Important: Infraction/Banning Policy and Procedure

[dbr]

As you know, our primary goals for these boards is to foster a sense of community among basketball fans, especially Duke fans, and to encourage intelligent discussions, debate, and commentary in a fun and civil atmosphere. One of the powerful features of this vBulletin system that we are now implementing goes a long way to help us attain those goals.

The vBulletin allows us to create a “User Infraction” management system whereby users who violate our standards receive points for various infractions. The more severe the infraction, the more points you receive. Accumulated points expire over time so long as there are no more infractions. The best analogy is the point system that your state applies to your driver’s license for driving infractions. Accumulate enough points and you get banned for a period of time. The length of the ban increases as you hit higher thresholds of point totals.


Since this is a new system for us, we may do some tweaking as we see how it goes, but we’ll keep you updated on that.

Thanks for being so supportive of our efforts! We hope, through your help, we can make these boards among the finest sports forums on the Internet.

Go Duke!

[Duke15304]

how many pts you have

[Bay Area Duke Fan]

Who is going to monitor the moderators?

[Turtleboy]

Will you post an explanation for bannings? For example, why was Imagepro banned?

[JBDuke]

Will you post an explanation for bannings? For example, why was Imagepro banned?

The board system we're using allows us to send a message to the poster when we cite them with an infraction and/or ban them. So, they get the explanation, provided the moderator chooses to do so. So far, I have provided explanations whenever I've done so, and I encourgae my comrades to do the same.

Whether the poster (imagepro in this case) chooses to share that with you or not will be up to the individual poster.

[JBDuke]

Who is going to monitor the moderators?

Julio, Boswell, and dbr are the administrators. They trump us moderators, and can remove our privileges at their leisure. We serve at their discretion.

[Boswell]

How the heck can he share it after he is banned?
He was banned for a whopping 12 hours (prior to this system being installed). We've had a good email exchange with him, and both sides appear to be satisfied. Next play.


An explanation for bannings sure would give posters a clear idea of exactly what constitutes a transgression.
The moderators have the option of stating the infraction when they edit/delete the offending post. The original post in this thread explains those infractions and the process for banning pretty clearly. Again, the moderators are not going to get into a public debate each time someone receives an infraction and/or banning. Their collective decision is final.

[Boswell]

is there a way to find out how many pts you have
You receive an email if you receive an infraction.

How's the Pagoda doing?

[MulletMan]

Yes, Carolina can got to H-E double hockey sticks, DW.

And yes, Nate James, is, in fact, a bad-synonym for donkey.

Guys (and gals), here's the thing, we are trying to go from having posts read and approved all the time to a reactive situation where we need to wade nearly every post to make sure that the spirit of this board, which is very different than some other fan sites out there, is kept to a higher standard. Is it snobbery? Perhaps... but hey, we're Duke fans... we're better than every one .

You pretty much know when you post if you're violating the spirit of the rules above, and you should be able to govern yourselves. If you test the rules intentionally, and its pretty obvious when that is happening, we're going to penalize you. If you slip up once, we'll probably take that into account. At the same time, we're not going to have a public debate on every infraction. Period. Sorry, but I think we're being pretty darn reasonable with the design and moderation of this new incarnation of the board. We're not above critiques and suggestions, but at the same time, we're not going to go round and round on the same points over and over. That's why we have you guys! :D

[Cavlaw]

If I might make a request, could y'all use a bit of a firmer hand on the "woe-is-me" martyr-dom posts? In my experience on various message boards, these things grow like weeds if not stamped out early.

The private message system is a wonderful thing, and perhaps more users who forget to self edit on a regular basis (all of us do sometimes, but some are getting out of control) should be 'encouraged' to make use of it rather than clogging up discussions.

My suggestion would be making a clear policy that complaints about moderators or questions about moderation be contained either in private messages to the moderator-in-question or DBR, or in a designated stickied thread. Complaints/concerns about non-moderators should be messaged to the member in question, or a moderated if needed.

[-jk]

We've had a few instances recently of people violating copyrights.

Posting copyrighted material on the board is against policy and grounds for banning. And pretty much anything you find on the web will be protected under copyright.

You can mention an article, use a quote or two, critique it, and give a link. But please don't wholesale quote others' work. It can get us in a lot of hot water.

regards,

-jk

[Julio]

It is all too easy to smear someone online. Such behavior will not be tolerated here and anyone who does so may lose their posting privileges.

[ugadevil]

I had a question about the whole banning system. I was reading someone's posts the other day and then noticed that this individual had been banned. I didn't see a post that looked over the top and I'm assuming that the inappropriate post was probably removed. However, I was wondering if there is a way of knowing if a person has been banned for a certain amount of time or permanently? I'm guessing a PM to a moderator would work but I didn't know if that's being too nosey.

[Jumbo]

I had a question about the whole banning system. I was reading someone's posts the other day and then noticed that this individual had been banned. I didn't see a post that looked over the top and I'm assuming that the inappropriate post was probably removed. However, I was wondering if there is a way of knowing if a person has been banned for a certain amount of time or permanently? I'm guessing a PM to a moderator would work but I didn't know if that's being too nosey.

Yes, a PM to a mod is the best way to handle it.

[Julio]

As you guys know, we aim for a higher standard on this board. As we approach what is typically our busiest time of the year, we find that lately we’ve collectively missed the mark, and the things that distinguish this board from other sports message boards have eroded. We are seeing more rude and obnoxious posts as well as posts that add no meaningful content to the discussions here. These are trends we want to reverse.

Accordingly, we have asked our moderators to step up the enforcement of our rules on civil behavior. We have a citation for “lack of civility”, and we expect the mods to use it. We ask you all not to fight or flame. Don’t spread rumors. Don’t be a jerk. And recognize that sarcasm, especially subtle sarcasm, often doesn’t translate well through the medium of an Internet message board.

We have also instructed our moderators to delete posts (aggressively, if warranted) that they don’t think add meaningful content to the board. We're adding a mild infraction, "needless posting" (1 point, expires in 14 days), for posts wholly without redeeming qualities that don't rise to a more serious infraction. It's okay to say you agree with somebody, but if you're not adding something that advances the conversation, please don't post it.

Think before you post. Search before you post. Keep it in good taste. And, for the love of God, please don't beat the dead horses. And don’t be surprised if you find that post you put up a couple of hours ago has suddenly gone missing. If it does, it deserved to. Take it as a learning opportunity!

On the other hand, we love to see well thought out arguments and positions, and we'll support you if you do that no matter what your conclusion is (as long as your argument is presented civilly of course).

One more note on the moderators. Since the new board started, we've tried to let the moderator team do things as they think they need to be done, and it has mostly worked. We think the key to being a good moderator is enforcing the rules while setting a solid example of what we want to see on our board, and if we’re going to ask y'all to behave then we can't very well let moderators misbehave. We're aiming for a higher standard with them, too.

If these standards don’t work for you, or if you’re just looking for a place to virtually “hang out” with a bunch of Duke buddies, there are lots of other Duke message boards out there, and we encourage you to use them. Our goal here has always been to be more than just a typical message board.

Please help us to continue our tradition of being a welcoming place for intelligent discussions, thoughts, and opinions. We're especially proud that fans from other schools feel comfortable enough to hang out here, and we want that to continue. So pull up a seat and let's talk.

Thanks!

- Boswell & Julio

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Well said, J&B.

One question. Does the "something to say" posting rule apply only to the Elizabeth King Forum (main board), or does it extend to the Off Topic board as well? A lot of the threads there start as "nothing" but develop into interesting topics!

I was going to post this question when I first read the thread, but then it was closed. But it was reopened so here it is. Hope I get this in before it gets closed again. :)

[Jumbo]

I'd also like to add that, as J&B said, the mods are all going to strive to be extra careful in our tone. I know I can be strident at times and will definitely make an effort to get my points across without hurting anyone's feelings. I hope we can all adopt that attitude together, in addition to the other areas J&B want emphasized.

[billybreen]

Well said, J&B.

One question. Does the "something to say" posting rule apply only to the Elizabeth King Forum (main board), or does it extend to the Off Topic board as well? A lot of the threads there start as "nothing" but develop into interesting topics!

I was going to post this question when I first read the thread, but then it was closed. But it was reopened so here it is. Hope I get this in before it gets closed again. :)

I have the same question as Oz. I would guess that the OT board is the lowest maintenance as the topics there tend not to engender fiery debate, so it seems to be a bit of a different animal.

In other words, if EarlJam and I need to say something substantive in our OT posts, how are we ever to pad our post count stats? :)

[Jumbo]

I have the same question as Oz. I would guess that the OT board is the lowest maintenance as the topics there tend not to engender fiery debate, so it seems to be a bit of a different animal.

In other words, if EarlJam and I need to say something substantive in our OT posts, how are we ever to pad our post count stats? :)

The OT board will of course be given more leeway than the King board in terms of useful content. That said, there have been threads/posts that have crossed the line even over there, and we'll be pruning them as part of this new effort.

[SilkyJ]

Would it be unreasonable to request that if you have a post deleted that you be sent a brief explanation?

First of all, I think that's just kind of "fair." Secondly, I think this will help educate people as to what is expected of them and what is/isn't appropriate.

[EarlJam]

I think this is a tremendous suggestion. I would urge the same notification if a post or thread is moved.

Agreed. I think the overall "silence" on the Spring Cleaning thread also suggests some confusion or pause as to the need for the new initiative (okay, maybe not new but "refreshed?" Perhaps I am wrong. This post is NOT intended to flame at all.

I had likened this board to being in a sports bar, among friends, talking and I love the idea of making sure posts are relatively on target to Duke hoops and that everyone is civil to each other - the latter being extremely important and unique to boards as a whole.

But now, and this is a bit of a stretch, I would more liken the board to being in a classroom overseen by a teacher (s) during exams.

Like the "Congrats Greybeard" post for instance. I had some pause at posting, "Way to go Greybeard," because it did not really add anything new to the thread.

Also, a while back I posted a "Magic Spell" for Duke. No way would I post after reading this thread, yet, I got a lot of positive feedback on that thread. I'd argue that, while on the surface it is not "hard news," it IS adding value to the site. Note: Duke is 3-0 since spell was cast by EarlJam.

Anyway, I hope the moderators will welcome all kinds of feedback regarding Spring Cleaning. I think both the positive and negative feedback could serve very useful now and down the road.

Speaking of roads, may Duke be in the fastlane on the Road to The Final Four in April!

-EarlJam

[JBDuke]

Would it be unreasonable to request that if you have a post deleted that you be sent a brief explanation?

First of all, I think that's just kind of "fair." Secondly, I think this will help educate people as to what is expected of them and what is/isn't appropriate.


I think this is a tremendous suggestion. I would urge the same notification if a post or thread is moved.

While I appreciate that you would like an explanation, it just isn't practical, especially for the next several weeks. This is a very busy time of year for the boards, which is part of the reason for the "spring cleaning" statement in the first place. Adding the burden of having to explain all of our actions to the posters impacted would be unfair, IMO, to us moderators.

[Clipsfan]

I have a quick question on rumors; are all rumors considered bad? Basically, I believe that a large role of this board is the dissemination of information relating to a topic which we all love. As such, rumors serve a large part in this process since they are often much harder to learn and give us the fix that alleviates our need to know everything we can about the program. I understand that malicious rumors have no place, but aren't comments about prospective commits nothing more than rumors? I am not asking for a fine line to be delineated, but rather a simple clarification of the bold statement that all rumors will be deleted.

[-jk]

I have a quick question on rumors; are all rumors considered bad? Basically, I believe that a large role of this board is the dissemination of information relating to a topic which we all love. As such, rumors serve a large part in this process since they are often much harder to learn and give us the fix that alleviates our need to know everything we can about the program. I understand that malicious rumors have no place, but aren't comments about prospective commits nothing more than rumors? I am not asking for a fine line to be delineated, but rather a simple clarification of the bold statement that all rumors will be deleted.

Rumor mongering is covered in the guidelines under Destructively Negative. We do let many rumors stand.

-jk

[Jumbo]

I understand all the concerns expressed in this thread, and would have the same ones if I were reading his statement for the first time. But it's just not remotely possible for us to send a PM every time we delete a post. The simple answer is that it's just way too time consuming. That said, if you receive an infraction for a post, that automatically comes with a PM. And if you're wondering where a post went, just PM a bunch of mods and someone will get back to you. CSPAN, I'm sorry that no one got back to your messages. I'd send them again -- usually we're pretty good about responding promptly.

[SilkyJ]

I understand all the concerns expressed in this thread, and would have the same ones if I were reading his statement for the first time. But it's just not remotely possible for us to send a PM every time we delete a post. The simple answer is that it's just way too time consuming. That said, if you receive an infraction for a post, that automatically comes with a PM. And if you're wondering where a post went, just PM a bunch of mods and someone will get back to you. CSPAN, I'm sorry that no one got back to your messages. I'd send them again -- usually we're pretty good about responding promptly.

I can dig that. I guess I was thinking that there might be a way to automate a notification. Not an explanation, but just whenever a mod clicks "delete" a PM automatically gets sent to the poster saying "your post in XYZ thread was deleted by Jumbo" or whatever. Sorry to keep harping, but I think that this would be really useful.

I totally dig the time consuming thing, and I'm not sure how hard or easy it would be to automate something like I just suggested, but I'm just trying to offer constructive suggestions.

[billybreen]

I can dig that. I guess I was thinking that there might be a way to automate a notification. Not an explanation, but just whenever a mod clicks "delete" a PM automatically gets sent to the poster saying "your post in XYZ thread was deleted by Jumbo" or whatever. Sorry to keep harping, but I think that this would be really useful.

I totally dig the time consuming thing, and I'm not sure how hard or easy it would be to automate something like I just suggested, but I'm just trying to offer constructive suggestions.

If the board software doesn't support it automatically (and I'm pretty sure it doesn't), it's a non-trivial amount of work.