "suspended" to indicate some action has been taken against them. The result is that they are free to do it time & time again, & we know they do. That's something I feel very concerned about. I don't think it should be for members, already going through a tough enough time, to resist the temptation to respond to an out-of-line post, which is why I make use of the Ignore facility whenever possible. By the same token, I myself have sometimes found it extremely difficult not to respond to some of the nastiness that has appeared here, especially when I know full well that a reported post can still be there up to two days after the report is made. I know that happens because I've reported posts only to see them still there that much later, with the thread getting longer & more upsetting as it goes on.

While Martin may not want actual mods on the boards, there is definitely a need for someone to actually monitor threads on this board for content that goes against this specific board's remit, separately from issues dealt with by the abuse team such as spam reports. I know it can be done because I was a mod on another lively forum, & subsequently became one of the admin team (I left recently because of my health). Even as a mod, I could remove posts that went against our rules, temporarily suspend membership to allow things to cool down, & as admin I could block IP & e-mail addresses to lessen the chances of AEs being used. I see no reason why those measures can't brought into play here. We don't want to stifle contributions, but neither do we want to reach a position where people become too scared to post in the first place.

What people also have to bear in mind is that working on a board in any capacity takes up a lot of time. I gave up being one of the administrators for the forum I worked on because it was taking up time & energy I couldn't spare when I was ill. We also had to ensure that each board had at least two mods (I think our busiest board had seven) because it was too much work for one person to do - all of us were volunteers, & it was too much to expect volunteers to monitor a board into the early hours on a regular basis. Nominating fermi is all very well (& I agree that he's a worthy candidate), but what's needed isn't just another person on the team, but an overhaul of how the BR board is moderated/monitored in the first place. It's a very difficult situation to deal with, & clearly the remit of the current BGs doesn't allow them to do the things we'd like them to, plus they also have other calls on their time. What is very clear to me is that this board is very special, both in terms of its existence & the people who post here, & it would be a real shame for us to lose it because of an unwillingness by the higher-ups to put a system in place that keeps it alive. If we're going to keep this board, we need the management to put a system in place that supports its existence instead of allowing others to start a slow but certain ultimate death.

nearlyrich

Richard_S wrote: »

Hi rich,

That's an interesting comment. I've had the Debt Charities links deleted from my signature, despite emailing for permission, and getting no respone. I sent you a PM to ask what I needed to do, and your PM Inbox exceeds the permitted limit so it was returned.

It's pointless trying to convince intelligent people that have held reponsible jobs and run their own businesses that nothing can be done about the problems on here because it's just not true; it's the will to do it that's lacking, not the means.

Regards

Richard

P.S Can anybody tell me what I need to do to get the Debt Charity links re-instated? Or would MSE rather people use google and come up with fee paying sites?

I emptied my PM box yesterday, sorry it has been full for a week or two...

You need to email the forum team regarding the charity links, if you send the details again I will see if I can get it sorted.

I haven't been around as much recently as I have just started a new job which entailed a lot of training away from home. BUT I must stress that I am a volunteer as a Board Guide and I am not contracted to spend all my free time on the internet looking out for issues.

Please read this thread by Martin and post any problems and comments on this sub board for site questions and suggestions, where there is more chance they will be read by someone who can do something to help.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi guys and Happy New Year!

I'm the person that (hopefully) looks after Board Guides. We're not actually looking for any new board guides at the moment but if fermi's interested in volunteering for if and when a space is available then I'll bear that in mind and (try to) remember it when the time comes.

Could I just ensure you've all had a look at the links posted above on what a Board Guide does and doesn't do.

Some people are still confusing the role of a board guide (unpaid and not a member of the abuse team so doesn't deal with abuse) and that of an abuse team member (we don't have moderators on MSE).

Thanks for all the suggestions though, it really is appreciated and they are taken into consideration

Andrea

fermi

:eek::eek: I didn't realise this thread existed. Richard (sneakily ) must have waited until I was away.

As far as I'm concerned:

(1) I fully understand the role of the BG's their relation to the site and it's "official" team. They are a "helper" only.

(2) A true moderator on a forum this big should not be a normal poster on the site as well.

(3) And I understand why it was decided that a conventional moderation team (as seen on other forums) was not appropriate for MSE.

(3) At any point in the future I might not have the time anyway. Even for a BG.

(4) And when a BG is absent for a bit it is because they are having a life.

If I'm still around if/when a BG position comes up I might (or might not) volunteer. But there are many other posters who should do so as well (not naming names )

So this one gets put to bed I hope.

Richard_S

Hi fermi,

Thanks for that post, and this is certainly the last on the subject from me. I sincerely hope you don't object to me posting the Thread, and "yes" I did wait until you were away.:D

I can understand the situation from MSE's position and you've clearly atriculated yours, which is why you would have been so good,;) and my only motivation was to make this a better place for people desperate for quality advice and genuine support.

I'll turn out the light,

Rich

rog2

fermi wrote: »

So this one gets put to bed I hope.

I totally understand, and respect, what you are saying, fermi. I think we were, at the time, looking for a degree of moderation that respected the wishes of the majority of posters, on this board, as we had been the subject of a few particularily 'vitriolic' incursions around the time that the thread was started.

Mind you, that does not alter the fact that you would have made an excellent moderator, or board guide.

loopy_lou1

I have to add that a lot of people have helped me here and at CAG.

Fermi has been a rock to me all the way through my BR process. Given accurate and impartial advice and support for no gain. Just a friend. A voice of reason when I thought I was going mad. I tend to be over-dramatic - had you all guessed?! LOL
And I just want to say thank you again to him and to everyone I've had dealings with.

It sounds like a goodbye! It's not. I like the people here and I would like to help others that have been in my position, I just wanted to show my gratitude. To my MSE FRIENDS!

Cheers everyone

Lou x x x