[FORUMS] Dealing with harassment/troublemakers

[PhantomLeader]

Recently, it has come to our attention that people are being harassed, both in threads and via private message. While we try to monitor threads, moderators are not perfect, and cannot always read every single post. These are large boards, and there are a lot of posts to go through. We also do not have the ability, or desire, to read anyone's private messages.
So what can you do if you are being harassed?

There are several options that you have available. If you noticed something in a thread that is obviously breaking the Forum Rules (http://swgemu.com/forums/misc.php?do=cfrules), use the report feature. To do so, simply click the 'Report Post' button...
http://notchan.org/img/reportPost.png
One of the mods will read over the reported post and deal with it accordingly. This is the most effective way to alert us to offensive or improper posts.

Additionally, if someone is sending you harassing PMs, or they are constantly annoying you on the forums, you have the option of ignoring them. To do this, click on your UserCP, scroll down to the 'Settings and Options' along the side, and click 'Edit Ignore List'. Then put in the name of the person who you wish to ignore. This will prevent you from seeing their posts and private messages. You can also visit this link to get to the list... http://www.swgemu.com/forums/profile.php?do=ignorelist
You can also forward any offensive PMs to me, and I'll deal with them.

If someone is annoying you, never resort to annoying or flaming them in return. This only succeeds in making you out to be the bad person. "They started it" may have worked back in first grade, but hopefully everybody here is older than that. If you have a problem with a user, use the report feature, ignore them, or send me a PM detailing your problems with the user and any relevant information. Don't think, however, that because they 'started it' you have permission to break forum rules.

[Newsound]

Sad that it has to come to this. But glad you guys are cleaning it up here.:lightsaber:

[Fedora]

Things have cleaned up SO much here it's unbelievable. I remember a year or two ago when you couldn't even log in without getting in a fight with someone. Those were the harsh days...

Not that I don't appreciate a good bickering session every now and then...

You guys have done a wonderful job with this. Maybe after EMU hits live, we should try to get you careers in Law Enforcement.

[Max]

It is sad it came to this. Lets hope that in a few days the whole idea of being the "Best troll" will be long forgotten.

[Stinney]

Yeah, and also its doesnt really matter what you post and how much of it you post because the worst that will happen is a one day ban.

So the report function is a little......impotent.

If someone gets 2 infractions per month they are given the same punishment as someone who gets 20 or 50.


If I gave them one for every post of theirs I've deleted, they wouldn't be here for at least two years, if not for the next decade.

As it stands, they got enough to only give them a one day ban.

[PhantomLeader]

Yeah, and also its doesnt really matter what you post and how much of it you post because the worst that will happen is a one day ban.

So the report function is a little......impotent.

If someone gets 2 infractions per month they are given the same punishment as someone who gets 20 or 50.
That's actually not correct. I only gave them two points; however, if I'd given them more, they would be banned for a longer time. Someone who gets 20 infractions in a month won't be posting for quite some time, while someone who gets 2 will simply be removed for one day.
The report function actually does not give bans; it simply alerts the moderators that the community finds a certain post or thread unacceptable. We then review the thread and deal with it according to the rules. It's not impotent in the least; we make sure to read every reported post.

[Jer]

Recently, it has come to our attention that people are being harassed, both in threads and via private message.

Good to see that it's being assessed and taken care of. We're lucky to have competent mods. I've never spent much time on the forums, being an IRC guy myself, but I've heard the horror stories (not to say it's always better in IRC, heh). Hopefully more people will soon begin to realize that respect is the most important building block of a good community.

[PhantomLeader]

I'd also like to add that there is now a way to report private message harassment. If someone is harassing you via those means, simply click the 'Report Private Message' button (it's situated right above the message, and looks almost exactly like the 'Report Post' button), and we'll take appropriate measures. Again, note that the best way to keep someone from harassing you is to simply ignore them, but in the event that it gets out of hand, you now have more options.

[Ekowraith]

Do you guys disclose ban reasons? I remember reporting AZIronman and seeing his ban within a few days of that.

[Ekaika]

The reason is disclosed to the person in question as well as the moderation staff automatically. Reasons must be given, so there is no arbitrary actions taken without notation.