Sam and all forummers, let's have some suggestions to reduce abuse.
2 types of abuse.
-- bullying and abuse of forummers
-- abuse of the forum, includding spamming in multiple threads and misuse of the infraction or zapping system.
My suggestions are:
1. No annonymous adding or zapping of points.
2. Points can be given but cannot be returned immediately. Maybe it can be set like the giving of points to the same forummer, 200 days interval or having to give to 100 different forummers first before we can "return". We can start from where we are or we can start from a clean slate for everyone, say 0 points and 1 power.
3. Set up a thread (can be a sticky) to report abuse, instead of just in the infractons folder. The forummer reporting can highlight the nickname, relevant thread and post, and the nature of the abuse. Sam and all forummers can see this thread and ascertain for ourselves whether there is really bullying and abuse or simply a feud between 2 forummers.
4. There can be a similar thread to report good posts or good contributions. We should have more "awards" for good contributions rather than just highlighting the bad. No money involved, but we can even have a "forummer of the month" for starting good threads or providing useful information or even humour.
5. Let's try to have broad definitions of the meanings of bullying and abuse.
In my view, 2 forummers having a feud in a thread and having a go at each other is not abuse or bullying of a forummer. E.g. Cooleo and Papsmearer. But abuse or bullying of several forummers in different threads is, especially if it's someone more senior or simply more abusive than his victims.
2 forummers continuing their feud in multiple forummers is considered abuse of the forum by spamming.
Banning someone for days on end is misuse of the infraction system. Giving an infraction per se is not, otherwise why have the infraction system. But multiple infractions and banning should only be done by multiple forummers, who agree that the guy should be banned.
6. As noted above, no one forummer can give multiple infractions in a day and ban another forummer.
Sam, do you agree and is it possible to include items 1,2 and 6 in the system settings?
2 types of abuse.
-- bullying and abuse of forummers
-- abuse of the forum, includding spamming in multiple threads and misuse of the infraction or zapping system.
My suggestions are:
1. No annonymous adding or zapping of points.
2. Points can be given but cannot be returned immediately. Maybe it can be set like the giving of points to the same forummer, 200 days interval or having to give to 100 different forummers first before we can "return". We can start from where we are or we can start from a clean slate for everyone, say 0 points and 1 power.
3. Set up a thread (can be a sticky) to report abuse, instead of just in the infractons folder. The forummer reporting can highlight the nickname, relevant thread and post, and the nature of the abuse. Sam and all forummers can see this thread and ascertain for ourselves whether there is really bullying and abuse or simply a feud between 2 forummers.
4. There can be a similar thread to report good posts or good contributions. We should have more "awards" for good contributions rather than just highlighting the bad. No money involved, but we can even have a "forummer of the month" for starting good threads or providing useful information or even humour.
5. Let's try to have broad definitions of the meanings of bullying and abuse.
In my view, 2 forummers having a feud in a thread and having a go at each other is not abuse or bullying of a forummer. E.g. Cooleo and Papsmearer. But abuse or bullying of several forummers in different threads is, especially if it's someone more senior or simply more abusive than his victims.
2 forummers continuing their feud in multiple forummers is considered abuse of the forum by spamming.
Banning someone for days on end is misuse of the infraction system. Giving an infraction per se is not, otherwise why have the infraction system. But multiple infractions and banning should only be done by multiple forummers, who agree that the guy should be banned.
6. As noted above, no one forummer can give multiple infractions in a day and ban another forummer.
Sam, do you agree and is it possible to include items 1,2 and 6 in the system settings?
I'd have to spend a lot of time tracking down clone accounts to prevent the controls from being bypassed.
:oIo:
