Moderating in the Age of COVID-19

[SueDonJ]

It doesn't seem like most of you aware of how many pandemic-related posts/threads are being reported for content, how many times moderators are being asked to take all related posts/threads and move them to one super-thread without infecting (ha! pun intended!) every other TUG thread, how many times moderators read something that make their heads explode because we're people too and we vehemently disagree ideologically, politically or sensibly, how many times we dread coming back to TUG because we know that the amount of moderation required to clean up what's become as much a mess in this forum as any other is going to take far more time than any of us have.

People, please, give it a rest.

TUG's rules haven't been suspended. If you need to review them click on the "Rules" tab up at the top of every page.

I don't know how other mods are coping during this trying time but I'm just about at the end of my rope, and have taken to simply locking threads that are reported because I simply don't have enough goodwill left in me to cope with both my challenging life and TUGgers who know that they're pushing boundaries.

Please, give it a rest.

Think twice, three, eighteen times about what you're posting before you post it. Whatever thread it's in, if it's reported then I'm going to close it.

And I invite any other moderators to publicly shame me here, and invite Brian to remove me as a moderator, if they think I've crossed a line by giving in to my frustration with this plea.

Thank you.

 

[Cornell]

Is it ok to mention that it’s a beautiful , sunny, spring like day here in Chicago?
I hope so bc I haven’t been able to use those descriptors in months !

thank you moderators !

 

[VacationForever]

Hang in there. There are a few individuals who knowingly violate the rules. Lots of hugs from us. Thank you for what you do for us.

 

[GregT]

@SueDonJ, you rock! I'm sorry that this has become a burden because you are a real asset to this community! Thank you for all that you do!!

Best,

Greg

 

[Panina]

It doesn't seem like most of you aware of how many pandemic-related posts/threads are being reported for content, how many times moderators are being asked to take all related posts/threads and move them to one super-thread without infecting (ha! pun intended!) every other TUG thread, how many times moderators read something that make their heads explode because we're people too and we vehemently disagree ideologically, politically or sensibly, how many times we dread coming back to TUG because we know that the amount of moderation required to clean up what's become as much a mess in this forum as any other is going to take far more time than any of us have.

People, please, give it a rest.

TUG's rules haven't been suspended. If you need to review them click on the "Rules" tab up at the top of every page.

I don't know how other mods are coping during this trying time but I'm just about at the end of my rope, and have taken to simply locking threads that are reported because I simply don't have enough goodwill left in me to cope with both my challenging life and TUGgers who know that they're pushing boundaries.

Please, give it a rest.Whatever thread it's in, if it's reported then I'm going to close it.

Think twice, three, eighteen times about what you're posting before you post it. Whatever thread it's in, if it's reported then I'm going to close it.

And I invite any other moderators to publicly shame me here, and invite Brian to remove me as a moderator, if they think I've crossed a line by giving in to my frustration with this plea.

Thank you.

Uprfront hugs and thank for all the time you have given to tug. All the volunteer work you and other moderators have done is much appreciated.

I am sorry this has become such a burden and understand your frustration. I have often though this must be so overwhelming to the moderators.

Whereas I agree with what you have said, this worries me ” if it's reported then I'm going to close it.” Sadly there will be no threads left to read Plus it will give those who do not agree with any statement an opportunity to just report it to close it down.

It seems to be the same people doing it over and over again. I said it before, I will say it again, a warning and then suspend privileges for awhile. Rules are rules for all, and a few should not ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[klpca]

Moderating is a thankless job in the best of times, and during this time it must be an endless task. I have personally tried to give you guys a break by just hiding posters that are skating very close to the TUG rules and have only reported one post (personally attacking another poster - apparently my limit line) because I was sure that the volume of reported posts had to be very high.

@SueDonJ I think that the way that you are handling it is perfect. You cannot moderate every single post, and in most of the Covid threads there are many posts that are worthy of moderation. May as well just lock the thread and be done with it. You aren't getting paid enough to put up with this. No one is.

No one is going to change anyone's mind on the internet. One person feels that they are 100% correct as does the person with an opposing point of view. No one on TUG is going to change policy on any level - local, state, national. So maybe folks could give it a rest so that there is one corner on the internet where people aren't fighting. If things here were just discussions instead of arguments, the moderators wouldn't have to lock threads. But these threads are unnecessarily antagonistic. It is not helpful to anyone, in my opinion.

 

[VacationForever]

I really agree with Panina that the regular violators need a warning followed by suspension for a period of time and it gets extended if their behavior is not fixed. Some of the posters are so predictable that I already knew what they were going to post, in particular their insults of the other political party. I am so tired of them. I just avoid several COVID-19 threads because of that.

 

[klpca]

And thank you to @SueDonJ and all of the other moderators. You are one of the reasons that TUG is so great. I truly appreciate your efforts. I was a member of a "self moderated" message board back in the early 2000's. Well, that didn't go too well. One day the board "owner" announced that he had had enough and shut it down. It never came back. All of the years of shared knowledge was gone in an instant. I would hate to see anything like happen ever again. Having moderators is a key to a successful bulletin board.

 

[TravelTime]

Thanks Sue and all the moderators for all your hard work. I was thinking before you posted this that Covid-19 is a contentious social issue.

 

[Brett]

My appreciation too !
It is sad that people don't realize their posts are "political" when discussing the coronavirus (and subsequent responses) ... who woulda thunk it?

 

[SueDonJ]

I really agree with Panina that the regular violators need a warning followed by suspension for a period of time and it gets extended if their behavior is not fixed. Some of the posters are so predictable that I already knew what they were going to post, in particular their insults of the other political party. I am so tired of them. I just avoid several COVID-19 threads because of that.

I'm not giving up, just taking a blanket approach for the time being so that what's rapidly approaching DEFCON2 remains a 3.

If you want to help call attention to repeated violations by specific posters, report those posts and note, "This is a repeat offender." Administrators are always willing to focus on those types of reports - it may take a little bit longer because of the noise but it'll happen. In the meantime try not to engage. You can click on any User Name over there <--- and then select "Ignore" if you, like me, find it very difficult to simply skip over nonsense.

 

[dayooper]

Thanks to all the moderators here. It’s a thankless job. Whatever you all decide to do is fine with me. I will adjust my TUG experience to whatever you awesome people choose to do.

On a side note, I have used the ignore button on one member and a couple of others on both sides of the issue are very close. The condescending nature, the inability to see someone else’s perspective and the encouraging discord among other members is ruining this forum. The less I see of it, the better my experience is.

I have used the ignore button on Facebook for those that consistently post political topics (on both sides of the coin) and it has made my Facebook experience much better.

 

[Cornell]

Thanks to all the moderators here. It’s a thankless job. Whatever you all decide to do is fine with me. I will adjust my TUG experience to whatever you awesome people choose to do.

On a side note, I have used the ignore button on one member and a couple of others on both sides of the issue are very close. The condescending nature, the inability to see someone else’s perspective and the encouraging discord among other members is ruining this forum. The less I see of it, the better my experience is.

I have used the ignore button on Facebook for those that consistently post political topics (on both sides of the coin) and it has made my Facebook experience much better.

I love the "30 day snooze" feature on FB - I use it a lot!

 

[dayooper]

I love the "30 day snooze" feature on FB - I use it a lot!

Yup, and if they still are spewing their divisive political opinions and nasty political memes after 30 days, I put them on ignore. I’m not on Facebook for politics.

 

[TravelTime]

This is one of my pet peeves. This is a rule on TUG that many are violating. Refrain from name calling and behavior lectures. I am talking about the lecturing. With Covid-19, I am constantly hearing lectures about what to do. Some people are very direct about lecturing. It gets annoying after a while to read posts by the social distancing police. That is one of my triggers. I hate the shaming. But then I see that many of the shamers are very inconsistent in their own behavior. That really triggers me. I will try to let it go, going forward, because then it makes me one of the argumentative people when I call them out on it. I will report it instead since it is against TUG rules.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I appreciate the moderators job and understand it must be difficult during this time. I just posted some thoughts here with an idea to make moderator's life simpler.

How to Argue Productively

I feel like the article linked below was written specifically for me this morning. It is something I definitely need to take to heart and practice here on TUG. Although I’ve had classes and read books on the subject, I still let my emotions take over at times and it’s all downhill from there...

tugbbs.com

 

[DaveNV]

One of my personal triggers is when someone, unsolicited, gets all high and mighty, and says, "You know what your problem is..." and then they proceed to tell me, sometimes in very direct terms, exactly what they think of me. (Sometimes it's very little, to be honest.) First off, I could care less what that person thinks of me. Until they're paying my bills, they have no say in how I live my life. Secondly, I did not ask for them to judge me. And third, who asked them in the first place? So I usually will back off, and consider everything with a huge grain of salt. Let them find a new target.

This sort of thing is why, when in a discussion where I think it might be heard, I usually offer my opinions starting with "I think..." or "The way I see it..." is this or that way. I express my opinion about the topic, and not about the other person. I try not to judge others for their opinions, because I have no idea what their life is like, or what they've been through. We can agree to disagree on a topic without arguing. I like to think of it as "fair fighting." It doesn't make my opinion any less valid, just that I pick and choose where to invest energy in arguing about something. I've had a few of those kinds of discussions here recently, and in both cases, I bear the other person no grudge for having a differing opinion than me. No harm, no foul, and life goes on. If we ever meet in real life, let's sit down and talk in person about things that really matter.

I also try to remember that in a text-based place like Tug, it is impossible to read body language. Sometimes someone will say something that comes off as rude or wrong, but it is not usually worth calling someone out for what they said. The way I took it may not have been anything close to how they meant their words. I know I can get caught up in trying to express myself, and I'll pick the wrong word or phrase. Then I have to explain myself. It's frustrating, but is sometimes how it goes, when the only way someone knows you is through words you've read from them on a website.

I spent too many years in the military working with people from different backgrounds, and different points of view; sometimes extremely different. Some became lifelong friends, and with others, I can't even remember their names. But I learned I didn't have to agree with them to work with them. It's the same way here. Tuggers come in all varieties, and that is a big part of why this site is so interesting.

My greatest wish for all of us is that we come out of this happy and healthy. Everything else is window dressing.

Be well, everyone.

Dave

 

[slip]

TUG's rules haven't been suspended. If you need to review them click on the "Rules" tab up at the top of every page.

Think twice, three, eighteen times about what you're posting before you post it. Whatever thread it's in, if it's reported then I'm going to close it.

I really thought TUG rules were suspended or changed with all these Virus posts. It was an obvious change on what was being allowed . I believe I remember Brian posting about memberships down and reviews being down and I thought maybe it was decided to allow people to vent about the frustrations of the affects this virus is taking on people.

It has gotten so bad people are starting threads by just posting links that say Trump Says, Pelosi says. How would that not be political? Once we start talking about the virus it gets into how it’s being handled and who is wrong. It’s a political topic. So I totally agree close the threads that you see fit to.

I agree with @klpca, that post is dead on.

I think we should close all the virus threads, They are all political and per the rules don’t belong on TUG. If a person finds value in those types of threads, the internet is full of them. If you want to talk to TUG people about them, invite the to another site to do it or have private conversations.

Now, my Thank You to all the moderators and all the time they put in to make this site what it is!!

 

[PamMo]

Thank you, SueDonJ! You and the other mods have been up to your eyeballs in contentious threads (most having nothing to do with timesharing), so I can only imagine how frustrating it's been. It's easy for me to turn off most of the forum, but you and others selflessly volunteer your time to be moderators. Many, many thanks!

Until travel starts up again, I think I'll just stick to the Stay at Home Humor thread!

 

[DaveNV]

Until travel starts up again, I think I'll just stick to the Stay at Home Humor thread!

There's also a couple of picture threads about the Western States and in Hawaii, where people are posting a picture and asking. Where is this?" Kind of a scavenger hunt, of sorts. It's fun to try and figure out where a picture was taken.

Dave

 

[Luanne]

I think we should close all the virus threads, They are all political and per the rules don’t belong on TUG. If a person finds value in those types of threads, the internet is full of them. If you want to talk to TUG people about them, invite the to another site to do it or have private conversations.

I think, or maybe it's just that I find value, in the virus threads as they relate to travel. There has been some very helpful information about changes in policies for airlines, hotels, etc. due to COVID-19. I've found things posted here before I've been notified elsewhere.

But, it's hard not to get sidetracked when a thread starts off in one direction, and then gets sidetracked. I'll admit I've been guilty of doing that.

 

[VacationForever]

I really thought TUG rules were suspended or changed with all these Virus posts. It was an obvious change on what was being allowed . I believe I remember Brian posting about memberships down and reviews being down and I thought maybe it was decided to allow people to vent about the frustrations of the affects this virus is taking on people.

It has gotten so bad people are starting threads by just posting links that say Trump Says, Pelosi says. How would that not be political? Once we start talking about the virus it gets into how it’s being handled and who is wrong. It’s a political topic. So I totally agree close the threads that you see fit to.

I agree with @klpca, that post is dead on.

I think we should close all the virus threads, They are all political and per the rules don’t belong on TUG. If a person finds value in those types of threads, the internet is full of them. If you want to talk to TUG people about them, invite the to another site to do it or have private conversations.

Now, my Thank You to all the moderators and all the time they put in to make this site what it is!!

Very well said, Jeff. Thank you!

There are too many poorly disguised political posts and opinions posted. I much prefer to be in my own happy space where we don't argue over who is wrong/right about the virus. We have one common enemy which is COVID-19. We all have our own comfort level in staying home vs. going out. I care about what I do and you do what you want to do. No matter how much you tell me or I tell you whose action is right, it is not going to change the other person's mind. All these arguments and posts are due to people having too much time on their hands.

 

[slip]

I think, or maybe it's just that I find value, in the virus threads as they relate to travel. There has been some very helpful information about changes in policies for airlines, hotels, etc. due to COVID-19. I've found things posted here before I've been notified elsewhere.

But, it's hard not to get sidetracked when a thread starts off in one direction, and then gets sidetracked. I'll admit I've been guilty of doing that.

Yes, I agree some of the traveling restrictions are changing fast and are pertinent to TUG but moderating them must be a pain since most of them turn in another direction. They always turn to why the restrictions are right or wrong.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Yup, and if they still are spewing their divisive political opinions and nasty political memes after 30 days, I put them on ignore. I’m not on Facebook for politics.

I have done the same thing on Facebook, I have no tolerance anymore for folks that want to spew negativity.

 

[Passepartout]

As I said so long (a couple of weeks or so) ago. The Covid-19 HAD to have a profound effect on all our travels. But it's SO much more, affecting every segment of every life really, in the world. It's perfectly appropriate to relate how we are coping, and going forward. . .
We will start opening up to traveling again. Some of the comments will necessarily be how governmental agencies open or keep closed services and localities. There will be disagreements.

We want to discuss travel, and plans we will be making. But if you must disagree, don't make it personal.

I have used the TUG ignore feature, and might put others on the list for a while.

This will end. But meanwhile, if a thread really riles you, just don't open it. There's enough wrong to add to your stress.

Jim