I know this thread may be considered public discussion of moderator actions, but this is something I really feel needs to be addressed by the staff. In the past few years here on CFC, enforcement of the rules has become absolutely atrocious. More and more, I'm seeing posts slip by without so much as a warning from the moderators that would have earned the poster a ban, or at least an infraction, back when I first joined the site. Posters are becoming increasingly nasty to each other and the moderators seem content to just let it all slide as if the site's rules have suddenly become more like polite suggestions rather than the code of conduct that must be followed that they used to be.
Now, the tired excuse I keep seeing from the moderators whenever this is brought up is that they don't have the time to catch all the bad posts. This would be understandable if only a few posts here and there were slipping through, but there are blatant insults and vicious arguments that the moderators are doing absolutely nothing about. I mean, there are even a lot of posts I've made in recent years here that I was absolutely shocked I got away with without so much as a warning. Posts that certainly would have got me slapped with the ban hammer if I had made them back in 2005 when I joined.
However, if we are going to operate on the "moderators don't have enough time" line, then something needs t be done about that. If certain moderators can't be on long enough to actually do their job on the site, then perhaps they should give up their position as moderator and new members should be promoted that actually have the time to dedicate to enforcing the site's rules. If that isn't seen as a viable solution, then perhaps CFC should give up the charade and start relaxing the rules. That way, the moderators won't have as much to do.
Either way, something needs to be done about how rules are enforced here on CFC so all members can know exactly what they can and can't get away with saying instead of the situation we have now where rules enforcement really does seem random. I know some staff member is going to post something about "moderator discretion" to handwave this complaint away, and to me that's unacceptable. Right now, it seems as though moderators are using that "moderator discretion" as an excuse to be a little lazy in the enforcement of the rules. Moderator discretion is not something I feel should exist. The rules need to be written in such a way that it becomes black and white as to whether or not a post violates the rules, and the moderators need to act accordingly, whether they personally feel it's a violation or not. Or don't do any of that and let this site become a free-for-all like the rest of internet. Either way, this "sometimes we enforce the rules, sometimes we don't" has got to stop.
Now, the tired excuse I keep seeing from the moderators whenever this is brought up is that they don't have the time to catch all the bad posts. This would be understandable if only a few posts here and there were slipping through, but there are blatant insults and vicious arguments that the moderators are doing absolutely nothing about. I mean, there are even a lot of posts I've made in recent years here that I was absolutely shocked I got away with without so much as a warning. Posts that certainly would have got me slapped with the ban hammer if I had made them back in 2005 when I joined.
However, if we are going to operate on the "moderators don't have enough time" line, then something needs t be done about that. If certain moderators can't be on long enough to actually do their job on the site, then perhaps they should give up their position as moderator and new members should be promoted that actually have the time to dedicate to enforcing the site's rules. If that isn't seen as a viable solution, then perhaps CFC should give up the charade and start relaxing the rules. That way, the moderators won't have as much to do.
Either way, something needs to be done about how rules are enforced here on CFC so all members can know exactly what they can and can't get away with saying instead of the situation we have now where rules enforcement really does seem random. I know some staff member is going to post something about "moderator discretion" to handwave this complaint away, and to me that's unacceptable. Right now, it seems as though moderators are using that "moderator discretion" as an excuse to be a little lazy in the enforcement of the rules. Moderator discretion is not something I feel should exist. The rules need to be written in such a way that it becomes black and white as to whether or not a post violates the rules, and the moderators need to act accordingly, whether they personally feel it's a violation or not. Or don't do any of that and let this site become a free-for-all like the rest of internet. Either way, this "sometimes we enforce the rules, sometimes we don't" has got to stop.