MUST READ: How to Warn Members

[NETWizz]

I.e. someone messes up and is warned. Breaks another rule and is warned again. At this point, it would be a really good idea to implement a 1 day ban as we don't want someone to max out their warn indicator in one day and be banned permanently.

Moderators must not ban anyone permanently!

Moderators MUST NOT ban or warn anyone for doing something outside their area. Even though it is possible to click a name or view them from members and within your forum, you must not manage anything outside your jurisdiction.

For a Warning to be Legitimate:
For a warning to be legit, I demand a complete write up and link to the offending content be listed. This will help our staff connect the logs with a specific topic months later if needed. Even deleted topics will be in the trash for later review. This write up should be in paragraph or bulleted form and have a link to the Terms of Service and state specifically what rule number or numbers were broken. Even if multiple rules are broken in any given post, only create one warning per post. All warnings should be courteous and positively worded. DO NOT make any threats, but do list the actions you have taken. If you banned someone for 2 days, you need to list it specifically. It is inappropriate for moderators to tell members that they are banned until the moderator decides to let them back. State the ban length terms.


Example Warning Template in Blue:

NETWiz triple posted in the "Announcements forum United-TI->Warnings topic." Here is a link: http://www.unitedti.org/index.php?showtopic=7077.

In this specific case, I am not deleting the posts because they contain some important information; however, I will be watching closely. Specifically, I assert that rule #4 from the Terms and Conditions was violated. It reads: "You must not double post (i.e., make two posts that are back-to-back) or multi-post without considerable time between your posts, unless you have a very good reason. In this case, you may find that editing your post a better solution. "

Include the Following:
For more information on the Policies that Govern behavior at United-TI, please refer to the "Terms and Conditions." It is at the top of the page. For your convenience, here is a link: http://www.unitedti.org/index.php?act=boardrules Thanks in advance for your further cooperation. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or another staff member. If you feel this is in error or unjust, submit a request for review via PM an active UTI-STAFF member. Include your full side of the story as you would like it posted for all of the UTI-STAFF to read. The UTI-STAFF member who receives your request for review will create a topic in "United-TI Top Management," a hidden forum and post a POLL and your exact PM verbatim as you sent it. It will take on average 3 days for the UTI-STAFF members to read the topic, post responses, and cast their votes.

If you feel you would like to appeal, PM one or more UTI-STAFF members and tell them that you wish your request for appeal be posted in the "United-TI Top Management" form.

-Your Name Here




To re-iterate:
Be courteous and polite
Only one warning per post
State the reason for the warning and a link to the content
Put a link to the Terms of Service
Specify the number or numbers of the Terms of Service infractions
List the actions you have taken
If you ban someone, put in the warning the length of the ban
No Threats from Moderators
Invite that member to Personal Message you if they have any questions
Include the appeal process info about contacting UTI STAFF and requesting the topic be posted in the "United-TI Top Management" forum for a POLL/Review.

The Following is an Unacceptable Warning:
"NETWiz double posted."

If a moderator creates a warning like the one mentioned above, please report it to the UTI-STAFF. We will not simply delete the warning, but we will work with the moderator to ensure the warning is re-created with all of the proper details.


Moderators,

I know this is asking you to do more work, but with more power comes more responsibility. Please look at this as a promotion. We may eventually create a group to assert the moderator's role. I.e. UTI-OP or UTI-MOD or something like that. If someone has an idea, create a logo like the UTI-STAFF one and submit it. We will use it if it is good. :-)

In the real world, a warning is much like a write-up. Typically, they stay on file for 6 months to a year with most companies. On this forum, we will attempt to remove warnings more than 3 months old. This means we really need to check the warn logs and issue a follow up. Bans are temporary, however, and do not last 3 months unless it is a permanent ban (lasts forever). If we forget to reset your warn level and you have a warning more than 3 moths old, please let a UTI Staff member know.

We could create a system to automatically reduce the warn level by one every three moths or something like that, but it would not be fair for someone who is warned the day before the script is run to have the warning removed when someone else had to wait a full 3 months. We would probably need a script that checks the warn logs times and runs as a cron job or forum task.

[DarkerLine]

NETWiz -

While your post may have merit, I feel it would be better if you joined the existing discussion concerning warnings, rather than starting your own topic and effectively declaring it official policy in the public discipline topic without consulting with other staff members. In particular, please do not make a sweeping change such as removing all the warn logs, without discussing it on this forum first - you did not even mention it in this forum, which goes directly against the guidelines we agreed on.

Also, you realize that neither the ordinary members nor the non-Staff moderators can see the sections of this topic that appear to be addressed at them.

[NETWizz]

I have been here since the very beginning and still consider myself the lead director. With that said, AlienCC is the only other person here who I consider my peer on every level of all decisions. I respect all of UTI-STAFF greatly, but at my core I have the greatest respect for AlienCC and David L too.

It has always been up to AlienCC and I to set the tone and create the policies that control the inner workings of run this forum. As always, we are trying to be reasonable and support a good environment for members and users to contribute ideas and discuss a wide variety of areas, so we need everyone’s cooperation to make this community work.

In fact, I recall putting a policy in place years ago stating that the policy can change with our without notice. It is in the aforementioned Terms of Service. Typically AlienCC and I ask for the input of the UTI-STAFF because we are nice guys and care about your input.

As for me clearing the warnings and warning logs and changing the policy, I reserve the rights to do this without consulting anyone. Typically, I consult some of the UTI-STAFF out of respect.

I am aware that ordinary members and non-STaff moderators cannot read this topic. I did, after all setup the permissions for this forum when I created it. This is by design. AlienCC and I are still thinking this policy through; hence, we put a rough draft of it here where it cannot be seen by our Moderators.

When we do come up with a new policy, the Terms and Service will be updated as promised in #13, it will be posted somewhere where the moderators can view it, and it will be a brand new topic not part of your "public discipline topic."

Thanks You for your understanding and continued support

-Jbirk/NETWIz

[Weregoose]

[AlienCC]

Hmm. I don't like the tone of this thread or where things seem to be heading right now.

As such I will be posting a proper response to all posts in this thread in a while, mean while everyone just sit tight and don't burn the house down.

[NETWizz]

I did not reset all past events. I only cleared the warning leves and logs. We are just moving on into the future starting a brand new warning sytem with a clean state. This does not mean that those previously banned are forgiven. It simply means that we are enforcing good behavior throughout the forums for all members here forward.

In other words, since warnings now have a standard meaning, we are starting clean.


Weargoose and DarkerLine, I respect both of your opinions greatly and to answer a question Deamon is still on his last chance.

There is a big difference between me going forth with a policy we have talked about for a while and that of me overturning previus decisions. If anything, I feel there is a misunderstanding.

It is my intent to not overturn any previous decisions from the community as I honestly belive they were made in good faith. That said, I am simly moving forward by empowering are moderators, creating a standard warning system, and warning template with a dispute proceduure.

[alexrudd]

Whoa. Let me step back for a minute. I'm not sure I like how this is playing out, although the intentions are good.

[AlienCC]

[alexrudd]

[DarkerLine]

[NETWizz]

Okay,

This is what it boils down to. I cannot think clearly after the Nextel Cup Nascar Race in Fontana, CA, but let me see if I can finally swing the hammer and hit the nail (not my thumb).

If a user is acting up in a way that needs action, it is clear that our overall goal is to improve that user's behavior not punish. As such, a moderator should pull them aside and go over the following checklist:

1) Pull them aside and let them know what they are doing wrong.
1b) Listen to them. They usually think what they were doing is right. Why do they honestly believe they have done nothing wrong?
2) Make sure they know the consequences of what will happen if they continue with the current behavior.
3) Give a suggestion on how they can improve their behavior.
4) You end by telling them something positive you see in them.

In the event that a warning is necessary, go through the checklist
Be courteous and polite
Only one warning per post
State the reason for the warning and a link to the content
Put a link to the Terms of Service
Specify the number or numbers of the Terms of Service infractions
List the actions you have taken
If you ban someone, put in the warning the length of the ban
No Threats from Moderators
Invite that member to Personal Message you if they have any questions
Include the appeal process info about contacting UTI STAFF and requesting the topic be posted in the "United-TI Top Management" forum for a POLL/Review.

The reason for the aforementioned checklist is that it allows us to read the warn logs and make sense of them at a later time. The user really should be told what area of the Terms of Service is violated or else they think a moderator is picking on them. At the very end, the user should have the option to have the warning/write-up reviewed. Obviously, most will not bother. I am thinking of this as innocent until proven guilty.

I implore you to ask yourself how you would feel if you were warned for something which was not in writing and had no sense of recourse

In all, I am really only striving to create a system which is fair and just for all members. I also want to empower moderators to be more a part of the group.

[alexrudd]

OK, let's post it then. Don't mention the first checklist, just generalize and say that moderators will try to work with members whenever possible.

[DigiTan]

What's the process for very minor infractions. A new member pzhukke who joined last week multiposted (the usual "two topics will get me answers faster" strategy) is this a warnable offense? I'm already sending the PM.

* Original Topic
* Duplicate Topic (closed)

And this week there were some questions involving Valueless Posts and 1-word messages. What's our approach to those?

[DarkerLine]

It's reasonable to assume that a new member wouldn't even realize that's not a good thing to do. It's not a well-defined rule, but I think in this case sending a PM telling him he doesn't have to and shouldn't do this is enough. Now, if he continues...

For 1-word messages, I think a reasonable strategy would be to ignore one or two cases, but when this becomes a recurring thing, a warning is appropriate. Of course, if the user doesn't realize they're being too laconic, a simple PM might be just as effective.