1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Selectively ban members from certain threads to keep them open?

Discussion in 'Empty Closets Help and Feedback' started by Owen, Aug 16, 2010.

Thread Tools

Thread Tools

  1. Owen

    Owen
    In Loving Memory Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Messages:
    613
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    I've seen quite a few threads on here closed because a few individuals simply went off topic and started attacking each other ad hominem. Considering that this has happened to threads that contained worthy discussion, I can't help but wonder whether there is some way to ban those unruly members from posting in just that thread without suspending their general privileges. This would allow the thread to stay open and allow other members to comment on the topic without the interference of those disruptive posters.
     
    #1 Owen, Aug 16, 2010
  2. Swamp56

    Swamp56 Guest

    That's not built into vBulletin, but there's probably an addon for it.

    The problem is that it could be abused very easily.
     
    #2 Swamp56, Aug 16, 2010
  3. Steve712

    Steve712
    Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2010
    Messages:
    659
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    We just need to revamp the moderating system with organised procedures for warning, splitting and closing closing (for derails, ad homs and whatever else), etc.
     
    #3 Steve712, Aug 16, 2010
  4. djt820

    djt820
    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2009
    Messages:
    1,131
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    SoCal
    Gender:
    Male
    Laissez-faire, mother fucker!
     
    #4 djt820, Aug 16, 2010
  5. Chip

    Chip
    Board Member Admin Team Advisor Full Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    Messages:
    16,560
    Likes Received:
    4,757
    Location:
    northern CA
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Generally speaking, the mod team doesn't close a thread unless it has mostly degenerated into a pissing contest. And by that, I mean multiple people, not just one or two, who are attacking each other rather than sticking to the topic.

    Banning people from individual threads isn't the answer for more than one reason. First, it opens the door for people to feel unfairly singled out, or feeling their opinion isn't being respected. Secondly, it starts putting the mods in the position of taking positions on arguments and such, which we don't want to be doing.

    The real solution is for posters to follow the code of conduct. If people stick to debating the issues instead of attacking each other, then generally, any thread can stay open because when one is debating the issues, it's pretty easy to stay civil. It's when it degenrates into attacking the person holding those views that the problems arise.

    So when you see anyone attacking another member personally, rather than attacking a viewpoint or a position on something... report it, and hopefully the mods can encourage the poster to behave him or herself instead of having to close the thread.
     
    #5 Chip, Aug 16, 2010
  6. starfish

    starfish
    Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2008
    Messages:
    3,368
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Hippie Town, Alberta of the US
    Trust me you don't want that. I'm an old hand when it comes to Internet forums. Before that I used dialup BBS systems. When the moderation goes away things go downhill very quickly. With in a few months the signal to noise ratio will approach zero and those with useful things to say will disappear.

    The moderation here is pretty tame. I've been on bords where saying "mother fucker" would get you a perma ban. Those places usually don't last very long either.
     
    #6 starfish, Aug 21, 2010
  7. djt820

    djt820
    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2009
    Messages:
    1,131
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    SoCal
    Gender:
    Male
    I lol'd. I've been banned from those types of forums so many times. There was a time where people on the internet trusted each other and moderation wasn't really needed. Maybe I was just lucky to have been to forums like that. But tame on moderation here? I wouldn't necessarily agree. But I get what you're saying.
     
    #7 djt820, Aug 23, 2010
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)