#1 ·
I was wondering—are these rules () still the current standard, and do they apply to every single registered user? Who exactly is expected to follow them?
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Forum Rules
Forum Rules
Started by Michelle Alvarez8 · · 👁 4 views · 19 replies
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#2 ·
Yeah, the rules apply to everyone who’s signed up. Could you just let me know exactly what the issue is?
#3 ·
Do moderators get any wiggle room to use their own judgment with these rules—or are we talking strict adherence, like following a playbook to the letter?
#5 ·
rustydrifter10, please don't troll. If you don't have an answer to the question, just let Daniel Ward87 be.
#6 ·
Brian Edwards78 said:rustydrifter10, please, I’m asking you—stop trolling. If you don't actually have an answer to the question, just let Daniel Ward87 speak.
I’m sorry, but I honestly think you're just trolling me at this point!
rustydrifter10 said:In this opening post, I’m going to lay out a specific reason for my stance and walk you through my reasoning, and I’ll also be dropping links to the controversial posts in question right here so everyone can see exactly what I'm talking about.
Honestly, I feel like we need to address the elephant in the room regarding those vague, open-ended threads where nobody can actually pin down what the real issue is. It’s such a headache because when there isn't a clear point of contention, we just end up spinning our wheels, and those kinds of discussions almost always have to be locked down just to keep things from spiraling.
Look, I’ll jump in and answer whenever I feel like it, and honestly, I can definitely weigh in right now because this subject is right up my alley!
#7 ·
rustydrifter10 said:Honestly, I was about to say you're just trolling here.
User A asks a question.
User B completely ignores it—just being condescending with their own question instead.
So, who's actually trolling? 🤷
rustydrifter10 said:I'll answer if I feel like it, and since this is my area of expertise, I can right now.
So far, all you've shown is that you want to troll, not actually answer anything.
#8 ·
Brian Edwards78 said:Is there any room for moderator discretion here, or should we follow these rules to the letter...
Generally speaking, we shouldn't follow them blindly like they're gospel, since things aren't always black and white... but a moderator's discretion shouldn't be absolute; it really ought to stay within the bounds of the rules...
Moving forward...
Daniel Ward87 said:If you wouldn't mind, could you clarify exactly what your grievance is...
rustydrifter10 said:Michelle Alvarez8, do you actually have a specific problem here, or not...
Please be more specific with your complaint. If we don't get actual details, this thread is just going to get buried...
#9 ·
Michelle Evans said:Basically, you shouldn't follow them blindly every single time—life isn't always black and white, right?—but a moderator's discretion shouldn't be *too* loose either. There should still be some boundaries set by the rules.
But what happens when things actually ARE black and white? Like, say User A breaks an image size rule, and then User B breaks the exact same rule. If User A's post gets reported and nothing happens, but User B gets slapped with a warning immediately... where does that leave us?
Besides, Appeals don't just end in a question mark. This whole topic is literally part of the Forum description:
Your feedback, ideas, complaints, or comments. How can we make this Forum better and more polite?
#10 ·
Brian Edwards78 said:What happens when things aren't black and white? For instance, let's say User A breaks the rule about image sizing, and then User B commits the exact same violation. If User A's post gets reported but they walk away without any penalty, while User B gets hit with an immediate warning or ban, how does that work?
Honestly, it kind of depends on which moderator you're dealing with—some will slap a warning on oversized images immediately, while others might just quietly convert them into links. You'll notice that in threads where the whole point is sharing images, the moderation tends to be much stricter, but in discussions where images are just the exception, nobody really bats an eye if a slightly larger one pops up every now and then.
#11 ·
It’s great to see the mods and admins actually talking to each other—it's working! 👍
Since the leadership team is all gathered here in such a big group—and clearly eager to help out—would you mind answering one more quick question for me?
Since the leadership team is all gathered here in such a big group—and clearly eager to help out—would you mind answering one more quick question for me?
#12 ·
I don't see why we need a whole new thread just for this, so I'm just gonna drop my two cents right here. 🙂
One of the rules in that PDF lays it out pretty clearly:
2. Posting guidelines [post]
Basically, just posting nothing but emojis is a huge no-no. If you've got absolutely nothing of value to say, then don't feel obligated to spam the board. Also, quit going overboard with the smiley faces—two or three is plenty if you're trying to show some "mood."
But looking at the thread I started, there are already at least six or seven posts that are nothing but emojis, not even counting all those other "serious" discussions. It's wild because even the moderators are out here spamming like that themselves.
Look, I'm not exactly a regular on that PDF, so maybe my take doesn't carry much weight, but I wanted to point this out here to hopefully clear up the contradiction with the actual rules. 🙂
One of the rules in that PDF lays it out pretty clearly:
2. Posting guidelines [post]
Basically, just posting nothing but emojis is a huge no-no. If you've got absolutely nothing of value to say, then don't feel obligated to spam the board. Also, quit going overboard with the smiley faces—two or three is plenty if you're trying to show some "mood."
But looking at the thread I started, there are already at least six or seven posts that are nothing but emojis, not even counting all those other "serious" discussions. It's wild because even the moderators are out here spamming like that themselves.
Look, I'm not exactly a regular on that PDF, so maybe my take doesn't carry much weight, but I wanted to point this out here to hopefully clear up the contradiction with the actual rules. 🙂
#13 ·
Feel free to hit that button whenever you see it. Most moderators here are volunteers; they’re either swamped or they just don't feel like cleaning up every single post, and handing out a ban is overkill for that. So, a lot of stuff flies under the radar.
Usually, they only step in to delete or punish if someone keeps doing it repeatedly.
Plus, the rules don't say "strictly prohibited." It says to avoid it, but if you slip up once or twice, it's not the end of the world...
But honestly, it all comes down to how a moderator interprets things. Not everyone sees it the same way. It's not black and white. It depends on the context of the emoji and how much tolerance that specific mod has. They probably won't let a spammer get away with it, even if they'd give a regular member a pass.
Besides, this thread is basically "spam territory"—it isn't some high-stakes debate.
Usually, they only step in to delete or punish if someone keeps doing it repeatedly.
Plus, the rules don't say "strictly prohibited." It says to avoid it, but if you slip up once or twice, it's not the end of the world...
But honestly, it all comes down to how a moderator interprets things. Not everyone sees it the same way. It's not black and white. It depends on the context of the emoji and how much tolerance that specific mod has. They probably won't let a spammer get away with it, even if they'd give a regular member a pass.
Besides, this thread is basically "spam territory"—it isn't some high-stakes debate.
#14 ·
Nah, I honestly think that’s just blatant vote-padding. It doesn't personally bother me, but I’ve noticed this pattern where people are just cranking up their post counts on that PDF file.
That PDF acts more like a fan forum with much looser moderation, so you see tons of posts that would normally be out of line being totally ignored, but seriously, I keep seeing people just dropping emojis where they could just quote an entire image instead of using a single smiley to weigh in on the topic.
If that isn't spam, then what the hell is? What kind of "spam" are they even talking about when they bring up that sub-rule about posting??
Even the moderators themselves are spamming exactly like that, so there’s really no point in reporting them. If they’re the ones running that PDF, let them do whatever they want. I’m just here asking for some actual clarity on the rules, assuming anyone even cares to settle this.
That PDF acts more like a fan forum with much looser moderation, so you see tons of posts that would normally be out of line being totally ignored, but seriously, I keep seeing people just dropping emojis where they could just quote an entire image instead of using a single smiley to weigh in on the topic.
If that isn't spam, then what the hell is? What kind of "spam" are they even talking about when they bring up that sub-rule about posting??
Even the moderators themselves are spamming exactly like that, so there’s really no point in reporting them. If they’re the ones running that PDF, let them do whatever they want. I’m just here asking for some actual clarity on the rules, assuming anyone even cares to settle this.
#15 ·
Spam is just unsolicited junk mail.
Interpret that however you want. I gave an example using a smiley face. From what I can see, we don't really deal with this kind of "spam" in the more serious threads. At least not from the moderators. This Forum was built for unwinding—it's meant for casual engagement, even if people call it "post padding," though that's not quite accurate.
Someone posts a photo, and another user replies with a single emoji. Fine.
If that emoji expresses how they feel—rather than writing out a whole paragraph about their emotions regarding a picture—then it’s fine. But it shouldn't be constant. As far as I can tell, it happens maybe once or twice per page. In my opinion, that's perfectly acceptable.
It doesn't matter which specific emoji someone uses. For instance, you might use one to show you're in a hurry, or to signal that a picture is funny and caught your eye. It communicates something; it's like saying "I like this." You're active in the thread, you see a funny image or text a moment later, and you drop an emoji. You aren't wandering around the Forum just dropping emojis everywhere. You're participating in the conversation, occasionally adding a reaction, and it's no big deal.
Interpret that however you want. I gave an example using a smiley face. From what I can see, we don't really deal with this kind of "spam" in the more serious threads. At least not from the moderators. This Forum was built for unwinding—it's meant for casual engagement, even if people call it "post padding," though that's not quite accurate.
Someone posts a photo, and another user replies with a single emoji. Fine.
If that emoji expresses how they feel—rather than writing out a whole paragraph about their emotions regarding a picture—then it’s fine. But it shouldn't be constant. As far as I can tell, it happens maybe once or twice per page. In my opinion, that's perfectly acceptable.
It doesn't matter which specific emoji someone uses. For instance, you might use one to show you're in a hurry, or to signal that a picture is funny and caught your eye. It communicates something; it's like saying "I like this." You're active in the thread, you see a funny image or text a moment later, and you drop an emoji. You aren't wandering around the Forum just dropping emojis everywhere. You're participating in the conversation, occasionally adding a reaction, and it's no big deal.
#16 ·
Man, I guess I totally misread the situation. I thought you were saying that just dropping a single smiley face in a post was what they didn't want.
Basically, here’s how this looks to me:
If someone spreads those posts out properly—like, say, hitting ten different threads over two days at regular intervals—they aren't getting flagged as a spammer. But if someone hits six or seven posts in a row and leaves a smiley under every single one without spacing them out, suddenly they're acting suspicious and getting labeled as spam?? 🤣
Honestly, I hadn't even noticed anyone actually doing that. Usually, it's the people opening a dozen pointless threads back-to-back that really jump out at you.
Maybe we should just implement an actual "Like" button feature, because right now people are basically using those smileys to "like" stuff, which just makes the threads a total mess to scroll through.. 🤷
Basically, here’s how this looks to me:
If someone spreads those posts out properly—like, say, hitting ten different threads over two days at regular intervals—they aren't getting flagged as a spammer. But if someone hits six or seven posts in a row and leaves a smiley under every single one without spacing them out, suddenly they're acting suspicious and getting labeled as spam?? 🤣
Honestly, I hadn't even noticed anyone actually doing that. Usually, it's the people opening a dozen pointless threads back-to-back that really jump out at you.
Maybe we should just implement an actual "Like" button feature, because right now people are basically using those smileys to "like" stuff, which just makes the threads a total mess to scroll through.. 🤷
#17 ·
crimsonpuma23 said:Basically, here’s how I see it:
If someone spreads their posts out properly—say, dropping 10 posts across different threads over two days at specific intervals—they won't be flagged as a spammer. But if someone dumps 6 or 7 posts all at once and just leaves emojis under each one, they didn't space them out right, so suddenly they're suspicious for spam?🤣
Yeah, exactly. That's the logic people using it for ads follow. They think if they spread things out across different topics and don't act too aggressive with the timing, they won't get caught. But they do get caught. 😁 You can literally go to any user profile, click "view all posts," and see exactly what, where, and how they've been posting (any regular Forum member can check this anytime). This guy you're talking about, who drops 10 posts in two days consisting of nothing but emojis? He'd probably be banned or kicked immediately for spamming.
#18 ·
melloworca6 said:Yeah, right, that's exactly what the people running ads think too—that if they spread their crap across different threads at different times without being too obnoxious, nobody will notice. But they *will* notice. 😁 You can literally just click on a user profile, hit "view all posts," and see exactly what, where, and how they're talking (any regular user can check that). This guy you're talking about, who drops 10 posts in two days consisting of nothing but emojis? He’d probably get slapped with a red card or banned as a spammer in a heartbeat.
I hear you, I really do. 😁
Look, I don't want to sound like some petty snitch or someone holding a personal grudge, but honestly, I'm not feeling the way papirlove handles moderation. I've noticed him constantly just dropping emojis, even though he actually knows how to drop a comment every now and then. Plus, the way he talks just feels totally out of line for a Forum.
I went back through his history, and just looking at the Los Angeles FC thread from the start of the month, he's got 8 posts like that, even if there's actual text mixed in sometimes.
So, what's the deal? Is a spammer only someone who posts *nothing* but emojis, or is it also the guy who drops maybe 50 emoji posts in a month alongside 300 legitimate comments??
There are hardly any emoji-only users on this Forum, but if someone has 15,000 posts and maybe 2-3% of them are just emojis, that's fine... 🙂
I used to think logic was my strong suit, but maybe I'm losing it... 😉
#19 ·
Look, let’s be real... Yes. If he’s actually active, contributing meaningful content, and engaging with the community, then why wouldn't he be?
It's not like he just showed up talking about something he's never heard of in his life, dropping random emojis without a clue. You even admitted himself that he has way more posts than those so-called Spam users. He's active. If he treats the users well and they're on board with it, what's the issue? I don't see a problem here at all... 🙂
It's not like he just showed up talking about something he's never heard of in his life, dropping random emojis without a clue. You even admitted himself that he has way more posts than those so-called Spam users. He's active. If he treats the users well and they're on board with it, what's the issue? I don't see a problem here at all... 🙂
#20 ·
Thomas Martinez9 said:I mean, let's just call it what it is... Yeah. /cut/
I don't see any actual issue here, honestly... 🙂
Fine, whatever. Maybe I was tripping a little bit high... ☕
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