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Who wants to be a moderator here?

Discussion in 'General Announcements' started by AA7BQ, Aug 2, 2016.

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  1. WG7X

    WG7X Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Monkeys in a cage... I like that analogy. Fits perfectly.

    Problem is, as displayed here, is that anyone who volunteers for the job is probably unfit for the position. The old "catch 22" problem.

    It's a job that requires time and the ability to be totally impartial, things that a lot of us do not have.

    Good luck Fred, you're going to need it. My own opinion is that the discussion of politics should not be allowed here, period. Way too many bad monkeys in this particular cage.

    Throw them all back in the jungle!
     
  2. N2EY

    N2EY Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Well, I disagree, but let's put that aside. Let's say the policy is to correct rather than to delete.

    By correcting the post, the moderator is going beyond simply "maintaining order", whatever that means in the forum, and deciding upon the truth or falsity of statements. That's a valid function of moderation IMHO, when the truth or falsity is clear and unambiguous.

    Even in a political forum. There have been quotes posted here which were attributed to both candidates - yet both are 100% myths. Complete falsehoods. Neither one said anything close to the quote. And they were posted seriously, not as humor. To let such things go unchallenged and uncorrected is just wrong. Same for things like doctored pictures. Would you have lies left as the truth when they can be objectively shown to be lies?
     
  3. KD3NE

    KD3NE Ham Member QRZ Page

    Moderators do have business removing certain posts ( such as obscene imagery ) .... but not for something as minor as content error.
     
  4. KA9JLM

    KA9JLM Ham Member QRZ Page

    The moderator needs to no nothing about the subject to see name calling and ham slamming.
     
  5. W9AMM

    W9AMM Ham Member QRZ Page

    As a moderator of a political forum, you shouldn't be able to participate in the discussion or share your own views, but to be an objective, impartial voice. Umps and referees do not play the game, they enforce the rules.

    If you have a lot of things to say, then you should be part of the panel, and not the moderator. In a political forum, you have every right to have an opinion. But if you put it out there, you are essentially taking sides. In the moderator role of a political forum, your personal opinions and feelings should remain unspoken.
     
    KC9UDX and K1FBI like this.
  6. AF6LJ

    AF6LJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    There is a difference between taking sides in a discussion and taking sides with someone in that discussion. The two remaining high profile mods here were part of the Political Junkies forum and they knew the difference between taking sides in a discussion and siding up with someone in that discussion. (That would be Bob and Tony) And to their defense they NEVER let their political opinions interfere with their job.
     
    KC8VWM likes this.
  7. AF6LJ

    AF6LJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well this has certainly taken the discussion off Politics :D
    You are devious Fred :)
     
    WJ4U and N1EN like this.
  8. KP4SX

    KP4SX Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well, any user is free to do the same.
    On another forum we had a moderator who took it upon himself to correct spelling errors. And then whined that 95% of his moderating time was spent doing so. Its a real burden to be correct all the time :)
     
    AF6LJ likes this.
  9. N2EY

    N2EY Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Agreed. I'm just talking about times when nobody else does it.

    As I have repeatedly written - "this doesn't mean every typo....."
     
  10. KI4NGN

    KI4NGN Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Not the job of the moderator. One part of discussion is the refutation of something posted, and it's not a moderator's job to correct anything. Moderate is the word.
     
  11. KI4NGN

    KI4NGN Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Not the job of a moderator to correct anything.

    If someone lies, it's up to participants to point out that a message is not true.

    All the moderator does is make sure that everything stays civil with no personal attacks.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2016
    KC9UDX and W9AMM like this.
  12. KC8VWM

    KC8VWM Ham Member QRZ Page

    ...So just some of them?
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2016
    KC9UDX and W9AMM like this.
  13. N2EY

    N2EY Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    We'll have to agree to disagree, then.

    Here's something I discovered with the USB/LSB myth:

    There are hams who cling to things which are simply not true (technical and historical stuff). And if you prove to them that their beliefs are not true, some of them get very angry at you for telling them the truth. Some will continue to deny the plain and simple facts - and, when you prove it to them, they call you a bad person and a bully.

    I am not making this up.
     
  14. N2EY

    N2EY Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Here on the Zed, trying to correct even some of them is like trying to stop the rising tide with a hammer.
     
  15. N1EN

    N1EN Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I'm going to disagree with this a little bit.

    I think it depends on what kind of moderation is being sought.

    If the moderator's job is to step in when posters or threads go over the line into slander, harassment, and personal attacks, then a good moderator should be able to join in the discussion without compromising his/her role as playground monitor (assuming, of course, that the moderator has the ability to avoid falling to that level).

    An exception might be when the topic du jour is inherently borderline. Arguments that rely on statements such as "all X's should be Y'd beause they're Z's" will arguably flirt with that line. A good moderator might need to hold his/her tongue in order to maintain the appearance of objectivity when judging that fine line between a statement of political opinion and an inappropriate attack.

    Now, if the job of moderator goes beyond attempting to keep the sandbox relatively clean, and local conventions called for the moderator to work a little bit to ensure high-quality discussions (and the editing that almost certainly would entail), then perhaps the moderator needs to step back a bit from the fray, because the appearance of objectivity becomes that much more critical. However, is this really in the job description for a political moderator on the 'zed?
     
    KC9UDX and N2EY like this.
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