Another thread closed

[kc]

Surely the worst closure was the thread on the most important subject ever about aeromodelling - the new regulations facing aeromodellers. Closing that thread has prevented aeromodellers putting their point of view and even worse has stopped the general public and MP's reading our views.

[Stephen Smith 14]

I don't come here often over moderated and quite frankly there is bigger and better out there, I no longer buy RCM&E as I feel more than once they have prevented me making a perfectly valid comment about a product, kind of tells me there not bothered as long as they keep taking the advertisers money and no one gets to know the truth.

[SIMON CRAGG]

By and large I think this is a great forum. Even though I have been in the hobby for 40+ years, I find there is always something to learn. I believe I have also helped out newbies to this site. Life is to short to get bitter and twisted!. Lets just get on with this fantastic hobby and have "FUN". Our club is going from strength to strength. All it needs is a dose of enthusiasm from the committee and non of those "Negative waves man"!.

[Jason-I]

Posted by Percy Verance on 21/05/2019 19:20:00:

Not necessarily kc. If you e mail your MP them or write to them, they should, in theory, still read your views.........

 

I'm disappointed the CAA consultation thread was closed too. I would have liked to know what response people are getting from their letters. So far I've had no response - and in my book, no response = they have not bothered to read it.

 

I do like this forum though, and believe moderators try to do their best - just difficult to always make the right call I guess.

Edited By Jason Inskip on 21/05/2019 19:48:25

[Levanter]

Posted by Jason Inskip on 21/05/2019 19:46:19:

Posted by Percy Verance on 21/05/2019 19:20:00:

Not necessarily kc. If you e mail your MP them or write to them, they should, in theory, still read your views.........

I'm disappointed the CAA consultation thread was closed too. I would have liked to know what response people are getting from their letters. So far I've had no response - and in my book, no response = they have not bothered to read it.

I do like this forum though, and believe moderators try to do their best - just difficult to always make the right call I guess.

Edited By Jason Inskip on 21/05/2019 19:48:25

Jason

You could always start another thread just for responses. If the spiral of decline was kept out of it and it was based on what the CAA or MPs actually say it would be helpful. It might even go the distance if everyone kept their cool.

Levanter

[Don Fry]

Nelson Mandela, "Forgiveness starts here. Forgiveness liberates the soul"

Memory fuelled by St Émilion AOC.

I would agree with you Percy.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I expect there'll be more threads on it when there's stuff to say, it's a forum.

[Paul C.]

We rc modelers are all passionate about our hobby and at times things can get a little heated but on the whole the mods do a good job of keeping us under control but still allow a good debate.

Compare this forum to Facebook which I have recently had the misfortune to use, the subject matter and foul and abusive language is beyond belief , this forum is for all ages to view and use and to be fair the mods are doing a good job of keeping things in order.

Paul.

[Solly]

I fully agree Percy. Like you I've never used Facebook. I think the problem is that people make comments on a forum which they wouldn't make if they were standing face to face with somebody, they are safe in the knowledge that there won't be any consequences. A safe haven for bullies.

[Don Fry]

Agree, and they sell yer data.

[Kevin 216]

Never felt the urge to do Facebook, Twitter, etc, so I have not experience on how they are moderated. With regards to this forum and its moderators I think they do a good job keeping it friendly whilst allowing healthy debate. Unfortunately the debate can become heated and needs to be calmed down.

[Jon H]

I use facebook all the time and never have any trouble.

My profile is set up so that only my friends can see it, and if anyone gets abusive on a public post i comment on (like NASA's page or something) then i simply block them and click the 'report abuse' button.

Clearly i do not know the exact circumstances that afflicted Percy's friend (and im certainly not going to ask) but in my experience there is nothing on facebook that would cause that sort of a reaction.

[Bob Cotsford]

Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 22/05/2019 09:33:15:

I use facebook all the time and never have any trouble.

My profile is set up so that only my friends can see it, and if anyone gets abusive on a public post i comment on (like NASA's page or something) then i simply block them and click the 'report abuse' button.

Clearly i do not know the exact circumstances that afflicted Percy's friend (and im certainly not going to ask) but in my experience there is nothing on facebook that would cause that sort of a reaction.

Same here. I've bought a couple of bargains from the various selling groups on fb, and as a mature adult I've yet to be personally offended by some stranger's thoughts or opinions.

[Nigel R]

"Never felt the urge to do Facebook, Twitter, etc, so I have not experience on how they are moderated."

By and large it is not moderated.

Not everyone is thick skinned.

Not everyone is savvy enough to block and report content.

Bullying occurs via social media, and it can have large negative effects on people's lives.

[Peter Miller]

From what I have heard about Facebook and similar sites, I am not interested.

[Levanter]

Posted by Doc Marten on 22/05/2019 10:15:26:

Posted by Andrew Ray on 22/05/2019 09:27:31:

But warn folks and delete posts if necessary but don't close down a thread that there are obviously passions about, moderate it.

Exactly right and who suggested an unmoderated forum? For a forum to be successful with contented members there has to be a balance of self and appointed moderation.

A number of replies are saying that the Moderators allow healthy debate, well that's contrary to what's been experienced. The reason for this thread was to ask why the decision on the latest closure was taken before it got anywhere close to 'robust', the reply being that it had the potential to get heated, was likely to repeat itself and had been reported; Is that the applied thread closing criteria? The comments that the moderation is "consistent" when other threads have been allowed to run having clearly breached the CofC and have gone around in circles more times than a control line pulse jet show that there is little consistency, the EV thread being a prime example.

The responses that the the Mods have better things to do with their time is probably the worst statement to make, it's the same as hearing a Police representitive state that they have better things to do than deal with the public. It is after all, their 'Raison D'etre'.

Edited By Doc Marten on 22/05/2019 10:30:10

I detect the forum is being not being moderated with the same degree of frequency as previously. Clearly with the sad departure of BEB who was very active both as a poster and moderator, the workload on the other mods has increased and quite possibly time is relevant.

There doesn't really seem to be much point to this thread especially as the CoC you refer to also prohibits the discussion and criticism of moderators decisions on the forum. If you personally are dissatisfied with the conduct of the forum and want further answers to why any thread was locked, my view is you should PM a moderator and ask them in private.

Levanter

[Nigel R]

As to the reason the other thread was closed, I imagine it was because (from forum code of practice):

"Please refrain from:

...

Engaging in or encouraging debate on political and/or religious matters. "

 

Levanter, I think you have something there, the mod team are stretched a bit thinner, until another generous soul steps up.

Edited By Nigel R on 22/05/2019 11:23:31

[Nigel R]

Posted by Doc Marten on 22/05/2019 11:27:53:

Posted by Nigel R on 22/05/2019 11:04:23:

"Never felt the urge to do Facebook, Twitter, etc, so I have not experience on how they are moderated."

By and large it is not moderated.

Not everyone is thick skinned.

Not everyone is savvy enough to block and report content.

Bullying occurs via social media, and it can have large negative effects on people's lives.

Nigel, you could counter every one of these points by applying the contrary, one mans food is another mans poison, Facebook is used by almost 2.4 BILLION people, that's about a third of the global population.

No, to all of that.

[Nigel R]

<deleted>

Edited By Nigel R on 22/05/2019 13:14:08

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Whilst I miss BEBs presence myself, I see no difference in the modding standard, BEB joined discussions more. The fact that we're discussing modding goes against the CoC, yet here we are and threads not closed ?

Maybe we should look to ourselves for why the threads got closed eh.

Facebooks been great for our club, brought us new members and causes no grief.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

There's some real dross on facebook Percy and plenty unpleasant people, block them or don't join the groups.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I did Percy till the club opened a site, some good groups out there.

Going around in circles Doc, I'm fine with the mods.

[Nigel R]

Posted by john stones 1 on 22/05/2019 13:16:51:

The fact that we're discussing modding goes against the CoC, yet here we are and threads not closed ?

Discussing a particular decision goes against CoC.

Discussing the modding in a general sense doesn't.

I think.

[Nigel R]

Posted by Doc Marten on 22/05/2019 14:24:04:

One post has even been deleted.

Mods haven't deleted any posts yet, as far as I can tell.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

To me It's going round in circles, you don't get to choose my thoughts. Did the mods err ? Maybe they did in allowing a thread about who wasn't going to register, or pay their money, that could portray modellers in a bad light and be unhelpful. I couldn't possibly comment as I leave the mods to it.

Playing with words Nigel, we are discussing the decisions taken.