Forum rule update: moderator actions

[Broken Kid]

We have amended the Forum Etiquette, Rules, and Policies (with The Creators' approval) to add the section about moderators. From this point on, public discussion of moderator actions or moderator policies will not be allowed on the forum, and such posts will be removed.

Why are we updating these rules? Because being a moderator is not an easy job, and moderators are all volunteers. Sometimes the moderator has to be a bad guy, and a user may not like their actions. However, all too often public posts result in users piling on without understanding the issues which may not be appropriate to share with the entire forum. This not only diminishes respect for the moderator but reduces their power on the forum.

Moderators are fans, and often a moderator posts as a fan. But moderator actions such as splitting or merging a topic, deleting or editing posts, warning users, etc. are taken with the best interests of the forum in mind. Some users may not always agree with these actions, but that doesn't mean the actions where inappropriate.

We are also adding a new title: Moderator Manager. Trainer101 will serve as the Moderator Manager at this time. The Moderator Manager is a moderator with no additional powers on the forum; however, he will act as the first level of escalation for concerns about moderator actions. If you have a concern about a moderator, contact the Moderator Manager. He will review the action, compare it against the guidelines, consult with the forum administrator, and respond to the user. If the issue requires another escalation, it will go to the forum administrator, and if the administrator requires another ruling, he will take the issue to The Creators.

Note that this is not a unique rule. In fact, most other major forums have a policy against posting publicly about moderator actions. On LG15, the moderators are encouraged to post a message explaining why a thread is moved or locked, and even this is rare on other forums. Large forums with a significant number of users require that moderators' actions be appropriate and quick, without fear or public dissent.

If you have any questions or concerns about this, please feel free to contact me.

ETA: If you have a concern about a moderator's actions, you should contact them first. The extra escalation to Moderator Manager is only if you are not satisfied with the moderator's actions or think that the action was still inappropriate.