Forum ‘Over-Moderation’, Why?
Ok, so really riled right now so I thought I would post now while I was angry rather than wait till I have calmed down and taken a chill pill 
Why do some forums over-moderate themselves? What I mean is why do some have such strict posting rules and guidelines that it makes them a wanky place to hang out? I know that we as website owners have to be careful here in the UK as laws are such, that if something liable or defamatory is posted we are held personally responsible. I’ll give you an example of what I mean…
A forum exists for sports fans. The fans like to go on and talk about the competitors and the teams and anything else related to the sport. Ok, you may think, that makes sense. So at the moment, the users are talking about rumours they have heard, who they would like to see playing next season and generally speculating about whats going to happen in 2009. However, the moderators have decided that this is not acceptable and go around deleting threads and banning members for anything that isn’t 100% fact. I mean, come on, that’s the point of being a fan of any sport isn’t it? Discussing what can happen, might happen and will happen. I bet there are people who will read this who belong to fan forums of football teams. Do you get a ban or reprimand if you suggest that a particular player MAYBE signing for the team? Am I missing something here? As long as the comments posted don’t break any laws I can’t see the problem? This isn’t just limited to sports forums, all message boards seem to have similar problems.
On the flipside my wife frequents a forum for mothers which, has a complete LACK of moderation. Users are sometimes literally bullied online in threads by other users who obviously nothing better to do with their time. Reporting any such behaviour seems to just get ignored. Just the other week my wife took offence to an new members username. I can’t remember the exact name but it was somethiing along the lines of ‘Hornyasf*ck’. The copy and paste response that came back some 26 hours later basically said they couldnt see the problem and that the name would stay.
On forums I have run and been moderator of in the past I have always welcomed new members and even pointed them in the right direction if they can’t find something they are looking for, not abusing them for not using the search then banning them after one post for asking the same question someone else did 6 months ago.
Also why I am ranting like a girl, why do people get pissed off with ‘Necro Posting’? If a thread still has relevant information in it why are people not allowed to comment on it… ?
Someone calm me down please!
Totally agree, it makes you sick. I can’t bear sites like that. The owners of these websites should let people discuss what they want to within reason and help newbies out.
Newbies usually can’t find what they’re looking for cos the search function is pants anyway.
Grrrrrr
I totally agree. I was banned off btcc.net last year, as I stated Rick Kerry would not be racing in 2008 season. I had been informed by a member of his team/staff in Ipswich.
Did he race ? No !
How can I be banned for stating what I believed to be true, it wasnt a lie, it wanst offensive, and it was totally related to the forum !
I cant even register in a different name now. Pathetic.
BIG BROTHER at work! Total censorship!
If that is not trying to silence people to talk about the BTCC then I don’t know what is?
The website is so far behind the times, it doesn’t even have a RSS link to it’s stories, so people are going to read them on Crash.net and other sites beforehand!
The forum is dominated by kids that haven’t got a clue.
No other official Race Championship website stops people talking about the drivers and teams the way they do.
AND ironically, the moderator goes onto other forums and places links to stories on his site! Which he doesn’t allow on his!
Something else they don’t seem to grasp, banning people from that site will only send them to other sites, which then become more interesting to go to!