What do we do when resident moderators abuse power?

I was a little upset when a thread was closed by a resident moderator because of "ranting" which I thought was absolutely ridiculous reason because thats 99.9% of the forum content. The thread was complaining about special treatment being given to sl users that pay higher tier fees. Seeing as I thought the reason for the forum close was ridiculous, I sent an ar via forums thinking that maybe a linden would see. Something to the effect of, What do we do when we feel that a resident moderator is out of control and simply abuses the little bit of power that they have just because they can?
I have made it no secret in the past that I dislike resident moderators. I think they just block free speech and think some of them (not all) are just power hungry control freaks who have been given a little power so they feel almighty and tend to abuse this power just because they can. Like small town policemen we see in movies. So shortly after sending the AR, the same resident moderator posts a new message stating it was sent for Linden review, which to me seems like a higher level of control freak power hungry type behavior.
So when we send an ar via the forums are they seen by the resident moderators?, and if we disagree with the moderators, who do we contact or who keeps them in check, because right now I don't like the god like complex some of them have developed.

Yes they are Sarah. Ridiculous isn't it? I haven't really had time to read the forums this morning, but I can guess which moderator you're talking about. I was wary of posting an apology the other day because it's absolutely off-topic and inappropriate for Resident Answers, and I fully expected it to be locked. But no, the resident moderator I suspect you're talking about actually joined in the discussion and left the thread open.

I suggest you write direct to Torley (CCing to Jeska and Robin) if you have any concerns, but like every other 'concern', they will most likely fall on deaf ears. Oh, and now you've voiced your concern, do expect an increasing number of threads you participate in to become locked or moved.

Yea I figured I was asking for it by saying anything. In all honesty I could care less about the original thread. I just thought the lock was ridiculous, and then getting it submitted for Linden review because I said something is just flat out wrong. Having our complaints seen by our power hungry peer rather than a Linden is a very flawed system. I can understand that the Lindens don't want to deal with our forum "rants" but there needs to be checks and balances in place for the moderators. In my minds getting it sent to Lindens because I spoke against a moderator is no less unethical than if I were to reclaim land and not offer a refund "just because I can". (Which I would NEVER do just so theres no confusion lol)

A thread was locked for "Ranting"? Lol oh dear most of the threads here lately could be locked on that basis.

I agree that it's a flawed system if a moderator sees a complaint against themselves or any other moderator for that matter.

I think the mods do have the difficult task here, although other people have volunteered to help out.

I also think we could do with a general discussion area, this forum seems to have been turned into a general discussion forum by the residents because there's nowhere else to go but then some threads do get locked because they don't meet the criteria for being posted in resident answers.

I do think that being moderator here would be hard, but I think theres one that is well known for abusing power.

If you think a forum mod abuses his or her power, imagine a resident run police force or government in SL. Life would never be the same again.

I read the original thread .... I assumed the original poster was confusing the greater access to support that concierge level residents have compared to non concierge level residents....on this topic, this extra support is essential for concierge level residents to keep the sims ticking over nicely so that other residents can enjoy them.

Regarding the 'ranting'.....what ranting?

How can they block what you don't have?

I have to disagree with you here Sarah. The perception a few people might have about someone does not constititute "well known for". That person cross posted his/her silly post in several forums here, and spammed Linden Town Hall Questions in-world with the same rubbish. Regardless of how lenient the moderators have been in the forums lately, the rules still exist as to what the forums are and are not to be used for, and how they are to be used.

It should be noted that it would appear that after you ARd the moderator, he sent the thread on to Linden Review. This doesn't look like the handy work of someone who abuses his power, but rather someone who is simply doing his job.

Figure everything Strife has done in these forums as a volunteer, much of which alot of folks never see (LSL Wiki, for example). Walk a mile in his shoes before accusing him of abusing his "power" as moderator.

QFT, This, seconded, well said, whatever.

No matter what he or any moderator has done, using "sending a forum to for Linden review" because I disagreed with him and spoke against him is abuse of power. Using the ability to forward to Lindens out of spite because I AR'd is not "Part of his job". I had a friend worried to death because he was going to lose his ability to use the forums because this moderator was sending his posts "for Linden review". If these people are here only to help us, why are so many afraid of them. And I strongly feel that when we AR a resident moderator, that they by no means should be the ones who review them. What kind of system is that?

When I sent the AR I was just kinda po'd about the reason for the thread being closed, but would have never mentioned it again. After I saw that the ability to submit to lindens was being used as a means for punishment because of personal spite, I got upset. I don't feel this is right in any way. The moderator could be the most wonderful citizen in all of second life, but that still does make it ok to use powers given for personal reasons. And right now, I've probably marked myself to be be babysat by this moderator just because I disagreed with there ruling, and I shouldn't need to be fearful of my rights because I spoke my mind but the way the system is set up right now I am.

You have no proof that this is why that happened.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the chain of events here Sarah, and if so, please forgive me - but is it possible that he sent the thread to LR precisely because you ARd it with him as the subject, and he realizes he is not in a position to resolve the complaint, being that he is the defendant of said complaint?

As a forum moderator, the right place for abuse reports to end up is his mailbox. It's part of the moderator's job to resolve complaints, and send those they cannot resolve on to Linden for further review. I don't see this as a punishment against you, but as simply an acknowledgement that this one is beyond his means to resolve, given his personal involvement in it. If that's the case, then he did exactly the right thing.

I do believe that Strife is a very nice and capable lady. She has expressed some incredible insights into lsl.

I get the feeling that this part of the forum will close (like the earlier ones) when she gives up the fight for this forum to follow the rules.

Edit: There are plenty of non-linden forums where you can express yourselves freely.

Ok I will say that yes I am assuming that is why it was sent for linden review although the timing is what lead me to think this. It sat locked a good while, I AR'd and all of a sudden is sent for review. If it wasn't misused, then thats awesome. But, I still strongly feel that resident mods should not be the ones to review there own AR's. I don't know much about Strife, I just did not agree with the way that thread was handled and now I have a feeling I am going to pay for it. I could join in the Moderator kiss ass club all day long, but because I spoke out when I disagreed about the handling of that thread, I feel I am going to be punished for it. And yes there are other unregulated forums for people who are not as interested in the candy coated version we have here, but we all know that most people tend to use the official versions.

FUD.

A lot of people have "spoken out against" Strife in the past, none have ever been punished to my knowledge, myself included.

Coming from someone with 5000 posts, I'll take your word because you obviously know these forums a lot better than
I do.

Do you guys whole heartedly feel thats its acceptable for moderators to be the ones who review there own AR's?

That's just it Sarah. You ARd Strife. He understood that this is not something he, personally, can resolve, hence the reason for sending the complaint to Linden for review. I don't see how this could be anything more than that.

I believe whole-heartedly that bumping an AR against a forum moderator up to the Linden review level is the appropriate thing to do...which seems to be exactly what happened.

That would indicate Strife has a rather solid grip on the word "responsibility". But...that's just IMHO.

I am confused about something here. If you didn't want Lindens to look at the thread, then why did you AR it?

I reported the post you're talking about, Sarah, because it was spam and ranting. I have a lot of experience with that poster in-world and have no doubt that her secret source was one of the many voices in her head.

Regardless of if you agree with me on doing that and Strife then merging/locking her threads, I really don't think you can fault him for sending his own action to LL for review once you reported him. That sounds like exactly what he should have done.

It sounds to me like Strife did the right thing. After closing the thread there was an AR on him so he either does nothing or send it to a higher authority to decide if he did the right thing. I would say he isn't punishing you Sarah, but actually reporting himself for his actions to be looked at after your AR was received.

Ok I stand totally corrected on this thread, and think I have a slightly better understanding of the situation now. Only point I won't change my mind on is, is the fact that moderators get there own AR's. It's a flaw in the system set up, and saying that it was sent for review because the moderator wanted my AR to be seen by higher power because of this contains as much assumption as anything I have said. But I really do think I jumped the gun with this one.

You raised some legitimate questions. What are the checks and balances, and what is the appropriate way to address concerns?