Global chat.. when is too much moderation TOO MUCH

Not a huge issue by any means but I am curious to hear what other players have to say on the subject.

Let's get some background going. I play on Virtue and belong to a number of global chanels including several to find teams, several devoted to badging, a couple for task forces and trials and a few for just general discussion or whatever.

Now without using any names since I have no desire to embarass anyone or hopefully not make anyone mad (although expressing any opinion here always seems to do that with someone LOL). There is one channel that just seems determined to not allow even the slightest deviation from the intended subject. As I am playing the game I may glance up and see two players discussing something slightly off topic and before long a Moderator is on warning them to "stay on Topic That shouldn't be discussed here!" The result is I have seen times where not a single post comes from that channel in 20, 30 or more minutes. Now don't get me wrong this channel serves a very real and good purpose and the last thing it needs is a bunch of players clogging up the chat screen with mindless chat about what tunes they may be listening to while they play or what beer they are drinking. I belong to a channel that encourages that and since everyone KNOWS that's allowed there it's fine. But two or three players discussing, briefly, what power would be best to take next for one players build or the best IO set to slot so your tanker can max out defenses while not on topic for that channel hardly seems like a terrible thing. Now I have never seen it occur but frequently I see green message traffic from this same channel as one MOD comes on and unsilenced an list of members that some other Mod shut off. So apparently at least one of the MOD goes to the extreme of silencing members that have the nerve to continue a conversation after being warned.. Right? wrong? or whatever? I am just letting you know it occurs It always leaves me wondering why bother to silence them in the first place if you are just going to undo it in an hour? day? or whatever? Problem is I don't want to get silenced myself by going into the channel and just asking..

"So exactly why can't we discuss that here? Will the world come to an end if we talk about something else for 10 minutes? "

Now If that chat interferes with members using the channel for its intended purpose I can see the point.. SHUT UP and let the members accomplish what they need to do. When they are done and no one is using the channel THEN continue your discussion or move it to another channel or a tell.

Hey it's their channel and they can run it how ever they like but .. what do you think is TOO much moderation on a public channel you joined?


/e grabs a comfy chair and a big bag of popcorn then settles in to see if a flame war erupts.

PLEASE lets keep this civilized okay. I am not violently opposed to what that or any channel does. It just amuses me that they spend so much time 'PUNISHING(???}" members by silencing them for a day or whatever because they dared to talk off topic. I often wonder how many members have quit because they got tired of it.

Have fun and keep it no worse than PG

EDIT: Opps just to clarify I have never been silenced it that or any global chat channel and am not upset with anyone. I am just looking for some opinions on what other players think about ANY restrictions or slightly over the top moderators on any channel. Also keep in mind we do have TOS so lets not be bringing individual players names into this discussion and using terms like HE SUX ect. {why do I know no one is going to listen to that? But at least I can say i tried!}

Personally, I've got a pretty strong preference for keeping the social-only channels, RP-only channels, special-function channels, and general-purpose channels separate and tightly moderated. If anything, I wish the /help channel had moderation.

A super moderated channel like you described I find stupid. I would quit the channel, global ignore the aggressive mod, and then forget about the nobody. But that's just me. If others like it, good for them.

I have no issue with it, even if I've been on the recieving end of such warnings several times. It keeps the channel clear of chatter that could interfere with the intended funtion, and there's plenty of general-purpose channels for any and all sorts of discussion.

As long as there's an initial warning for off-topicness ("hey folks, take that convo elsewhere please" or whatever), it's not too much moderation.

I've been a member of a badge/TF channel that I ended up barely following because it was mostly filled with inane off-topic chatter, so I agree that a certain amount of moderation is necessary. There is such a thing as over-moderation though. If it's not constant and excessive, and isn't actively interfering with people using the channel for its intended purpose, I see nothing wrong with a little off-topic conversation.

I wouldn't want to be a member of a channel run by such uptight mods, so no real loss, tbh.

I mod a channel, but the only rules even slightly enforced are no swearing before 10pm.

I'd use it. I've got better channels to do the chattering.

Moderation should only be applied to correct genuine disruption. Aside from obvious cases (spammers, somone making personal attacks, etc.) this should only mean when people are actually complaining. Otherwise the best thing to do with an off-topic discussion is to let it peter out on its own, which it will soon enough.

I'm more in favor of "intelligent" moderation -- i.e. moderating when the chatter threatens to disrupt the actual channel function. I think a little chit-chat can be good for the life of a channel since tight restrictions on when speaking is permitted can lead to people largely forgetting the channel even exists. Plus a sense of community is always a good thing.

In the case of the channel in question in the OP (I can guess), most of its function seems to have been farmed out to less restrictive channels. It's still used but whatever requests are made there are usually mirrored in the social globals as well, from what I've seen lately.

I think it depends on the size of the channel too. For example, some of the TF channels I'm in are really extended groups of friends, so there's chatter in them but they can also go silent for long periods, and in the evening they're mostly busy with people forming TFs and the like. Channels that are meant to be server-wide have a lot more people on them, especially when you talk about things like VirtueUnited or the Freedom version of the same... those channels, the chatter can drown out anything useful because there are so many people to chatter to... I don't mind more moderation in channels like that.

Easy create your own channel of General Chatting, such as current events, your day, etc. Make it a total off topic place. As for moderation of a channel of this sort, becareful of 2 topics... Polotics and Religion, some people cannot discuss these without getting offended or angry.

I'd probably drop a channel with over-eager mods like that. I've only seen that kind of nonsense happen once and there was such an immediate backlash from the channel members that the mod backed off and the channel has lived happily ever after.

I am not sure which exact channel Wendy is referring to, but there is a channel on Triumph that is run by a most strict and capricious lot that silences people right and left. Triumph LFT is a recommended channel.

I don't think there is any one answer to the question and I hope it stays that way. Each channel will have its own rules and the community will either gel to those rules and enjoy that channel because it matches their goals or they will move on to other channels that are more appropriate for them. I want that variety to remain.

It's a matter of likes and tastes. In The Global chat channels that I'm part of, the only rules are no profanity and no disrespecting, which are always important rules. The rest is free for all and everything is nice. From TF forming, build recommendations, music conversations, movies, etc. I Preferred that type of global channels since is more free and there will be no problems with a Mod if a mistype happens.

I must understand that even there are extreme cases like the ones who explain, we can't do anything since the those are the rules of the channel owner and we must respect them. But i totally understand what do you mean Wendy.

honestly channels are made by the common agreement of the main users, so really the moderation is whatever the channel wants it to be, if its not disruptive enough to cause the majority of users to leave, then it must be in-line with what people want, so i wouldn't see the problem. the moderation is what the community will allow, if you dont want it and cannot find a groundswell of support to change the rules, then it may not be the channel for you.

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