Discuss New Forum Policy Here

Per this announcement, please feel free to discuss the new forum changes here.

Everything just became very hot to the touch

Hmm. It's like Christmas, and Jeska is Santa Claus.

The new policy is much more toothy. I am well-satisfied.

I personally like the new changes. Since I do not view the forums and in-world as two seperate things (to me the forums are just a part of the whole SL experience), to me it makes perfect sense to have the new rules done as they are.

I'll post more if something is mentioned that makes me think twice.

One word: Finally!

Honestly I feel that the previous TOS/CS would have been MORE than sufficient to end the forum's recent troubles. It wasn't so much the rules but the unwillingness to enforce them that allowed a septic environment to prosper here. However if these policy changes are what the Admins feel they need to prevent the forums from deteriorating into a bloody mess in the future, then I am cautiously optimistic.

Well, the stressed bit about ALT accounts is new, I think.

The problem is, what is respectful and what is disrespectful?

People project themselves into their idea, so when we discuss ideas people think they themselves are being attacked and feel appropiate to respond with personall attacks as well.

Also, we discuss each other's builds, businesses, and general actions. Are we discussing individuals or are we discussing ideas? The boundaries are blurred which is where the problems lie.

The issue, at the end of the day, is that the moderators need to be well versed in critical thinking and need to detect the difference between ad hominem and rational logic. They also need to detect inflamatory, disrespectful language.

Will it happen? I don't think so, unfortunately. Too much work and a lot of the entrenched FIC will find themselves quickly banned, which is something that LL is too scared to do.

The forum is an inseparable part of the SL community. No matter the actual percentage of forum users to in-world accounts; all users are effected by forum discussion as it sets the tone and policy for the entire world.

As such the forum rules on abuse should be even more strict than in world behavior standards. I feel that even the revised rules are too lenient against chronic offenders.

All forum and in world accounts should be effected by a warning, suspension, or ban. Attempting to circumvent discipline should be immediate cause for total ban, not just another seven days added on to the punishment. Warnings should be swift in coming and bans even more so.

Forum posts attacking other users should not be edited, they should be deleted, as well as entire threads that incite community conflict. Locking a thread merely leaves the offending topic in the public eye with no recourse for rebuttal by the victim.

I hope not. I like this newfound backbone (or, attention to problem) and hope they stick with it. Equal justice for all.

To me it's simple. Argue ideas, and don't make it personal (and try not to "take" it personal either). If you feel like you've been attacked, first give the person the benefit of the doubt -- text does weird things to message -- and second set the record straight but try not to succumb to attacking in return.

Whatever LL decides is respectful or disrespectful.

I think they just did.

Whatever blaze. There is no FIC, hence your whole argument is bogus.There is the SL community, and LL saw that one person caused the forums to be turned into a cesspool for 9 months, over petty envy. I don't blame them one bit.

The forums can return to some state of normalcy now. In a sense, you're correct. A lot of the "FIC" people you worry won't be subject to the same rules, won't be. You know why? Because most of them never engaged in tit for tat until Prokofy fired the opening salvos. In other words, no Prok = less people moved to questionable behavior.

Well they need to be as hard on incitement as they are to those who respond to it.

The problem is guessing motivations.

Thank you so much LL! This past week I had given up on these forums ever changing. I think that was evident in my changed tone.

Thank you so much for allowing ppl to speak freely without fear of being insulted, belittled and called awful terrible names. Thank you for restoring my faith, in what I felt was the right way to talk to ppl.

Hugz all them Lindens tight!

Mar aka Cat

Nice, I should be banned in a week Then I can spend the rest of the summer at Lake Michigan where I should be now

I think I agree with Aimee here. It does seem that the issue was that the rules where not enforced. I am not sure if I like the idea that if you get banned from the forums, you can get banned from the grid. I think that should be a case by case situation. If someone in the forums does get carried away, but while on the grid is good, I don't see why they should be banned from the grid. I do see the need if you are banned from the grid, that you should also be banned from the forums. (But why would anyone want to stay in the forums if they are banned from the grid anyway?)

I do see that the forums and the grid are part of the same thing. Maybe a better way to look at it is to take into account what a person does on the grid, and what they do in the forums before banning them from both.

I am not sure if I am being clear, but I think some people should be banned from the forums, but be allowed to be on the grid.

My only concern is obviously currently things that are allowed to be said in game are currently being censored here. One example is a recent post about a trouble maker in a tringo hosting abuse. The person that said "Do not hire XXXX" could say that in world but currently could not do so here. The policies that dictate "abuse" in one is not the same in the other but yet by what I read from the post it seemed to me that now they will be?

I would like to have seen something about retaliation not being acceptable. Many times people who feel they haver been insulted respond with insults that are far greater than those originally promulgated. The guidelines should make it clear that "self defense" violations will not be tolerated as well. Sometimes the rebuttals of the "victims" were harsher than the original insult.

Frankly I think the major change needed is enforcement, not in policy. That way the person who becomes the forum scapegoat will have so protection as well. I think the point raised by some people that enforcement is not even handed is a valid one.

What is incitement?

Is incitement personally attacking individuals or proposing controversial / painful ideas and concepts?

Thank you so much LL! This past week I had given up on these forums ever changing. I think that was evident in my changed tone.

Thank you so much for allowing ppl to speak freely without fear of being insulted, belittled and called awful terrible names. Thank you for restoring my faith, in what I felt was the right way to talk to ppl.

Hugz all them Lindens tight!

Cat

i think it's pretty clear cut.

for example, someone could propose a central government in SL. Now, that will create QUITE a stir (as we've seen in past) but no one would consider that worthy of a warning. That's ideas.

But to couch insults, attacks and personal accusations under the pretense of an idea, well that's thin ice.

I really don't think it's that hard blaze.

Yes

This will apply to everyone, including you and all your many alts. So, umm, watch your step.

I'm glad to see this expansion of policy. I look forward to the forums becoming more useful and less hostile.

Yay for Jeska! Does this mean I won't be called ignorant any more and told I am so out to lunch that I drive a SUV in first life?

Brilliant!

So suggesting that thimerasol is the cause of Autism in a whole generation of americans should be considered incitement!

Or suggesting that we're slowing risking the planet with greenhouse gases should be considered incitement?

Or complaining about massive copyright infringement by groups of content developers in SecondLife should be considered incitement?

Or complaining about rampant elitism in SecondLife should be considered incitement?

Awesome!

Nope. Not unless you attach personal insults to them, like the prom-queen BS.