Moderation - Warning Point System Overhaul

[DukeofRealms]

Greetings Space Whales,

The StarMade Dock moderation system is currently undergoing a complete rewrite, almost all areas of moderation are either currently being reviewed or have been rewritten. This is the first phase to changes in our moderation procedure.

We've gathered feedback from the community and from moderation events that have taken place since the new site and the new moderation systems were put into place.

This is the old system (which we are still currently using):

• Three (3) Active Warning Points: One Week Ban beginning on the period of when the warning point was issued.
• Four (4) Active Warning Points: Permanent Ban

1 warning point can be issued for anything, 2 if serious, 0 if it just requires a reminder.

It's a simple system, that leaves a lot of room for issues.

Here's the system we've come up with so far, we may make a few adjustments here and there from suggestions and any further ideas we have. Thanks Kojinus for helping me create this, as well as a number of forums warning systems for inspiration.

Forum & Chat Warning Point System

Ban Tier & Point Tiers:

• 5 points = 1 Week Ban
• 10 points = 2 Week Ban
• 15 points = 1 Month Ban
• 20 points = Permanent Ban
• 20 ≥ Inactive Points = Administration Review

• 0 points = No points, no expiry
• 1 point = 2 Week Expiration
• 2 points = 1 Month Expiration
• 3 - 5 points = 2 Month Expiration
• 10 points = 6 Month Expiration
• 15 points = 1 Year Expiration
• 20 points = No Expiration

(Colours show warning point expiration, some warnings may have different colours (expiration) than the normal point system)
Minor Offenses

• 0 Points - Spam (i.e. Lack of Content, Off-Topic) I
• 0 Points - Advertising I
• 1 Points - Spam (i.e. Lack of Content, Off-Topic) II
• 1 Points - Advertising II
• 2 Points - Excessive Profanity
• 2 Points - Trolling I
• 3 Points - Trolling II
• 2 Points - Flaming I
• 3 Points - Flaming II
• 3 Points - Offensive Content (Minor) - Images/Videos
• 20 Points - Spam Bot

Alternative Accounts (AA)
(Any points awarded to one AA will be issued to all accounts.)

• 1 Points - Posting in AA Thread (Bumping, talking to AA etc) *Certain violations may be accepted in different forum sections
• 2 Points - Liking/Rating AA

Major Offenses

• 5 Points - Offensive Content - Images/Videos
• 10 Points - Pirating
• 15 Points - Personal Attack (Mild)
• 15 Points - Discussing staff actions in public (This must be done in a report/PM)
• 20 Points - Blatant Personal Attack
• 20 Points - Offensive Content - Any Racism/Sexism/Homophobia
• 20 Points - Explicit Material
• 20 Points - Ban Evasion
• 20 Points - Harming Schine GmbH (Breaking EULA, Defamation etc)

(If a warning has a II by it, or other number, it simply means another violation of the rule will result in a greater number of points being added.)

* Definitions of warnings will come in the review of the rule system

SUGGESTIONS (Not Implemented yet):

Personal Information released without user consent also met with instant one week ban from the forums. (Or worse depending on the information released)

Abuse of the moderation tools (specifically the report function) will yield warning points.

If you have any suggestions to add, post them and we'll be happy to take a look at them and discuss.

- SMD Administration

 

[Gristle]

Will there be a user appeal process?

 

[DukeofRealms]

Will there be a user appeal process?

Yep, just the same as it is now. That's in the next phase to moderation changes, I'll probably add it here too once we've fleshed it out.

 

[SkylordLuke]

i like this

 

[Caged Rage]

I'm glad to see some moderation being enforced on the moderation. While I have some hesitations with some of the finer points, I suppose it's a solid starting point for now.

 

[Winterhome]

From what I understand, under the previous system, a few people had warning points they didn't even know about in the first place when they got curious and asked a mod to check.

May I strongly suggest making it possible for a user to view their warning points and get an alert when receiving one (linking said alert to the post they're getting the warning for)?

 

[mindlord0013]

Did someone mention space whales?!? O.O

On a more related note, this system looks well thought out. It will be interesting to see how well it works, and how it could be refined.

 

[FlyingDebris]

I like this a lot.

 

[jstenholt]

 

[Megacrafter127]

• 0 Points - Spam - Double Posts
• 0 Points - Advertising
• 0 Points - Excessive Profanity
• 1 Points - Spam - Double Posts
• 1 Points - Spam (i.e. Lack of Content, Off-Topic)
• 1 Points - Advertising
• 2 Points - Excessive Profanity

Please explain the difference between the 2 first "spam" on the list, same for "advertising" and "excessive profanity"(the excessive may be a little overkill on the latter)[or is the 1st mention of each item just a "free" strike to catch minor mistakes?]
On another note, how are already existing off-topic posts being handled? will they be ignored?

• 1 Points - Posting in AA Thread

tbh, I don't see a problem with that, as long as the AA and OA(Original Account) don't start a conversation with each other, or any other rule is violated.

• 20 Points - Blatant Personal Attack

just out of curiosity, where is the line between a mild personal attack and a blatant personal attack?

 

[Nauvran]

Alternative Accounts (AA)
(Any points awarded to one AA will be issued to all accounts.)

• 1 Points - Posting in AA Thread
• 2 Points - Liking/Rating AA
• 20 Points - Ban on AA

- SMD Administration

This would mean that I am not allowed to post anything on my faction thread where I used an AA with the faction name?
These rules should only be in context of alternative accounts that are not faction related in matters of using an alternative account to make a faction post. (for example: Tartaran Empire account (My AA) used to create the Tartaran Empire faction thread)

 

[mindlord0013]

This would mean that I am not allowed to post anything on my faction thread where I used an AA with the faction name?
These rules should only be in context of alternative accounts that are not faction related in matters of using an alternative account to make a faction post. (for example: Tartaran Empire account (My AA) used to create the Tartaran Empire faction thread)

I think that's geared more towards people who use AA to harrass people and gain artificially high ratings. I remember one time when a person (naming no names) who used 3-4 alt accounts plus his main to give most of my community content 0/5 ratings. I'm sure alts used for legitimate purposes are fine.

 

[Megacrafter127]

I'm sure alts used for legitimate purposes are fine.

A computer would disagree, if these rules would be left as they stand now.

 

[Nauvran]

I think that's geared more towards people who use AA to harrass people and gain artificially high ratings. I remember one time when a person (naming no names) who used 3-4 alt accounts plus his main to give most of my community content 0/5 ratings. I'm sure alts used for legitimate purposes are fine.

I was just trying to point out a small flaw or at least something they need to remember.

 

[Keptick]

I like this... a LOT!

Also, I think that alts for RP/faction purpose are fine.

 

[Winterhome]

I like this... a LOT!

Also, I think that alts for RP/faction purpose are fine.

While this isn't an RP forum, I'm okay with faction alts for some limited circumstances (different name for posting as the faction, for instance). Simply saying "faction purposes" leaves a lot of things wide open, including spying (which kicks up drama).

 

[Comr4de]

I've heard rumors that the moderation team is being re-evaluated, is there any news on that?

 

[CyberTao]

A computer would disagree, if these rules would be left as they stand now.

They don't have a computer doing mod work though, everything needs a mod to be dragged to the post/thread/report. At most they would use a bot to flag accounts using the same IP or such I would think. They do have 2 bots though I suppose, wonder what they do exactly.

 

[Jaaskinal]

Just another question, "Ban evasion" what exactly does this mean? Like, avoiding bans with alt accounts or being careful about what you say?

 

[Viridis00]

just out of curiosity, where is the line between a mild personal attack and a blatant personal attack?

Seconding this. I also want to know what "personal attack" constitutes in the moderation team's interpretation. You guys should have a clear definition of that so a mod cannot abuse that power in their own judgement and must be held to the standard, and so the users are clear on what the line is between critical comments to a user and personal attacks on a user as well as what distinguishes the severity since the blatant ones are a permaban. For everyone's sake we need a more explicit definition around that in the rules section.

Aside from that the system seems alright I guess.