Do you Favor Increasing the Topical Content of Threads? (Read OP 1st)

[flacaltenn]

Keep this conversation on the topic of the poll. It's NOT a gripefest about moderation or your opposing political team. The reason for this poll is to get membership feedback on a possible means to reduce the troll population. Let's be frank. BOTH sides are bitching about out of control trolls. That's a fact. Frustration levels are high.. That's NOT a USMB Moderation fault. It's the way the 2 tribes have polarized this country that is the problem.

All Zone2 and 3 rules are focused on TOPIC CONTROL. If you respect the topic -----

1) You'll hardly ever hear from moderation.
2) You're not trolling.

So if you want to REDUCE the troll population, folks need to up their up their "topical discussion" game. Currently, too many only use token references to the specific topic before they haul off and WHACK someone personally or go off onto a thread diverting rant. We could easily just change the requirement to be MOSTLY topical discussion.. That would spell doom for all trolls right there.

THINK before you vote. Every one would be focusing more on topical discussion, much less on trolling or personal flaming. So YOU are making a PERSONAL commitment with your vote.

This is NOT been discussed as a Staff Issue. There are NO PLANS to change the way we judge posts and content. So it's my neck hanging out asking the question...

 

[Montrovant]

I think of trolling as sort of the price of posting freedom. I think too much focus on a strict adherence to a thread's OP would stifle good discussion. There have been many threads I've been involved in which went away from the main topic, yet were also good discussion/debate. I think that having to create a new thread any time a discussion goes on a tangent (which too much regulation of OP content might do) would prevent those sorts of conversations.

Of course, the specifics of how any sort of change like this would be applied might alter my opinion. If tangents or expansions about details can still constitute "topical discussion," then of course reducing trolling is a laudable goal.

 

[Darkwind]

I'll only vote if you swear on your mothers grave that all threads and forums adhering to 'topical content' rules won't have a ukulele playing in the background and you'll immediately resign if the software starts playing Don Ho.

 

[flacaltenn]

I'll only vote if you swear on your mothers grave that all threads and forums adhering to 'topical content' rules won't have a ukulele playing in the background and you'll immediately resign if the software starts playing Don Ho.

Bummed about the "Tiny Bubbles" rule, but OK.. I guess i should have included "Pineapple" as a choice for the Don Ho fans.

 

[toobfreak]

Keep this conversation on the topic of the poll. It's NOT a gripefest about moderation or your opposing political team. The reason for this poll is to get membership feedback on a possible means to reduce the troll population. Let's be frank. BOTH sides are bitching about out of control trolls. That's a fact. Frustration levels are high.. That's NOT a USMB Moderation fault. It's the way the 2 tribes have polarized this country that is the problem.

All Zone2 and 3 rules are focused on TOPIC CONTROL. If you respect the topic -----

1) You'll hardly ever hear from moderation.
2) You're not trolling.

So if you want to REDUCE the troll population, folks need to up their up their "topical discussion" game. Currently, too many only use token references to the specific topic before they haul off and WHACK someone personally or go off onto a thread diverting rant. We could easily just change the requirement to be MOSTLY topical discussion.. That would spell doom for all trolls right there.

THINK before you vote. Every one would be focusing more on topical discussion, much less on trolling or personal flaming. So YOU are making a PERSONAL commitment with your vote.

This is NOT been discussed as a Staff Issue. There are NO PLANS to change the way we judge posts and content. So it's my neck hanging out asking the question...

Flac, my heart tells me to make it more topical content to cut down on trolling, but my head realizes we already have too many rules, that sometimes innocent comments would get swept up with trolling and that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Yeah, some people troll way too much, but a lot of it leads to worthwhile side discussions. Leave it alone.

 

[BULLDOG]

Everything I post is so profound till the subject should automatically adjust to align with my thoughts.

 

[Rambunctious]

Change for change sake? no way...didn't Obama try that?

 

[Weatherman2020]

Keep this conversation on the topic of the poll. It's NOT a gripefest about moderation or your opposing political team. The reason for this poll is to get membership feedback on a possible means to reduce the troll population. Let's be frank. BOTH sides are bitching about out of control trolls. That's a fact. Frustration levels are high.. That's NOT a USMB Moderation fault. It's the way the 2 tribes have polarized this country that is the problem.

All Zone2 and 3 rules are focused on TOPIC CONTROL. If you respect the topic -----

1) You'll hardly ever hear from moderation.
2) You're not trolling.

So if you want to REDUCE the troll population, folks need to up their up their "topical discussion" game. Currently, too many only use token references to the specific topic before they haul off and WHACK someone personally or go off onto a thread diverting rant. We could easily just change the requirement to be MOSTLY topical discussion.. That would spell doom for all trolls right there.

THINK before you vote. Every one would be focusing more on topical discussion, much less on trolling or personal flaming. So YOU are making a PERSONAL commitment with your vote.

This is NOT been discussed as a Staff Issue. There are NO PLANS to change the way we judge posts and content. So it's my neck hanging out asking the question...

There should be at least some hint of rebuttal or support for the topic of the thread in each post.

 

[edthecynic]

It's the way the 2 tribes have polarized this country that is the problem.

Would it be trolling if I pointed out that one tribe leader brags the he is responsible for the polarization in this great country, and the trolls knowing they can't deny their tribe is responsible, simply claim both sides do it???

March 22, 2010
RUSH: I'll tell you, I'm going to be very honest. I largely blame myself for this. I do, I'll tell you why I think I'm responsible for this, this partisan divide. It's a good thing, don't misunderstand, but I'm responsible for it

November 19, 2007
RUSH: we in talk radio have this thing called polarization. It's not required that everybody love us.

 

[aaronleland]

And have even more of my posts deleted? Hell no.

 

[skye]

whatever is vintage I love ((((( hehehehe)))))


All the past .... all that....


That's what I love!

 

[flacaltenn]

Keep this conversation on the topic of the poll. It's NOT a gripefest about moderation or your opposing political team. The reason for this poll is to get membership feedback on a possible means to reduce the troll population. Let's be frank. BOTH sides are bitching about out of control trolls. That's a fact. Frustration levels are high.. That's NOT a USMB Moderation fault. It's the way the 2 tribes have polarized this country that is the problem.

All Zone2 and 3 rules are focused on TOPIC CONTROL. If you respect the topic -----

1) You'll hardly ever hear from moderation.
2) You're not trolling.

So if you want to REDUCE the troll population, folks need to up their up their "topical discussion" game. Currently, too many only use token references to the specific topic before they haul off and WHACK someone personally or go off onto a thread diverting rant. We could easily just change the requirement to be MOSTLY topical discussion.. That would spell doom for all trolls right there.

THINK before you vote. Every one would be focusing more on topical discussion, much less on trolling or personal flaming. So YOU are making a PERSONAL commitment with your vote.

This is NOT been discussed as a Staff Issue. There are NO PLANS to change the way we judge posts and content. So it's my neck hanging out asking the question...

There should be at least some hint of rebuttal or support for the topic of the thread in each post.

That the way it currently is in Zone2 and 3. That's the whole evil Mod plan. We don't READ the flames and the nonsense if the post contains a "Shred" of topic. But the trolls are smart and have learned to give token winks and nods to the topical content rule. All we want is for folks to be respecting the topics and producing readable and hopefully informative single topic conversations.

And to be honest, we're letting them get away with almost no contribution to the actual discussion.

This is not the only way to do something constructive about reducing rampant "Troll Fatigue Syndrome" (TFS) on USMB --- so if you have other ideas -- please suggest. I'm just reacting to BOTH sides complaining about the trolling issue..

 

[flacaltenn]

And I don't want to bias anything here in the poll, but I'm pretty sure that there are a LOT members here to taunt and bait and just pummel their opposites. So I'm curious if these are the SAME people who are complaining about the USMB "troll infestation".. Pretty sure there's a correlation there at least..


Whatcha really want?

 

[flacaltenn]

It's the way the 2 tribes have polarized this country that is the problem.

Would it be trolling if I pointed out that one tribe leader brags the he is responsible for the polarization in this great country, and the trolls knowing they can't deny their tribe is responsible, simply claim both sides do it???

March 22, 2010
RUSH: I'll tell you, I'm going to be very honest. I largely blame myself for this. I do, I'll tell you why I think I'm responsible for this, this partisan divide. It's a good thing, don't misunderstand, but I'm responsible for it

November 19, 2007
RUSH: we in talk radio have this thing called polarization. It's not required that everybody love us.

No --- if you did that --- it might be construed as disrespecting the topic and starting a thread diversion. How did you find out that Limbaugh has 3 accounts here? Don't answer that....

 

[flacaltenn]

And have even more of my posts deleted? Hell no.

Diogenes thanks you.. (look it up)..

 

[aaronleland]

And have even more of my posts deleted? Hell no.

Diogenes thanks you.. (look it up)..

I don't have to look it up. I know who Diogenes is.

Okay. I had to look it up.

 

[Lewdog]

You should have had a 5th option in the poll:

"But Hillary..."

Honestly just leave it the way it is. I think there is an even amount of mods that are liberal and conservative... and there are also an even amount of trolls that are liberal and conservative.

 

[toobfreak]

And I don't want to bias anything here in the poll, but I'm pretty sure that there are a LOT members here to taunt and bait and just pummel their opposites. So I'm curious if these are the SAME people who are complaining about the USMB "troll infestation".. Pretty sure there's a correlation there at least.. Whatcha really want?

Like I just said in another thread, I thought the point here was how "thick-skinned" we were. Apparently some are not as thick-skinned as they claim. I've learned to deal with it (trolling and personal attacks) and when given to me ( I get my fair share), I just give it right back. I'm a big boy. But whatever happened to the REPORT tool if you think someone is just too out of hand? I've used it in a few cases where I thought it justified and have been generally happy with the results. If people would simply REPORT the excessive abusers or use the IGNORE tool, we might not need have this discussion. Likewise, I think the occasional pop-up "mod reminder" for folks to tow it back on topic is pretty effective.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

There must first be consensus as to what constitutes ‘trolling.’

Good-faith disagreement with the topic premise, submitting objective, documented evidence in support of the fact the thread premise is wrong, and correctly indicating that the thread premise fails as a fallacy is not ‘trolling.’

 

[JustAnotherNut]

It could also depend on who's doing the trolling.......as in the member's purpose and what content is used in their OP when creating a thread......not just those who respond & how.