Post by thekid965 on May 13, 2014 10:22:36 GMT -5
In the wake of recent events, we've been compelled to revisit our system of warning users, which has come under fire for being too lenient in the face of a user who is clearly and flagrantly creating a disruption to the boards. Some users have even quit GSP and deleted their accounts over what they see as a lack of action on our parts in dealing with one such troublemaker, which is a pretty clear indication that what we're doing isn't working as intended. As we would rather not lose more good posters over the antics of the troll brigade, we are currently discussing ways in which we can better implement our disciplinary system.
For the record, this is how the system currently works:
First offense: Verbal warning. (The offender may get one "gentle reminder" before the official warning.)
Second offense: Warning level 5%.
Third offense: Warning level +5% (10%).
Fourth offense: Warning level +15% (25%).
Fifth offense: Warning level +25% (50%).
Sixth offense: Warning level +50% (100%) & three-day ban.
Any subsequent offenses carry increasing ban lengths -- one week, one month, or infinity -- at the discretion of the admins.
It was originally felt that the threat of a ban, as well as a visual reminder of how close you are to earning one (the warning level) would be enough of a deterrent. It now seems this is not the case at all.
We are currently reviewing this system to see what improvements can be made without resorting to an outright system of admin tyranny, where the bans are flying left and right for any perceived offenses by the unprivileged user base of the board. Many of us have experiences on boards like that, and none of us want to travel down that path if it can be at all avoided. However, sometimes it simply is necessary for an admin to assert his or her authority and layeth the appropriate smacketh down upon someone who is unambiguously creating a disturbance.
The following is one proposal that is under consideration at this time. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS ONLY A PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. It has not been adopted as the official rules of the road, and is subject to revision at any time. It is being presented here solely for the purposes of public comment on what is becoming a pretty serious issue.
This idea would take the original intent of the warning system but add more teeth to it by carrying mandatory bans with it as the level rises. For instance, after the initial verbal warning:
First offense: Warning level 10%.
Second offense: Warning level +15% (25%) & 24-hour ban.
Third offense: Warning level +25% (50%) & three-day ban.
Fourth offense: Warning level +50% (100%) & one-week ban.
Fifth offense: Lifetime ban.
The 5% warning level would be dropped entirely under this system, and notice how each warning level above 10% would now carry a ban of increasing length with it.
All comments on this system, good and bad, are welcomed, appreciated, and encouraged in this thread. In the end, this is your community as much as it is ours, and we want this place to be fun and fair for everyone -- but balancing that is the need to be firm when someone comes along to disrupt all of that. We don't want to implement rules that you guys are unhappy with to the extent you'd rather leave than see this place deteriorate into either anarchy or dictatorship... that's why this thread exists, to give you a peek into our thought processes and show you what we're doing to correct an issue.
Please, don't be afraid to leave your comments here.
For the record, this is how the system currently works:
First offense: Verbal warning. (The offender may get one "gentle reminder" before the official warning.)
Second offense: Warning level 5%.
Third offense: Warning level +5% (10%).
Fourth offense: Warning level +15% (25%).
Fifth offense: Warning level +25% (50%).
Sixth offense: Warning level +50% (100%) & three-day ban.
Any subsequent offenses carry increasing ban lengths -- one week, one month, or infinity -- at the discretion of the admins.
It was originally felt that the threat of a ban, as well as a visual reminder of how close you are to earning one (the warning level) would be enough of a deterrent. It now seems this is not the case at all.
We are currently reviewing this system to see what improvements can be made without resorting to an outright system of admin tyranny, where the bans are flying left and right for any perceived offenses by the unprivileged user base of the board. Many of us have experiences on boards like that, and none of us want to travel down that path if it can be at all avoided. However, sometimes it simply is necessary for an admin to assert his or her authority and layeth the appropriate smacketh down upon someone who is unambiguously creating a disturbance.
The following is one proposal that is under consideration at this time. PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS ONLY A PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME. It has not been adopted as the official rules of the road, and is subject to revision at any time. It is being presented here solely for the purposes of public comment on what is becoming a pretty serious issue.
This idea would take the original intent of the warning system but add more teeth to it by carrying mandatory bans with it as the level rises. For instance, after the initial verbal warning:
First offense: Warning level 10%.
Second offense: Warning level +15% (25%) & 24-hour ban.
Third offense: Warning level +25% (50%) & three-day ban.
Fourth offense: Warning level +50% (100%) & one-week ban.
Fifth offense: Lifetime ban.
The 5% warning level would be dropped entirely under this system, and notice how each warning level above 10% would now carry a ban of increasing length with it.
All comments on this system, good and bad, are welcomed, appreciated, and encouraged in this thread. In the end, this is your community as much as it is ours, and we want this place to be fun and fair for everyone -- but balancing that is the need to be firm when someone comes along to disrupt all of that. We don't want to implement rules that you guys are unhappy with to the extent you'd rather leave than see this place deteriorate into either anarchy or dictatorship... that's why this thread exists, to give you a peek into our thought processes and show you what we're doing to correct an issue.
Please, don't be afraid to leave your comments here.
