I think in addition to the above guidelines (which sound reasonable) it should be added that any effort by a user to contact/harass a mod outside of RC.com (facebook, private email, etc.) should be grounds for immediate banzing.

And vice-versa, of course.

Curt

Of course.

I understand the harassing but not the contacting part.

I just think it would help if business stayed in the office, you know? I've heard some horror stories from more than a few mods about users pm'ing them on facebook and private email.

Were I a mod, I wouldn't answer them, but still.

This is true; I once had an irate user call me late at night in a drunken rage after he Googled my name and found contact info.

Of course if a mod provides contact info to a user who they welcome hearing from, then that would be their business independent of the site.

...it would be nice if the moderator intervention process could be a bit more more deliberative--instead of just pulling the trigger. Jay and I both used to be moderators here and it seems (to me, at least) like the process has become less deliberative lately.

When a "mistake" is made, it would also be nice for the moderator in question to simply say so--and offer an apology.

Of course.

Ah the Great Wringing of Hands continues at rc.com. The more things change the more they stay the same.

I have come round to the thinking that while mods are necessary on a forum site like this, knowing their identity is not.

In fact I have come to understand that knowing the identity of mods is destructive, for a site like this - one full of mostly strangers with no accountability to one another.

Now the horse done bolted the barn here a long time ago. But going forward if you want to tamp this shit down, here is my recommendation:

1. Shield the identity of mods. Make that iron clad... if a mod outs herself she outs herself out of a job. If a user outs a mod the user outs herself from the site. Under no circumstances should a mod be associated with a user identity.

2. Mod from behind the curtain. Do it swift, do it sure. Do not issue childish warnings. If someone breaks the rules, take action, don't be a pussy. Never EVER agonize over a decision in front of your charges - that is some stupid fucking shit and is not leadership in any form. Leaders don't whine to their troops.

3. Whackamole - a troll pops up you don't like? Whack her and shut the fuck up about it. I mean it...

4. NEVER EVER EXPLAIN A RULING. NOT EVER. Take your decision, take your action, and LIVE WITH IT. You want to be a leader then you have to shoulder the leader's responsibility to LIVE WITH HER DECISIONS.

5. You don't get to share that load by explaining yourself so everyone can go ... 'Aw! You poor thing, you were FORCED, forced I tell you, to take that action!"

NO! You want to be a leader, LEAD, and shut the fuck up about it.

That will cure what ails moderation on this site. It used to be grade school here, the old mods. Under this ddt regime the mods are much more relaxed than in the past... high school teachers (in an inner city school).

No! Rule it like a prison warden. Never explain. Just do it.

DMT

I agree with the principle, but just keep in mind that this can be quite hard to investigate and enforce in practice unless we can "see" the evidence.

DDT

I do believe you should take a serious look at the effect of off-topic posting areas on the on-topic areas.

Do we really need a place on a rock climbing site to talk about non-climbing-related matters? It encourages people to spend all day posting meaningless shit to the off-topic areas, and then taking the same approach to posting to the on-topic areas.

That logic is convoluted and wrong. The site needs off-topic forums in order to keep off-topic posts in their place.

Jay

I wonder if David has ever seen Supertopo?

I wonder if David has ever seen Supertopo?