[MattVN]

Moderator action that involves banning/suspending users is very rare but something that we recently discussed and have decided to announce is a 5 day time out.

This action would/could be used after a user has been asked to refrain from a particular type of behaviour which contravenes VN's forum guidelines and doesn't refrain.

The time out could be used when there is a pattern of breaking the following (existing) rules:

Quote

1/ No bad language - not even mild swearing - we really mean it! Also swear words which are self censored (ie. s**t are not allowed) please choose a pleasant alternative.
2/ Respect the views of other members
3/ Be neighbourly - don't say it on the forum if you wouldn't say it to someone in person
4/ Political, religion, human rights topics are allowed but members should always seek to address the argument, personal attacks on other forum members will not be tolerated and failure to adhere to guidelines may result in warnings or being banned. Hateful, disrespectful and libellous comments will not be tollerated.
*By hateful and disrespectful, we mean comments that are or may be perceived as racist, sexist, homophobic, inciting religious hatred or causing undue offence to individuals or sections of the community.
5/ Don't waste people's time or our web site resources

I know that there are many forums which use timeouts effectively so maybe it'll be useful in keeping the peace.

Although this might seem like a bit of stick waving, I thought that it may also be an opportunity for members to discuss this action and the circumstances that it could be used.

As always, all members' thoughts are welcome on this.

[Axean]

Whats a time out? Sounds like an Americanism (I know about the chocolate bar that seams unlikely)
I assume its an temporary ban on posting? In which case it might be helpful to call it that, and keep the rules in 'plain British English'

Seems like a reasonable idea though

[Kevin Monk]

MattVN, on 08 February 2010 - 12:23 AM, said:

1/ No bad language - not even mild swearing - we really mean it! Also swear words which are self censored (ie. s**t are not allowed) please choose a pleasant alternative.

What about using s**t when your explaining that you're not allowed to use it. Is that allowed?

[St. Lukes Railings]

Not helpful Kevin. You know exactly what Matt means

[MattVN]

Axean, on 08 February 2010 - 12:51 AM, said:

Whats a time out? Sounds like an Americanism...

You have time outs in sport and when you send an unruly child to the naughty step, that's a time out...

'Time out' might be catchier (and possibly friendlier), but if people wanted to call it 'a temporary ban on posting' that'll work too

Kevin Monk, on 08 February 2010 - 12:57 AM, said:

What about using s**t when your explaining that you're not allowed to use it. Is that allowed?

That's the one exception to the rule

[misspoddy]

Interesting. We have the deal with our daughter that if we accidentally use a swear word in front of her, she has to give us a little hit on the wrist. Which works very well, controls my foul mouth and makes her very happy. BUT we have one word on which we can't make up our mind. That's "bloody". Of course I mean it as in "this bloody woman" rather than "it was a very bloody accident"... So, can I use it on here or not? I have the excuse of being a foreigner, so it's always a thin line for me that sort of stuff and generally I just use my father in law as the rule for these matters, if he can say it, I can! And he says "bloody" a hell of a lot!

Well I guess having used the word "bloody" 3 times in one post, if I end up on the "naughty step" I will know why ....

This post has been edited by misspoddy: 08 February 2010 - 09:03 AM

[James]

I don't think the temporary ban is being introduced because of a problem with swear words.

Members may be interested in seeing the following comments by an Internet Service Provider when they are threatened with legal action, and why they ask site owners to either take it down immediately, or indemnify them against legal action with an initial deposit of £20,000.
http://blog.bytemark...read-your-forum

Quote

Rather than just take down individual statements, ISPs and message board admins who are "on notice" would be forced to implement moderation. ... As ISPs would remain jointly liable, they too would have to ensure that moderation of discussions is effective, and would have to oversee this process. The additional costs would be passed on to the owner of the board. Of course the upshot would be that unmoderated message boards would likely close rather than bear the bureaucracy imposed by a simple solicitors' letter - a letter which would have to specify no more than the allegation of libel.

[Local]

Postings can fall somewhere along the spectrum of disagreement, unpleasantness, disclosure of private information, personal abuse, libel, ...
Maybe there should be a tariff of penalties for offence.

[Dazza]

Time outs Matt

Dont you use them in world baseball or world basketball where you are the only country participating in the event !

Dazza

[Green Man]

Local, on 08 February 2010 - 09:41 AM, said:

Postings can fall somewhere along the spectrum of disagreement, unpleasantness, disclosure of private information, personal abuse, libel, ...
Maybe there should be a tariff of penalties for offence.

It all seems a bit like overkill to me.

[Summit Lover]

I have noticed 'time-outs' being used successfully in other online forums. They shouldn't be used willy nilly (and wouldn't be on VN), but they are an effective tool for tempering someone's approach (after gentle warnings haven't worked) if they consistently upset other posters through personal attacks etc.

As I said, I think it would be rare that time-outs on VN would be implemented - on the whole we are a relatively tolerant (if at times impassioned) lot.

[RedHeadPeter]

Time out is completely the wrong thing to call it. If you notice in sport (mostly american sport let it be said, in sorrow) a time out means all play stops for the duration of the time out.

You don't mean that. You only want to stop the offending poster for a while. That's a Sin Bin offence (fortunately not exclusive to our colonial cousins).

Call a shovel a shovel.

And 'naughty step'? Perleeeease.

[Kevin Monk]

How about a USB Breathalyser? That's what forums need.

A friend of mine who moderates the South London Theatre forum (I think she might be a moderator on this one as well) said that she used to go through the posts early in the morning to get rid of the ones that were posted at 2 or 3am.

[Green Man]

Summit Lover, on 08 February 2010 - 10:49 AM, said:

. . . They shouldn't be used willy nilly (and wouldn't be on VN) . . .

I think you'll find that they are used willy-nilly. I was banned for some quite innocuous edits to the wiki, which I can't believe more than one person ever read.

My good friend Trevor T seems to have been banned for merely repeating information which is already on the boards. The remark cannot have caused any offense. His only crime was to continually challange conservative bigotry.

And I don't see a problem with that. I wouldn't expect the Green Party web site to host climate-change-rejectionists opinions, nor would I expect the Daily Mail to host intelligent debate, but at least they are honest about what they represent. VN pretends to be a forum for open debate, but as soon as someone expresses a robust opinion about anything substantial, they get banned. It seems accaeptable to insult anonymous traffic wardens who work hard for little pay, but the lazy incompetant train manager is given god-like status (My good friend Flower Hair asked for an extra ticket machine at West Norwood station over a year ago. There was lots of huffing and puffing, but no machine and no explanation).

[Kevin Monk]

Summit Lover, on 08 February 2010 - 10:49 AM, said:

They shouldn't be used willy nilly

Ahem... Shouldn't that be w***y nilly. Perhaps that's worse?? This moderation stuff is hard. w***y hard.