Spring cleaning, purge, toxicity and other things I'm fabricating and/or exaggerating...
Seems like we need to clean things up out here occasionally. The boards lately have taken on a toxic tone at times. Profanity, personal attacks, excessive snarky comments, shots at the business and mods, over the top emotional rants etc. Complaints were through the roof.
All of the mods took a heavy-handed approach. It's always a small group that ignites and throws gasoline on things. In addition, we had an increase of activity from the subscribers from the Oregon site. The ability to post has been revoked from a handful. Some for longer than others. Those who weren't subscribers here, pretty much forever.
Moderating is the most difficult thing we do. Some posters feel entitled to post whatever they want because they subscribe. Some feel their length of time here gives them a much longer leash. Neither are true.
The Twitter mob can be disgraceful and some of it finds its way here. Many newspapers and other outlets have shut down their comments sections because they have just become too hard to monitor and moderate. Twitter and Facebook are facing huge problems moderating. It's not easy and it's never black or white. There's always lots of gray. And those who've had their ability to post revoked for a while, please don't proclaim your innocence. We don't take revoking ability to post lightly. And nobody has ever had that happen because the don't agree with us, of for no reason. If it's happened to you, you know why.
We do the best we can. The boards are at their best when no moderation is needed. They're at their worst when moderation is needed. Hopefully, a message has been sent to a few and won't be needed again.
We’ve got thousands of great members who enjoy reading the content from a well-connected staff while pulling up a bar stool among friends and conversing with fellow Dawg fans.
If that’s not what you’re here for, you’re in the wrong place.
Roughly 80 percent of our members never make a post.
So, we’re not going to let the negativity being stirred up by a small vocal minority ruin it for the majority. If you find yourself getting worked up and only looking to flame, step away for a bit. Don't post when you're angry. If you’re the one who can’t stop reacting to a differing opinion, or is making antagonizing posts, stirring it up with others, derailing threads or stifling respectful conversation, you'll be placed on read-only. (Some members across the network have actually asked mods to do this to keep themselves from getting triggered and reacting. Just send us - the staff moderators - a personal message if you'd prefer to be on read-only. More than happy to accommodate.
This place is awesome more often than not. Most of you are awesome as well.
Thanks for making it that way