How do you feel about how strongly the site rules are enforced on here?

[xSuperMario64x]

I think it's just that most of the users here don't seem to understand how the reports system actually works and thus they assume it's way too strict the moment they receive a warning for something they don't think they deserved.

A warning is simply a minor, friendly reminder to follow the rules, nothing more. It's not serious, and providing you actually take the feedback on board, it means nothing and won't affect you in the long run. It's simply so we have an archive of all prior offences for when users start doing more serious offences, and we have a quick and easy history to look over. If you're just getting a warning here and there, that's fine (obviously I'm not saying you should go out and try get a warning every few months for the sake of it), it only becomes an issue when you receive a number of warnings in a short time period for the same thing - that's when it becomes an issue, and you'll start receiving infractions and bans. If you're just receiving a warning here and there for post quality, it's not anything to stress about. Just take a step back, see why you got the warning, understand it, and move on.

The next thing I see a lot is "inconsistent and targeting". Often users will report their warnings and say it's unfair because someone else posted something worse than them, or that we are targeting them, and why didn't anyone else get a warning? Chances are they probably did, you just don't know it because all reports are done and dealt with behind the scenes, so no one but that staff and the user in question know who received what. It's really tiring when users constantly complain about a warning (which I've already mentioned is minor at best), saying it's unfair because someone else posted this or that and therefore we are obviously targeting them and treating them unfairly. I can assume I that all reports are dealt with fairly and consistently, but if you do actually have an issue with why you received a warning/infraction, feel free to report it with your reasoning and we'll look into it - but chances are it'll stay.

Back when I was an immature teen I too thought a lot of the rules here were too strict and/or really dumb (*cough*signature rules*cough*), but now I 'Ve matured, looking back I can actually see and understand why they enforce them. Alongside other things, you want to build a decent quality forum, no one wants to read a thread of everyone posting "same" or "I agree" for every post.

At the end of the day, as long as you respect others and make sure your posts are contributing, and are appropriate for all age brackets, you're most likely going to be fine, we're really not asking a lot. I mean is it really that detrimental you reply to a post saying "lol swag XD" in a thread about your favorite color?

The only thing that disturbs me is when someone gets reported by someone else for some ridiculous reason and the infraction is permanently posted on their page. I think that, when they expire, infractions should be hidden from public view.

I'm sure that infractions are there to help admins and moderators keep track of how many times someone has broken the rules, but that's the business of the admins, moderators, and the person who got the infraction, not the whole forum.

 

[Red Cat]

A warning is simply a minor, friendly reminder to follow the rules, nothing more. It's not serious, and providing you actually take the feedback on board, it means nothing and won't affect you in the long run.

I know. But the 20 TBT. Resetti keeps swiping my precious bells. ;-; I'd be at 13k right now if it weren't for those warnings.

 

[amanda1983]

Are there a bunch of posts that just disappeared here? I can see them in the "What's New" section but not when I click through.

- - - Post Merge - - -

Fixed now! No idea what happened but everything's back to normal.

 

[Jake]

The only thing that disturbs me is when someone gets reported by someone else for some ridiculous reason and the infraction is permanently posted on their page. I think that, when they expire, infractions should be hidden from public view.

I'm sure that infractions are there to help admins and moderators keep track of how many times someone has broken the rules, but that's the business of the admins, moderators, and the person who got the infraction, not the whole forum.

The infraction tab is only visible to you and the staff. Regular members can not see anyone else's infraction tab but their own.
Again, another example demonstrating that users here don't really understand how the system works.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

The infraction tab is only visible to you and the staff. Regular members can not see anyone else's infraction tab but their own.
Again, another example demonstrating that users here don't really understand how the system works.

Then how come I can see how many infractions others have gotten? That's what I was talking about.

- - - Post Merge - - -

In case you're wondering, they're under the "about me" tab. Those are visible to the public. They don't specify what the infraction was for, but I don't think they should be there.

And I agree with Red Cat about taking away 20 TBT. It really isn't too much, but if you consistently get reported by people and get warnings, that's a lot of TBT to lose.

 

[Jake]

Then how come I can see how many infractions others have gotten? That's what I was talking about.

- - - Post Merge - - -

In case you're wondering, they're under the "about me" tab. Those are visible to the public. They don't specify what the infraction was for, but I don't think they should be there.

And I agree with Red Cat about taking away 20 TBT. It really isn't too much, but if you consistently get reported by people and get warnings, that's a lot of TBT to lose.

As far as I can see, there is nothing on the About Me tab that mentions infractions?
Even if it is there and I just can't see it, it shouldn't be there and I'll send the admins a message to remove it, but I think you may be mistaking them with something else, assuming you're getting confused with referrals, which is when a new user says that you referred them when signing up to the site.

 

[Hopeless Opus]

this site is VERY lenient with its rules. the fact that anyone would complain in the first time amazes me. they let us pretty much do whatever we want but still have to keep us maintained obviously. i mean, they let us CURSE for crying out loud, i've never been on a forum that allows it for all of the forum to see - on other forums you just get instabanned for cursing, lol. the rules are very laid back so if you don't outright attack someone personally or something i don't see you having much of a problem. but i guess that could just be me.

like every forum has to have rules because the people who own it will get in trouble if they don't.. and they aren't even that bad so i mean lol. they are very lenient.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

As far as I can see, there is nothing on the About Me tab that mentions infractions?
Even if it is there and I just can't see it, it shouldn't be there and I'll send the admins a message to remove it, but I think you may be mistaking them with something else, assuming you're getting confused with referrals, which is when a new user says that you referred them when signing up to the site.

Perhaps I have gotten referrals mixed up with infractions.

I just thought it was odd that when I or someone gets an infraction it shows up as a referral on their page. I just figured that was more of a personal issue.

 

[Trent the Paladin]

I don't think any of staff play favorites or single out specific people, but I do think there is a significant difference between what different members of the staff allow on this site. Everyone is human, so it's impossible to have a completely uniform standard, but I imagine you let a lot of stuff go that some other staff will hand out warnings and infractions for (although I've been wrong about people before). I'd like it if we could see which staff member issued a warning or infraction for transparency, but I understand reasons for not wanting to single that staff member out.

I can't speak for everyone, but I believe the majority of staff (Excluding project) does review all the reports. If we don't agree with something, we will mention and discuss it then enact whatever we've agreed on. We do try to make things as uniform or as clear as possible for everyone to prevent unfair treatment.

Then how come I can see how many infractions others have gotten? That's what I was talking about.

In case you're wondering, they're under the "about me" tab. Those are visible to the public. They don't specify what the infraction was for, but I don't think they should be there.

And I agree with Red Cat about taking away 20 TBT. It really isn't too much, but if you consistently get reported by people and get warnings, that's a lot of TBT to lose.

Are you sure you're not talking about referrals, aka how many people you've invited to the forum? Because unless there's a broken permission somewhere, warnings/infractions shouldn't be showing under About Me.

As for 20 TBT, perhaps it'd be better to err on the right side of the rules more often then?

 

[xSuperMario64x]

Are you sure you're not talking about referrals, aka how many people you've invited to the forum?

I'll admit my ignorance.

I could have swore that I read through all the rules like 8 times but I missed this?

And I was disappointed because I wanted this guy to join and he immediately quit. Made me cry.

 

[Haskell]

And I was disappointed because I wanted this guy to join and he immediately quit. Made me cry.

Don't worry, N64. You have me!

 

[amanda1983]

I can't speak for everyone, but I believe the majority of staff (Excluding project) does review all the reports. If we don't agree with something, we will mention and discuss it then enact whatever we've agreed on. We do try to make things as uniform or as clear as possible for everyone to prevent unfair treatment.

Are you sure you're not talking about referrals, aka how many people you've invited to the forum? Because unless there's a broken permission somewhere, warnings/infractions shouldn't be showing under About Me.

As for 20 TBT, perhaps it'd be better to err on the right side of the rules more often then?

I just sent through something about the visible infraction thing using the "report" function for your comment Tom. Sorry if that wasn't the best way to do it, I'm out and on mobile + had to type and send it before I got distracted.

Let me know if there's any questions or more info needed.