Did forum.hr get a sponsor???

It seems I’m not the only one getting the feeling that the moderation here is slowly but surely pivoting toward provoking and then penalizing anyone who dares to step outside of some pre-ordained, commissioned "filter bubble."🤔🤔

I won't pretend this is a revelation, but it’s certainly not what I expected to find in a space like this.

If that’s truly the agenda, fine—but wouldn't it be more honest to just own up to it? If they were actually going to purge the outliers, at least there would be some level of transparency... isn't that some form of admission in itself?

Best regards,

How is it that we always have the same two or three people whining about new moderation rules when the other 98% of the community is perfectly happy? Why do you keep starting these constant threads just to complain? Wouldn't it be better to try adapting or simply stop trolling, just like most of us have been suggesting from the very beginning?

I wonder what Bryan Booth82 is actually thinking here. Why does the vast majority of the users on this forum have him on ignore? And yet, he keeps coming back just to moan.

Can we please get some maturity in here?🤦

Bryan Booth82 said:It seems I’m not the only one getting this nagging sensation that the way this place is being moderated is drifting—perhaps slowly, perhaps inevitably—toward a strategy of outright provocation? It feels as though there is a concerted effort to penalize anyone who dares to step outside the boundaries of some preordained "filter bubble," a bubble that, if you ask me, feels suspiciously like it was commissioned by someone else entirely. Is it just my imagination, or are we witnessing a systematic attempt to silence those who refuse to march in lockstep with a manufactured consensus?🤔🤔

I’ll be the first to admit there isn't much new to report here, but I must say, the whole scene is quite different from what I had anticipated when I first decided to join this conversation.

If that’s truly the case, then fine—I can live with that. But wouldn't it be infinitely better if they could actually provide some concrete confirmation? I mean, if we could just strip away all those odd, inexplicable outliers that cloud the data, wouldn't we finally be left with something substantial? It would at least serve as some sort of validation, a glimmer of recognition for what has been achieved, don't you think?

I suppose I should probably get started on this, though why anyone would want to dive into such a dense thicket of speculation is quite beyond me, really. Is it even possible to grasp the sheer scale of what we're looking at here? One finds oneself wandering through these arguments like a traveler lost in a sprawling metropolitan park, trying to find a path that actually makes sense amidst all the noise. Does any of this truly hold water, or are we just spinning our wheels in the mud? It feels as if we are perpetually circling the same set of questions, isn't it? Perhaps there is more to uncover, but for now, I shall simply sit here and ponder whether we have even begun to scratch the surface of the reality before us.

I find it hard to believe that this forum has actually landed a sponsor in the way you’re implying, though I suppose there’s always room for speculation; however, the decision to appoint a new moderator over at PDF World is, quite frankly, a massive headache and incredibly problematic.

It’s quite something, isn't it, how we suddenly have a new moderator who has been lurking around the threads regarding Eastern Europe—you know, all the discussions involving Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus—for years now? One can't help but notice that he carries himself almost exactly like some official spokesperson for the Russian Federation embassy. He is always, invariably, the very first person to relay news straight from the Russian media outlets, ranging from the major mainstream giants down to the most obscure little corners of their press, and he does so with such an unmistakable, blatant bias toward Putin’s regime and his specific political agenda.

That isn't even a point of contention, is it? We live in a free country, after all, where everyone is entitled to their own perspective.

What’s even more troubling, if we’re being honest, is his utter intolerance toward anyone who dares to disagree with him. For years now, he’s made a habit of simply tossing anyone he finds disagreeable onto an ignore list, while casually dismissing them as nothing more than "clones," "democrats," or some other variation of a foreign operative. It’s quite a pattern, really. He even goes so far as to label any post that doesn't align with his worldview as mere "dumping" or "whining." Is there any room left for actual discourse when someone treats every dissenting opinion as a personal affront?

So, let me get this straight—someone like that actually gets handed the keys to the kingdom and granted moderator privileges over this specific thread, no more and no less?

Should he really be the one responding to reports filed against people he personally considers nothing more than democratic degenerates? Is that actually what we're calling "sound moderation" these days?

Take a look at this thread regarding the situation over in Russia; it’s essentially morphed into his own personal blog at this point. It seems like everyone who actually had a different opinion or wanted to offer a counterpoint has just quietly retreated, leaving him to shout into the void. Isn't it fascinating how quickly a discussion can turn into a monologue once the dissenters decide they aren't worth the effort?

Was that truly the intended goal? Was that what they were actually aiming for all along?

electrictrucker82 said:How is it that it's always just 2 or 3 people whining about new moderation, while the rest of the 98% here are fine? Why do you keep opening these pathetic threads to complain? Maybe try adapting or stop trolling, like most of us have been telling you since day one.

What does this guy Bryan Booth82 think? Why does the vast majority of users on this site have him on ignore? And yet he keeps coming back here to moan.

Grow up, people. 🤦

That same user has been on my ignore list for ages, but despite me saying so multiple times, he still jumps at me. He shows up in everyone else's quotes constantly.

steelheron25 said:I don't believe the forum got a sponsor in the way you're thinking, but appointing a new moderator on this board is highly problematic.

The new moderator has been present in threads regarding Eastern Europe (specifically Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus) for years, and he honestly acts like a spokesperson for the Russian Federation embassy. He’s always the first to relay news from Russian media—both mainstream and obscure—with an obvious bias toward Putin's regime and policies.

That isn't a problem in itself; we live in a free country, and everyone has a right to their opinion.

What’s much more problematic is his extremely intolerant attitude toward anyone who disagrees. For years, his habit has been to put anyone he dislikes on an ignore list, then condescendingly call them "clones," "democrats," or various other insults. He also dismisses any post he doesn't like as mere "dumping" or "whining."

And now this kind of person gets moderator authority over this specific topic?

He’s supposed to respond to reports from users he personally considers "democratic degenerates"? Is that what decent moderation looks like?

Take a look at the Russia thread; it's turned into his personal blog. Everyone who had anything else to say has backed off.

Was that the goal?

Since we're advocating for democracy, shouldn't there be some order and a view from both sides? For instance, Bubbles starts the day with a post about some "evil gnome," and nobody reacts because they have the right to their opinion.
As you noted, Andrew has been active in those threads for a long time and knows the situation there better than most of us. Because of that, his contribution to the topic is significant. Whether it's news or correcting posts where articles were occasionally included with wrong translations, context, or errors. We know how that caused grumbling from the other side, leading to regular personal attacks against him.
Regarding the insults, I agree things have gone too far. But this has been happening for a long time, not just since we got a new moderator. In fact, I'd argue we should compare how many such statements come from the other side.
Maybe Andrew—not just him—wouldn't use the filter if previous discussions had been more constructive. As for calling out filtering, there's really no point in commenting on that.

steelheron25 said:I don't buy that this forum picked up some corporate sponsor like you’re implying, but appointing a new moderator for the World Politics subforum is an absolute disaster.

This individual has been lurking in threads regarding Eastern Europe—specifically Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus—for years now, and frankly, he behaves more like a spokesperson for the Russian Federation embassy. He is always the first one to dump news from Russian media outlets, ranging from the major networks to the most obscure fringe sites, all while displaying an unapologetic bias toward Putin and his regime's policies.

Now, that isn't necessarily a dealbreaker on its own; we live in a free country, and everyone is entitled to their own perspective.

What is significantly more problematic is his utter intolerance for anyone with a differing opinion. For years, his go-to tactic has been to toss anyone he disagrees with onto his ignore list, dismissively labeling them as "clones," "democrats," or various other insults meant to paint them as foreign agents. Furthermore, any post that doesn't align with his worldview is immediately derided as "spamming" or "whining."

And we are supposed to believe that a person like this should be handed moderator privileges for that specific topic?

Is he expected to adjudicate reports from users he personally considers "democratic scum"? Is that what passes for decent moderation these days?

Just look at the thread regarding Russia; it has essentially morphed into his personal blog. Everyone who dared to offer a different perspective has simply retreated.

Was that the intention?

That is exactly my thought process—is that the goal here? I won't sit here and speculate, but all signs point to yes.
The freedom to express a dissenting opinion seems to have vanished from this space.😁

It goes even deeper than that. He deliberately provokes others by posting links from shady, low-quality websites—which, by the way, looks like he's working hand-in-hand with the very people responsible for those links just to promote them... only to then sanction and delete every single reply.👎

Like you said, it’s incredibly strange that someone like this would be promoted to moderator... a guy who has spent years telling everyone to ignore anyone who disagrees with him, even going so far as to instruct his followers to do the same.

It’s nothing groundbreaking; I won't speculate, but that is how propaganda works everywhere. If that's the new policy of this forum... fine, whatever. I guess someone has to make a living somehow.😁😁👍

Best regards,

electrictrucker82 said:How is it that just two or three people are constantly whining about new moderation rules, while the other 98% of the community is perfectly fine with them? Why do you keep starting these endless, complaining threads? Maybe try actually adapting or just stop trolling, like most of us have been telling you from day one.

What’s this guy Bryan Booth82 thinking? Why does almost everyone on this board ignore him? And yet, he keeps coming back here to complain.

Grow up, people. 🤦

It seems to me their main issue now is that they can't use posts about Russia as an excuse to insult anyone with a different opinion.
They also seem triggered by certain news sites. Honestly, let them post news from CNN if they want; I don't care, even if I personally think CNN is basically a lie factory.
They only have themselves to blame. ☕

Peter Harris49 said:It seems to me their biggest issue now is that they can't just drop a post about Russia and sneak in some insults toward users on the other side of the aisle.
They’re also getting worked up over various news outlets. Honestly, let them cite CNN all they want; I don't have a problem with it, even if I personally view CNN as nothing more than a factory for lies.
They only have themselves to blame. ☕

😁😁
There's nobody left to publish anything; you've become the sole provider of your own version of the truth. 🤔, which isn't actually a bad thing—now you all just get to read your own echoes.
Long live the echo chamber! 👍

The real question is: how healthy is this for the community? You have two guys—one of whom is a moderator—essentially "debating" amongst themselves across multiple threads just to flex their authority.
I'll admit, I find it entertaining (at least until I'm finally kicked off as promised, since now it's not just the comments being an issue, but my signature too), but damn, it's obvious—a huge chunk of the commenters have already walked away from this forum.

It's a bizarre tactic: the moderator is "good," while the commenters are labeled "bad."
Best regards,

With all due respect, I don't think anyone can actually force you to participate in a discussion where you find the moderation to be lacking.

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but most users who aren't part of the Putin fan club have simply walked away from these threads entirely.

They just let those folks run wild over there: one person won't stop singing praises to Putin while others chime in about how brilliant he is, claiming he knows everything there is to know about Russia and somehow managed to sweep aside all the dissenters.

Why not just leave them to it? Especially now that their specific viewpoint has been given carte blanche and effectively become the official stance of this forum 🤷

steelheron25 said:The bigger issue is his blatant intolerance for anyone with a different opinion. For years, he’s just been mass-blocking anyone who disagrees with him, then sneeringly labeling them "sheep," "liberals," or some other variation of a foreign operative. He also dismisses any post he dislikes as nothing more than "spamming" or "whining."

I assume we're talking about insults similar to this one?

Kevin Jones19 said:I don't know if you've noticed, but most users who aren't part of the Putin-worshipping crowd have simply stopped engaging with the Putin-lovers altogether.

Look, I’m really not here to waste my breath on nonsense. Please, just reach out when you actually have a legitimate issue to tackle or a constructive suggestion to share.