Discussion about moderation

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tross0924
tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
in Chit-Chat
Recently there have been a few threads that have been locked and or removed because they were considered to be "about" topics that are not allowed on the forums. Personally I don't think that a thread entitled "Looking for Republican friends to help me lose weight" is ABOUT politics. (Feel free to substitute Democrat / Christian / or LGBTG for Republican) When other people come into the thread and say I think Republicans are dumb, they are making their post about politics and that one post should be removed, but I think deleting the whole thread is going to far.

The reason they're removed is because it's said they cause to much arguing. Well if that's the case then they shouldn't allow Paleo / Primal, Anti carb, fasting diets, or Muscle weighs more than fat threads either. :-p

What do you all think. Are posts asking for similar friends ABOUT the forbidden issues? Are they ABOUT making friends with similar issues? Should they be allowed?
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Replies

  • Trixtabella
    Trixtabella Posts: 471 Member
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    I agree, people that are looking for people with similar life style choices or hobbies ect shouldn't have there posts closed down.
    As you said if this is the case people asking for friends around the same age to help them loose weight could be seen as ageist.
  • randa_behnam
    randa_behnam Posts: 488 Member
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    people take things too personally...this is a support group. We are all here for the same reason. If those people take things the wrong way then maybe they should find another site to use. Unless obviously if something was aimed at them personally then its ok to report it but otherwise people should just chiiilllllllll :smokin:
  • Dizzle_65
    Dizzle_65 Posts: 249 Member
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    My quwestion would be is it relevant to weight loss / healthy lifestyle.

    Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Labour or Conservative it has nothing to do with what you eat how much you exercise - therefore irrelevant.

    Paleo, low carb, WW, Atkins etc. do so are relevant
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
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    I'm OK with the moderator keeping the site as it was set up. As long as they are consistent in enforcing their own rules. Topics other than fitness can be explored elsewhere, it's a big internet.
  • SmartFunGorgeous
    SmartFunGorgeous Posts: 699 Member
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    There are rules in place for very good reasons, and though they may not apply perfectly to every situation, they certainly aren't there to make our lives difficult. This free website is the best place I've ever found for health and fitness, and a lot of that is because I don't have to focus on anything outside the scope of being healthy. If I have a real-life issue with say, people who like cats, it doesn't affect my weight loss goals one iota, so we can still be friends and support each other. Lame example, I know, but I'm just saying that if this site's main focus is health and fitness (my FITNESS pal) then it makes sense that the forums be focused on aspects of that, rather than lifestyle choices and views that don't really have an affect on that. I think the moderators do a pretty good job.
  • SmartFunGorgeous
    SmartFunGorgeous Posts: 699 Member
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    And I didn't know there was going to be a person with a cat as her profile pic when I posted my response! lol :laugh:
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
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    And I didn't know there was going to be a person with a cat as her profile pic when I posted my response! lol :laugh:
    Its OK the cat on my profile picture is doing Tai Chi. Wave paws like moving clouds to be exact. But, I digress badly. Sorry moderator.
    I could post on the fitness merits of Tai Chi though.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Recently there have been a few threads that have been locked and or removed because they were considered to be "about" topics that are not allowed on the forums. Personally I don't think that a thread entitled "Looking for Republican friends to help me lose weight" is ABOUT politics. (Feel free to substitute Democrat / Christian / or LGBTG for Republican) When other people come into the thread and say I think Republicans are dumb, they are making their post about politics and that one post should be removed, but I think deleting the whole thread is going to far.

    The reason they're removed is because it's said they cause to much arguing. Well if that's the case then they shouldn't allow Paleo / Primal, Anti carb, fasting diets, or Muscle weighs more than fat threads either. :-p

    What do you all think. Are posts asking for similar friends ABOUT the forbidden issues? Are they ABOUT making friends with similar issues? Should they be allowed?

    If anything, yesterday's fiasco should have proved to you that religious topics do indeed cause arguing and hurt feelings. There must have been at least ten threads that popped up with protests, complaints, etc. and now there's this one the next day.

    What more proof do you need that keeping religion off the forums is necessary?
  • Angellore
    Angellore Posts: 519 Member
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    My quwestion would be is it relevant to weight loss / healthy lifestyle.

    Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Labour or Conservative it has nothing to do with what you eat how much you exercise - therefore irrelevant.

    Paleo, low carb, WW, Atkins etc. do so are relevant

    This is true but I think the LGBTQ thread can be relevant to weight loss, after all there is hate aimed at people becuase of their sexuality and this may affect how they eat - that is they may binge or starve becuase of bullying or harrassment due to their sexuality, and no matter how much non LGBTQ people may sympathise, it is difficult to fully understand unless you have been there yourself. Personally, I think that if the thread is clearly marked as LGBTQ/Republican/Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Democrat/Green/Vegan/Pagan WHATEVER then there is no problem, as people with different viewpoints don't need to view it. Unfortunately some people can't leave well alone and have to rock the boat. IMO anyone is entitled to their views or beliefs, as long as they don't force it down my throat, or hurt others becuase of their views (i.e. Racists, sexists, homophobes etc). There are plenty of threads for Mom's who want to lose weight. I don't have or want kids, but I don't throw my toys out of the pram because I can't join the group!
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    I guess I'm in favor of the creators of the site getting to set the rules. It was the title of her post that made me uncomfortable. But for me, I just chose to ignore it and not click on it or respond. Then I saw the "antithesis" post and loved the snarkiness of the title. So I responded there. *shrug* Just because we have freedom of speech (at least in the US), doesn't mean we do so on here. My attitude is probably not very popular...don't like the rules? go somewhere else.
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
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    Well for the record I didn't see any of the fiasco threads or protest threads yesterday. And also this isn't a protest thread. I was just wondering what other peoples opinions are on people looking for similar friends. If that qualified as being about the the forbiden topic or if it should be allowed?

    And while it's true that the Paleo / carb / WW threads do have something to do with weight loss, they are many things allowed that don't. If I'm looking for friends from Utah that's allowed, or if I was looking for other plumbers, that'd be ok. Or how about other married guys? If I posted a thread about any of those things no one would say my thread was about Utah, or about plumbers, or about married guys.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Well for the record I didn't see any of the fiasco threads or protest threads yesterday. And also this isn't a protest thread. I was just wondering what other peoples opinions are on people looking for similar friends. If that qualified as being about the the forbiden topic or if it should be allowed?

    Yes, it qualifies as being about the forbidden topic.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    What members do or do not think is rather a moot point. Privately owned websites, such as this one, are dictatorships not democracies. Admin / Mods will do whatever they think is right to preserve the integrity of the site as they see fit (and largely to have an easy life more than anything else.)

    If you go into somebody's house you abide by their rules. Don't like it? Make your point, see if it makes a change, if not and it means that much to you then leave. I can tell you what won't happen though. The website won't fold because an individual or even group leaves, no matter how popular, right or important they perceive themselves to be. I have seen entire groups flounce because their popularity went to their heads only to come crawling back a few weeks later...
  • skittybang
    skittybang Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I'm for the moderation. Sometimes you'll see posters pushing the envelope. And the other posters responding with saying "thread locked in 3,2.." they know what they're saying will be viewed as inappropriate. It's like the kid that fans his hand over the stove .."doesn't burn, doesn't burn, F$#% it burns!!" Everyone has a little punk kid in them who wants to see what they can get away with.

    :bigsmile:

    Plus, where's the fun if you didn't ruffle a few feathers
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I totally agree with you Qarol. The mods get to make the rules. They provide this free to us (yeah, you have to deal with ads, small price to pay) and therefore I say don't complain - follow the rules and if you don't like it, find another site to use.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I guess I'm in favor of the creators of the site getting to set the rules. It was the title of her post that made me uncomfortable. But for me, I just chose to ignore it and not click on it or respond. Then I saw the "antithesis" post and loved the snarkiness of the title. So I responded there. *shrug* Just because we have freedom of speech (at least in the US), doesn't mean we do so on here. My attitude is probably not very popular...don't like the rules? go somewhere else.

    This. :smile:

    I run a forum. Not as big as this one, but after a short time, you come to realize what topics are just plain Bad News.

    I like to compare a community like this to a big party at the owner's house. We're all invited, all's cool, but if people start bickering about stupid things, it ruins all the fun. It's easier to just make a blanket statement, like "don't talk about this, this and that," than to pick and choose which of those topics is ok and which are ticking time bombs.

    Plus, we have the blogs to talk about whatever we want, with no censorship. That's like the host of the party saying, "Don't smoke in my house, but if you want to go on the porch, you can light up all you want. Here's an ashtray."

    All in all, I think MFP has a good thing going.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    I think moderation is necessary, the problem is where you draw the line because someone will always want to toe it. So it's better to just say no to all those topics than confuse people and make them feel discriminated against by saying ok you can talk about this but only in this way and you can't talk about this unless it has to do with that. It's just too much for too many people, so it's better to keep the rules plain and simple.
  • StaceyL76
    StaceyL76 Posts: 711 Member
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    I think you have made a great point. It is nice to have support of people with similar interests.
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
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    What members do or do not think is rather a moot point. Privately owned websites, such as this one, are dictatorships not democracies. Admin / Mods will do whatever they think is right to preserve the integrity of the site as they see fit (and largely to have an easy life more than anything else.)

    If you go into somebody's house you abide by their rules. Don't like it? Make your point, see if it makes a change, if not and it means that much to you then leave.


    I totally agree that the creators of this site have the right to sensor, ban, or delete anything they want to. I know if it was my site I'd have my own set of rules, that I'd expect people to follow. And I know that nothing is going to change here. I'm not going to leave because I'm so offended by the sensorship. But I am going to complain a little bit
    I'm for the moderation. Sometimes you'll see posters pushing the envelope. And the other posters responding with saying "thread locked in 3,2.." they know what they're saying will be viewed as inappropriate. It's like the kid that fans his hand over the stove .."doesn't burn, doesn't burn, F$#% it burns!!" Everyone has a little punk kid in them who wants to see what they can get away with.



    Plus, where's the fun if you didn't ruffle a few feathers

    See and what may be harder to do, but way more fair to the original poster, is to not delete the thread out of hand, but delete the posts that push the line. If what you're worried about is arguments starting over topics, stop the argumentative people, not the topics. It's perfectly possible to have a discussion about very controversial topics without being rude or insulting. The topic isn't the issue in my opinion. I mean if I were to go into a thread asking for people who are 35 - 40 years old for support spouting offensive trash about 35-40 year olds, it should be the trash that gets deleted and not the entire thread that up until I came in was going nicely.
    I think moderation is necessary, the problem is where you draw the line because someone will always want to toe it. So it's better to just say no to all those topics than confuse people and make them feel discriminated against by saying ok you can talk about this but only in this way and you can't talk about this unless it has to do with that. It's just too much for too many people, so it's better to keep the rules plain and simple.

    Moderation is completely necessary. But personally I think it's worse to offend people and make them feel discriminated against, by saying you can't talk about a topic at all. So instead of dealing with the person actually causing the problem, the people that are behaving civily get told "that guy over there might not like what you're going to say, we don't want to offend him, so we're going to offend you." Just smacks of injustice to me - which is totally allowed on a private message board. :smile:
    I think you have made a great point. It is nice to have support of people with similar interests.
    Thanks :smile:
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    See and what may be harder to do, but way more fair to the original poster, is to not delete the thread out of hand, but delete the posts that push the line. If what you're worried about is arguments starting over topics, stop the argumentative people, not the topics. It's perfectly possible to have a discussion about very controversial topics without being rude or insulting. The topic isn't the issue in my opinion. I mean if I were to go into a thread asking for people who are 35 - 40 years old for support spouting offensive trash about 35-40 year olds, it should be the trash that gets deleted and not the entire thread that up until I came in was going nicely.

    The rules are really quite clear about any mention of religion on the forums. It's just not allowed, period, end of story. The original poster broke the rules and now we're on our second day of fallout because of it.

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