Everyone, I want to let you know about some updates to the current Community Rules and moderation practices. Please see below what changes:
we are reversing our policy of merging threads; individual threads (even if they cover the same broader topic) are welcome; other than in some very specific cases (e.g. Parents of HS Class of 20xx), we will be moving away from consolidating megathreads
we will be creating a new subcategory in the Applying to College forum called “In the News” where we encourage users to share college related articles (each article into a separate thread); threads such as Random Articles - share links to articles of interest can be split into smaller thread (e.g. one thread per article)
we are changing the policy regarding “off topic” comments; as a general rule, if a conversation goes off topic, instead of removing the comments, the mods will create a spin-off thread; that way we encourage what could be a very interesting discussion; also, other than threads that are very specific or a Chance Me / Match Me type inquiry, we will loosen the moderation and let threads wander back and forth
we will remove the rules around “talking moderation:” asking why a certain mod decision was taken will no longer constitute a violation; the same stands for commenting that a post was removed or for simply stating a fact; HOWEVER, no nasty/mocking comments towards the mods will be allowed so this should, by no means, create a loophole for folks to bash the moderators, the admins, or the decisions being taken
we are relaxing the rule regarding the use of certain “bad” words, so some words will not be censored out (appear as ****) going forward and there is no need to flag the post; no profanity will be tolerated when directed at other users!
Also, as a rule, CC does not moderate a user’s PMs; those are private for a reason and should remain like that. There are exceptions though: threats, bullying, or any illegal actions should be flagged to me by the recipient. Once the report is filed, I will need to open your personal inbox to review the flagged conversation. Solicitation or spamming through PM remains a serious offense so we will continue to ban users for doing this.
Users can ask good faith questions like “why was my post removed?” or simply state facts like “my previous comments were removed.” However, as said:
no nasty comments towards the mods will be allowed so this should, by no means, create a loophole for folks to bash the moderators, the admins, or the decisions being taken
@thumper1, if by “debate” you mean off-topic comments, we will apply the updated rule communicated above (i.e. the comments will be made into a separate thread). If the “debate” is deemed as users trading shots at each other then that’s not allowed as the other existing Community Rules will apply.
@CC_Sorin I joined this site about 20 years ago because of the fair and strong moderation. I was one of many who did so when the Princeton Review message boards were really not moderated and things got very nasty there. So…I joined here. Those PR boards were discontinued.s
I’m very unclear about what is and isn’t something to be flagged. When a respondent is rude to another poster, is that now OK as long as they move on? If a person posts repeatedly contradicting numerous other posters, is that OK. If a poster ignores the stated criteria an OP posts, is it ok?
Really, I’m just asking.
What constitutes a flag that is legit…beside spamming and advertising?
@thumper1, first of all, THANK YOU for being an extremely valuable contributor for 20 years!! We’re so lucky to have you!
To confirm, there are no talks of ever getting rid of the moderation on the site. We are easing up on some very specific rules to make the site more accommodating to the current cohort of college applicants and their families.
As communicated, nothing changes other than these few rules. The rest are still applicable and will be enforced accordingly.
Regarding your specific question, please see my answers below.
This is not something that is impacted by these latest changes. Generally, if the recipient of the rude message does not flag it but chooses to address it in the thread in a way that does not escalated into a nasty back and forth, then it’s fine not to delete the comment. Again, nothing changed here, it’s a mod decision as previously. If the recipient however rightfully flags the rude comment, the mods will delete it.
Not a consequence of the latest changes and we would need to look at this case by case. You can flag and the mods will decide.
This would fall under the off-topic change, and the off-topic comments can be made into a separate thread.
Only the recipient can flag it to get the post deleted? Is it still the case that if there are 2 or 3 flags (I can’t remember how many) on the same post that it’s hidden?
No. Anyone can flag a nasty response. However, if the recipient responded publicly and the conversation moved on, the mods may decide not to remove the post (as that would mean deleting the ensuing discussion). Again, this is not a new process, we are keeping the current process.
One thing that is bothersome…if I flag a post, and the poster does an edit that still is “off” in some way, I can’t flag it again…because that function doesn’t appear. Sometimes the edits really don’t fix why I flagged.
As you all know, I am usually specific when I flag a post…quoting specific sentences, and sometimes even asking for what I would like to see done (like deleting sentences, for example).
I also have not flagged much recently because often my flags are deemed not an issue. I personally think this is something to think about. If a poster flags a post, that poster does feel there is an issue…and maybe that should be considered more seriously. Especially when a poster feels they have been personally attacked…or when a post is unnecessarily rude to a new poster (and especially our students…who are coming here for help and not to be criticized).
Sometimes it is how a post is written…when the ideas or content might be valuable if written in a different way.
Of course these are my opinions.
I’m not sure these new guidelines clear any of this up.
I will say…I’m glad to see a relaxation of XXX out words, many of which are not profanity in the context written. I also don’t mind the meandering threads…as long as they aren’t highjacking the thread entirely (and I think meandering in the Parents Cafe is better than on Chance Me/Match me threads)
@CC_Sorin Oftentimes the unduly harsh/rude comments are made to a new poster, often to a student, who (a) may not know about reporting/flagging, or even how to report a mean-spirited comment in a post and/or (b) may not feel that they can respond to such comments to an adult/parent/longer time poster. There can be a sort of power dynamic feel where a new poster, especially when it is a student, doesn’t feel they can respond to or report such comments. I think that may be in part what @thumper1 is referring to, and it seems in the best interest of these new posters to have unnecessarily mean/harsh comments flagged and edited. Not only do the mean/rude comments not add a benefit, but they could cause a new poster to rethink their participation, if they receive hurtful comments. @thumper1 is this what you are referring to ? (In addition to and separate from other snide comments to/from longer time posters that may or may not get ignored or responded to by the person to whom it was directed. )
@CC_Sorin under these new guidelines, if a moderator says “no action is needed” am I now allowed to ask how they came to this conclusion…or might it be better if the moderators were proactive and gave the reason why no action was needed?
@thumper1, as a practical matter (we need to be mindful of mod workload), mods do not need to explain their decisions. However, many times they do, especially if the report warrants it and if “something else” was selected as the reason for the flag.
If you feel strongly about a report you can either follow up with the mod directly or reach out to me. That said, please consider the below (an this is not directed at you, but generally speaking):
Don’t flag unless a serious violation of our Terms of Service (ToS); the fact that you don’t like or agree with a post is not a violation of the ToS; state your case and move on; abusing the flagging system is a violation of the ToS so action will be taken
Don’t flag posts just because you believe it is incorrect or inaccurate; post a polite response, preferably with cited information
@jym626, we are not saying that only the recipient can flag. Anyone can flag and the mods are taking action on all comments that are in violation of the ToS.
What I was saying is that the mods may decide not to take action if the comment was addressed in the thread and the conversation moved on.
If people have concerns about a user’s language being rude or a form of attack, is there a way that the system can create auto alerts for posters?
For instance, the system will automatically populate a message like, “This link was already shared by @user, do you want to post it again?” Can the system be modified to generate an alert for a poster saying something like, “Our rules expect everyone to be welcoming and friendly, especially to students. Do you want to reconsider the phrasing of your message?” The alert might be generated if certain words are used that have greater potential for creating an unsafe environment for the community. Thus, it might help some people’s concerns while not adding to the load of our wonderful moderators.
Usually these calls are subjective as not everyone has the same assessment of a “rude” message. We’ve had cases when something was flagged as rude, but the OP said they were not offended at all and did not bother. That’s why we have the moderation who look into the report and ultimately decide.
We are and will continue to reach out to users whose posts are being flagged as rude/inappropriate/insensitive/harsh to address what seems like a bigger issue.
Can you clarify?
