GrahamM
Managing Editor
- Joined
- Feb 23, 1999
- Messages
- 9,773
- Reaction score
- 1
Right, it?s New year?s Day and a good time to take stock of the year gone by and what we?d like for the coming year.
Last year we had two members ?resign? from FM because they could no longer tolerate what they referred to as racist abuse on the forum. Not bad considering we have about 23,000 members.
Then we?ve had other members who have not graced us with their presence as much as they have in the past and others threatening not to use the forum any longer, or at least to cherry pick the threads they get involved with.
And finally we have quite a number of complaints from various members who say that various issues/posters should not be allowed.
It?s me in the hot seat who has to actually do the banning, the deleting and the editing, and let me tell you, it?s not easy. It?s me who has to decide what is a friendly wind-up and what is a malicious one, and whether it?s a wind-up at all or a serious thread. It?s me who has to decide what is acceptable language, in context with the thread, and what isn?t. It?s me who has to read the private emails, moderator alerts and posts from members who don?t like the way some threads are going.
Now I?m not looking for sympathy, I?m looking for help, for every time I read these comments I wonder if I?m doing my job properly. Should I ignore the pleas from those who claim the forum is going the wrong way? Should I be more tolerant or less tolerant?
Or is it all the occasional storm in a teacup, when someone gets their nose pushed out of joint and spits the dummy in a sudden rush of pique when, generally speaking, all is all right on the forum considering the sheer number of messages?
What do you think?
Comments and suggestions please.
And don?t hold back. Tell me where I?m going wrong, if you think I am, and how I can make things better.
Now's your chance to make a positive and constructive contribution towards making this a better forum.
Last year we had two members ?resign? from FM because they could no longer tolerate what they referred to as racist abuse on the forum. Not bad considering we have about 23,000 members.
Then we?ve had other members who have not graced us with their presence as much as they have in the past and others threatening not to use the forum any longer, or at least to cherry pick the threads they get involved with.
And finally we have quite a number of complaints from various members who say that various issues/posters should not be allowed.
It?s me in the hot seat who has to actually do the banning, the deleting and the editing, and let me tell you, it?s not easy. It?s me who has to decide what is a friendly wind-up and what is a malicious one, and whether it?s a wind-up at all or a serious thread. It?s me who has to decide what is acceptable language, in context with the thread, and what isn?t. It?s me who has to read the private emails, moderator alerts and posts from members who don?t like the way some threads are going.
Now I?m not looking for sympathy, I?m looking for help, for every time I read these comments I wonder if I?m doing my job properly. Should I ignore the pleas from those who claim the forum is going the wrong way? Should I be more tolerant or less tolerant?
Or is it all the occasional storm in a teacup, when someone gets their nose pushed out of joint and spits the dummy in a sudden rush of pique when, generally speaking, all is all right on the forum considering the sheer number of messages?
What do you think?
Comments and suggestions please.
And don?t hold back. Tell me where I?m going wrong, if you think I am, and how I can make things better.
Now's your chance to make a positive and constructive contribution towards making this a better forum.