Are the mods being too harsh, or are they being awesome?

On MB's sticky topic: I gotta say, I've never seen a mod on any website come out and call the mean guys on this site dicks and douchebags. It seems as if insulting any user now would quickly get you in trouble, but it IS the internet. Now, I'm not sure if the mods are being too harsh with these new rules, or if they are just being awesome by blatantly calling those select few some angry words which you normally wouldn't see on a website like this. I for one don't want Giant Bomb to turn into another Gamespot or GameFAQs. We do have our right to say what we want, but the First Amendment is a crappy arguement to make, so I won't go into that. Anyway, I just wanted to see what you guys think about the new sticky, and if it's right or not.

On MB's sticky topic: I gotta say, I've never seen a mod on any website come out and call the mean guys on this site dicks and douchebags. It seems as if insulting any user now would quickly get you in trouble, but it IS the internet. Now, I'm not sure if the mods are being too harsh with these new rules, or if they are just being awesome by blatantly calling those select few some angry words which you normally wouldn't see on a website like this. I for one don't want Giant Bomb to turn into another Gamespot or GameFAQs. We do have our right to say what we want, but the First Amendment is a crappy arguement to make, so I won't go into that. Anyway, I just wanted to see what you guys think about the new sticky, and if it's right or not.

For the sake of argument: Are we moderators breaking the golden rule of "don't be a dick" by being so blunt?

I think it's great. 

"I think it's great.  "

"I think it's great.  "

basically, i implied the exact same thing that the stick does weeks ago and it got locked for being flame bait

"For the sake of argument: Are we moderators breaking the golden rule of "don't be a dick" by being so blunt?"

"For the sake of argument: Are we moderators breaking the golden rule of "don't be a dick" by being so blunt?"

It's stupid.

I came here from GameFAQS so I could be a blatant ass to anyone who deserved it. As long as I don't get banned for a month like I did on  GameFAQS for telling some idiot to use his head, I suppose I may be able to get used to it.

But then again. Being an ass to people is soooo fun. Especially they have it coming. Like you said though, it's the internet. It's not like any of us are going to meet up one day and say "Hey, you remember that one time on GB when you called me a piece of shit? Well, that really hurt!"

People being asses to eachother on the site aren't bad. It's people who are too uptight and close minded to just let it happen which are making it bad. If two or more people get into a disagreement and start throwing the insults at one another, it's not like it'll go on for days and days and completeley ruin the site. It's more entertaining if anything to see two people going at it over their keyboards.

the mods are being mods ... gods amoung men

"It's stupid.I came here from GameFAQS so I could be a blatant ass to anyone who deserved it. As long as I don't get banned for a month like I did on  GameFAQS for telling some idiot to use his head, I suppose I may be able to get used to it.But then again. Being an ass to people is soooo fun. Especially they have it coming. Like you said though, it's the internet. It's not like any of us are going to meet up one day and say "Hey, you remember that one time on GB when you called me a piece of shit? Well, that really hurt!"People being asses to eachother on the site aren't bad. It's people who are too uptight and close minded to just let it happen which are making it bad. If two or more people get into a disagreement and start throwing the insults at one another, it's not like it'll go on for days and days and completeley ruin the site. It's more entertaining if anything to see two people going at it over their keyboards."

But then again, it's more a reminder than it is a threat. I can see why the MB made the post. Hopefully Person A will think about that sticky he made and think twice about the remark insinuating person B's mother is a whore.

"For the sake of argument: Are we moderators breaking the golden rule of "don't be a dick" by being so blunt?"

"BoG said:

"For the sake of argument: Are we moderators breaking the golden rule of "don't be a dick" by being so blunt?"

I think this deserves a lot more thought than people seem to give it. Most people who are dicks on GiantBomb are dicks to other people that are just as rude, if not more so. So is it okay for the mods to be dicks to people that are dicks to others? "

I love democracy in my social and political life. However, the more policing you can have on a web-o-tube forum the better.

Also, for any mods reading this, I have another question: How far would things have to get out of hand for warnings to be given out?

I think it is all good.

Lowtax from Something Awful said that his forums were a mess before they started charging a fee. That helps keep the assholes out. Tight policing of an open forum might be the only way you can keep control.

"ParrapatehRappa said:

"It's stupid.I came here from GameFAQS so I could be a blatant ass to anyone who deserved it. As long as I don't get banned for a month like I did on  GameFAQS for telling some idiot to use his head, I suppose I may be able to get used to it.But then again. Being an ass to people is soooo fun. Especially they have it coming. Like you said though, it's the internet. It's not like any of us are going to meet up one day and say "Hey, you remember that one time on GB when you called me a piece of shit? Well, that really hurt!"People being asses to eachother on the site aren't bad. It's people who are too uptight and close minded to just let it happen which are making it bad. If two or more people get into a disagreement and start throwing the insults at one another, it's not like it'll go on for days and days and completeley ruin the site. It's more entertaining if anything to see two people going at it over their keyboards."

So...basically you are saying "hey, everyone act like jerks"?

Look, I'm a jerk, and an asshole...and I've never really refrained from that.  However, I know where the line is...at least as far as I can tell.  However, some of the ways that newer users have been acting on the forums, as well as some of the older forum users...well, it's even pissed me off once in a while.  Newer users,  I understand...they aren't used to the etiquette yet...but older users know better.

For instance, SmugDarkLoser - the minute he posts a thread, it's neg-bombed.  Why?  Because it's him.  Granted, he writes a FUCKTON of "Halo 3 is teh greatest evar" threads...but even when he said in a blog "hey, I'ma be out for a while, got priorities to take care of"...everyone STILL treated him like an ass...and that was uncalled for.

So are the mods out of line?  Nope.  They are simply trying to keep Giant Bomb's forums from becoming a pure hellhole.

To answer your question, BoG:  sometimes you have to be a dick in order to make the dicks quit being dicks.

"

If this a "relaxed" forum, I rather not have "WE'RE CRACKING DOWN ON DOUCHEBAGS" the first thing I see on the forums. I know the points, I understand what they are doing, but can MB please make the title cleaner?

EDIT- If you think this is bad, check out the IRC.

To answer your question, BoG:  sometimes you have to be a dick in order to make the dicks quit being dicks.

"

""

Considering we can say the word 'fuck' without getting banned for 2 weeks, they are great mods.

"Considering we can say the word 'fuck' without getting banned for 2 weeks, they are great mods."

"Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

""

Post fail."

"natetodamax said:

"Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

""

Post fail."

While we're on the topic of D-bags...."

"Azteris said:

"jakob187 said:

To answer your question, BoG:  sometimes you have to be a dick in order to make the dicks quit being dicks.

"

I personally have a problem with that. What makes you any better?"

Just to clarify, I didn't say that, nor do I really believe that."

I just love the drama and debating going on. :D I might as well get me some popcorn and watch it continue!  Hope the problem is solved in an intellegant way though. 

I think the moderators are doing what they should do.  Lock up threads that need to be locked and ban all the mo fo's (sorry for being gangster) that are dicks.

"Lowtax from Something Awful said that his forums were a mess before they started charging a fee. That helps keep the assholes out. Tight policing of an open forum might be the only way you can keep control."

"GDog said:

"Lowtax from Something Awful said that his forums were a mess before they started charging a fee. That helps keep the assholes out. Tight policing of an open forum might be the only way you can keep control."

I feel like anytime you police a forum (any type of forum for discussion, not just GiantBomb), it's no longer really a forum for discussion. It's just a place for whatever the people in charge like to be posted."

There have definitely been some unnecessary thread locking about the dumbest things, though.

If you see the issues and points made in MB's topic as threatening then perhaps you need to think over the way you behave on the site and the way you conduct yourself here. We're a relaxed bunch of Mods who try our best to keep a balance between being involved with the community and taking part in activities with them, while also carrying out the job we were picked to do as best we can.

GiantBomb is a relaxed website with a slightly more mature tone to it compared to other similar websites. There isn't a profanity filter on the forums not because we want to be cool and be able to advertise we allow people to swear. But rather because we think that people can be mature enough to know when to swear and how to handle it when someone does. For the most part it seems a huge majority of the community has nothing to worry about, you're all fine upstanding members and we have no issue with you. But like all places on the internet there are those few people who want to ruin it for others, either on purpose or because they lack self restraint when posting.

To those people in the latter category we will conduct ourselves as professionally as possible, and as fair as possible when dealing with you. But rest assured if you act like a dick then you will be moderated accordingly. And if you continue to go against the ethos we have here then eventually you will just have your right to access the content and participate in the community removed from you.

Like MB said in his topic, we try our best to have a hands off approach around here. So when we do have to get involved and step in to deal with issues that means someone has crossed a line too far or too often that its becoming an issue for us all. And again most of you have little to worry about in this regard.

However what I would love to emphasise here is self restraint on everyone's behalf. If someone is clearly trolling you, clearly insulting you on a scale you feel requires our attention then please DO CONTACT A MOD! because resorting to trolling them back will likely bring you to our attention as well. And I think everyone can agree here that bitching over the internet is like pissing against the wind, seems cool at the time but it just sprays back in your face. So be cool to one another, use common sense and don't hesitate to contact a Forum Moderator in regards to your specific problems.

Obligatory "Don't feed the troll!"

The only thing that really bothers me is when people don't respect other people.

"If you see the issues and points made in MB's topic as threatening then perhaps you need to think over the way you behave on the site and the way you conduct yourself here. We're a relaxed bunch of Mods who try our best to keep a balance between being involved with the community and taking part in activities with them, while also carrying out the job we were picked to do as best we can. GiantBomb is a relaxed website with a slightly more mature tone to it compared to other similar websites. There isn't a profanity filter on the forums not because we want to be cool and be able to advertise we allow people to swear. But rather because we think that people can be mature enough to know when to swear and how to handle it when someone does. For the most part it seems a huge majority of the community has nothing to worry about, you're all fine upstanding members and we have no issue with you. But like all places on the internet there are those few people who want to ruin it for others, either on purpose or because they lack self restraint when posting. To those people in the latter category we will conduct ourselves as professionally as possible, and as fair as possible when dealing with you. But rest assured if you act like a dick then you will be moderated accordingly. And if you continue to go against the ethos we have here then eventually you will just have your right to access the content and participate in the community removed from you. Like MB said in his topic, we try our best to have a hands off approach around here. So when we do have to get involved and step in to deal with issues that means someone has crossed a line too far or too often that its becoming an issue for us all. And again most of you have little to worry about in this regard. However what I would love to emphasise here is self restraint on everyone's behalf. If someone is clearly trolling you, clearly insulting you on a scale you feel requires our attention then please DO CONTACT A MOD! because resorting to trolling them back will likely bring you to our attention as well. And I think everyone can agree here that bitching over the internet is like pissing against the wind, seems cool at the time but it just sprays back in your face. So be cool to one another, use common sense and don't hesitate to contact a Forum Moderator in regards to your specific problems. Obligatory "Don't feed the troll!""

I don't have a problem with what MB did. I also liked SmugDarkLoser, and I would always give him a +1. I found him entertaining and some of his posts were pretty good. I always felt comfortable kidding with him and he didn't seem to care.

This post  http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/off-topic/31/crazy-nightmares-and-unable-to-move-when-i-wake-up/116458/#27 was resurrected from the dead and the guy who did it seemed to have something to say... no problem, but it was an old Levio post and everyone jumped his case. I didn't say anything, but I thought everyone was being a dick to this guy. I don't mind old forum posts being brought back to life and if you don't search for one, someone will bring it to your attention. It usually comes down to common since while having fun.  

As long as they don't wrongly ban anyone, I can't see anything wrong with it.

Is it too harsh when it is true?

Did you see the awesome thread that just got locked!? There was great discussion value there!! lol

"Did you see the awesome thread that just got locked!? There was great discussion value there!! lol"

If moderators were to come down hard on members who clearly enter a thread with no other interest than to get a rise out of the other posters and obviously derail it, then it would be a much happier forum.  We all know who the usual suspects on this are, so naming them is not necessary.  Please police this in the strongest way possible."

Rules aside here, I think we can all admit that some people on this forum really do deserve it. I'm not going to name any names*coughjaygecough*but I'm just saying. When people transfer such stupidity to my computer screen, I can't be held accountable for my actions. 

...so I undertand why you don't want to end up with premature moderation :P"

"Rules aside here, I think we can all admit that some people on this forum really do deserve it. I'm not going to name any names*coughjaygecough*but I'm just saying. When people transfer such stupidity to my computer screen, I can't be held accountable for my actions. "