Continuous shutting down of threads.

[AquaParade]

Why is this the norm? Seems like a bad approach, given the majority aren't typically breaking rules. The censorship seems extreme to me as well. Sometimes conversations do go a bit far, but that corona virus thread was a place where people had to vent and come together during this time, and shutting it down seemed like the wrong approach to me.

In the past, there have also been threads shutdown continually bc of the comments of one or two posters, when you have 50+ posters in the actual discussion. Doesn't seem like an effective approach to a problem.

Anyways, this isn't to call out anyone specific. I just want to discuss the idea of how you would mod this place if it were up to you. Rampant carnage and free discussion? Single people out with bans? Would you try to foster a community with interesting topics? Just ban any thread with a comment that irks you, while patronizing the community?

Discuss

[Andrew NDB]

I think closing threads is a great way to close the board, in 2020. Maybe that's the idea.

[Coola Yagami]

I've always called it an abuse of power, plain and simple.

[Leo656]

I'd bring back public beheadings and boiling people in oil. I think we as a society gave up on that much too quickly.

Also, land mines.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I'd bring back public beheadings and boiling people in oil. I think we as a society gave up on that much too quickly.

Also, land mines.

We never gave up on land mines; they're still out there, buried and scattered.

Careful where you step, fvckface.

[Sumac]

Some people can't handle a lil'bit conflict.
Not even a serious ones.

[Andrew NDB]

And let's be real.

When tempers get flaring in thread on dying message board in 2020... options for posters:

A) Don't click on the thread anymore. Hey, problem solved and is in your hands.

B) Block the people that are annoying you. Then you can still see the thread but not the people's posts that annoy you. Win win! Maybe someone quotes a blocked person's message and you might see it (p.s.: BOO HOO!)... but then you can return to option A.

For moderators, the same:

A) Is there name calling? Like, just someone flying off the handle? OK. Fair enough. 1 warning then a ban of the abuser. Even delete their post (not the thread, or go to locking the thread).

B) Trolling? Well that's really subjective. The obvious stuff like Goku and the like, yeah, nip that in the bud for sure.

It'd be one thing if there was a wealth of 12 year olds running around here that need to be spanked and/or protected. There isn't. Not anymore. The days of a 1000+ active users here are long gone. We're a bunch of old ass people talking about comics, toys (not me, but I get that people do), movies, and stuff that's going on in the real world. That's what makes this forum work. The idea that there needs to be a killswitch when discussion goes from mild discussion to debates with high tempers... dumb.

There are times when stuff just goes off the rails and I get it. It's not often, but I've seen it. But we're talking about just stuff like Supergoku or whatever coming back and spamming nonsense threads... but that's about it.

[Wildcat]

There’s a lot of threads being closed? Even ones that do seem to go long enough to get mostly off-topic before its closed.

I’ve never blocked anyone on any site. I can easily scroll past and ignore something on my own. Other than obvious spamming, I’ve always found it funny some would need to block others. Like you simply can’t stand to see their username and avatar? That’s just too much?

Id say I’ve gotten into a few “arguments” on here but I’ve never personally let get out of hand. I don’t even cuss (on message boards ) because you can’t always tell how it comes across in plain text. I think we’re all pretty used to each other here though. Not that I’m gonna start now.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

I’ve never blocked anyone on any site. I can easily scroll past and ignore something on my own. Other than obvious spamming, I’ve always found it funny some would need to block others. Like you simply can’t stand to see their username and avatar? That’s just too much?

I know a certain forum where people are proudly brandishing that they've blocked 1000 users.

Guess, there is are no limits for inferior complex or fragility.

[newfan]

I don't feel that many threads have been closing, just the small number lately have been in close time frames. Anyway so far as closures it depends on the thread and what is going on, there is a difference between members butting heads (which will happen) in a useful thread and then a thread which either doesn't have much purpose (or has served it's purpose) turned vile, or one created by a troll with intent to p*ss people off. I don't feel that these threads are a good way to save a board from dying. Especially where it has nothing to do with what the board is about. I imagine that consideration to how the board looks to the public might be taken into account here too?

So far as keeping useful threads which are being derailed by just a few, as aquaparade suggested, maybe a suggestion can be made where those few are approached? be it warning or instructed the leave the thread if that doesn't work etc.? I don't know, depends how ugly it gets.

I have seen the mods try to clean up threads and warn people without closing them too to be fair.

[Voltron]

I counted 5 in total in the GD front pages. Of those, 3 were closed due to flaming and trolling.

The last one was closed a week ago.

We currently have one up where someone is claiming that Bill Gates is going to inject me with his own jizz to make me forget that 5G towers are destroying oxygen. This all has something to do with coronavirus, but I'm clearly too dumb to make the connection.

I'm not entirely sure what you guys want in terms of free speech. There are people who come here for ordinary and civil discussions about their hobbies. It's not fair to them for others to barge in and demand the entire conversation be derailed into fevered nonsense for their own entertainment.

If it's all in fun, sure. If it's because you're absolutely positive that Hollywood is out to destroy white men, and this is like, super cereal and needs to be solved right here and now by the greatest minds on a "dying message board", then I can't help you.

[IMJ]

We need an emoji of a lil guy eating popcorn

[Jester]

I mean I try not to be a draconian dill-weed, but sometimes closing a thread is the easiest option when things go off the rails. Could I clean it up and re-open? Sure, but as one of the few remaining "gunslingers" here (and I do have a LIFE outside this forum) I don't have the time.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Jester

I mean I try not to be a draconian dill-weed, but sometimes closing a thread is the easiest option when things go off the rails. Could I clean it up and re-open? Sure, but as one of the few remaining "gunslingers" here (and I do have a LIFE outside this forum) I don't have the time.

I moderated and admin'd the most prolific Iron Man fan forum on the web for a decade and never once had to shut down a single thread, not one time.

[sdp]

Threads are usually crap so nothing of value is lost in closing them.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I know a certain forum where people are proudly brandishing that they've blocked 1000 users.

Guess, there is are no limits for inferior complex or fragility.

It’s not even possible. You’d be blocking an entire board. If it even has active 1000 users.

I remember people saying IMDb was bad. I rarely posted in the main section. It must have been true since literally everything had its own dedicated board and they ended up shutting it all down.

I still miss it though. There was occasional trolling but the boards I used never got out of hand except 1 that I just stopped going to altogether.

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by IMJ

I moderated and admin'd the most prolific Iron Man fan forum on the web for a decade and never once had to shut down a single thread, not one time.

Yeah, Jester. Step up your game.

Also, while we're bragging about stupid stuff, I'm a black belt in karate, and my sensei beat up Chuck Norris once. My uncle built a rocket ship and let's me fly it. Also, my grand dad invented the semicolon.

[Andrew NDB]

I own and run thegreenlanterncorps.com, myself. And have for about 13 years now. Myself or my moderators have never, ever stifled threads that weren't obviously farces.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

It’s not even possible. You’d be blocking an entire board. If it even has active 1000 users.

Surprisingly there are some forums out there with a 30-40k users, even now, in an era of social networks.
And some of those forums are inhabited by very peculiar people, who don't like any other opinion, but their own and they are READY to block 1000s of people, if it mean they will stay in their hugbox.

[Wildcat]

30+ thousand? I could see IMDb getting a massive amount since it covered basically everything but chunks of them probably posted at different points in time. Then there’s some that just post for one reason or another and pretty much leave.

You mean fan boards like this?