What deems a post "offensive" to the members and makes it reportable....

[Hammer]

I am going to offer this to the membership here and hope it stays on track with no bantering. So I ask these questions of the LARGE membership here and see what happens... ... .



1-"Where does the line get crossed for you to report a thread and demand it be closed?''.

2-"What type of thread just by looking at the title will make you report it and why?".

3-"How long does it take you to report the thread that offends you so badly?.



It seems to me alot of stuff in recent times that has had a persons passion or a interest has been pulled,while others have been left alone. Some have been pulled due to subject matter alone,both because of guideline restrictions and offensiveness to members.



Both reasons have cost us membership and some with deep knowledge of our trucks. It would be nice if everything was a perfect idea or thread so no one would get offended,but,realistically how can that be done?.



So I ask all here to think about the questions and answer them freely remembering the guidelines stated by the owners... Andy



BTW. . My answers...

1-I have only ever reported one thread and that was where a member was taking potshots at my family,thats a big no no to me. Other than that if I don't like it,I don't come back to it.

2-If the title doesn't suit me I don't look in,period. Why worry about a subject I have no interest in.

3-Pretty self explanatory,if I don't like it,I don't read it. If it upsets me I don't go back. If its a subject I will deal with and don't like the responses I try to stay away(yes I know sometimes that don't happen).

 

[illflem]

In the years that I've been moderating I've only had a handful of reported posts except for tons one time by a member who didn't like the s word for dealers.

Most of the people who reported posts are no longer here but the people who posted the reported posts are.

I don't moderate the Other forum so that may make a difference.

From what I see there is very little censorship here.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Originally posted by illflem



From what I see there is very little censorship here.

Nothing against you Bill but ... ... ... Whatever!

Originally posted by Hammer

2-If the title doesn't suit me I don't look in,period

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Hammer



So I ask these questions of the LARGE membership here.

We are paying MEMBERS so that also means that the "Other" forum is seen ONLY BY US!



I bring up that point not to start anything but am left wondering why this happens. BLAH BLAH BLAH I know this has been hashed out before but there are new guys here and an answer to refresh not only me but many others too.



I admin the NETDP site and never have had any problems (Granted THAT site is owned by a different company) And if there are I take care of them promptly and life moves on. Here on the other hand is a OWNED DOMAIN and has paying members to be here. I realize there are guidelines and terms of service so things do not get so far out of hand that there is no hope of even having an other thread. Hmm look at that I answered my own Q! Well sort of.



I see it that nudity ... . off limits. The TDR has its own BAD word recognition so that takes care of the bad words. Subject matter ... . well that I think is the the thing that gets everybody hot and bothered over.





I dunno I just felt like I had to type.





Still Love the TDR tho



:Edit: My spelling just plain rots!

 

[TxDieselKid]

1) I don't think I have EVER reported a thread that I can remember.



2) Don't open if I don't likewhat I hear.



3) N/A

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

1-"Where does the line get crossed for you to report a thread and demand it be closed?''.



It would have to be for personal attacks, but at this point I have never reported a post. I thought about it one time but figured it was best to leave it alone



2-"What type of thread just by looking at the title will make you report it and why?".



None, I don't see how a title can tell you what is inside. Look at some of the titles out there, some have nothing to do with what's inside



3-"How long does it take you to report the thread that offends you so badly?.



Doesn't really apply



I don't ever see myself reporting a thread that has nothing to do with me, if a female TDR member is dogging guys so be it, if there are pictures of scantily clad women (or men) being posted so be it, if there is a picture of someones recent animal kill so be it. None of these things have anything to do with me at that point so why should or could they offend me? We have to remember we have people from all walks of life and backgrounds here, we have young guys and girls and we have older retired folk (like that political correctness), we have engineers and we have... I don't know what we have but some people find it necessary to constantly stir the poop pot all the time and some find it necessary to complain all the time that's just the way it is.



I think the offenders on both sides need to look at what they are doing, do you really need to start a thread like that here? But if you do does offender #2 really need to report it? How has that posting affected your life? I can't see where it has. I felt offended when Bill Clinton was elected president not once but twice but I didn't complain..... No wait I did complain about that, nevermind. Be responsible for your own actions, if you throw stones don't buy a glass house.

 

[TDRadmin]

Moderator Input

You may want to disregard this post from the get-go since I am the Moderator of the forum, but it may be helpful to some of the more rational membership to understand my process and perspective since I have the honor of overseeing this forum.



First, I delete (or censor) very little when you consider the total number of threads/posts in this forum. I don't know the exact number, but I'd guess that I've moved/deleted less than 10 threads within this forum during the past six months.



Second, unless I happen to be the only person around (and that is generally not the case), I try to solicit input from others (others who are different in age/gender from me) to see if they consider the material to be offensive. Sometimes they agree, and I move/delete the thread. Sometimes they laugh at me indicating that I'm being too sensitive, and I let it stand. To be honest, I'd love to delete a significantly greater percentage of material than I do. But that would be imposing my (somewhat conservative) interpretation on the group, and that would not be effective moderation.



Third, and here is where your sensitivity may be raised. I start from a place of assuming everyone has good intentions on the website and that inappropriate posts are simple errors in judgment. Nothing more - nothing less. No bad intent. And I try to let those slide or make minor edits that will avoid any problems. Most problem threads are handled this way and are allowed to remain on the forums with little or no adverse impact.



But, some users develop reputations for being instigators on the website. With some regularity they push the limits of the guidelines. You get to the point that you know when you see a new thread they've started that there is a 50% chance it will ultimately lead to trouble. So, you have absolutely no choice but to monitor their threads because if you don't, you'll get numerous e-mails from others who do. And subsequently, you have to pull more of their material than you would like. Then they get mad and publicly blast away at the TDR owership or some variation on that tune. When if they'd just apply a little bit of self restraint and keep the threads "above the line," no one would ever report their material. And the occasional error in judgment would just float on by.



OK, now I've had my say. I try to moderate fairly. I try to be as lenient as I can be, but I'll admit, I make mistakes. Case in point: I've re-reviewed the two threads I pulled yesterday. One should have been pulled. The bathing suit one was enough on the line that I should have allowed it to remain up for a while. My mistake. It won't be the first one I've made today. It won't be the last.



If you have specific feedback you'd like for me to consider as I continue to Moderate this forum, I'm open to feedback. Just e-mail me at: rpatton@ix.netcom.com. I'm the first to admit that I do not have all of the answers. I'm just trying to keep the peace within this forum. Easier said than done - I assure you!



Robin

TDR Admin

 

[lschultz]

Rational

Robin are you saying that there are some unrational individuals on here?I wonder who they are? Well we all make mistakes. I hear it ever day(well almost)from my wife :-{} the mistakes I make Just another day on the TDR.

 

[Mtngoat]

I usually looked at most of the threads and if they seem distastful, depends on my day, I look elsewhere. . I don't come to the TDR to look at skin.



One thing I didn't like was removal of the trans wars. Even tho they got "spirited" and vocal at times, they were ALWAYS entertaining and I always seemed to learn something about the Dodge trannys sifting through the posts. I think just as many people miss them as much as those that were offended by it and wanted them gone. I don't visit the TDR as much as I used to because I was always looking forward to the new controversy of the day. But I am still a TDR fan and always will be.

JUST my personal opinion and nothing else.



Robin

 

[klenger]

Robin:



I think you and Steve are doing a great job. Keep up the good work.



You can't please everyone all the time, so I suppose with over 10,000 members, you can never please all of us.



I do have a comment about posting suggestive material. I think that a link to a website that has questionable material deserves a bit more latitude than someone actually posting a questionable picture on the TDR. At least when it's only a link, the member has to delibertly follow the link to see the material. When a picture is posted on the TDR forum itself, it's in your face as soon as you open the thread.



Ken Lenger

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Originally posted by Dl5treez

Origionaly posted by ToolManTimTaylorSubject matter ... . well that I think is the the thing that gets everybody hot and bothered over.

It's called being politically correct, juggling the fine line between freedom of speech & expression, allowing people to have fun, making sure nobody is offended, coddling the over-sensitive of the world, all at the same time trying not to **** off so many people 1/2 the paid membership base leaves all at once. Would you want that job? Not me... .

Oh heck yeah I posted my post in the Third person view to try and make it a self explanitory answer. It's a job that kinda is thankless thats for sure. ESPECIALLY when things like this pop up from time to time. I see the Terms of service as an extension of common sense. Take your real world feelings on matter and tack on a rule or two that the website provides. What bends everybodys carrots is that being its a paid site and nooene else can see the other forum unless they are a member that should give you diplomatic immunity. Me I am on the fence ... . Never snitched but I follow the rules and am fine with that. If anything I think the TDR has it made with the auto cleanup of language , and moderators. Go to a Honda forum ... . Or even Mustang world , camaro world , etc. They don't bother with language , pics and whatnot and that just brings the boards down.



We allways could add another forum that is password protected and has a name like Swill pit

 

[TDRadmin]

I Agree

klenger, I agree with your input - I was a bit trigger happy on pulling the bathing suit poll since it was a link. I'll restore it to the forum, and I'll respectfully ask that users self moderate. Frequently, swimsuit posts head toward the gutter.



Robin

TDR Admin

 

[Jengle]

Yeah, but TMTT, you will still find someone that would ask for the password and still complain. I have always maintained that if a man was posted on a street corner handing out $20 bills for no reason, you would find someone complaining about it. The professional protestor thing. The ones who complained about the thread are probably just torqued that they didn't come up with it first.

 

[klenger]

The professional protestor thing.

Those would be my neighboors who are complaing about my DirecTV satellite antenna on the side of my house. I've actually got lawyers from both sides involved now.

 

[Hammer]

Robin...

"You may want to disregard this post from the get-go since I am the Moderator of the forum,"



Do you know that you sound like my other half like that,,sheesh. I was not trying to stir the pot,but,hoping to get a answer out in the open like you have. I appreciate to hear your side of the view as does the rest. Also,thanks for the email it was very informative.



I feel like Rodney Dangerfield... "No Respect-No Respect At all"... LOL. Ignore me. . What a deal :{ :{ :{ ... Andy

 

[Doc Tinker]

I'm quite surprised that we get away with as much as we do. There have been quite a few threads and posts that I was sure Robin was blushing over, yet they were still allowed to stay. I sure liked reading them though



Doc

 

[Sled Puller]

I can't even start, too hard to type that much.



I'll leave it at this:



I hate complainers.



Wait a sec... ... does that make me a complainer?

 

[jmtandem]

censorship

Just my two cents on this. I had provided this to the administrator previously. Censoring the 's' word is ridiculous. It has absolutely no bearing on the value, integrity or customer care given by dealers. The 's' word was not to imply that dealers were into theft, dishonesty, or outright stealing even though prices at the dealers are higher than elsewhere. We all know that there are bad and good dealers. We all knew using that word that dealers are dealers and if it offended one or two folks then maybe they needed to look at how they do business if the 'shoe fits wear it' type mentality caught them in a sensitive moment. We should censor vulgar, abusive, or unfit pictures here as it is a family website. But to censor a term started and used by members on this web site as a generic nick name for dealers is going too far.



It is no different than considering censoring the use of the term power joke for power stroke, etc. Somebody complains and all the rest of us that pay for the site get another word deleted from our lexicon; another freedom needlessly eliminated. I did not even get a reply from TDR admin when I sent my concerns for not censoring the 's' word. I wonder how many complaints (people, not how many times they complain) were actually lodged against the 's' word. I like the website, I like the fact that it can be used for an exchange between members. I hope this gets revisited. By the way, I never used the 's' word in any thread.

 

[wcaldwell]

I sorta figure it like this:



We are all old enough and (for the most part) educated enough that we don't have to prove how juvenile we are by using all of the 4-letter words we learned when we were around 10 years old and laughed when we said them. Surely we've grown past that stage in life.



It's the same with flipping someone off - my 19-year old daughter and son do that. I'm old enough that I don't feel the need to demean myself by doing it. When I see someone doing it, I want to ask if they've not grown up enough yet or learned other, more socially respectable ways of showing their displeasure.



As far as the 'censorship' here on TDR, if it was my site, I'd probably do the same thing - but enforce the rules a little harder.



(I step down off the soap box, now).



Wayne

 

[loncray]

Uh, Wayne, he's not talking about the 4-letter 's' word, he's talking about the word "*******" for dealer. Of COURSE this site is going to censor 4-letter words and their ilk - though members ought to be able to remember to censor themselves on those. As to the "*******" issue, I don't care for censorship, but the Admins of this site have to be sensitive to complaints from members. People complained and they reacted. As the recent reinstatement of some slightly off-color threads prove, the Admins really do listen, and I think they do a pretty good job of keeping things clean for the younger and more sensitive folk while not overly ticking off the rest of us.

 

[Rman]

Loncray, i noticed your from Manassas... isn't that the town the shootings were at last year?



I just galnced at that and thought how familiar that town name sounded.