Swearing

[Rapscallion]

But seriously blaming the moderators for missing a problem post because they can't read each post, is just as far-fetched as blaming a store clerk for theft because they can't follow each and every customer around to to keep them from shoplifting. It's just not possible or practical to have a staff that large.

It's also worth noting that posts on most forum softwares contain a report icon so you can alert the staff to posts that are problematic. We do rely on members helping to keep the sandpit clean as well.

Rapscallion

[Dips]

But as soon as someone has outsmarted them they lose it and turn 10 years old again.

That confirms that my guess was correct. You looked for a loophole so you could willfully violate their rules and then you got caught and called on it.

When you are a customer someplace, a store or a forum, then they do have the right to refuse service. Maybe you didn't feel you were an SC there, but the ower and his/her staff obviously felt differently. And, since it's their property, they get to make the call.

Oh, wait, are youi saying it's my responsibility to read the TOS? Just like it's the mods responsibility to do their job and read the effing posts.

Of course it is. If you're agreeing to them, not reading them is just self-defeating.

On the other hand none of us ever had to agree to read every post before accepting the unpaid job of moderating. At least not here. Maybe it's different other places less busy.

But seriously blaming the moderators for missing a problem post because they can't read each post, is just as far-fetched as blaming a store clerk for theft because they can't follow each and every customer around to to keep them from shoplifting. It's just not possible or practical to have a staff that large.

Only speaking for Raps' forums, we expect that when we have to deal with a situation that the people involved will react like adults and own responsibility or, perhaps, decide that our community isn't a good fit and leave without flouncing (hey, we can't be everything to everybody and that's cool). People who look for ways to thumb their nose at the staff or continue the same behavior under the radar, usally DO eventually end with all of the *their* posts getting read before anyone else sees them.

The good news is that most people do react like adults.

[Ree]

I'm guessing the OP got into trouble on a completely different site over the use of a swear word.

Just reading between the lines, I assume the site didn't specifically list the swear word used.

I am also assuming other members had used "colourful" language, but the OP ended up smacked down because his word was considered to be more of a no-no.

Because the rules did not say he couldn't use the word, and because other members had used swearing and the mods had looked the other way, I am thinking the OP felt he was singled out.

I can certainly see how it would seem that way if that really was the case, and I am correct in my guessing.

The thing is, that kind of thing does and has happened here and on CS.

There are just some words or slurs that are considered much less socially acceptable and much more offensive than others.

So, while it looks like we may be giving free rein to one person in their swearing while clamping down on another, what is really going on is that the second person has used a word that has caused some type of problem in the past and has been previously reported as offensive, and the mods are just trying to head off the inevitable backlash.

[PepperElf]

Sort of hoping it's not here or CS as we've not had to do anything about language for a long time. We're sort of relaxed as long as it's not punctuation.

Rapscallion

i thought about it earlier and though ... did he mean this site (sites?) or sites in general. now that i read it again i think it's sites in general.

although most message boards i go to allow full swearing, except for PFB and M3C.

[jackfaire]

My mum rarely swore, the most I can recal her saying was "Botheration Badger."

For some reason I have started using the word twig around my daughter and it is finding it's way into my everyday speech.

My parents sat us down said, "Here is every swear word we know. Now don't say them"

[Ginger Tea]

My mum rarely swore, the most I can recal her saying was "Botheration Badger."

[jackfaire]

I tend to use fictional swear words around my daughter or make up ones of my own. Honestly I don't mind if she swears but I don't want her getting in trouble at school.

[Evandril]

When in doubt, ask the mods, either privately (usually better) or publicly. And if you get the approval from one mod, and another gets on your case, let them know you'd asked and gotten approval, *politely*. Different mods will have different interpretations of the rules, and on the off chance they didn't talk, they won't always know what another mod approved.

[jackfaire]

Quick question should "no swearing" rules apply to fictional swear words?

[jackfaire]

The thing Pedersen noted is that while the CS.com rules are longer than some EULAs, they boil down to one thing - don't be a dick.

AKA Wheaton's Law

[Ginger Tea]

The proper response when spotting someone doing something wrong is not to figure that means it's ok for you to do the same something wrong.

If you see someone pissing in someones letterbox and the police or residents don't see them to do something about it, doesn't mean it's OK for you to piss in a letterbox, not being caught doen't make it right.

[Andara Bledin]

I have yet to run into a forum that didn't have a report button, although one I visit prefers that people send email to mods@site.ext instead of using the button.

The proper response when spotting someone doing something wrong is not to figure that means it's ok for you to do the same something wrong.

^-.-^

[Ginger Tea]

Implying or even demanding that mods should read each and every post made to check for swearing or nefearious content that is against the TOS when the site has dozzens of posts in a short time frame means more man hours than are readily available on some sites.

And all this as an unpaid job?

Closest option would be to moderate EVERY user to check the post first, but that would bring some threads to a stand still as everyone is awaiting someone to get round to reading their post, yet they have 12 other people's to read first, then the replies to those that get aproved or edited and posted.

Some one has it as their sig on CS, the report button, it's not just for decoration.
If you see someone posting Ni&&er and it goes against the spirit or letter of the law regarding forum rules and it seems to go unpunished, well let a mod know via the forums report function, I'm guessing all powered by VBulletin have it and others like them.

[Rapscallion]

The interesting part about forum rules is something I saw RK (I think) say some time ago, and Pedersen made some good observations as well.

I could go to most forums and not infringe upon the rules without even reading them. That's because I don't act like a shit. Decent and respectful behaviour is not a problem. I'm pretty sure I saw RK say this before. I have to agree. If I ever sign up on another forum then I'll skim the rules for anything unusual - where things go, anything not the same as other forums, that sort of gear.

The thing Pedersen noted is that while the CS.com rules are longer than some EULAs, they boil down to one thing - don't be a dick. Granted, you need to qualify where dickery starts and ends, but most forums are going to have the same sort of requirements from their members. Any forum with more than one section is going to have a very obvious places to put relevant posts.

Interesting thing, though - whenever I start to put aside time to try and trim down the CS.com rules, someone does something so incredibly ... unusual, nay special, that we have to add something because they claim the rules don't specifically forbid it. That's usually when we get complaints that the mods have been heavy-handed.

Rapscallion

[jackfaire]

It's been made perfectly clear that it's NOT a valid excuse. therefore, no one gets to use it.

Ooooooh I get it so you were saying that it takes you days even weeks to read the rules of a forum.

Yeah I misunderstood see me it takes less than 5 minutes so naturally I would consider it to be my responsibility to be an adult and make sure I am following the rules since it would take the moderators days to read every single post especially since new posts are made all of the time.