Complaint regarding moderator actions on the Movies board: Post deletions

Subject:
Moderator in question: briskhound2

He kicked off a discussion on that thread, and once things didn't go his way, he lost it. He started handing out bans, insulting users, and threatening to abuse his moderator powers by deleting posts (from several different users).

I am requesting that some of those deleted posts be restored and that the moderator be formally warned: if he wants to act like just another user, he cannot abuse his administrative privileges.

(Just to be clear, one of my own posts that was deleted and banned isn't the reason I'm starting this; as you can see, I'm not asking for my ban to be lifted)

bluebison8 said:He kicked off this whole debate because things weren't going his way—he lost his cool, started throwing out bans, insulting people, and even threatening to abuse mod powers or wipe posts (from several users)... basically just acting out.

The only ban issued here was actually for this specific post...

I see briskhound2 is still clinging to his little fantasy. Either that, or he’s so bored at work that trolling is his only source of entertainment.

Deleted posts aren't gone forever; admins can still see them. Honestly, I’d love for them to take a look since I cleared a few without issuing formal strikes, so I could always fix that if needed. But look, you and facersplaca aren't adding anything to the conversation—you're just trolling, nitpicking the moderation, and attacking the mods... only to turn around and play the victim like there's some massive crackdown happening.

I’ve just finished reading through this entire thread, and honestly, I don't see any issue at all with how briskhound2 handled things as a moderator. The only thing he actually banned was a blatant troll post, and he just cleared out the commentary directed at the moderation team itself. Usually, if someone starts nitpicking the mods outside of official CIA channels, they could easily be handed a 30-point penalty for breaking the rules, but he didn't even go that far—if anything, I’d say he was being pretty lenient with everyone here. Even when the debate started getting heated with the person he was talking to, he didn't jump straight to a ban when the ad hominem attacks began; instead, he stepped in to shut it down before it spiraled out of control and redirected them to a different topic that actually fits the subject matter, which I really appreciate. As far as I'm concerned, briskhound2 did exactly the right thing. Supermod Dyma, feel free to weigh in if you think there's anything else that needs to be said or changed.

So, he scrubbed the mention of the moderation team, but what would have happened if he hadn't? Would it just be deleted, or would I have been banned entirely?
On legitimate forums, actual moderators strip out the part about the staff and leave the rest intact. If the issue was strictly limited to what was inside those parentheses, then just cut that bit out and restore my post—just like you do for everyone else whose posts get edited to remove specific violations.

It’s exactly because of these ridiculous standards that I’ve found myself writing less and less here over the years. This forum has become a total joke compared to several international sites I've come across. Much like how this entire country has become a joke.

bluebison8 said:So, what you're saying is they stripped out the part about the moderation, but if they hadn't done that, what would have happened? Would it have just been deleted entirely or would there have been a strike issued?
On actual professional forums, mods usually just pull the offending section and leave the rest intact. If the only issue was the stuff in parentheses, then just cut that bit out and restore my post, just like they do for everyone else whose posts get edited because they weren't targeting the staff.

Honestly, it’s exactly because of these ridiculous standards that I’ve found myself writing less and less here over the years. This whole forum has turned into a complete joke compared to several international boards I've come across. It feels just like how this entire country is a joke sometimes.

Every single one of those deleted posts was specifically attacking the moderation, which means they were breaking the rules and could have easily earned a strike. There was one exception where someone went way too far with the ad hominem attacks, and in that case, the moderator had a choice: either get sucked into a back-and-forth argument or shut it down right there. He chose to shut it down—which is exactly what he should've done.

The moderators are given guidelines stating they shouldn't be editing post content; essentially, they aren't supposed to add or subtract anything unless it's a special circumstance (like if a user accidentally leaks private info like an email address or their full legal name). They definitely aren't allowed to touch the content of posts that are controversial for any reason. So, if you write a massive wall of text and then decide to abuse it by sneaking in a sentence criticizing the staff—thinking nobody will touch it because the main body is "on-topic"—you're dead wrong. Moderators have to react when people start coming at them, and it isn't wise to leave those comments sitting in a thread; theoretically, they are obligated to remove such posts. And if there's anything in a post that violates the rules, they strictly ARE NOT ALLOWED to edit it.

Fine, just DM me my original text back and I’ll repost it once the section about the moderation is stripped out.

That still doesn't explain how he started cornering people, calling them "sonny" or whatever, or making those ridiculous threats involving disciplinary actions. Deleting my post felt like a massive overreach on my part, especially when it was blindingly obvious he had simply lost control of his emotions.

I just wanted to point out that the two forums I’m mentioning are polar opposites, yet both are superior to this place.
On one, the rules are incredibly strict. However, you won't run into a moderator like Deckard who kicks off these kinds of debates only to play judge and jury afterward. They know their regulations inside and out, and even the smallest slip-up gets flagged, but the moderators are consistent and professional. That site ranks around 1,300 on the most visited websites globally (whereas this forum sits at 14,382), so they actually have much more to manage over there.

The other site practically has no moderation at all, unless something violates USA laws or a thread needs moving to a different sub-forum. People troll each other constantly, but nobody takes it personally—it's just part of the culture. Discussions there are generally twice as good as anything found on this forum, even if the language gets a bit colorful sometimes. You never have to worry about some random moderator censoring you just because they're having a bad day. It has fewer visitors due to its specific quirks and its focus on niche topics, placing it at roughly 57,000 in the rankings.

Both sites excel in their own way. Every time I find myself back here, I honestly just feel depressed.