Question About Moderation

[AuntPollyGrey]

My question is does the editorial staff review all reports, or only those that have been followed through and the post deleted or the user suspended? Surely if the staff only review those reports that have been acted on, then the system is open to abuse by moderators who will be prepared to ignore reports against their friends.
On a recent thread someone made derogatory comments about how some people report . They could only be privy to this information by being told by a moderator. What is in place to prevent moderators sharing Reports with their AB buddies?

[THECORBYLOON]

BOBBI, there may be posts asking why a comment has not been removed but that is different from asking a named Mod (possibly several times) to justify its remaining.

[teacake44]

Careful Bobbs, your already in detention, do you want a 100 lines as well.

[Bobbisox1]

Should I go and do me ironing :0/

[teacake44]

If your really bored :0)

[naomi24]

THECORBYLOON, it isn’t about agreeing or disagreeing that posts have been legitimately removed. That can continue to be taken up with the editorial staff as it is now. It’s about transparency. If mods were identified those who do abuse their position would think twice about doing it and the rest of the members would have more confidence that the site is moderated fairly. Rather than continue to sneak around behind other people’s backs anyone who is a mod should be required to be identified. Anyone who is not willing to do that isn’t fit to make decisions about other people’s input. I truly believe an end to the damaging cloak and dagger culture here would see an end to the constant criticism.

[Bobbisox1]

Yeah, I’ll take this outa OHs shirts and underpants, I’m ready to do battle now :0)

[naomi24]

THECORBYLOON, //asking a named Mod (possibly several times) to justify its remaining. //

As far as I recall I've never seen a known mod challenged personally for removing a post.

[jackthehat]

I keep reading about 'abuse of power'.
Without naming names of likely suspects, can anyone give examples of instances where this occured?

And these ought to be real abuses rather than just a general whinge about having had responses removed.

[pixie374]

I don't want or need to know who the mods are. I very much doubt they all email each other deciding who to pick on next... as far as I'm aware they just use the site like all of us, but are able to remove obvious spam or things they think break the rules. That will always be a bit open to individual interpretation no matter what.
I think ummm has a point, that at least a couple of posters have admitted things they have reported, or encouraged others to, for no legitimate reason.
I don't want the site to descend into bullying, abuse, swearing etc of course- but I do think a few posters (not mods) need to learn the difference between "abuse" and "disagreement"... and preferably explain on the thread, rather than going straight to report.

[THECORBYLOON]

"If mods were identified those who do abuse their position would think twice about doing it and the rest of the members would have more confidence that the site is moderated fairly."

If the positions were being abused, do you not think the ED would do something about it?

[TheDevil]

"If mods were identified those who do abuse their position would think twice about doing it "

I'm pretty sure the eds have said that if moderators abused their position then they would not be moderators.

So when you say "those who do abuse their position" this is a case of Naomi's special insight into the world no one else has?

[naomi24]

Jackthehat, I've known mods to post an abusive response to another member and then remove all trace of it. Similarly I've known a mod, regularly at loggerheads with another member, refuse to remove something aimed at that member which was, in my opinion, probably the most abusive post I've ever seen on here. Fortunately, someone who was doing the job properly obliged.

[THECORBYLOON]

What evidence is there of Mods abusing their power?

[naomi24]

TD, //this is a case of Naomi's special insight into the world no one else has?//

Pay attention, TD. Clearly I don't have a special insight into the world that no one else has - which is why, as you will see from this thread, I'm not the only one to have recognised that biased moderation happens.

[TheDevil]

"I've known mods to post an abusive response to another member and then remove all trace of it."

How do you know who actually removed it????

"Fortunately, someone who was doing the job properly obliged."

How do you know it wasn't the mod that seemed to refuse?

Naomi this speculation isn't healthy.

[TheDevil]

"I'm not the only one to have recognised that biased moderation happens"

Oh don't worry Naomi, you weren't the only user that I think is suffering from delusion ;)

[naomi24]

TD, I was there - you weren't. I'm not getting into it with you.

[albaqwerty]

of course biased moderation happens.

It's often commented that AB is made up of a diversity of people and human beings can be and are biased, it's a human thing.

[TheDevil]

How do you know I wasn't there?

[albaqwerty]

Naomi, I too have seen it in action. What I saw was pure spite from the mod.