What exactly is consitered Vigilante Modding?

[Darth Mario]

What constitutes an infraction for Vigilante Modding? For example, would my first post in this tread be treated as VigModding?
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73792

Here's the section from the Forum Rules:

Vigilante Modding
If you’re not a Moderator, don’t act like one. Rich has selected a few people he trusts to keep an eye on conversations here. Please refrain from chastising other posters over breaking the rules, especially concerning minor things. The proper response when you see someone breaking these rules is to report the post as discussed above or to a PM to the local Moderator. At most, you may courteously link to this thread. But whatever you do, do not tell other posters what to do, what rules they have broken, that they are "spamming", etc. Posters who do so excessively will be issued an Infraction for their actions.


However the note at the bottom of the report screen says:

"[The report function] is ONLY to be used to report spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) posts."

I did report the post, as per the rules, but I still feel there is a bit of contradiction. What would have been the correct response to this situation? I have a feeling I just barely crossed the line, and I'd like to not to in the future.

[Ego Slayer]

I always assumed that message was default for vBulletin. I think it's pretty much the report-anything-that-a-mod-should-see button.

Like the rules say there, you can link to the rules, but you can't tell them NOT to do something... and I hope pointing out that there is an edit button, isn't breaking any rules...:smallsigh:

[Gorbash Kazdar]

The message on the report screen is a default; please use the report function whenever you spot something that you think a mod should take a look at, as Ego Slayer mentioned.

I don't think your post is an issue there; certainly people do miss hitting the Edit function or don't realize they've dropped as many posts in a row as they have. Also, it's okay to mention to someone what is in the forum rules in a polite fashion - eg.


Poster 1: [Post includes bypassing of language filter]
Poster 2: [Responds to other points in first post] Oh, and you might want to remove the profanity from the original post.
Poster 1: Why? What's the big deal?
Poster 3: There's a rule about bypassing the language filter - [Quote of rule or link to it]

In such a case, neither poster 2 or poster 3 would be vigilante modding, and if poster 1 did remove the profanity/language filter bypass in a timely fashion, we probably wouldn't issue an Infraction for him/her either.

On the other hand, if poster 3 had said something like:


Poster 3: These boards are supposed to be PG 13, so you can't post that here. You have to delete it from your post, and you need to make sure your future posts don't have obscene language in them, or you shouldn't put them up at all.

That would probably get an infraction, and at the very least a warning.

[Darth Mario]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Good to know about the report button message too. Glad to know I didn't do anything bad.

[Pyro]

*snip*
That's nice to know. There seems to be a fine line between polite and vigilante that could be easy to cross, or at least tread on accidentally

[Sixscimitars]

So in short, polite is a suggestion, vigilante is an illegitimate order?

[Admiral_Kelly]

Why is this rule up in the first place? Are the mods afraid of 'loosing their jobs'? :smalltongue:

[Rawhide]

Why is this rule up in the first place? Are the mods afraid of 'loosing their jobs'? :smalltongue:

Well, other than the fact that we are better equipped to deal with the problems, two main problems arise.

People are less friendly to someone who is not a moderator telling them what to do and frequently vent their anger at them, this can result in flame wars. Even if they would have vented their anger either way, its better that it is directed at us as we are better equipped to deal with it.

Vigilante mods often get it wrong.

[Admiral_Kelly]

The latter two reasons are good ones - but the first is a bit of a blanketed statement. Just because you have the position does not mean you are the best (however, from my experience the GitP mods have proven to be highly qualified).

And thanks for the explanation - this rule kindof bugged me.

[Rawhide]

Actually, by that statement I mean we have tools such as logs, warnings and infractions, the edit button, etc.

[Quincunx]

Oh yes, tools. I was once 'moderator' of a board but the admins neglected to give us board tools other than attaching our names through the forum software. Lessons learned:

1. A mod without a sword is a walking target.
2. The pen IS mightier than the sword for all who are intelligent enough to understand the pen. Even when an individual poster wrote prideful 2000-word essays on "lalalalalala I can't hear you and you're stupid", the readers understood who won the battle.
2.5. The pen wins when it is used with a total lack of ego. Since flame wars erupt from ego, if the pen isn't already in play by the time the first fire is lit, it is at a steep disadvantage.
3. A caveman who doesn't understand the pen only backs down from a clubbing--with the flat of the blade, of course.

[Fri]

Well, in my opinion, it's simple. Moderators had authority power with their moderator bag, vigilante mod do not.

It's just like the police.

Moderators are human being and not perfect, like the police. But they're needed. Well, people would react better when they're warned by the police, compared to when they're warned by... vigilante police :D. Not all people, but majority will do.

Moderator status is like their uniform or badge.

[Talic]

And here, it has teeth. The rules provide more latitude for dealing with infractions against mods, increasing the severity of such.

Bottom line, be respectful to everyone, and try to help other people, rather than "win", and you'll likely not run afoul of most of the rules of the forum.