Is it possible to submit a complaint about a moderator?

[Snowfox]

I have recently had a post deleted which contributed to discussion. The moderator who deleted it suggested that the post was irrelevant speculation, when it contained information relevant to the discussion. My post was deleted without warning.

I can find no system to appeal this, and I would like information on how to complain about moderating actions... You don't realise how heavy-handed and tyrannical this forum is when you're just lurking.

Name calling is not allowed at MR.

[Barbara1955]

No Clue but hes not the only one lately. Use to be MR was both Informative & Fun! But Mods & their Buddies have taken over turned into Rude Crass Bullies!

[BetterRed]

@Snowfox - try sending a PM to Alexander Turcic

BR

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Katie1

No Clue but hes not the only one lately. Use to be MR was both Informative & Fun! But Mods & their Buddies have taken over turned into Rude Crass Bullies!

Katie, I'd like to suggest, gently, that you look at your own language and think about who exactly is behaving rudely.

@Snowfox: You are always welcome to message a mod and ask the reason for a decision, even to request a reversal. It would be more productive than insults, which are against MR policy.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by issybird

Katie, I'd like to suggest, gently, that you look at your own language and think about who exactly is behaving rudely.

.

Gee I not one the saying a person LIEs then in the next sentence says they Never Do what was said.... Really!

Then he or his Buddy Deletes the Statements. BUT Only cause what was said wasn't about the Topic but WAS! I Have the Email to Prove it!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Katie1

Gee I not one the saying a person LIEs then in the next sentence says they Never Do what was said.... Really!

Then he or his Buddy Deletes the Statements. BUT Only cause what was said wasn't about the Topic but WAS! I Have the Email to Prove it!

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Who lied or said they never do what was said (and for that matter, what was said?)

Also, any moderator can see both deleted posts and the edit history of a post (or the edit history of a deleted post).
So we can already find out the truth without your email. No need to try proving anything to the admin board who sent you the email in the first place.



About the post that instigated this thread, I can confirm that the content of said post was, in fact, the speculation that Dr. Drib stated.

While it could maybe be said to be somewhat heavy-handed to delete comments that are "ontopic" but, nevertheless, speculation (after the warning) which does not inform us of anything new...
IMHO the decision was fair, insomuch as the reason given was factually correct.


If I had been interested in monitoring that thread for compliance to pdurrant's rules, I would've deleted the post myself.
Personally, I don't see the need to insist on "no speculation". Threads will usually accumulate a certain detritus, accompanied by minor s, repetition, and metacomments about the thread *itself*, so unless there is a really compelling reason to restrict those posts, I wouldn't stir myself to insist on it.

That being said, I posted a similar warning on the closed-Kindle firmware 5.6.5 jailbreak thread, but I kind of feel there was an imminent, good reason there.





Lastly, I'd just like to say, I still feel MobileRead is both informative and fun. (With the exception of the opt-in Politics & Religion forum, which is sometimes informative, and sometimes fun, for a dubious value of "fun" but usually not both. At least not for the same person. )
The number of times a moderator spoils the party (any party) is quite, quite low.

[Barbara1955]

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Katie1

No one in Admim Board sent me an E-Mail!:sm ack::rof l:

Alexander Turcic set up the email system that sent you an email. That's why the email came from MobileRead, right?
At least, I assume the email you are talking about is the MR subscribed thread notification.


And surprise surprise the admin board has access to any information that was emailed.



I can't help but feel you are strenuously missing my point.

The moderators saw the same post you did, and aren't trying to deny or pretend anything.
Someone made the call that that post did not fit with pdurrant's moderator warning.

Claiming that you know the "truth" will get you precisely nowhere.
That decision *could* get overturned... if someone argues convincingly that the circumstances should have been evaluated differently.

Claiming that the Moderators are bullies who lie about why they delete things is not productive. If you were right, then the "bullies" are the ones you are complaining to, why do you think you will get a fair response?
If you're wrong (and I think you are) you have impugned the honor of a number of people based on your misreading a situation, and insulted the judgment of Alex, who chose the moderators.
If MobileRead is all that nasty, why do you come here?



And I think it is rather ironic that you claim to be offended by the perceived rudeness of the moderators.
"Let not he who lives in a glass house throw the first stone" and all that.

Again you no clue

What is this "again" you speak of?

[JoHunt]

Deleted post.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by Snowfox

I can find no system to appeal this, and I would like information on how to complain about moderating actions...

You can use the "Report post" button on any post, including a moderator's. Or you can send a PM to any moderator (and if there's the possibility everything was a misunderstanding, try the "problem" moderator first).

You don't realise how heavy-handed and tyrannical this forum is when you're just lurking.

Moderators are normal persons, and normal forum users, and they have to deal with all kinds of people and situations, including spammers and trolls. It's not so difficult to (1) overlook some nuances and details and act too fast or with too little explanation, and/or (2) get tired of annoying people and be too harsh with those who don't deserve it.

Anyway, whatever we do, someone will always complain

[darryl]

I think the action of the moderator is fine in relation to the particular thread. The moderator concerned started that thread himself as a servive to Kindle Owners. There is a vary good argument that this particular thread has one over-riding purpose. To ascertain Amazon's policy on access to materials after closure by Amazon of the account. The moderators emails to Amazon are obviously relevant, as are any replies from Amazon, which go to the heart of that thread. Also relevant are people's experiences with closed accounts, relevant links etc. What is much less relevant is Amazon's reasons for closing accounts, or speculation with little or no factual basis. In my experience most threads are not strictly moderated for relevance, and I do not think this is a bad thing.

However, in the context of this thread, I for one think it should be strictly limited to the most relevant posts. Quite frankly, I for one would like to read the strictly relevant material in this particular thread without reading through pages and pages of much less relevant material. And there is no harm done! There is absolutely nothing stopping anyone opening a thread to discuss wider issues, including Amazon's reasons for closing accounts.

[John F]

FWIW, I think the moderators do a relatively good job. But, they are people, and thier biases become apparent.

I have no problem with the thread in question: the OP/mod articulated multiple times what the thread was supposed to be about.

However, some threads, IMO, get warnings for barely any infringement, while others can go completely off topic with no comment what-so-ever from a mod, and to me it looks like it is because the mod has a very strong interest (or lack) in the subject of the thread.

I would hope that if the mod has a known bias for a thread subject, or is participating in the discussion, they would ask another mod to moderate the thread.

Or maybe they are just enforcing the rule:

"Threads have a life of their own and may stray in all sorts of directions. However, if the original poster, or a moderator, requests that a thread stay on topic then please respect their wishes. You could start a thread of your own about the new topic, if you want. If a thread moves to parallel discussion of two separate topics then you may also request a moderator to move posts related to a new topic to their own thread with the "Report Posts" function."

In which case instead of a mod just saying "Please stay on topic", they could post "The OP has requested that the thread stay on topic. Please stay on topic. This means you."

I also wish the rules weren't so wishy-washy/more strictly enforced. For example: "Similarly, discussions or questions about the actions of the Moderating Team are not permitted on open forum. Moderation actions are confidential between the team and the member in question. If you have any questions about an action, please address them to the team or other member by Private Message." and yet here we are discussing moderators actions.

[Cinisajoy]

If one wants very strong enforcement of the "forum rules", there are other forums that are way more heavy handed. This is not the only forum in town.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

If one wants very strong enforcement of the "forum rules", there are other forums that are way more heavy handed. This is not the only forum in town.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that most people here come for the ebook/ereader (and all that entails) portions of the forum first; moderating/moderators are a neccesary evil.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by John F

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that most people here come for the ebook/ereader (and all that entails) portions of the forum first; moderating/moderators are a neccesary evil.

I am going out on a limb and guessing that I have no clue why most people come to this particular forum. Since there are dozens of sub forums I would say dozens of reasons.
I was just answering your heavy hand comment. I have not seen that here.
Except maybe when someone violates the copyright rule and then it makes perfect sense and still isn't heavy handed.
I am sure I will wind up being moderated here at least once or twice. Probably due to the not thinking about what I posted.

I like it here because I can post my opinion without someone getting their knickers twisted.