EN World Privacy Controls: Two-Way Blocking

[Ovinomancer]

There's some interesting discussion going on about this feature...mostly interesting because of the stance that a handful of people are taking against it. Either I'm incredibly naive or hopelessly optimistic, or both, but I don't see a problem with it.

I like the feature, @Morrus . It makes it harder for problematic people to circumvent moderation, and I think that's a good thing.

It does nothing for circumvention of moderation at all -- it's not a moderation feature. Strange statement.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

This isn't about right and wrong. This is about having control over who you interact with.

Your reply to ovinimancer sure came across like it was about right and wrong behavior. Either way, right and wrong are pretty much always relevant.

He already said he that he was using a general "you" not talking about you specifically, so why continue this bad faith line of argument?

Maybe I’m becoming pessimistic, but I’d hardly take that claim at face value.

 

[Gradine]

Maybe I’m becoming pessimistic, but I’d hardly take that claim at face value.

I've always known this particular individual to be up-front and honest.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Nice that people have the option, but I've generally found it easier to just scroll past posts I'm not interested in. My main desired use to block people would be to remove completely off-topic conversation that derail threads so I can just read the on-topic posts. But you can't block people on a thread by thread basis, so I just give my index finger a work out on the old scroll wheel.

This is what i normally do also. That said I have once used the site blocking feature once in the 16 odd years I have been here. A few year ago there were 2 posters conducting a feud and following each onto threads to snipe at each other. Not really contributing to the conversation so I blocked them for a few months. Worked a treat.

 

[CleverNickName]

It does nothing for circumvention of moderation at all -- it's not a moderation feature. Strange statement.

My fault for lack of clarity. I meant moderation in the sense of "each person has a little more control over which posts they see," not in the sense of "only Moderators get to use this feature."

 

[Morrus]

A few year ago there were 2 posters conducting a feud and following each onto threads to snipe at each other.

We have a new secret weapon against that too!

 

[Ovinomancer]

My fault for lack of clarity. I meant moderation in the sense of "each person has a little more control over which posts they see," not in the sense of "only Moderators get to use this feature."

Yup, but ignore did that. This is control over what content others can see. Might still be something you like, just trying to be clear.

 

[tetrasodium]

I can't really think of a use-case for replying to somebody with the intention that they not know you've replied. But you can do that anyway by just logging out. If people abuse the system, we'll have words with them and take that specific feature away from them if we have to. I can't imagine it becoming a widespread problem.

Andy & Bob engage in a discussion over a topic in a given thread where they don't agree. Andy demands bob not respond to them and complains that they are done with that discussion even if bob is talking about the topic with Chuck who is responding to Andy. Bob gives Andy his wish and checks the box. Bob doesn't really care if Andy is aware of a later reply or not but the drama is avoided if they do

 

[Lanefan]

Really? All of the stupid, passive-aggressive bad behavior you've dealt with for years and you can't see a use case for someone doing this? And it's hard to detect -- if I note it happening from someone that's blocked me, it's not like I can report their post -- I can't see it!

Well, I suppose you can see it if you temporarily unblock that poster. If the poster has blocked you, however, you're out of luck.

Personally, I dislike block or ignore functions on principle; but then I think I have more of a let-'em-fight stance in general than do some here.

 

[Ovinomancer]

@Morrus -- not a complaint!

Not sure if this is intended operation, but if you're in a thread, and block someone, and that someone happens to be the OP, the thread disappears from view entirely. You can still see it if you get a notification (rep, quote, etc) and go in that way, or if it's sitting at the top of the list when you're on the forum list page (it shows up as the top thread).

Just informational.