Re: "Getting banned from GenVibe" thread

[NSimkins]

This thread is in response to the "Getting banned from GenVibe" thread that was short-lived in The Vibe Lounge this afternoon (you may or may not have read its content). The thread was moved to the Moderator Discussion area (not deleted) to preserve it's content upon further review. The reason for its move was not for it's initial content however, but for what totally inappropriate and downright disgusting content that was displayed later on in the discussion.Before anyone starts to go around calling the Moderators and Administrators of GenVibe "power hungry", or the like, please continue reading.First, making suggestions or threads on mostly any topic is always tolerated here as long as it is within the posted guidelines and, let's hope, common sense. The GenVibe Forums are 95% self-moderated by its own members good judgment (which rocks!) and willing to want to be informed and have some fun. The Mods and Admins main purpose is to ensure that content is appropriately placed in the correct locations and is within a certain level of decency. Off Topic posts, of most content, are allowed in the Off Topic forum. That's what it's for and its name implies. Suggestions for the GenVibe site and forum in general are placed within the Suggestions for GenVibe forum. Members with specific or more private matters should take them up with a moderator or administrator via IM or e-mail.Second, GenVibe staff (mods and admins) make it a complete last resort in most cases where banning is involved. Our ban list contains a mere 10 members (over the past 3 years). Some members are banned for outright flaming right off the bat, others are banned after learning of scams (the TrickedVibeGT incident). When we say we go down most avenues to prevent banning, we do, seriously. If you don't believe us, then I guess we should apologize that you don't agree with us. No one person makes a decision to ban or is it made in haste. If we banned someone for making one false move then GenVibe would be a place of little or no activity (which it isn't). If a moderator or administrator states a warning to a member, we hope they abide and concur with our notions. We work as a team to discuss and make decisions that WE feel are the best towards the entire community. Again, if you disagree with us on our decisions, we do welcome feedback (preferably privately), otherwise again, we apologize you disagree. It's not our intent to create hostility toward any member or staff member here.We're not apologizing for any of the decisions we have made up to this point but in some instances we may want to do something differently in the future... but our outcome decision is not something we are going to apologize for. We are aware that some decisions will cause some members to disagree and they will either let us know, outright rebel, or flat out leave. We're aware of those consequences and it would be unfortunate that the latter would have to happen. Our goal is not to create hostility or a willingness to leave the community.Third, yes, a member was recently banned (Salsa!). An official "response" of sorts from either a mod or admin here should have been in order a little earlier when the decision was made. Alas, it was not and we slipped up a little on that (yeah, we admit it). Our official statement on this incident, and some members may already be aware, is that we will not and do not go into specific details with this or any incident. In this case, it was an unusual and long-term type issue(s) that spread out longer than it should. You may hear otherwise from the source or other members, but we hope you trust us enough to agree that we had more than sufficient need to do so (regardless of what you have heard from other sources!). Overall, the decision was jointly made (by multiple GenVibe staff) and was carried out. The ban term has been labeled as "Permanent" at this time. Whether a ban will or will not be lifted is only under the consideration of the GenVibe staff. In general. whether a member is portrayed as valuable or friendly visibly on the forums does not cover for other issues or incidents that have occurred or been dealt with outside of public view and conversation, please be aware of that. You can feel free to discuss any concerns you may have with this or any other incident privately with myself or any of the mods, but please be aware that details will never be given, out of general respect of all parties.Fourth, as we said, banning is used as a last resort. Should we "temporarily ban" members more frequently rather than warning? Maybe, considering the circumstances. We do not ban members solely for "hurting the feelings of others" but do take some feedback of this nature (depending on content) into consideration given the whole picture. By no means do we ban just by a "suggestion" by one or two members that may not like another member.Fifth, if by all means (and not limited to) that any member finds it amusing or entertaining to cause undue harm, cause obvious inappropriate controversy, flaming, make statements with intent to cause harm toward members, or purposeful intent to cause harm to members, then you will be warned (or banned if appropriate). Repeated warnings without consideration will lead to a ban. If you feel you cannot abide by these statements, then maybe GenVibe isn't the place for you.Please also be aware that creating multiple accounts on GenVibe, especially using them for harm other than good, is grounds to be banned. While this hasn't been a problem overall, we've seen it done here unfortunately (some of which was done to cause problems). We do have the ability to detect activity that will lead us to believe that multiple accounts are being used. While we do not actively perform this function, we do use it if we suspect suspicious activity.Lastly, let me make a few personal statements. If you've read to this point, then I sincerely thank you for doing so. These types of posts (rare) are not something I like to do or have to even think about. Yes, it's a duty of a public forum to keep order and hostility away. Any action performed here other than good is not something I like to have to do. I regret having to ban or warn any member, but mostly regret their actions that lead to the banning or warning more so. I feel that possibly some members may leave GenVibe after reading this thread (that's the worst part for me) but that is your choice and I (we) would hate to see you leave. This isn't asking for pity, as I'm sure a few other mods feel the same overall way regarding this thread.If you feel stressed out, in an irritable mood, or just down right ticked off about something, then take a break from the forum to cool down. Prevent making comments in haste if at all possible and if you would feel better, let a mod or admin know what is up. Sometimes a private chat is in order.Hopefully you see the points we're trying to make here. This post isn't directed toward any member, but to the whole community. A community that I have seen and have been glad to be a part of over the past few years (has it been that long already? ). It's a fact that members will come and go as the normal cycle, old members move on and there are always new members to pick up the slack.Feel free to make comments or whatnot here, but preferably via e-mail to me or IM (and/or to any of the other mods).-Nick

[Sputnik]

Thanks Nick, for the post.I fully support yours (and the other admins) decisions regarding banning. I think people tend to believe they know the whole story, when its really like an iceberg - you can only see about 10%. The other 90% is below the surface (in this case usually emails and IMs with admins and mods). So people get upset when a member gets banned assuming they know what is going on, when they probably don't know the whole story. I have made comments in haste and for that I apologize. Its not a good example and since I've done as suggested - taken a step away, come back - and its all pretty much good again. Its good advice we should follow.

[Psychobroker]

I agree 100% Although, quite frankly, I am getting sick and tired of people kicking the proverbial dead horse i.e. the thread that generated this response.

[pmh013]

Wow, you take a few hours to do laundry in the afternoon, and you totally miss all the fun/mudslinging.I think Sputnik's iceberg theory is definitely true ... one can never really know the whole story when you're just an observer. I'm sure that the moderators/administrators of GenVibe do the best they can with the knowledge they have regarding any given circumstances.I'm not the site's most active member, but I do still poke in daily. Hopefully it'll continue to be here to aid all of us.

[Sputnik]

People LOVE controversy, rumours and all the other stuff that goes along with it - which is why it doesn't die.

[Mavrik]

ppl are curious by nature, eventually they stop asking questions if you stop hinting lol awsome post btw Nick, don't think I have seen you write that much in a while lol.

[AKLGT]

i will add my quick and short reply here for the sake of the admins and mods on this board.nick, you are doing a fantastic job keeping things in order. i have full confidence in not only you, but also rasermon and millster for all your hard work and effort you put into this site. you (all of you) have been more than fair, always looking to see the best in someone, hearing all sides of the story. then discussing it and making an educated decision. i applaude your job well done! fantastic post and i support you 100%!ok, back to my solitude of vacation and time off.... be back sometime soon.

[wicked1981]

Quote, originally posted by pmh013 »Wow, you take a few hours to do laundry in the afternoon, and you totally miss all the fun/mudslinging.I agree!!! Always miss the good ones. Hey TRD is back... and gone again!

[Vibe]

Nothing personal people -- but my time has been limited lately so you might say I am just a reader of the forum EVERYDAY.I'm still out there --but my posts a few and far between.Perhaps when things ease up I can become more active in posting.I am posting this in case anyone wonders where is "Vibe". James Stewart

[drunkenmaxx]

i would like to state, for the record, that i did not knowingly post anything obscene here. if you saw whatver it was that came up instead of what i saw on my screen, i appologize, but i did not apparently see the same picture as you guys.

[Jahntassa]

I'm glad you spelled it out, Nick. Though I would hope, probably as you do, that nobody ever needs to reference this post, because we're all fairly friendly and intelligent people.Now, while I think everyone will admit they have at least one or two posts that were a little on the mean side, most members here are quite sane. I don't need to see the thread in question, i'll pretty much take your word for whatever happened, and I think everyone will agree that we understand there's a lot more going on when 'extreme measures' are taken.Thanks a lot, Nick, and all the other moderators for keeping this place the great forum it is!