New policies in operation

Thanks to a clear consensus in favour of the new moderation policies, TBAT is pleased to announce that they are in operation henceforth. Since the phrase 'excessive discourtesy' was considered problematic by several community members, we have revised it somewhat.The rule sheet now looks like this:

1. Not using appropriate and specific trigger warnings after being asked to by any member of the community = yellow card.
   
   Exception: if a trigger warning is requested that other community members consider frivolous or manipulative, they should raise it for discussion. TBAT will make a final ruling.


2. Hate speech, including victim blaming and deliberate use of offensive slurs = yellow card. (Note: it's not uncommon for someone to use a problematic word with no intention to offend, simply because they're not aware of its problematic implications or history. This does not merit a yellow card. Community members are requested to point out the problems with the word politely, and to take such information in good part; a yellow card will only apply if the poster continues to use the offensive word after being asked not to. Attempts to manipulate or game this exception to the rule = red card.)


3. Being too much of a jerk to other community members (this definition to be subject to TBAT's ruling) = a warning. Continuing to be a jerk after being warned once, or giving TBAT grief about getting a warning = a yellow card.


4. Sockpuppeting = yellow card


5. Giving TBAT grief about their rulings = yellow card. If people feel they have been unfairly carded, they should send a private e-mail to TBAT explaining why. If this e-mail is courteous, it will be considered; if it is discourteous, it will get another yellow card and the sender will, consequently, be on at least two yellow cards and find themselves banned. If people feel a third party has been unfairly carded, they should likewise send TBAT a private e-mail; again, it will get a yellow card if it is rude but be considered seriously if it contains good points.


6. Threats or violently abusive language = red card.


7. Deliberately attempting to trigger people, including deliberately graphic or mocking trigger warnings = red card.


8. Using anonymizing and redirect services without explanation and a consistent name/email address = red card. After this has happened, a notification will be posted on the relevant thread explaining the banning and linking to this policy page. If the person who has received the red card was using the redirect/anonymizing service because they weren't aware of the policy, they can contact TBAT to explain their situation and set up a system for using one.

Two yellow cards equal one red card; one red card equals banning. The possibility of having three yellow cards, rather than two, equal a red card was brought up, but on consideration we would like to ask the community to trust us to use the two-yellows-equals-a-red system fairly, as we believe it will save headaches and that the kind of behaviour that gets a card is generally so symptomatic that we really don't need three examples of it. However, if there is reason to believe that cross-posting led to a situation in which a poster did not see a warning or the first yellow card before re-offending, TBAT will attempt to exercise flexible judgement. This flexibility is only subject to cross-posting, which will be determined by the times appearing at the bottom of posts; in this situation, we will try to give the benefit of the doubt. If the poster had the opportunity to see the warning or card, this exception does not apply.

The question of whether yellow cards should have a time limit was discussed. Our decision is that there should be no fixed time limit after which a yellow card should expire, but if a poster who has received a yellow card has participated in the community for a while after being carded and has shown good faith, they should e-mail TBAT to ask whether the yellow card might be rescinded. We do not guarantee that cards will be rescinded simply for the asking, but we will consider on a case-by-case basis.

If anybody in the community is feeling particularly harassed or picked on by another poster, they should feel free to e-mail TBAT in confidence and call our attention to the problem.

--hapax

--Kit Whitfield

--mmy

---

 

The Slacktiverse is a community blog. Content reflects the individual opinions of the contributors. We welcome disagreement in the comment threads, and invite anyone who wishes to present an alternative interpretation of a situation to write and submit a post.

Comments

[The Board Administration Team]

Comment removed because of use of re-direct /anonymizer services. If the commenter would like to arrange for using such services under the commenting policy, please send an e-mail to TBAT asap.

[Nick Kiddle]

Wait, wait, the first comment on a post outlining your policy on (among other things) redirect services used a redirect service contrary to the policy? At this point I can only stand back and marvel at the TeaBats' patience.

[Smilodon]

I didn't really follow the comment policy thread, since I trust TBAT, but apparently things got heated? For what it's worth, this policy seems good, and I'm confident that TBAT will use it well.

[Kit Whitfield]

apparently things got heated?

Short version: some dude suggested that the insults directed at me were mere 'disagreement' rather than abusive and that we should be honest enough to acknowledge that we were employing double standards, then got all butthurt when I and others told him what we thought of that.

[Lonespark]

Sensible rules! Allusions to soccer! I like it. I hope it makes your lives a little easier, TBAT.

Now back to read the discussion, since I've been beyond the reach of internet these last few days.

[Dragoness Eclectic]

Well, damn. The discussion finally went up on a day when I had too much work to participate, and I don't blog on weekends. I wish I'd had a chance to toss my $0.02 in.

[Kit Whitfield]

Sorry, Dragoness Eclectic, but it can't be helped; we did announce on Monday the 16th that the discussion was going to take place on the following Friday, and the general consensus was so clear we decided we had enough of a mandate to go on.

[Dragoness Eclectic]

Yeah, I saw the announcement, and planned to get involved, but got snowed under by surprise meetings and extra work Friday. C'est la vie.

[Kit Whitfield]

Well, hopefully you'll continue to be happy in the community under the new rules.

[Dragoness Eclectic]

They look okay to me. I may not feel that way if I get yellow-carded because I virulently disagree with someone, but I do trust that TBAT knows the difference between "I think you're wrong because X,Y,Z" and dehumanizing invective toward someone just because they have a different opinion.

Bullying of any kind tends to set off my latent berserker rage, and that includes Internet dogpiles. Historically, that's when I've gotten intemperate and said truly regrettable things in defense of targets that later turned out not to be deserving of that kind of defense. Sadly, it's very hard for me to sit back and say nothing when I see what appears to be bullying going on--it triggers me to violent rage. (I got bullied a lot as a child, and it left some deep scars, resentment and anger in my psyche). If I feel like I'm being bullied, it's a bad scene all around. I stop caring about being nice and try to get even, try to hurt back in ways that cut as deep as possible, in ways that are downright evil.

It helps me to avoid that reaction to remember that sometimes people say things because they are under stress or feeling threatened... but sometimes I'm under stress/short of sleep and that bullied ten-year-old is too close to the surface for me to be charitable. I don't think I've ever lost it that way here, quite, but I have elsewhere.

I have no idea what I'm trying to say here; some days I'm oversensitive, I know Kit and I sometimes have sharp disagreements, and I'm afraid that one day I might lose it and find myself banned from a community I rather like. I think I've expressed that fear before, but I'm depressive, insecure, and have a violent temper. I don't trust myself when it comes to social interactions.

[Kit Whitfield]

@Dragoness - if you feel you're running into problems in a discussion, I'd suggest that you e-mail us asking for advice and clarification as to where you are regarding the policy. We aren't keep to ban you, or any regular who, like you, clearly does their best to engage in good faith; just let us know if you're feeling close to losing it, and we'll try to work it through with you.

[Dragoness Eclectic]

Fair enough. (Gawd, I hate what certain biological events do to my hormones, stress level and sanity. Seriously.)

[hapax]

FWIW, Dragoness Eclectic, all members of TBAT are ruefully aware that, awesome godly-modly powers aside, we are human beings with tempers as well.

That's why we invented the Mod Hat -- to protect the TBAT from the frailties of each of us, and to protect our individual freedom of expression from the temptation to abuse authority.

Note that nowhere in those policies does it say "don't argue with hapax". In fact, hapax would very much like you to argue with her -- or at least, with what she says, not so much with her fashion sense or her choice of lunch entree -- because you (personally, but also the collective "you") are sharp and funny and eversomuch more entertaining than the thousandth iteration of "where's the bathroom?"

And if you ever feel like unfair dogpiling is going on here, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send an email, if you're wary or hesitant about speaking up publicly. Yelling at us probably won't help, but a polite "Hey, I think things are getting heated on this thread and XYZ is getting a little bashed" *will* be considered respectfully.

[Literata]

Gawd, I hate what certain biological events do to my hormones, stress level and sanity. Seriously.

Off topic, but oh boy I'm right there with you.

[hapax]

woops, posted before I saw that Kit had already responded.

So, yeah, "what Kit said."

[hapax]

@Dragoness Eclectic and Literata: right now I'd rather have ten biological events than the current climatological event.

[victoria]

i'm glad the new policies are in place. at the same time, i too was surprised at how quickly they were established. perhaps the next time a board wide decision needs discussion, there can be the announcement of the post to start discussion (as was done by TBAT), the discussion itself, but also an announcement of how long the discussion and comment period will take place. that way folks will know to make time during that window to chime in, or ask for more time if they'll be away from their computer and really want to give input.

[Kit Whitfield]

perhaps the next time a board wide decision needs discussion, there can be the announcement of the post to start discussion (as was done by TBAT), the discussion itself, but also an announcement of how long the discussion and comment period will take place.

That's a good suggestion; we'll bear it in mind.

[Dragoness Eclectic]

@hapax: Which climatological event? The Midwest U.S is having drought, down where I live it seems that the tropical rainy season has moved 20 degrees north, and I have no idea what it is doing in the rest of the world...

[hapax]

Hee.

They're rioting in Africa
They're starving in Spain
There's hurricanes in Florida
And Texas needs rain...

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

My specific gripe is months of drought, and three solid weeks of triple-digit (Fahrenheit) temperatures. Pretty much everyone I know is holding on to their tempers by the tips of their fingernails.

[St. Jebus]

And Colorado is having its second week-long period of 100+ temperatures this summer. I'm right with you there, hapax.

Also, on-topic to the actual post: I think the rules are great, and I'm sure TBAT will continue to do the same exemplary job that they've done in the past.

[Julia FractalFrog]

hapax - Texas, or at least some parts if it, *has* been getting rain this month, for which I am grateful (even on that day I drove 40-50 miles in intermittent downpours).

I don't comment often, don't always have time to read comments, but the new policies look good to me *and* to my inner bullied 8-year-old.

[sarah]

@hapax: I had a moment of "where do I know that song from?" and then remembered--Madeleine L'Engle, The Moon By Night.

Also, yes. Too much heat here in Philly.

[konrad_arflane]

This is off-topic and I'm sorry if it's been covered elsewhere, but:

What happened to the link to the "New Slacktivist" (patheos, IOW)? Did you decide that a year is long enough to keep linking to it for the benefit of people who come looking for Fred Clark here, or what?

[Mmy]

@konrad_arflane: You can find the link to Slacktivist at Patheos in the Blogs of the Slacktiverse between storiteller and (vic)tioria. (They are in alphabetical order.)

You can find a explanation for the move here.

[chris the cynic]

It's still the first question addressed in the FAQ and the link is still in the sidebar, just amoungst the other blogs rather than on its own at the top.

There's a bit more discussion in the most recent "At Patheos" thread.

[thebewilderness]

I'm sad to hear that the mods won't be participating in the discussions. It will be our loss. While I do not often participate myself any more I do enjoy lurking.

[Lonespark]

Since this is a vaguely related thread, I'm just gonna stick this idea here before I lose it:

I would like to have something akin to beta readers for Slacktiverse guest posts. I have five to eight partly-written posts on my computer. Getting some finished could provide some content, yet TBAT are super busy and I feel bad about submitting anything that's not in pretty good shape already. I'd also be happy to proofread or beta read other people's stuff.

[Laiima]

I'd be interested in being a beta reader, lonespark. Not entirely sure what's involved though. (Obviously reading and some kind of feedback, but what kind? to what degree?)

[ZMiles]

I'd also be willing to beta.

[chris the cynic]

I can try to beta read, but I can't make any promises that it won't end up sitting on my computer unread, because I can be extremely unproductive.

[sarah]

I'd be willing to beta read as well.

[Froborr]

I'd be willing to beta, too.

[Izzy]

In theory, sure! Work is a little crazed now, but hopefully the fall should be calmer.

[The Board Administration Team]

All posts are now open to comments, except the "Further Changes" post, which will remain closed.

Discussions of present and future community standards, moderation policies, etc., may continue on the "At Patheos: NRA: Marchons, marchons!" thread.

As a reminder, comments that focus on re-hashing past conflicts and grievances will be considered de-railing and deleted with a yellow card.

[kisekileia]

To TBAT:

I'd like to apologize for the comments I made on The Slacktiverse in July about you being too assertive/intellectually dominant. I really regret that I chose my words as poorly as I did and ended up basically criticizing you for being too smart and articulate. While I'm still not 100% comfortable with everything all of you posted as individuals, your intelligence and verbal skills are not the reasons why, and I respect your integrity and good intent. I'm sorry I added to the burden of your responsibilities and contributed to you feeling like you couldn't post as yourselves anymore. Sorry, too, for the delayed apology--I've been procrastinating on this for a few weeks now.