On the Use of Colored Text by Moderators

[Not Nifft]

Do moderators have separate identities that they use to be "just regular posters?" Does anyone? Are you permitted to use several separate identities to post on EN World? (No matter this might be hard to enforce; is it permitted by the rules?)

No particular judgments involved, I'd just like to know.

Can't you respect the privacy of folks with multiple personality disorder?

As a newbie, how am I meant to know who's moderating or even who the mods are unless special fonts are used? I don't read every line of every post on a thread - I normally skim half the thread. But if when posting as moderators you use bright red text, that makes it clear. Otherwise, do I have to read every post by PirateCat on PirateCat's story hour to tell if any are mod posts? (Not that that's a hardship, but still...)

Exactly.

However, you should read PC's story hour anyway.

Cheers, -- Not N

 

[Starfox]

Cheers, -- Not N

Hm... Who is this mysterious person?

 

[LightPhoenix]

I have to admit to being a little confused as to the purpose of this discussion.

Is the initial problem being a moderator moderating a thread they started/participated in? I mean this question to be both in the theoretical or practical sense. The solution then is simple: moderators can't moderate threads they post in. I've never really noticed this to be a problem around here, but it's not a terribly bad policy anyway.

If the problem is telling when a moderator is specifically moderating, I don't think that's really been a problem either. Certainly, the cop analogy is true, but in my opinion it's always been clear when the moderators have been speaking in mod-speak. As to colored text from non-mods, there's a list of moderators for each forum at the bottom of the page. It's not like it's hidden information. If it's confusing mod-speak and signatures, I'd personally say it's a problem with signatures. I don't like them anyway, so I may be biased on this point.

If it's a problem with posters... well, I accidentally reported Celebrim's post trying to give him XP for the apt cop/moderator analogy, so I can't really speak to them. Obviously I'm borderline useless though.

 

[Piratecat]

If it's a problem with posters... well, I accidentally reported Celebrim's post trying to give him XP for the apt cop/moderator analogy

I noticed, you goof.

By the way, I think that Moderator and Admin usernames are bolded. Is that true on browsers other than my own?

 

[Raven Crowking]

It is, but it doesn't show up very well IMHO.

 

[Raven Crowking]

In any event, IMHO, the problem arises specifically when a moderator is posting in such as way as though to seem to be participating in the thread as a poster. Apart from the thread this was forked from, it hasn't been a serious problem IMHO, and overall there is remarkably little to complain about in EN World's moderation.

I don't know how to discuss the specific problem here without violating the Rules, but I think that there is a serious problem inherent in what happened in that thread.

(I have also noticed a rise in CM-style posting here, which should perhaps be looked at.)


RC

 

[Piratecat]

(I have also noticed a rise in CM-style posting here, which should perhaps be looked at.)

Can you explain what you mean by that? I want to make sure I understand.

 

[Nifft]

I have to admit to being a little confused as to the purpose of this discussion.

Is the initial problem being a moderator moderating a thread they started/participated in? I mean this question to be both in the theoretical or practical sense.

Here is the thread from which this discussion was forked:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...ivity-one-true-wayism-rpgs-2.html#post5082505

Cheers, -- N

 

[pawsplay]

Huh. I'm not sure I agree. I'm not going to swap back and forth between two log-ins; not only am I not convinced it's necessary, if I had to do that I wouldn't actually post much, and I like posting. So don't expect that to change.

That is the primary benefit of red text; it indicates you are speaking in an official capacity. If a mod is involved in a participant in a discussion, not only would I not expect them to be trying to moderate in-line without making that very clear, I think they should be very cautious about moderating at all in threads in which they are active participants.

Ultimately, when mods are just "one of the gang" but are also empowered to use their authority at will to impose a certain view of decorum on the site, the result is an impression that the mods are, essentially above the law. Because mods don't have to worry about being summarily banned by a mod, they can post with less inhibition, and let's be honest here, in such a situation, inevitibly will. You can take a look at theRPGsite for an example of where such things are dealt with in a straightforward manner: it's the Pundit's site, period, and the freewheeling style he fosters is his preference, not a compact he has made with any other person. On the other hand, if you want to look at duck blind moderation at it's worst, you need look no further than RPGnet. The put out attitude that gets paraded out every time someone asks, "Is that official?" is a symptom of a situation in which the policies state a very high standard of neutrality, but no one really wants to take responsibility for being the grownup. "Officiality" is the only defense against arbitrary mod action in such a scenario, and hence is dispensed with great reluctance.

I am fine if EN World wants to take the "this is my front porch" position, but in that case, if the site staff don't want to run off open, engaging discussion, there needs to be fair warning. Red text is fair warning.

 

[wedgeski]

I share jaerdaph's bemusement, and seek no change to the current system. As far as I am concerned, ENW has the most effective moderation I have ever seen on an internet message board.

The issues raised here are only issues when a mod tries to abuse his or her power in the course of a discussion. Has this *ever* happened? I would hate to see changes to what is a very effective system (and frankly, I could care less what opinions are expressed on other boards about the moderation here) brought about by a purely hypothetical problem.