Moderation of MDC - What do you think? - Page 14

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by AverysMomma 

Wait, wait wait.....am I to understand that Hillymum, HollyBear and mimim are banned???? I mean, that thread is disgusting and definitely not MDC-okay....but I know I've said FAR more inflammatory things (even if it was in an actual debate and because I was being overly-passionate) and KNOW that I didn't get more than a warning and stern talking to...BANNED?

Can someone please clarify and tell me that these ladies are still members and not banned??

Ornery too.
And Ldavis24.

Originally Posted by Cynthia Mosher 

I disagree. There are many members giving quite a bite with their words but they do so with civil discourse. The behavior of the others is not excusable and it won't be tolerated. As we look more an more at the threads these members have participated in we find it is way beyond this particular issue we are discussing and has filled their participation in many discussions. We don't need that sort of membership. 

OOooh I have a new siggy!  Peace out.

Edited by Chamomile Girl - 6/17/11 at 11:42am

[Cynthia Mosher]

Originally Posted by kmeyrick 

Were some of the posts already removed? It looked disjointed and hard to read. Poor OP, though.

[Drummer's Wife]

This is all really confusing.  I am one who has said I am all for less moderation, except that there has to be some middle ground between not even getting a warning and then all of a sudden being banned.  I know I will miss a lot of members who have either had their accounts closed or who decided to leave MDC. 

I'm just sad how things are going down. :(  Maybe it's better for everyone involved to step back and take a break for a while. 

[2xy]

Originally Posted by AverysMomma 

Yes, I care very much how my tax dollars are spent...and if we took a quarter of the dollars that wash through the Military Industrial Complex each year....

You said that you are against seat belt laws, and you dislike that supporters of the law often say that injuries and deaths caused by not wearing seat belts cost taxpayers money. If seat belt laws were repealed, and injuries and deaths did, indeed, cause taxpayers more money, that would not have anything to do with whether money is being inappropriately spent elsewhere.

and let it pay for the injuries sustained by people who both lack the means to pay for their own medical care AND find themselves the unwitting victims of Human Projectile Injury Scenarios, we would have a SERIOUS padding in our HPIS fund. I can think of a solid few TRILLION dollars a year that, if it had to be spent, I would rather see going to a fund to ease the pain of HPIS survivors and the families of those left behind.

Where would this money come from if there were no taxes? There are mamas on MDC who use government assistance. Are you against food stamps? Medicaid/Medicare?

I also believe that there are much more serious causes of injury and fatality the world over.

This sort of ad-hoc reasoning doesn't negate that auto-related injuries/fatalities may increase with more unrestrained motorists.

But please do not be confused....legislators pass seatbelt laws, because in recent years, state budgets are hurting more and more...any time they can give an officer of the law another reason to write you a ticket (generate revenue for the state) they are going to do it.

You're preaching to the choir, and I'm not confused. They don't call this state Rogue Island for nothing. However, whether money/funding is connected to seat belt legislation has little to do with my concern for human projectiles, which you scoff at but which I have seen more than my share of when I was an EMT.

Billy Clanton was a product of the very systems you seek to prove as the better model by reminding us all of his depravity.  

Um, no. He was raised in Arizona Territory....a.k.a. The Wild West. He was behaving immorally and trampling others before the law arrived there.

I feel like we're hijacking the thread and I have homework to do, so I think I'll end my contribution to this portion of the thread now.

[2xy]

double-post

[Goddess3_2005]

Mothering went downhill when they tried to pander to the mainstream crowd. this was always a place of safety and mutual respect for mothers who's parenting ideals were not that of the typical mainstream parent. If those ideals of natural parenting that this magazine was based on back when it was started were more closely adhered to, Mothering magazine might have still been in print. Instead its readers have gone elsewhere.

[JacqNS]

I've been reading here since 2008, although I'm much more of a reader than a contributor at this point. In the time that I've been reading, I have yet to see a style of moderation that I think is appropriately moderate. When I came here, the moderation was suffocatingly strict and rigid, to the point where it seemed to stifle intellectual dialogue. Recently, moderation moved in the complete opposite direction, turning these forums into a crazy free for all. The lack of oversight and good judgement has allowed these forums to tilt too far toward the "mainstream" and the lack of moderation, combined with really sleazy marketing/traffic building techniques, has turned the forums into a snarky, hostile and unwelcoming place. I cannot put my finger on the exact cause, but I fear that MDC has forever lost the essence of what made it such a uniquely wonderful place. 

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

Totally agree.  And to the poster who stated that all the UC mamas have done their research and soul searching... I'm sorry, but that is just obviously not true, or the "research" they are looking at is majorly flawed.  There have been some scarily uninformed posters on the UC board who have been encouraged to continue with UC despite it being obviously dangerous in the situations they described and asked for advice on. One particular UC advocate who has since supposedly left these boards chronically gave out terrible, dangerous information.  She followed up any comments voicing concern about UC with straight up attacks on the poster, including skilled midwives and others who have been UC supporters or had UCs themself.   I'm not going to sit back and shut up when that is the kind of "research" some of these mamas are doing.

One thing I would like to see here with respect to moderation is a greater acceptance of empirical research. I cannot comment on the UC board in particular because it is of no interest to me. However, I have sat back in horror many times as I watched grossly misinformed posters be allowed to present dangerous ideas as if they were scientifically proven facts. If ever there were a time and place to intervene and control a discussion, this would be the it. I shudder to think of what could happen if an AIDS patient stumbled upon the thread about NaCIO having the ability to cure AIDS and decided to give it a try?  What if an HIV+ mother saw Christine Maggiore on the cover of Mothering  and decided that she too was going to take up AIDS Denialism and refuse treatment for her HIV+ child? I am absolutely for the presentation of differing ideas, opinions, and theories, but there needs to be greater oversight in allowing downright false and negligent discussion be presented as fact.  Just because MDC has absolved itself from any legal responsibility pertaining to "medical" advice given out on this board, does not exemplify it from having a moral and ethical obligation to protect the community as a whole. Allowing the wholesale promulgation of outright lies and dangerous practices is a grave mistake. 

[DragonflyBlue]

Originally Posted by AdinaL 

I would like to clarify on this one.  The closing of the thread and your post about your son happened very close to the same time.  The thread was closed while we discussed it, and your post was one of the reasons we reopened it, so that people could respond to you there, where you had posted.  The thread that was begun to let folks know about your son was started by a member, not a moderator.  I'm sorry that this happened. If you wish that thread to be removed, I think that is fair, as you said that is yours to share and discuss. I am so very sorry about your son, and apologize the the closing happened at the same time, and people were not able to respond to you quickly. 

The person who started the new thread sent me a message on another forum I am on telling me she had requested it closed.  She then took it upon herself to start a new thread.  If I had wanted it announced in a new thread, I would have done so.  As for removing it, please don't.  I may be upset about how it was done, but the heartfelt words of kindness that are there should stay.  Those who reached out to me did so out of compassion.  Based on what went down on the other forum, I cannot say the same about what transpired with the closing and then the new thread.  Despite that, it should stay.  

[sraplayas]

Originally Posted by Buzzer Beater 

People came here to learn and be supported about AP practices... it should stay that way. I think it's okay to have a mission statement, and I think it's okay to uphold it.

        
 

[Agatha_Ann]

Originally Posted by limabean 

What do I think of the moderation of MDC? I'm completely baffled, to be honest. On one hand, you're allowing threads to devolve wildly, and on the other hand you're flat-out revoking people's memberships for being frank when discussing their feelings about Mothering's handling of certain recent events. So what do I think of the moderation? I think it's got multiple personality disorder or something right now. 

This is kind of how I am feeling too. I am really confused as to what is happening. Is there something big that I missed?

I can tell from the continuity of the threads that posts are missing and obviously people in here are getting really upset. Makes me scared to share my opinion (if that is even what this is about anymore, I'm so lost) for fear of doing something that will get me in trouble. I do think it is sad though that members (myself included) are afraid to ask questions. Like I said, maybe I missed something huge (I do tend to be naive) but it kind of seems like we are being asked to share our thoughts and then when enough people have done, everyone is in trouble for discussing what has already been discussed.

I don't know if that makes any sense...I'm sure my confusion is not translating very clearly.

[AdinaL]

Originally Posted by DragonflyBlue 

The person who started the new thread sent me a message on another forum I am on telling me she had requested it closed.  She then took it upon herself to start a new thread.  If I had wanted it announced in a new thread, I would have done so.  As for removing it, please don't.  I may be upset about how it was done, but the heartfelt words of kindness that are there should stay.  Those who reached out to me did so out of compassion.  Based on what went down on the other forum, I cannot say the same about what transpired with the closing and then the new thread.  Despite that, it should stay.  

We didn't close the thread because of a request, we closed it to discuss it.  I won't remove it if you are okay with it.    Please feel free to PM me if you need anything else. 
 

[Subhuti]

Cynthia,

Thank you for taking care of what happened on the "sex with the ex" thread.  I think that the rancor, language and hostility directed to a newbie merited the firm action you took (which I think was banning?).  There are so many other places on the web where those people can go and have the freedom to be that way.  But MDC is, for me, one of the few places I like to go online precisely because that kind of anonymous nastiness is not tolerated.

I think people who are worried about the sudden banning w/o warning ... if you had seen the original thread unedited, you would not be surprised at why some people were banned because of it.  It was frankly the worst thing I have ever seen on MDC. It was like a pack of wolves lit into a new poster, mocked her for her question and did it in an incredibly offensive way. 

Thank you.

Edited by Subhuti - 6/17/11 at 11:27am

[rhiandmoi]

Some things I would like to see:

A Thumbs Down option for posts. If we're going to have thumbs up, we should have thumbs down too.

In line moderation. Instead of *poofing* posts I think the mods should insert posts or edits showing what's going on, and explaining to everyone what was or was not acceptable about what was posted.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Originally Posted by Agatha_Ann 

This is kind of how I am feeling too. I am really confused as to what is happening. Is there something big that I missed?

I can tell from the continuity of the threads that posts are missing and obviously people in here are getting really upset. Makes me scared to share my opinion (if that is even what this is about anymore, I'm so lost) for fear of doing something that will get me in trouble. I do think it is sad though that members (myself included) are afraid to ask questions. Like I said, maybe I missed something huge (I do tend to be naive) but it kind of seems like we are being asked to share our thoughts and then when enough people have done, everyone is in trouble for discussing what has already been discussed.

I don't know if that makes any sense...I'm sure my confusion is not translating very clearly.

No posts are missing from this thread or the other that was closed. No one is "in trouble" for sharing their thoughts or asking questions that are civil and respectful. 

Read my post here: http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1317536/mothering-supports-racist-homophobic-diatribe/80#post_16508054

here: http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1317690/moderation-of-mdc-what-do-you-think/240#post_16508170

and here: http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1317690/moderation-of-mdc-what-do-you-think/240#post_16508205
 

[AdinaL]

Originally Posted by rhiandmoi 

Some things I would like to see:

A Thumbs Down option for posts. If we're going to have thumbs up, we should have thumbs down too.

In line moderation. Instead of *poofing* posts I think the mods should insert posts or edits showing what's going on, and explaining to everyone what was or was not acceptable about what was posted.

This is a good idea.  We used to post to say we were awaiting edits, or that things had been removed for whatever reason.  We did get complaints sometimes about people not liking what they had been contacted for being advertised, and we stopped doing that so much. I think a return to moderating in full view is a good idea.  

[mimim]

Originally Posted by AverysMomma 

Wait, wait wait.....am I to understand that Hillymum, HollyBear and mimim are banned???? I mean, that thread is disgusting and definitely not MDC-okay....but I know I've said FAR more inflammatory things (even if it was in an actual debate and because I was being overly-passionate) and KNOW that I didn't get more than a warning and stern talking to...BANNED?

Can someone please clarify and tell me that these ladies are still members and not banned??

I'm not banned, nor was I warned, nor have I ever been before. I was the first to speculate that it might be a troll thread, since she had only 2 posts and asked a rather dramatic question with a painfully obvious answer, but the OP has really cleared up that misunderstanding. I was totally disgusted with the posts that followed mine and I apologized for being insensitive by not asking for clarification, rather than making wild speculations. I'm totally ashamed of having been the catalyst for setting off what happened next.

And actually, if you see the turn that this thread has taken, I think it's a pretty good example of the board self-moderating. People came out of the woodwork to defend the OP when the thread descended into cruelty. It would have been preferable for it never to have reached that level, but it's refreshing to see that MDC members won't tolerate it.

[mimim]

Originally Posted by rhiandmoi 

Some things I would like to see:

A Thumbs Down option for posts. If we're going to have thumbs up, we should have thumbs down too.

In line moderation. Instead of *poofing* posts I think the mods should insert posts or edits showing what's going on, and explaining to everyone what was or was not acceptable about what was posted.

QFT

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by mimim 

Originally Posted by AverysMomma 

Wait, wait wait.....am I to understand that Hillymum, HollyBear and mimim are banned???? I mean, that thread is disgusting and definitely not MDC-okay....but I know I've said FAR more inflammatory things (even if it was in an actual debate and because I was being overly-passionate) and KNOW that I didn't get more than a warning and stern talking to...BANNED?

Can someone please clarify and tell me that these ladies are still members and not banned??

I'm not banned, nor was I warned, nor have I ever been before. I was the first to speculate that it might be a troll thread, since she had only 2 posts and asked a rather dramatic question with a painfully obvious answer, but the OP has really cleared up that misunderstanding. I was totally disgusted with the posts that followed mine and I apologized for being insensitive by not asking for clarification, rather than making wild speculations. I'm totally ashamed of having been the catalyst for setting off what happened next.

And actually, if you see the turn that this thread has taken, I think it's a pretty good example of the board self-moderating. People came out of the woodwork to defend the OP when the thread descended into cruelty. It would have been preferable for it never to have reached that level, but it's refreshing to see that MDC members won't tolerate it.
 

Right...self moderation is the key.  Banning just shows that the site is purely punitive if you challenge the powers that be.

Apparently the first rule of Mothering.Club is that you don't challenge Mothering.Club.
 

[Cynthia Mosher]

Not at all Chamomile Girl. There are plenty of posts that have challenged Mothering in these discussions. Membership removal was very selective of people who have demonstrated their persistent violation of our UA and failed to self-moderate. 

[Lillian J]

My first impulse was to hit the thumbs-up key in response to the mention of the change of focus, but then I went on to browse more comments throughout the thread and was stunned to find that it's become commonplace for people to get bashed for their opinions (which, of course, is not what the poster had in mind). I've always thought of Mothering as a source of support and kindness to not only children but one another, and I think that's crucial. Standards of civility have been changing in the general society/culture during the years since Mothering began, and it's a very strong force to deal with, but I think moderation should be strong and forceful enough to keep MDC civil. So I guess I'd change my vote from Other to More.  - Lillian