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Reporting Posts

IndoMike

Very well known Exeweb poster
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In the scheme of world events, being wrongly accused of having reported a post/poster may seem a triviality, but I do find it rather annoying to be tainted as the school creep.
I therefore propose the following to avoid such scenarios :
1. Posts should not be reported anonymously
2. If one poster reports another, the MODS should mail the accused with a brief explanation of why the post/poster has been reported and by whom. A warning
of infraction points should be given (in effect a yellow card) if the complaint is upheld. If the original poster is reported a second time the same process should be followed with an accompanying red card and infraction points
3. With the current anonymous system an accused can jump to the wrong conclusions and either suspect various posters of reporting him/her or just one - as in my case - thus creating an unhealthy environment among posters.

We're all adults here : isn't it time the reporting process should be transparent, as we keep asking the club to be about finances etc.?
 

Jason H

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On point 1, I suspect if you couldn't report posts anonymously, the amount of reporting would go down considerably (not that many posts get reported anyway), thus people would "get away" with stuff that should be worthy of an infraction.

Furthermore, we sometimes get "malicious" reporting of posts where we consider no action or, on occasion, have had to get tough with the person doing the reporting. This we can do away from the prying eyes of the good burghers of Exeweb. Or, of course, it could lead to tit-for-tat and an increase in malicious behaviour between the reporter and reportee.

Sometimes the mods act as seen rather than when a post is reported. The report function is there to aid the mods in their job (we don't read every thread). Or, in some cases, a mod may be on the move and unable to deal with a post (or more likely a series of posts instigated by one dodgy post so tidying up would be required which can be time consuming) so will report the post for another mod to deal with when they get the chance.

Nobody should hound people for reporting posts, especially when they didn't actually do so (but if they did - so what?). In fact, if someone has done so, a good way of nipping it in the bud is to, er, report the post! That way a mod can respond either privately or publically to refute the allegation.

In short - thanks for the suggestions, but IMO the system as is works best.
 

IndoMike

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Touring Central Java...
On point 1, I suspect if you couldn't report posts anonymously, the amount of reporting would go down considerably (not that many posts get reported anyway), thus people would "get away" with stuff that should be worthy of an infraction.

Furthermore, we sometimes get "malicious" reporting of posts where we consider no action or, on occasion, have had to get tough with the person doing the reporting. This we can do away from the prying eyes of the good burghers of Exeweb. Or, of course, it could lead to tit-for-tat and an increase in malicious behaviour between the reporter and reportee.

Sometimes the mods act as seen rather than when a post is reported. The report function is there to aid the mods in their job (we don't read every thread). Or, in some cases, a mod may be on the move and unable to deal with a post (or more likely a series of posts instigated by one dodgy post so tidying up would be required which can be time consuming) so will report the post for another mod to deal with when they get the chance.

Nobody should hound people for reporting posts, especially when they didn't actually do so (but if they did - so what?). In fact, if someone has done so, a good way of nipping it in the bud is to, er, report the post! That way a mod can respond either privately or publically to refute the allegation.

In short - thanks for the suggestions, but IMO the system as is works best.
Thank you for your reply, Jason. I can understand some of your reasoning and, let me repeat, there are far more serious matters in life than the topic of post reporting. I just feel that in general transparency is a better principle to adhere to. It's like if someone steals a mobile phone on an office floor -everyone is suspected until the culprit coughs up or is discovered.
As you say, my system would also give an offender a second chance while malicious reporting would be eliminated.
 
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Jason H

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However, to also use a "real world" example, if you spot someone breaking the law and you tell the police, they don't say when arresting the offender "Oh, by the way, here's the person who phoned us up to report you".
 

IndoMike

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However, to also use a "real world" example, if you spot someone breaking the law and you tell the police, they don't say when arresting the offender "Oh, by the way, here's the person who phoned us up to report you".
Well, that depends on each case. Regardless, I still believe transparency and even arbitration is the best way forward, although I agree that Exeweb might need a full-time employee to deal with that ;)
 

Grecian2K

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OK. I'll bite!

Sorry Mike but I am actually with Jason & the Mods here mate ("brown-nose" alert)

1) In response to the anonymity point I'd say, at a rough guess, an "overwhelming majority" of we Exewebbers hide behind nom-de-keyplumes*. A bit "pot calling kettle" for any of us to complain on this point eh?

2) As far as I'm aware this form of explanation is done (or at least, has done in the past). We all of us sometimes get a tad "over-excited" over contentious issues....such as Brexit or, "Tisexit" etc. And, I'll admit over the years to, on occasion, have had a usually well-deserved slap on the wrist for an injudicious post warning of possible infraction pointage if I didn't calm down a bit. A gentle warning that, I hope, I've always respected and, eventually, appreciated.
(Incidentally, the last pm wrist-slap pm I recall receiving was for inadvertently addressed a fellow EWebber, (and someone I know from many away days) by his first name rather than his EW title. No offence or injury was intended but I hope that I have respected ever since.)

3) As far as "wrong conclusions" are concerned I suggest that EW (or many web forums) are already fertile ground without the minor addition of the odd infraction squabble or so. ;)

All in all, I suggest that EW probably has one of the best balanced team of Mods (in political terms at least :D) and do an admirable job in what must be personally annoying (and at times impossible) situations. So there we go.

Or would you rather have a red and white clone of the Cornish Pig Farm, where the slightest dissent is jackbooted on with a ferocity that would have made "old Uncle Joe" proud?

So, BRAVO TO OUR MOD SQUAD (y)

Yours most sincerely

G2k (off to Poundland to buy some economy bog roll to wipe this brown stuff off my nose :D )
 
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Jason H

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Your tenner is in the post.
 

Grecian2K

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Your tenner is in the post.
Aww, cheers Jason (y)

(Although, thanks to Brexit, by the time it arrives I probably won't even be enough to pay for my Pound land tissues) :(
 
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Hants_red

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I have been known to give infraction points to those that get carried away with the reported post function! :)

Mods also use the reported post function as a way of opening a discussion about whether a post conforms with the rules of Exeweb. Not often, but it can be useful facility to work out an interpretation of the said rules!
 

IndoMike

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OK. I'll bite!

Sorry Mike but I am actually with Jason & the Mods here mate ("brown-nose" alert)

1) In response to the anonymity point I'd say, at a rough guess, an "overwhelming majority" of we Exewebbers hide behind nom-de-keyplumes*. A bit "pot calling kettle" for any of us to complain on this point eh?

2) As far as I'm aware this form of explanation is done (or at least, has done in the past). We all of us sometimes get a tad "over-excited" over contentious issues....such as Brexit or, "Tisexit" etc. And, I'll admit over the years to, on occasion, have had a usually well-deserved slap on the wrist for an injudicious post warning of possible infraction pointage if I didn't calm down a bit. A gentle warning that, I hope, I've always respected and, eventually, appreciated.
(Incidentally, the last pm wrist-slap pm I recall receiving was for inadvertently addressed a fellow EWebber, (and someone I know from many away days) by his first name rather than his EW title. No offence or injury was intended but I hope that I have respected ever since.)

3) As far as "wrong conclusions" are concerned I suggest that EW (or many web forums) are already fertile ground without the minor addition of the odd infraction squabble or so. ;)

All in all, I suggest that EW probably has one of the best balanced team of Mods (in political terms at least :D) and do an admirable job in what must be personally annoying (and at times impossible) situations. So there we go.

Or would you rather have a red and white clone of the Cornish Pig Farm, where the slightest dissent is jackbooted on with a ferocity that would have made "old Uncle Joe" proud?

So, BRAVO TO OUR MOD SQUAD (y)

Yours most sincerely

G2k (off to Poundland to buy some economy bog roll to wipe this brown stuff off my nose :D )
1. I'm not complaining, GK2 : I'm just making a suggestion. If my suggestion is dismissed then so be it.
2. Yes, many of us use anonymous nom de plumes. But my post is really about smoothing over troubled waters. For example, if you report me for calling you an idiot, or stupid, etc, and the mods tell me that you reported me, then
a. I have a chance to PM you and apologize or continue to discuss whatever we were discussing on the forum by private message. If i was a jerk and continued to insult you more on
PM then you could report me again and I'd get serious infraction points or worse, and quite rightly so
b. If I know it's you then I don't need to suspect anyone else. It's only human nature to wonder who reported us, and perhaps make incorrect assumptions
c. Jason raised the topic of malicious reporting. If he mentioned it it must happen. Malicious reporting would be eradicated following my system.
3. I think the MODS do a difficult job well (hope the cheque is in the post)

So I'm not having a go at the MODS (awaits 2nd cheque) and understand your viewpoint (awaits parcel containing a pair of socks) but I do think my proposal is worthy of consideration in
our Brave New Post-Brexit World . :(
Cheers
Michel Le Indo
 
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