Change in policy?

[PeasNCues]

I don't think I've had any posts deleted, but it's still really discouraging to find out about and, yes, kind of makes me angry when I realize that's what's been done.

Don't get me wrong, I could see it being useful in certain extreme cases, but to do it so nonchalantly and not addressing the issue broughtup is really inconsiderate.

Also, some previous guidance seems to have been changed:

"moderate yourselves as much as possible": don't address problems and if you do, mods will delete your posts and ignore the problems (including rudeness - repeated and otherwise - from other posters)

"you can't control the direction of the thread": If a thread goes off topic (no matter how useful, polite or appropriate the discussion), mods will lock the thread or, again, make posts "disappear"

"You can politely call posters out on their bad behavior": Now, it seems it has become Support Group Hell instead of Etiquette Hell. There have been several instances where posters' behavior was called into question and the only ones to be mod-smacked were those people who dared say the OP was rude or (again) their posts were made to disappear.

The direction, purpose, and policy of the board seems to be going in a different direction than in the past and I would like some clarification.

Thanks.

ETA: Also, seems we can add, "Don't discuss issues with threads/posts being disappeared/edited or we'll make the whole thread disappear." 

[Hushabye]

So I'm not just going crazy and things have just randomly been disappearing?  I had been reading a thread over in Entertainment, trying to decide if I wanted to start watching the show, and it vanished this morning.

It's nice to know that I'm not losing my mind, but it does make me wonder about the forum itself.  If there are policy or rule changes, I'd much prefer to see them spelled out explicitly than to be left puzzling out the vagaries of the recent modding.

[Doll Fiend]

I am just going to park my P.O.D. right here.

[KimberlyRose]

Thank you, I wondered about that.  It feels so 1984 sometimes--a thread's there, then it isn't.  Posts are there, then they aren't.

I'm not even talking about flamewar type threads and posts.  It seems that while certain posters can say whatever they want, no matter how rude, people who call them out are gagged, banned, or have posts deleted.  The rules about what's acceptable and what isn't seem to vary depending on who's posting.

[Wonderflonium]

I did notice in one thread that I came to late, someone was responding to something that wasn't there. I just assumed it was late and I was tired and missed it. 

[Fleur-de-Lis]

*blushes*  I think I've noted later when I removed one of my own posts, but could something like that have happened in other instances?

[wolfie]

I have noticed it too - it makes you second guess wether you are just imaging things or if there really was a post there before!

[PeasNCues]

*blushes*  I think I've noted later when I removed one of my own posts, but could something like that have happened in other instances?

I double checked - that's not what happened in the cases I am refering to

[lipli]

Thank you, I wondered about that.  It feels so 1984 sometimes--a thread's there, then it isn't.  Posts are there, then they aren't.

I'm not even talking about flamewar type threads and posts.  It seems that while certain posters can say whatever they want, no matter how rude, people who call them out are gagged, banned, or have posts deleted.  The rules about what's acceptable and what isn't seem to vary depending on who's posting.

My issue is that someone will post something really provocative on an already overheated thread that gets deleted.  Then in the future, when they say provocative things, there is no proof of the prior issue.  It's like they get unlimited do-overs.  And if someone comments on their continual button-pushing, they look like an instigator to people who hadn't seen the previous 3 insane posts.

The one I'm thinking about posted something very inflammatory on a Friday which was removed when the thread was deleted and on the following Tuesday, did it again.  I tried to look up the previous post but it was gone. 

[Wonderflonium]

It seems like, if the mods want the post gone, the best way to do it would be to edit the post to say "Post removed by moderator." At least then there is an acknowledgment.

[Daffodil]

It seems like, if the mods want the post gone, the best way to do it would be to edit the post to say "Post removed by moderator." At least then there is an acknowledgment.

POD.

There have been times when I would read something and then go to bed and come on here the next day to see that it wasn't there. Then I'm scratching my head and left wondering if I imagined it or made it up in my head 

[MasterofSquirrels]

Thank you, I wondered about that.  It feels so 1984 sometimes--a thread's there, then it isn't.  Posts are there, then they aren't.

I'm not even talking about flamewar type threads and posts.  It seems that while certain posters can say whatever they want, no matter how rude, people who call them out are gagged, banned, or have posts deleted.  The rules about what's acceptable and what isn't seem to vary depending on who's posting.

My issue is that someone will post something really provocative on an already overheated thread that gets deleted.  Then in the future, when they say provocative things, there is no proof of the prior issue.  It's like they get unlimited do-overs.  And if someone comments on their continual button-pushing, they look like an instigator to people who hadn't seen the previous 3 insane posts.

The one I'm thinking about posted something very inflammatory on a Friday which was removed when the thread was deleted and on the following Tuesday, did it again.  I tried to look up the previous post but it was gone.

and if "provocotive statement" is related to another thread, you aren't supposed to mention it anyway..

 there are posters that post about the same thing over. and over. and over. again... they don't want advice, they either want drama or they want us all to tell them how wonderful they are... . or thier threads go for pages and pages while they post about "all the horrible things i have endured" so PPs can again tell them how wonderful they are. and goodness forbid if other members don't want to blow sunshine, thier posts get deleted or something. it's frustrating, the other side, the perspective that i think many of us want we can't get.

some posters do get snarky, though i do tend to read them all as sarcastic, because, i am sarcastic by nature...i choose to not be offended by a faceless internet person. but, i think that even something said in perhaps a not so nice way can still be helpfull to the OP... it's sad that the board feels otherwise.

[KimberlyRose]

It seems like, if the mods want the post gone, the best way to do it would be to edit the post to say "Post removed by moderator." At least then there is an acknowledgment.

I'm on a few forums that do that, and I much prefer it.  As you say, at least it's an acknowledgment.  As it is, you're just left to wonder.

Truth be told, I'd prefer it if there were a "window" in which a person could even delete their own post (say 10-15 minutes), and after that the person would have to just delete their text, replacing it with something like "post deleted because I had second thoughts" or some such.  The whole pretending-the-post-never-happened rubs me the wrong way.

[AngelicGamer]

So I'm not just going crazy and things have just randomly been disappearing?  I had been reading a thread over in Entertainment, trying to decide if I wanted to start watching the show, and it vanished this morning.

If it's Prime Suspect, yes you should.    If you can get on demand, NBC has the pilot up there. 

About the support group...I know that it's not for that.  However, if a thread is going that direction, I think it might be best to let it lie.  Or ask questions in a non snarky way.  There has been a ton of snark flung around at the moment and there's no cause for that.

[PeasNCues]

But useful advice/criticism should never be mod-smacked outside of the INH section.

Just because a lot of people say, "Poor thing, *pat, pat*" doesn't mean that the subsequent readers are supposed to ignore the intent of the forum.

If people are strictly looking for sympathy, the discussion areas are not the place for it.