(answered) A discussion of administrative errors for democracy's sake.

coors light

Bluelighter
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EADD is a social forum so I guess its ok to discuss this here.

I was wondering do people who regularly frequent forums (such as blue light) run into much heavy handedness from administrators. I only ask because I recently had such a problem. I received an infraction for having an alternate account on a certain website. Now the thing is I don’t actually have an alternate account I was infracted because my IP address was the same as the alternate account, the house I live in has six other students some who also use (the certain forum I’m referring to). A certain administrator (shall remain nameless) wanted me to give him the user names of the other housemates (which I didn’t) Now the administrator claims he can’t help me because I won’t do this.

Does anyone else run into such problems on forums .

Could the moderators please not close this just to appease the masters.
 
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how do you figure that we are their guests. they volunteer for the job. I volunteer in my local community but if what im doing seems wrong then I would be told and I wouldnt expect any of them to just shut the fuck up as you say. This is a drug community is it not.
 
What Ceres said. As many EADDers, I've seen both sides of the picture and know for sure that the senior staff are far less wanky then they seem. They really do work hard and there is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more thought, effort and discussion behind decisions that it seems for the most part. I only ever got to smod level and even there y'all would not believe the wrangling it takes to do anything. No one staff member can go on a rampage and do stooopid shit without it being caught. BL is not a democracy... but there is a helluva lot of discussion "up there"...

That and is a drug site so sometimes staff are just plain wasted and make rash decisions. Take it up with the staff member and other relevant staff members if needs be. Such concerns really are looked at. If an admin is giving you shit then PM other admin and/or smods (Neighborhood Thread is the EADD smod, I do believe). Will it change things? Honestly? Probably not. But will mean the situation is debated and that is a start.

I actually think BL modding is mostly spot on. But maybe am biased. Or maybe not cos half (ha! fuck, 7/8 ) of the staff here are fukkin morons. But mostly quite nice morons. The rest just need re-educating ;)
 
I do have respect for them, we are not their guests this is a public community forum. Im not fond of the snitch on the other people or else I cant help ya attitude. @ shambles, yes neighborhood was onto me seems like a nice bloke it wasn't him that I am referring to, he is a senior mod and not an admin I think. So free speech has gone from the internet do you think shambles seen as democracy does not apply to bluelight. @ pontifex the admins are not gods their actions can be questioned.
 
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I'm the admin in question.

We have had, on quite a few occasions, people trolling the forum with alt accounts, only to claim that someone else in their house is accessing Bluelight and that it's a case of mistaken identity.

I'm genuinely happy to go along with that explanation... I just need the username(s) to check on. If it checks out, I'll reverse the mod's infraction (this happens more than you perhaps realise - about 2% of all infractions IIRC). The request is pretty reasonable and can be cleared up in no time.

Do let me know.

(moving to Support)

So free speech has gone from the internet

**insert obligatory 'Bluelight is not a democracy' reply**
 
I thought it would be moved to support. This is were all questions questioning admins/mods get closed by the administrators. Maybe you should consider a way to distinguish users that use the same IP address. I replied to you hours ago also but you only reply to me when you see that I started a thread.
 
Believe it or not, the only person who controls the closure of a Support thread questioning a decision... is usually the person starting it.

About a year ago, we began encouraging people to use the Support forum as a means of publicly addressing a disagreement they had, if they felt that private correspondence wasn't working. Prior to that, we used to shut them down as a means of drama quelling.

By and large, the change in approach has worked, discussion is generated and contributed to by people across the board, and most people respond positively.

Regarding response times, I think you might have a slightly skewed idea of our role here. I respond when I can, how I can. Your contact will very often come second to my actual life. That means that you may not receive a service like you were at McDonalds.

The ball is very much in your court. Just let me know the usernames of your flatmates (I struggle to believe that you won't have discussed this with them at some point) and I'll sort it out.

Cheers.
 
I agree with that - I simply think that On The Whole they are doing a tough job for free which keeps the site running smoothly, and that has to be borne in mind. I understand your frustration - I had a royal spat with alasdair 8 or so months ago because mods and admins tend to stick up for each other, leading to extreme bias with regards to users. I don't like that. But once again, you have to look at the bigger picture. BL is the best HR forum there is, full stop, and we owe it to the mods and the admins.
Also looking at your situation it doesn't appear to be "snitching". You're not being asked to give their personal info, just their usernames, and nobody has done anything wrong. I don't really see what the fuss is about.

I agree on most of what you say, I guess the bias thing really annoys me aswel but I suppose that's part and parcel. The snitching thing is more to do with me getting anyone else infracted or banned due to me giving usernames, im not going to be the cause of that.
 
i don't understand why you are characterizing this issue as your snitching. nobody is going to be banned or infracted as a result of this request - indeed, that's the exact opposite of what we're trying to do, isn't it? it's inevitable that, occasionally, bluelighters will show as using the same ip and we can clear it up really quickly and easily if you'll just provide tambourine-man with the information he requested. in short, help us to help you.

for what it's worth, bluelight isn't a democracy and there is no free speech here. that's a simple matter of fact. that doesn't mean that this is 1940 germany and dissent is crushed under the heel of a jackboot. the very fact that we're having this discussion demonstrates that. further, you've complained a few times that your threads will be closed but, as tambo explained, there's no reason why it would be.

bluelight admins are not gods and the decisions and actions of any staffer in the hierarchy is open to question and review. the staff are not infallible and we've all made mistakes. the suggestion that we're infallible and that our actions are unimpeachable is laughable nonsense. members of forum staff, senior staff and administrators have all had decisions reversed on review and, in some cases, have been removed from staff for inappropriate behavior.

tl;dr help us help you

alasdair
 
i'm sorry you think i'm a liar but i've heard much worse, for much less, and i think i can live with it. it's baffling to me that somebody would ask for help and, when the help is offered, insult the helpers and tell them that they're not helping. another day on bluelight :)

the solution to the problem is, as tambo has outlined, very straightforward and it's in your hands.

alasdair
 
I too don't see how this can in any way be viewed as an issue of 'snitching.'
Simply put, we don't want to see anyone unfairly banned or infracted, and have the simple request of you saying your roommates username so it can be confirmed. I don't know if you are paranoid or just don't get it.

It would be like if someone is saying they have a new girlfriend, and then someone calls b.s. and asks what her name is to see if she's real. Would someone with an actual new girlfriend say 'nah man I'm not telling you her name bc I'm no snitch' or just say her name since its not a big deal and they have nothing to hide?
 
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Snitching was a poor choice of words I must admit. Maybe I should have said I just don't want to give him other peoples usernames as I don't know what else they maybe done or could be banned for, plus know one in my house has actually said they were banned and I will not ask them simple as really. Anyways I have the solution for getting the infraction reversed if I wish so in the future.
 
^ for, i hope, the last time, simply confirming your roommate's bl handle is not going to get either of you in trouble. it's not a problem for two different people to use the same ip address. indeed, we recognise that it happens and, in some cases, it's inevitable. it's not against the bl rules for two people to share the same ip address.

indeed, if you help us to help you in this incredibly straightforward manner, the exact opposite of what you claim will happen will happen - your infraction will be lifted and your roommate's account will be unbanned.

your response to this issue is bizarre, to say the least.

alasdair
 
Yes I'm aware of your stance on this matter alasdair :D this is the last you will hear of it. you told me how to get rid of it and it has been duly noted as I said in my previous comment.

Anyways I have the solution for getting the infraction reversed if I wish so in the future.
 
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