Post downvoting is coming back

[johnb]

For one thing, all the moderators actually have full time jobs during the day and sleep at night. So we need tools to help get the job done.

I understand that. I ran a Ford Mustang forum working 60 hours a week, and I had a group of mods that had the same vision. I even suspended my wife for a week.

[ednadolski]

So we need tools to help get the job done.

(Just A Quick Thought Department:)  Is it possible to program the board, such that when a minimum threshold is reached (e.g., say 5 'Report to Mods' on a post) then the account is temporarily suspended from posting for a time?  Multiple offenses == increasing suspension times, ...?

Suspend/Resume happens automatically, and could also be applied to accounts that click the 'Report' too many times....

Ed

[tom mann]

I understand that. I ran a Ford Mustang forum working 60 hours a week, and I had a group of mods that had the same vision. I even suspended my wife for a week.

Would you mind sending me a pm with a few links that you consider to be 'problems'? Again, I want to ensure that valued members aren't driven off by trolls, but besides the posts that are reported and dealt with, I'm not seeing an increase in the 'level of negativity'. In fact, compared to how things were years ago, we're relatively quiet. But I can't/don't read everything here so I admit I must be missing something. Enough members have reported something to me so I don't doubt it, but I really would like to see some concrete examples so we're on the same page.

 

[tom mann]

(Just A Quick Thought Department:)  Is it possible to program the board, such that when a minimum threshold is reached (e.g., say 5 'Report to Mods' on a post) then the account is temporarily suspended from posting for a time?  Multiple offenses == increasing suspension times, ...?

Suspend/Resume happens automatically, and could also be applied to accounts that click the 'Report' too many times....

Ed

A post has never been reported more than once, ever.  Seriously.

Examples of issues include:

-pm's being sent that create tension between two members, and then a seemingly innocent public post makes one go over the edge.  I don't know how to fix that.
-A snarky post that references an email.

Tom

[ednadolski]

-pm's being sent that create tension between two members, and then a seemingly innocent public post makes one go over the edge.  I don't know how to fix that.

Is it possible to limit/filter PMs, say to allow for users to set up a blacklist, whitelist, etc. if they wish?

Alternately to a general downvote or report to mods button, perhaps something labeled 'Flag Post' (yeah, terrible name) or such, that would count toward a threshold?  (No one sees the count other than mods, so it's not like trying to influence a reputation score, while giving the readership some level of regulating what's acceptable.)

Point taken tho, that the babysitting gets old quickly, and at a certain point people do need to start acting like responsible adults.

Ed

[John]

Is it possible to limit/filter PMs, say to allow for users to set up a blacklist, whitelist, etc. if they wish?

Each of you can have an ignore user list .. its in the profile section .. look for buddies / blocked users ..  unfortunately it doesnt work for admins

You can also click ignore topic on a thread ..

[tom mann]

Thanks for your input @ednadolski , but I’m confident that with the tools that John mentioned plus the post voting this should be able to cover it. Plus as you say we’re all supposedly adults here and should be able to a) not be a jerk and/or b) ignore and move on.

[mu26aeh]

To me it seems the ignore and move on I'd an issue.  There have been posts I just shake my head at, ask why, and move on.  I come back next day and there are 5-6 replies after bc of that post.  Can we JFRT ?

[GaryHinshaw]

[Sorry, long post]  I cannot honestly say whether things are objectively any worse now than they have been in the past (and I've been here pretty regularly for 12 years now).  But clearly many of the veterans think so and have moved on, which genuinely saddens me.

To the extent that there is a growing problem in our little world (TRW), I blame it on the rise of social media platforms.  People have have become accustomed to posting just about anything that crosses their minds, whether or not it's well thought out, supported by evidence, etc.  And major platform algorithms have fostered and normalized "outrage" culture which has contributed to the general level of intolerance which is now so prominent everywhere.  We view TRW through a very different lens than we did a decade ago, and there are some members who treat TRW like any other social media platform, which I personally think is undesirable for a community like ours.  That said, I have never been tempted to leave, as there is still a lot to like here.  [Aside: the signal-to-noise ratio in TRW posts is still much higher than in the cosmological data I collect and analyze for a living.  I have a lot of experience filtering out noise.]

So, what to do?  I'm nervous about reinstating down-voting.  [Aside - I'm a fan of up-voting.  For example, it's great to see how many upticks Spookshow is getting every week for Hope, and it's nice to be able to send an attaboy without burdening the thread.  Of course some users get addicted to the upticks, which can be problematic, but mostly I think it's good.]  I wonder if we could do something more subtle and communal, like the following: for every member, keep track of how many other members are Ignoring them.  If that count exceeds X, notify/warn the member of this circumstance.  Later, if that count exceeds Y>X, ban the user outright, and inform those who clicked Ignore of said ban.  I really see no need to retain members who are being actively Ignored by a critical mass of our community.  I have no idea what X and Y should be, but their values could be adjusted with experience.  I wouldn't make Ignore stats public, because that would be a form of public shaming, and it might encourage piling on, which is not the intent.  But I would make the numbers available to each member so they can see where they stand, and I would publicize the ability to Ignore, and the consequences of it.

Just spitballing here.

[Maletrain]

Unfortunately, I don't think there is any automatic way to deal with negativity on the Internet.  Too many people are too motivated to find some way to abuse the rules, which must be a lot more simple than what can be done with actual human judgement.

So, all I can suggest is that we appreciate and thank the moderators who make the personal efforts to keep this forum going in a positive direction.  And, we each make the effort to not wear them out.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

One thing I'd like to ask everyone to do: think critically before you hit that "post" button. Is your post contributing to the conversation? Is it helpful?

Please don't just post to "pile on" in situations where things get testy. We're trying to help ourselves and each other become better modelers here, not prove who's a bigger edgelord.

[C855B]

... To the extent that there is a growing problem in our little world (TRW), I blame it on the rise of social media platforms.  People have have become accustomed to posting just about anything that crosses their minds, whether or not it's well thought out, supported by evidence, etc.  And major platform algorithms have fostered and normalized "outrage" culture which has contributed to the general level of intolerance which is now so prominent everywhere.  We view TRW through a very different lens than we did a decade ago, and there are some members who treat TRW like any other social media platform, which I personally think is undesirable for a community like ours.  That said, I have never been tempted to leave, as there is still a lot to like here.  [Aside: the signal-to-noise ratio in TRW posts is still much higher than in the cosmological data I collect and analyze for a living.  I have a lot of experience filtering out noise.]

So, what to do?  I'm nervous about reinstating down-voting.  [Aside - I'm a fan of up-voting.  For example, it's great to see how many upticks Spookshow is getting every week for Hope, and it's nice to be able to send an attaboy without burdening the thread.  Of course some users get addicted to the upticks, which can be problematic, but mostly I think it's good.]  I wonder if we could do something more subtle and communal, like the following: for every member, keep track of how many other members are Ignoring them.  If that count exceeds X, notify/warn the member of this circumstance.  Later, if that count exceeds Y>X, ban the user outright, and inform those who clicked Ignore of said ban.  I really see no need to retain members who are being actively Ignored by a critical mass of our community.  I have no idea what X and Y should be, but their values could be adjusted with experience.  I wouldn't make Ignore stats public, because that would be a form of public shaming, and it might encourage piling on, which is not the intent.  But I would make the numbers available to each member so they can see where they stand, and I would publicize the ability to Ignore, and the consequences of it. ...

My sentiments and analysis to a 'T', Gary, even down to the 'ignore' algorithm, something I've thought about for several years. Thank you!

[Kentuckian]

I really appreciate TRW. No question that it has made me a better modeler. I actually even finished a challenge, just not by the deadline.
I have had only two negative experiences.

Whenever I have asked a question of anyone here, with one exception, I have received multiple helpful answers. Whether technical or tourist in nature, my questions have been answered. I would forget someone if I called out the good guys; there are so many of you. Thank you so much. I try to pay it back when I have something to contribute.

I don’t know what the issue is with the one exception. He answers other people’s questions. I’ve moved on and don’t ask him questions anymore.

The other experience was in the Crew Lounge a few years ago. I weighed in on a subject and someone disagreed with me. We got into a back and forth; when we couldn’t agree on what I believe is commonly accepted data I bowed out.

Some of you may know that I had a post deleted a few months ago. I don’t count this as a negative experience, quite the opposite. I got to know some of the people here better. My only regret is it apparently costed the mods some time.

Merry Christmas!

[Jbub]

One thing I'd like to ask everyone to do: think critically before you hit that "post" button. Is your post contributing to the conversation? Is it helpful?

Please don't just post to "pile on" in situations where things get testy. We're trying to help ourselves and each other become better modelers here, not prove who's a bigger edgelord.

THIS!!!!!!!!!

[diezmon]

Also, when reading a post/response sometimes it's difficult to determine the emotion behind it.   A post that's direct, or curt, isn't always meant to be 'dickish'.   It's hard to read intention into just words.   I've seen plenty of angry responses to comments that weren't meant to be aggravating.

Another thing to keep in mind before responding.  Also, White Russians are delicious.