Users mini modding threads

[Katana_Geldar]

I've noticed, particularly in the coffee break board users mini modding threads and it is kind of annoying. Anyone else notice this tendency?

[perpetua]

Yes. It's very annoying. However I've noticed the mods stamping down on it fairly quickly and consistently.

[MariaE]

Actually the mods tend to encourage people to self-mod as long as it's done respectfully. They're too busy to handle everything, so a simple, "Could the conversation about X please be moved to another thread?" has long been accepted and encouraged.

It's all in the wording.

[Queen of Clubs]

Actually the mods tend to encourage people to self-mod as long as it's done respectfully. They're too busy to handle everything, so a simple, "Could the conversation about X please be moved to another thread?" has long been accepted and encouraged.

It's all in the wording.

And Cass has already weighed in on the Special Snowflakes thread:

If you are concerned about the direction of a thread, click the notify mod button. Your post comes off as scolding, and I doubt anyone appreciates that.. A gentle "can we get back on track" is cool, too, but that's it.

So, yes, asking that a thread get back on topic is fine with the mods.

[perpetua]

For me it all hinges on whether the diversion is reasonable or not, and whether it's genuine concern about the thread being shut down or just someone annoyed that people aren't posting about what they want to read about. If it's a natural short conversation that's arisen from the topic, someone steaming in and implying "you're not posting what I want to read about, stop it!" comes across as rude. Whereas if there are, say, ten pages of posts about fluffy kittens in a thread about shopping, it probably isn't rude to drop in a polite reminder.

It's all in the context for me.

[Katana_Geldar]

Yeah it is, but some times it's unwarranted really. Particularly when it seems to come in the middle of when we're actually sharing stories or discussing the topic at hand. It's like we violated one persons definition of what the thread is about.

[MariaE]

To play the devil's advocate, isn't this thread a mini-mod in itself? Attempting to control other users' attempts to mini-mod?

[Katana_Geldar]

Well..maybe. But it's best probably addressed here than hijack an actual thread.

[MariaE]

True But if you want a mod's say on it, you're probably better off just PM'ing one of them.

[perpetua]

I dunno - I see it less as an attempt to control behaviour and more of an 'is this rude' type discussion, just like any other 'is this rude' type discussion on the board.

[Lynn2000]

I like to think of the verbal, face-to-face conversational equivalent, like if a bunch of us were sitting around talking about something. Only it has to be a little more structured, since it's a thread on topic X--like we've all gotten together to discuss our new kittens or something. If someone said, out loud, "Could we please get back to the main topic?" I wouldn't necessarily think it was rude, but I would think it was kind of extreme--I personally would save that direct wording for when things had gotten really derailed, and my earlier efforts to redirect hadn't worked.

Personally, I prefer to bring a conversation/thread back on track by saying/posting something on topic, like a new story or observation that's in line with the subject of the thread. Then hopefully other people do the same, and things get back on track without anyone feeling scolded or commanded. But, I must admit it's not 100% guaranteed to work, and sometimes it can be hard to think of something new and meaningful to contribute on the spot.

Also, I think the threat of having a thread locked, and then not knowing if you can start a new one on that same topic anytime soon, kind of hangs over (some) people a bit--they're really enjoying the thread and they would hate to see it go away because it was getting off-track, more like the natural flow of conversation than a focused discussion. So maybe they feel like they have to step in a bit more strongly--not necessarily like, "You are not posting what I want to read," more like, "You guys, we're gonna get busted! And I really like this conversation."

[Katana_Geldar]

I like to think of the verbal, face-to-face conversational equivalent, like if a bunch of us were sitting around talking about something. Only it has to be a little more structured, since it's a thread on topic X--like we've all gotten together to discuss our new kittens or something. If someone said, out loud, "Could we please get back to the main topic?" I wouldn't necessarily think it was rude, but I would think it was kind of extreme--I personally would save that direct wording for when things had gotten really derailed, and my earlier efforts to redirect hadn't worked.

I agree. And there have been cases where threads have derailed, and people really want to move on but for some reason other posters still carry on the topic at hand which it has nothing to do with the thread. I'm thinking of the USAers debate here.

Even I stepped in with a request to go back on topic. But that was after three or four pages where multiple requests to move on seemed to be ignored.