Myth-Busting the Mod Process...

Anansi

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Dec 18, 2013
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Maya (Female Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Jolly (Male Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Bixby (Male, red-sided eclectus. RIP), Suzie (Male cockatiel. RIP)
We on the Mod-Team cherish the good relationship that we have with the members of this amazing forum. Each of us truly views Parrot Forums as a tight-knit community, and it is our love of this community, as well as our desire to maintain a positive, informative and encouraging atmosphere, that motivates us to be moderators.

Sometimes, our roles as mods takes on a disciplinary aspect. This is an unfortunate necessity, as not a one of us enjoys the prospect of editing/unapproving/deleting someone’s post, sending out a pm of warning, issuing an infraction, temporarily suspending a member or worse, permanently banning one. Some of you might actually be quite surprised by the amount of discussion and debate that often goes into such decisions. We do not take these things lightly.

Which brings me to the reason for this thread. Occasionally, certain misconceptions arise about the modding process, as well as options available to each member if they either disagree with a mod’s decision or come to feel that a mod has been unfair to them. Traditionally we have addressed these situations as they have occurred, but we have now decided to create a thread as a general reference. Something of a myth-busting/general info thread.

Myth #1: Disagreement with a mod on a thread topic will get you banned.
This one is completely false… and particularly dismaying. The mere fact of disagreeing with a mod’s point of view will NOT get you banned. As long as your point is stated civilly and without rancor, you can feel free to disagree with a mod on a thread topic same as you might with any other member. Though this should not be confused with criticizing a mod’s decision on the open forum, which leads to the next point…

Myth #2: There is no recourse to a mod edit with which you disagree other than to speak against it on the open forum.
This one is also false. If a member disagrees with a moderator’s edit, he or she should contact that moderator - or any other with whom they feel comfortable - and explain (civilly and without rancor) why they feel the edit should be reversed. Make a compelling enough case, and it just might happen. I know that I’ve reversed a decision or two. So have some of my fellow mods. We’re human, and sometimes there might be an aspect to a particular situation that we’ve missed. At the very least, even if we decide not to reverse our edit, we’ll give a more detailed explanation of our position. (Just to be clear, said appeal must be made via pm. Appeals made over the open forum will not be considered.)

On the other hand, criticizing a moderator’s decisions on the open forum is actually a violation of forum rules. Why? Because moderators can’t be expected to properly do their jobs if they’re spending all their time defending every decision that they make… after all of the time already spent discussing and debating the point behind the scenes in the Mod Sub-forum.

Myth #3: If you feel a mod has been unfair to you, there’s nothing that you can do.
This one is also false. If you truly feel that a particular mod has been treating you unfairly, you can reach out to any of the other moderators via pm and request that the entire situation be reviewed by the entire Mod Team. Outline your reasons and give clear examples of the perceived unfair treatment and we will review the allegations and come to a decision as a group. (But please soul-search before going this route. Simply disagreeing with your point of view is a far cry from treating you unfairly.) If we find merit to your claims, the issue will be addressed with the offending moderator in the Mod Sub-forum, and to the extent possible we’ll endeavor to make it right.

Myth #4: A member can be banned for any mistake.
This is also false. Most members are only banned after repeated infractions of the same offense. To be banned for a one-time offense, the infraction has to either be somewhat epic (A blatant example of this from the past was the cursing out of eleven fellow members in one rage-filled post), or an incident of spamming the forum.

Otherwise, we do our best to avoid a banning. We usually start off with a warning via pm. Or an infraction if the mistake is rather out of hand and the member should’ve known better. Repeating the same mistake could result in an infraction, temporary banning (for a period of anywhere between a few days and several months, depending on the severity of the offense), or a permanent banning if the mistake was bad enough. We always take the individual and the dynamics of the situation into account when deciding on a course of action.

FYI
- A member appears as banned, whether the ban is temporary or permanent, for the duration of the ban.
- Banning decisions always require a consensus of mods, save for situations where the incident is grievous enough to merit immediate and severe action.
- Actions such as edits or unauthorizing of posts/threads can be undertaken under the authority of a single mod, though such actions are usually brought before the rest of the team and discussed. Mods don’t always agree on the decisions of fellow mods, and sometimes a mod will be swayed from a particular decision by the arguments of another. Other times we may agree to disagree, respecting our fellow mod’s decision. This would hold unless officially appealed and a majority of the other mods vote to overturn said decision.

We are leaving this thread open for any questions, but please keep in mind that this is not the place for any gripes or appeals about decisions made. The main purpose here is to make everyone in our beloved community aware of all available options, to give a glimpse into how things work behind the scenes, and to ensure that none of our members ever feel as though they have to walk on eggshells around us.
 
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ChristaNL

Banned
Banned
May 23, 2018
3,559
157
NL= the Netherlands, Europe
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Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
:07: So glad you opened this thread (is it going to be a sticky?).

I got (rightfully!) banned for being rude and doing exactly what you discussed: openly protesting instead of resorting to PM's to another moderator when I got stuck discussing my case with the first moderator... simply because I did not know that was option and saw "acting out in public" as the only other option to be heard.


(Yup, for a smart person I can be extremely dumb sometimes ;) )


THANK YOU!
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 14, 2016
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The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
Great thread!

May I add a thought? When I first arrived here, I kinda gave myself the impression that approaching a Mod had to be a big deal, justified by some significant or worthy issue. Since then, I have developed trust and affection for all our Mods, and comfort with them, and I would never hesitate to approach one or all with any concern or question.
 

Ellie777Australia

New member
Apr 12, 2019
1,280
98
Queensland, Australia
Parrots
SI Eclectus Female, Ellie; RS/SI Eclectus Male, Bertie (both adopted as rescue/re-home)
Thank you for this posting and 'information' about your role as Moderators. As someone new to the forum I have only just learned about the titles under our user names...


I signed up because I was worried about my Ellie and needed solid advice and emotional support...I cannot imagine what could have happened if I had been given wrong advice or nasty comments from anyone! I would have been devastated and Ellie's health would have been compromised! This is serious stuff!


However, with your excellent advice and support, we have modified her environment and reintroduced her to her cage in a positive manner- we were wrong in providing nesting places; we were wrong in touching her back; and we were wrong in not giving her some cage time. The manner in which you coached us in this was positive and the outcome for Ellie (the reason why we are here!) totally beneficial.


Also, other forum sections such as 'safe toys' has resulted in many toys (with bells, synthetics, chains, and frayed snuggle hut etc) being tossed and replaced with SAFE toys. Even her diet has changed and she no longer has Harrisons pellets! Who wins because you do your job and moderate content? Our precious fids WIN every time.


With a big heartfelt and sincerest thank you to the Mod-team,
Debbie and Ellie :red1::)
 

chris-md

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2010
4,349
2,119
Maryland - USA
Parrots
Parker - male Eclectus

Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
1) how have I never been banned, particularly in my early days when I participated more.

2) how do I get a peak at that mod forum...the tea must be piping!:coffee:

On an unrelated note, in searching for an appropriate emoji for “tea” I happened to come across my new favorite emoji :vomit-smi
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Doc, thank you for this episode of PF Mythbusters! It’s fantastic to have such a talented writer for a teammate!

Since Doc has covered just about everything, I’ll just say, I can’t agree more. We do love our PF community and every member is important to us. If you have an issue or concern that’s important to you, it’s also important to us, please don’t hesitate to contact one or all of us.

Thank you so much, Christa. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

Gail, thank you, we’re very fond of you too, Sweet Lady.

Ellie777Australia, thank you for your very kind words and for sharing your story. That’s an excellent example of the reason we’re here and the reason we keep coming back.

Chris, you know we’ve never banned you because we’re afraid you’d take Parker with you. You know I’m kidding, we wouldn’t be us without you.
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,643
10,007
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
Access to the Mod Forum, my dear friend, you would be bored to tears if you had to read the mod forum. And the refreshments are what you brought nothing more. :D


Stephen, anytime clarity can be brought to interactions and process assures transparence and a greater comfort for everyone. This Thread surely merits the status of a Sticky Thread to assure easy access long into the future. Thank you for taking the time from your busy life to develop and provide this masterfully written post.
 
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Terry57

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Stephen, thank you so much for your hard work in putting this sticky together! Beautifully written and I wholeheartedly agree with every point.
My door (or Inbox) is also open anytime anyone has a question or concern.

Christa, yep, it is a sticky:) Thank you for your understanding, it is much appreciated!

Gail, you know the high regard we hold you in as well. You make a great point about it not having to be a big issue to contact us over.

Debbie, Thank you for this post! This is truly the reason that we are all here, and it never gets old hearing how people on the forum have helped someone with their precious bird. I'm really happy to have you here!

Chris, how did I go all this time without seeing that emoji??? You just made my day!
"how do I get a peak at that mod forum...the tea must be piping!" You bet it is:) Sometimes it's even spiked!
 
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Betrisher

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2013
4,253
177
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Parrots
Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
Stephen, my little brussels sprout, that was AWESOME!

The Mod team here at Parrotforums is the best I've ever seen and, as a former member, I know from both inside and out that fairness and decency are the mainstays of all our Fearless Leaders. The well-being of the bird is always uppermost, however our Mods also take great care to consider the owner as well, recognising limitations and things outside one's control that can make bird care difficult.

It's no small thing to spend a lot of one's downtime working for free on a parrot forum. The behind-the-scenes work the Mods do is the reason things run so smoothly for our membership. I, for one, would enjoy nothing more than an extended arvo tea with all the Mods and a great deal of chocolate cake. Not necessarily in that order (kiddin'!)

Thank you, Moderators, for your work and your friendship. XXXXXXXX
 

Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
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Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Stephen, your Myth-Busting banished myths to a distant galaxy! Thank you for writing with such clarity and heart!

Thank you for your candor and inquiry, Christa!

Missing you, Gail! :heart:

Appreciate your kind words, Debbie. Nothing is more important than our service to fids!

Chris, the tea is delicious (I avoid coffee) but I am the keeper of chocolate!

Trish, you are awesome, my friend from another hemisphere. Hope we meet one day! :heart:
 

Terry57

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Trish, I would adore having a tea with you, especially if I can just sit and listen to your wonderful stories. Your friendship is valued beyond measure:)
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
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Parrots
U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Trish, thank you! You say the sweetest things! I would dearly love to have tea with you and the team especially if the tea was held at your place, I’ve always wanted to visit Australia and even more because it’s home to a dear friend.
 

chris-md

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2010
4,349
2,119
Maryland - USA
Parrots
Parker - male Eclectus

Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
Whether You are aware or not that tea actually refers to gossip in this context, I’m giggling at the direction it’s taking. Love this place, thank you to all our fearless leaders here.
 

Terry57

Moderator
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Super Moderator
Nov 6, 2013
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Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada
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Hawkhead(Darwin),YCA(Dexter),VE (Ekko),OWA(Slater),BHP(Talli),DYH(Calypso),RLA(Kimera),Alex(Xander)CBC(Phoe),IRN (Kodee,Luna,Stevie),WCP (Pisces),CAG(Justice)GCC (Jax), GSC2(Charley)
Whether You are aware or not that tea actually refers to gossip in this context, I’m giggling at the direction it’s taking. Love this place, thank you to all our fearless leaders here.

Nope, was unaware but now am really laughing!
 

Ellie777Australia

New member
Apr 12, 2019
1,280
98
Queensland, Australia
Parrots
SI Eclectus Female, Ellie; RS/SI Eclectus Male, Bertie (both adopted as rescue/re-home)
QUOTE=chris-md "how have I never been banned"


Ellie and I are soooo glad you weren't banned ha ha:D...thank you for your wonderful advice with Ellie....


Regards,
Debbie


Love this one... :vomit-smi
 

Ellie777Australia

New member
Apr 12, 2019
1,280
98
Queensland, Australia
Parrots
SI Eclectus Female, Ellie; RS/SI Eclectus Male, Bertie (both adopted as rescue/re-home)
QUOTE=chris-md "Whether You are aware or not that tea actually refers to gossip in this context"....

I feel like I'm listening in on a secret telephone line ha ha...:D...you guys sound like heaps of fun...
 

Betrisher

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2013
4,253
177
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Parrots
Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
Trish, thank you! You say the sweetest things! I would dearly love to have tea with you and the team especially if the tea was held at your place, I’ve always wanted to visit Australia and even more because it’s home to a dear friend.

Well! Since I left the Mods team, lots has happened! Aside from being into my *fourth* year of Latin study, we've moved house, bought a *new* car and done some serious renos to the place so my birds can be, if not indoors, at least directly outside and under cover. The new house is probably smaller than the old one, but it's a lot more airy and has lots more windows (which I require for ongoing mental health, y'know?) It's actually the house up in which I grew. I inherited half of it from Mum and bought out my sister's half.

We have a massive new deck which would be plenty big enough to seat the entire Mods team, plus quite a few others. We could sip tea, nibble chocolate cake and swap stories for as long as we wanted. And, for once, I wouldn't be the tiniest bit embarrassed by Madge and 'Setta bellowing their saintly little lungs out. They really are deafening and I've seen people virtually shrink away from them when they're in full throat.

Then, in the afternoon, we could wait for the Lorikeets and Cockies to go off to roost and enjoy the passing over of the Yellow-tailed Black Cockies. We could even drive down to our little swamp (our car is a People Mover) and check out the Red-rumped Parrots and Grass Parrots on the banks. Plenty of people could partake in a plethora of parrots!

Sigh. Wouldn't it be nice? :)
 

Nohora

New member
Apr 29, 2020
9
1
USA
Parrots
only one NC
Thank you for the warm welcoming to the forum, and for providing me all the forum's rules.
 

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