Fugitivus Discussion Forum

Since the Moderator thread is read-only for non-mods, and it is not possible to change the permissions for a single thread (that I've been able to figure out, anyway), here is a thread for member contributions to the ongoing discussion regarding how Code of Conduct violations should be handled.

Please keep in mind that suggestions need to be applicable to a broad range of potential future situations. Also bear in mind that this "plan of action" does not detail how a CoC violation should be determined to have occurred. If a member feels that is an important discussion to have at this point, please create a new thread for it. Discussion in that vein in this thread will be considered off-topic and deleted. To reiterate the point clearly, this thread is for a discussion of how Code of Conduct violations should be handled.

I agree in general with the outline you put forward, Llencelyn, but I'm also inclined to say that a mod violating the CoC should have moderator privileges removed until they have clearly and publicly shown that they understand what they did wrong—in other words, after the one-day suspension, their modding abilities shouldn't necessarily come back when their posting abilities do. I think that's a better way to keep the membership feeling safe.

Agreed with Hex. And I know the outline suggested was meant at least in part to avoid being over-reactionary, I think some really, really egregious violations should earn an insta-ban (like saying a survivor deserved what they went through, or intentionally triggering someone).

@Hex: That is a good suggestion. Thanks!

@Karalyn: I agree about egregious violations. The current CoC states:



So I think the notion that the outright-ban has always been an option is there, but is, at this point, a bit too implicit. So I agree that we should make it more explicit.

It also seems to me that we've already had something of a "plan of action," and what was missing during the recent meltdown was one or both of two things: 1) Having enough mods around to catch issues like that as they happen, so forum members are left to hold down the fort. 2) Having a clear-cut set of guidelines as to who, exactly, is responsible for enforcing the plan. I've been working under the assumption that it's firstly the dedicated mod, secondly all mods, but again, making that (or whatever we decide on) explicit seems necessary at this point.

Thirding Hex's suggestion that modding privileges remain suspended even after posting ones are reinstated until understanding is reached. However, with the enforcement angle - after this incident I actually started looking at the profiles of the various mods listed for assorted forums, since there's a thingy that shows when users last visited the forum. Most of the other mods haven't been here since summer, and even Mama Bear stopped showing up after October. I think it really is down to only you and MomTFH and Tevarre. You pointed out in the other thread that it's hard to get all mods to read every thread every day - given how few of you there are, I'd suggest that for the moment, one mod could be trusted to do the 24-hour suspension thing. In the most recent incident, had Megann decided to keep up the transphobic BS rather than deleting her account, she would have had days until two mods had both seen what she was up to. Since it is down to just the three of you, and all of you have lives outside the forum that preclude hovering over the refresh button so as to read each and every post within minutes, I'm pretty OK with letting any one of you decide to implement a suspension, though I do think an outright ban should be agreed upon by at least two of you.

Yeah, I too am okay with one-mod suspensions.

Only three of us since October? I thought I was imagining it...

I also agree that one mod should be able to make a 24-hour suspension. Cooling one's heals is generally a good thing, and 24 hours isn't all that bad.

I nth the suggestion proposed. I honestly would be very very put off if something like this were to happen again and it was allowed to continue for days because there wasn't another mod around to "okay" a ban.

I also feel that, in regards to a mod getting their modly powers back, in addition to what Hex suggested, that the mods aren't the only ones that decide if the banned person "understands" what they did and why it was wrong -- that there's a thread, like this one, for contributions and possibly even a vote. Just because the mods aren't the only ones impacted by shit like this, I think it would be nice if the population at large has a say in what's going on.

Ooh, yes, what Kaie said - I do agree that the community should have some input on decisions about reinstating mod powers if there ever is another incident where a mod pulls a Megann.