I'd say its less about particular prompts and just that there's been a surprising amount of beef since the move. Obviously some basic rules you pretty much need so that mods have something to refer back to during an actual incident, and that it isn't just their judgement under question. As for ongoing refinements to the rules, I'd expect that'll be a given for some time yet going forward.

On the second point though. Obviously no one expects you to have to do that.  

That said, working out whether something is actually sarcastic or not is going to be solely up to the moderators discretion. Which is a slippery slope. Plus, something meant as sarcasm can to some, cause just as much offence. We're on the internet after all, so I'm sure we're all familiar with the concept.  

Honestly, I can't think of a perfect way to moderate such issues. It seems like its just a matter of something being reported, and the mod deciding whether its both genuine and serious enough to hand out a cease and desist, and then follow up further should the problems continue.

Which is wholly subjective, and disagreements with a moderators decision are more or less inevitable under such a set-up.

The only real way I can see to even help with this is for there to just be some give and take between mods and the rest of the community. We're not on the BSN any more. Moderation here is voluntary and done only to keep a community that people were passionate about together and in one piece. So that we can all have fun being here. I'd like to think that understanding can count for something.

And in return, disclosure that mods won't act on anything like that bar in the most extreme and repeated circumstances seems like a smart thing, and to always assume that someone is either being sarcastic or misunderstood, rather than the opposite. Benefit of the doubt.


Naturally that's not something all users can do. It's happened here already and in one particular instance it really, really got to me to see it happen. But given that I know the mods, as I'm sure most on the forum do given the circumstances, I trust them to handle these things in the manner I've spoken of. Which for me goes without them even saying it. I suppose its up to you all to decide whether you can do the same. 

Regardless, moderation of such things does need to and will happen. But it'll be markedly easier going forward with as many from both parties underneath that mindset. I'm beginning to sense there's an 'us vs them' mentality from some of the posts in this thread, and while our experiences on the BSN certainly haven't helped prevent that, It just isn't necessary here.

Not that criticism should ever be dismissed as an attitude problem, mind. (And speaking of, I also think the swearing limitation is unnecessary) 


Just my two pennies.