What is over-moderation?

[Shawn Gossman1]

How do you feel about overall forum moderation styles?

Do you feel that some forums over-moderate?

What does over-moderation look like to you?

What moderation techniques are just taking it too far?

 

[Aaron]

I would say a moderator locking a topic over a debate or something they disliked. I've come across forums where they lock topics about American politics just because they don't like someone in politics. If the debate got heated sure but not just because the moderator has a certain feeling towards a topic.

 

[Elseb1]

I think moderators who are constantly talking about rules and prevent good discussion points. I don't see it all that often but when it does happen, it's extremely annoying.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

I think moderators should be more like active helpful members than rule enforcers

That's what I want me to look like as the admin, too.

 

[Dilip]

Some really do. I have seen webmasters who don't care about members but use them to their benefit. When there is any voice of disagreement they hit the ban button. It makes us feel like we are in .... North Korea?

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

Some really do. I have seen webmasters who don't care about members but use them to their benefit. When there is any voice of disagreement they hit the ban button. It makes us feel like we are in .... North Korea?

I agree.

I only ban when it gets to a point of trolling or bullying. Then I understand it.

But if members don't agree or want to give feedback that isn't positive, that's what makes a community a community in my opinion.

Over-moderation is a good way to kill a forum.

It's also a good way to make people make their own forum. Most of my forums were made because of that!

 

[Dilip]

I have been to a friend's forum once. While the whole atmosphere was nice the staff doubted everyone to revolt the next second. They read your PMs, be aggressive about local groups and so on.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

I have been to a friend's forum once. While the whole atmosphere was nice the staff doubted everyone to revolt the next second. They read your PMs, be aggressive about local groups and so on.

There is nothing more that makes me madder than a community that reads PMs.

I'll read something that's been reported but to go read PMs on a whim is wrong. It almost makes me feel like a Correctional Officer reading inmate mail. That's acceptable in confinement but a forum is not confinement.

 

[PGen982]

Over-moderation used to be common on larger forums in the early days, but it is so unnecessary now. It's like a self-imposed death sentence. Yes, there are things to keep an eye on, situations where you should step in and say something, and situations where you have to take action; however, if you're shutting down discussion, closing threads or banning members over trivialities, you're giving them every excuse to abandon your forum and look elsewhere. Elsewhere is easy to find, so never take your members for granted.

 

[Shawn Gossman1]

It's like a self-imposed death sentence.

I like that answer for this question!

You're right about it.

The few forums I've left in modern times have been because of over-moderation.

I think it's a good way to kill your forum, indeed.

 

[PGen982]

I like that answer for this question!

You're right about it.

The few forums I've left in modern times have been because of over-moderation.

I think it's a good way to kill your forum, indeed.

Without question, if you micro-manage and fixate on things that just aren't that big of a deal, you're going to very quickly wind up annoying and alienating your users.