Kicking people off the forum

I think there was a thread about this once. If it’s still up, maybe merge it into a master topic.

The way the mods handle the policy PDFs really set me off, but it's not just them—it's everywhere. I've been hanging around this forum for at least a decade, and I've watched the moderation turn into a total disaster. It's constant censorship, power trips, and driving away the most loyal, high-quality users.

If I remember right, there was a huge scandal a while back that caused a mass exodus of long-time members who actually contributed something. Some came back, some didn't, and others just checked out mentally.

Look, rules are necessary to prevent chaos, but let's be real: 90% of these moderators treat this forum like their own private kingdom where they can play dictator, censor whoever they want, and feed their massive egos.

They have zero respect for the people who actually make this place unique.

Then there's the constant banning based on the vague label of "TROLLING"—a term used here to cover everything, even though nobody actually knows what it means.

Any opinion that deviates from the status quo gets censored, and anyone who doesn't think exactly like the mods gets pushed out.

I honestly don't get why these specific mods felt the need to drive away yet another decent, well-meaning person. This person could have actually added value here. I'm talking about him specifically because I was part of the discussion he was in; he was perfectly polite and wasn't being malicious or insulting at all. They even went as far as indirectly accusing him of racism and being offensive.🙄

Maybe the guy got lost in the sea of arbitrary rules, but why does someone have to walk on eggshells constantly, worrying if a comma is in the wrong place or if they accidentally "trolled" during a heated debate?

This forum has gone downhill since the mods took control and started taking themselves way too seriously.

Here's the post from the user who finally gave up and left gracefully because he realized he couldn't survive in such a "highly regulated" society. He just couldn't adapt to the madness.

Post

p.p.s. I'm not playing lawyer here, but this treatment of people is a catastrophe. It's plain disrespectful. :/

Anyway, greetings to Mr. Blue Note Records. Hope you don't mind me using this post to start the topic. Merry Christmas 🙂

Two points in two days for breaking rules that usually carry thirty points over a month—even after an explanation was provided on the thread following my inquiry—and then having a strike wiped because I commented on moderation? To you, that's just driving users away.

Providing a clear explanation of what isn't allowed is also considered "driving users away."

Unbelievable.

Just a bunch of pathetic whining—not a single actual example of what the issue is.
Citing some random PDF from the Washington Post as proof of bad moderation on Reddit...🙄

Amanda Hughes37 said:Just a massive pile of pathetic whining, and not a single shred of proof to back it up.
Using the *Politico* editorial team as an example of how to run a dumpster fire of a moderator desk on Reddit.🙄

Maybe if you’d actually bothered to read the previous post instead of just coming here to talk trash, you might have figured out what the point even was.

Sure, I get it. Pushing out high-quality people isn't exactly a struggle for you or anyone else like you. This whole place is just a direct reflection of its moderators. So, go ahead and draw your own conclusions if you think you're up to it.

Thanks for the 35-point gift. I just hope Ms. Katarina RI, who was trolling just as hard, gets at least 35 back.

Maybe you should just ban everyone on this forum. You don't even need users if you're going to censor them constantly while the mods just settle "inappropriate" cases among themselves behind closed doors.

Good job. Honestly, the resemblance between this forum and this country is getting a little too close for comfort.😁

Charles Fox10 said:Two strikes in just two days for breaking rules that normally carry a 30-point penalty over a month? First there’s an explanation on the thread after an inquiry, and then they clear the violation for commenting on the moderation topic... you really think that isn't just pushing a user out the door?

Providing a high-quality explanation of what isn't allowed is also a form of harassment.

Sure, but those moderation interventions—if we can even call them that—right next to an already active moderator on the thread are exactly what triggered that reaction. Then comes the warning, treating people like they’re back in elementary school. All this happens after giving out two or three points for pretty trivial stuff, while actual off-topic rambling or straight-up provocation goes unchecked. For instance, you had another user jump into the thread just to drone on about dual citizenship and voting rights once their ban expired on a completely unrelated topic.

So it wasn't really about whether it was two, three, or thirty points on a record. It was more about what he—Blues D—perceived as "inconsistency" or just poor moderation tactics. Not that the admin was doing anything wrong, obviously; they moderated the thread from the start exactly how they thought was best.

I don't mean to overstep here—just offering a bit of context, if you'll permit me. From what I understand, BD has already moved on, so even if he wanted to clarify anything, he’s no longer in a position to do so.