Hi all,

Some have reported the actions of a few who found a moderation menu and have closed some threads of late. Such actions have made members believe it was the moderators who closed the threads, when it hasn't been the case.

We implemented a usergroup a while ago before DBA relinguished control of the forum for DTV Forum Advisors - roughly 20 people were selected from the forum to participate in discussions shaping the future of this forum. It appears that usergroup had permissions that were above what we would consider normal for members. Those permissions have been revoked.

Thanks.

You know, I only noticed that today (guess I haven't been paying attention). I thought maybe I only had that option because it was a thread I had started. Anyway I resisted the temptation to try it, perhaps unlike others?

PS: whoever you are, you're probably off Santa's Christmas list now!

It's an option that shouldn't be given without rules in place and people who meet the same "benchmark" being given the same permissions.

It appeared to many that it was "benefits for the boys".

Reality was the setting wasn't meant to be on, and there hasn't been any policy set forth so members have a method to complain if they feel it was abused.

But basically, it in the simplest of fashions shouldn't have been enabled.

Found it best part of a year ago or so, and actually assumed it was an attempt to allow at least some members to control disruptive antics (thread sabotage, etc) without having to call in the mods.

My occasional use was probably not noticed because I used it so sparingly (and only applied to own threads).

As far as other members not appearing to have access to the function, I thought maybe it was the fact that certain suicide-bombers are drawn like moths to a candle with some of my threads, and I was being given the opportunity to stop excesses in their tracks!

I do again agree with Caniffe, though, that a coherent set of rules should be in place if and when various permissions are granted. I think the thread-close permission can be useful in some cases - or better still, as I detailed previously in another thread, the power to dump an offensive post to a (non-viewable by general readership) sin-bin area for moderator review ... that could lead to short-circuiting of some of the more offensive/trolling/spamming behaviour. {However, I don't know if that's possible in the invision system. If not, a post-delete function would be useful, if the mods had the powers to restore if wrongly deleted...see other thread on subject.}

Like all things if used in moderation and not abused it is not a bad thing.

One could only close your own threads (and no one elses) so it was hard to go very far with the abuse except to perhaps make a comment and then close the thread so that no one could reply.

None of us would do that surely?!

I genuinely thought it was a nice feature that came with FAQ maintainer status. I have actually used it twice to close threads that no-one had commented in for 6 months and were dead anyway.

Anyway I was wrong, the dragon has spoken, and the status quo is back to where it was.

A non-issue really.

Most will argue the troll problem exists because of baiting.

Most will argue the troll problem exists because of baiting.

Which is why it would be nice to remove certain posts* (that stand out like a sore thumb) from time to time.

Or, if the proposition I mentioned again in the last post (sin-bin) wasn't a goer, how about being able to move "inflammatory" posts ... into the Clay Pit®?

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*Note: I mean those which aren't really anything to do with the topic, and are more about pursuing vendettas, trying to incite silly behaviour, etc .... which is all well and good in the Clay Pit®, but gets silly in other threads... IMFFHO!

I'm a bit confused by that remark of Caniffe's. Who was baiting?

Most will argue the troll problem exists because of baiting.

I feel its more the bait problem exists because of Trolls, which one must thus pose the question - which came first? the Bait or the Troll??

Baitey

which came first? the Bait or the Troll??

Santa

Timmy.... what's with the cat avatar. Some might consider that as baiting

LOL - it just reminds me of my own cat.

I'll find a new avatar one day.

When I'm ready.

My avatar reminds me of my cat but not when she's sleeping.