Flaming/On-line bullying @ Arbtalk

[Andy Collins]

Every now and then the ugly side of being a moderator rears its head. In this instance Flaming or online bullying is in my sights. Under Forum rules (4) this will not be tolerated by us. Just to clarify:

4. No attacks, insults, or flames** - be it on someone's person, religious beliefs, race, national background, sexual orientation, or whatever. This is VERY important. If you have a problem with somebody, do not flame them on our website. Take it somewhere else. No flaming of ANY kind is welcome here. The quickest way to get banned from our website is to break this rule. This includes public posts, group posts, private messages or contact methods supplied by the member of this site.

** On the Internet, flaming is giving someone a verbal lashing in public. Often this is on a Usenet newsgroup but it could be on a Web forum or perhaps even as e-mail with copies to a distribution list. Unless in response to some rather obvious flamebait, flaming is poor netiquette. Certain issues tend to provoke emphatically stated responses, but flaming is often directed at a self-appointed expert rather than at the issues or information itself and is sometimes directed at unwitting but opinionated newbies who appear in a newsgroup.

I hope this is clear to one and all, and we will act quickly and decisively on any perpetrators. This site is meant to be professional, yet fun to participate in. You may find it funny to post an avatar, a snipe or dig at someone, but if the butt of your "humour" doesnt share the joke, it can be quite upsetting.

So to those, and they know what they are doing, concerned, I suggest strongly that you stop. If not you will no longer be involved with Arbtalk.

[twistedhicap]

Andy i use many forums and most follow the same guidelines as here to a greater or lesser extent and most will offer a warning Via PM to the offenders if the issue isnt ad enough to warrent a total imediate ban does this also happen here ?

 

Maybe i shoudl re read the rules and will have answered this myself !

[butler]

Andy i use many forums and most follow the same guidelines as here to a greater or lesser extent and most will offer a warning Via PM to the offenders if the issue isnt ad enough to warrent a total imediate ban does this also happen here ?

 

Maybe i shoudl re read the rules and will have answered this myself !

 

good question

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I got battered several times early on, its all good, shrinking violets and drama queens have no place on a social network.

[Andy Collins]

Yes, that is the usual protocol. We havent had to ban many here, usually a word in the ear is sufficient. That step has already been used in one instance, but it does seem apparent that some have short memories, or may have forgotten the rules. So I've taken this step as a polite reminder to those concerned. Hopefully this will be enough and the good ship Arbtalk will sail off into the sunset with no further action necessary.

[twistedhicap]

Thanks for the answer Andy i think a forum is only as good as its Moderators and Admin and you guys have it right here good banter but the line is there !

 

Cheers David

[Tall Tree]

Not to downplay the above mentioned comments by the adminastrator but, compared to other arborist forums I feel for the most part that Arbtalk ranks as one of the more respectful arborist forums on the net.

I wish that any arborist that is registered with any arborist forum would give prudence before replying to a thread with vulgar, sarcastic, or disrespectful tone because it might be viewed by somebody that is not an arborist. An example would be if a home owner that hopes to gain some reputable insight on arborists in general checks into an arborist forum and stumbles across discussions that are roguish or unprofessional. In turn the home owner has a tarnished feeling towards the so called professional arborist.

I say let's be respectful and act professional in any arborist forum so as not to discredit the practice of arboriculture.

Not all of us are here to give advice but to learn from one another.

[Taupotreeman]

I'm relatively new to all this forum stuff so it's all a bit over my head I'm afraid. Hoping that if I step out of line someone will give me a warning before cutting me off at the knees

[Andy Collins]

Never fear, we endeavour to keep each and every member, and hopefully most issues can be satisfactorily resolved for all involved without need for further action.

[Bomag]

People can often forget that what they are saying from behind the keyboard is something they wouldnt say in conversation down the pub.

I think the board is well run and well moderated. Im Admin on another forum so see things from both sides of the fence.