Making it Better: The future of WP

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Thanks for your incredible patience to read all these pages

I also believe transparency is the way forward.

In order to keep everyone safe a new way of working is required.

One which considers the members and mods.

What are the rules, regulations or guidelines used by a mod for their own behaviour and way of working with others?

If there are none then why?

Boundaries keep us all safe and thus all need boundaries.

There could be an unofficial "Court of inquiry" which could bring questionable judgements to the attention of the mod team.
There should be enough talent involved even with the depletion of members after moderator selection.

Yes, I know this is a radical concept.
I think that is because It came from a radical stinker.

And yes, I don't think it will be taken seriously.
Genius is often overlooked.

There is another idea I'd like to kick around.
A training school to teach "The Lonely Hearts" how to communicate with potential partners.

Lots to consider, and I don't think it will take off, but even Leonardo Da Vinci had concepts that were never brought to fruition.

Yes, I am comparing myself to Leo.
I am *THAT* good.

Thank you Enviro. If you'd like to check your records and reread the information, I first wrote to you by PM on 12th and 13th of June regarding malicious personal attacks. You replied to both PM immediately, and agreed that the content was inappropriate. For whatever reason, the content remained. I just checked today and the posts have yet to be edited or removed, over two months later. Later in June I wrote to you and another mod regarding site-wide concerns, indicating that the entire mod team was free to read my messages (it was impossible for me to address all mods in one PM). Again, that content wasn't edited removed. Then I was mocked in The Haven for leaving, with insinuations that I had "thin skin", or was a Nazi sympathiser, or that I was too sensitive. People suggested it was my fault for reading threads I shouldn't have??! ! In reality, I should be reading more threads and not fewer, because I'm able to find and report language which is causing the erosion of our membership. I reported all of this, but nothing changed. I posted my concerns on 9 July, but was heckled again in The Haven for speaking up or taking action. I reported that, to no avail. Those comments remain.

Weeks later, I spent hours finding all of the offensive posts going back two months, sending individual reports with the report button, concerning personal attacks against multiple people in The Haven and other fora -- each with a lengthy cross-referencing of rules. Nothing changed and the cases were closed by another moderator without comment. I wrote to you again the day this thread appeared, with eight comprehensive suggestions for the site, pointing out the urgency of some members' fragile mental health, and reminding you that action had not been taken. Again nothing changed and the reply was "I will get back to you", along with statements that I should be a moderator because you respect my fair input. I heard nothing back. I started posting on this thread in an effort to help the people in need. Now I'm not sure what else to do.

I'm sure you can see how frustrating this is for me, and as a larger issue affecting the entire membership. We want to save WP but short of standing on our heads (which I can assure you is not a pretty picture ), we don't know how to have offensive posts altered or removed. Many people are gone and refuse to return. I only came back because of this thread, so I could offer sincere and honest input about the situation. I've just been through it all first hand, from being a witness, to being a target, to leaving, to returning, and ultimately stating my peace.

I hope it wasn't all for naught.

Do you really want a layer of squabbling bureaucrats between you and the moderators?  Keep in mind that the moderators could bypass that layer at any time to take action (or not) as they see fit.

^I want a layer of caramel please!

It will be equally interesting to see how many of the new mods reveal their "true colors" once they are in power.

Personally, I prefer chocolate; but to each their own!

This is one thing that I feel really needs to be addressed: The longer "inappropriate" content stays up, the more "normalized" it becomes, and the harder it later becomes to deal with related issues, as people can claim that they "thought it was OK, because they had seen <insert inappropriate post samples> over an extended period of time" and nothing had been done to them, or they had seen people say\insinuate "XYZ" with nothing occurring (or "no-one ever said I shouldn't do\be doing this").

Other people see the inappropriate conduct occurring, see nothing being done about it, believe that it is therefore condoned, and so leave, never to return\sign up.

Hopefully more moderators can help with this.

I think it is worthwhile considering.
But it would have to be comprised of reasonable, rational and mature individuals.
There are quite a few here who would fit the bill.

The question then arises: "How does one determine intent?"

By reputation - "I hear he's a mangy flea-bitten junkyard dog, so his intent simply MUST be evil!"

By gut reaction - "If that was said to me, I would be outraged!  Off with her head!"

By naive assumption - "I feel that he must be given the benefit of the doubt because no one can really be that mean."

By strict interpretation of The Rules - "You are mistaken.  No offense occurred.  She has done nothing wrong."

Other ... ?

I've sent you a PM about this. Thanks!

Quick response is best. I see PMs in my email inbox. Usually these will be seen within 24 hours if we're offline for whatever reason (no data, power cuts, working or personal activities etc), but preferably sooner.

Well, one person's example of a "reasonable, rational, and mature individual" is likely to be another person's example of a "power-mad bigot showing favoritism to a select few".

Thus, it is easy (for me) to imagine a few members applauding Donald Trump as a new moderator, while the rest of us flee to other websites...

He wouldn't do anything he doesn't get paid for...