Hey all, we recently used a discretionary ban to answer a trolling problem in the Cube Forum, and I wanted to take the opportunity to talk a little bit about that.
Recent events represented something that we hadn't really seen before in the this forum (I mean Cube, not MTGS as a whole). We watched a number of threads get utterly demolished and it was difficult to answer from the moderation side. Subtle troll posts from a certain user would be made with intentionally naïve or fallacious content that would be used to bait everyone into a discussion that would get increasingly circuitous. Every once in awhile there would be an overt statement of trolling, but the majority was subtle and not something we'd normally card — new players join our community every day and it's natural that some inexperience will show through. It's by discussion that people refine their opinions and come to understand each other after all. But these posts were different, they weren't innocent and instead were intentionally guiding threads down preconceived paths.
I think that with the ban things will return to normal, but I want to talk about how we can work together to help prevent things from getting out of hand in the future.
CAN REPORT
FORUM TROLLS
The big thing is that we really rely on you all to help us address problems in the forums by using the Report Post feature. The report button sends an automated PM to the entire Cube team that looks like this:
Reported Post:
Reporter: [Name]
Quick Link: [Link to the reported post]
Specific Post Reported:
In Thread: [Thread name followed by link to thread]
Post Title: [Normally blank]
Post Link: [Link to the reported post]
Posted By: [Name]
Reporter's Reason(s): [What you type in the report message box]
A discussion thread has been created at [Link to a thread in the log of reports]
This message has been sent to all moderators of this forum, or all administrators if there are no moderators.
Please respond to this post as applicable.
I've modtexted all of the auto-generated fields.
Now, this is a very valuable tool for us because we can't be everywhere at once. I know that the report screen has some strong language cautioning its use, but it's really okay to use it even if you're just saying "I'm not sure if this is problematic, but someone should keep an eye on this thread just in case."
Reports let us know what's going on and to specifically check out a thread sooner rather than later. We're all pretty close-knit here in the cube forum, but it's really not a bad thing to report a post. Our moderation approach tends to be as light as possible and I don't expect that to ever change, but reports help us maintain that by staying on top of issues before they get out of hand. It's not betraying a friend, it's helping us things keep things positive.
The other thing is that when you feel some one is trolling, it is far better to report it than to bite on the hook. This is awkward because, from what I've seen, most of the bites are people frustrated at wasting their good will on what turned out to not be a real conversation, but it's much easier for us to sort out these things when we're not looking at a bunch of flaming aimed back at the troll. So by all means continue being the awesome helpful community you are, but if you catch that someone is trolling, just report it instead of getting drawn in.
Anyway, feel free to discuss in here as you wish. I'd like to ask that you keep things level — even with the banning, I'd rather not see a ton of flames directed their way — but past that, just speak your mind.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
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Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
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ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
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ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
I just wanted to add to what ExpiredRascals has said by stressing how important it is for users to simply not engage in arguments offered by trolls. Very often, engaging doesn't work because that's exactly what the troll wants. They enjoy your insults, enjoy your failing attempts to moderate their actions, enjoy as things devolve into flame wars. Trolls will be answered by moderators eventually (faster, if users are reporting posts when they see a problem), so all that is achieved by responding to them is the derailing of ontopic discussion and potentially putting yourself in a position to be infracted along with the troll.
That's not to say that all minor offtopic parts of posts are unwanted. As ER says, it is often quite easy to mistake a troll for a naive new user who is unintentionally setting people off, and to try and give them suggestions. However, when you begin to recognize that a user is causing problems intentionally, then that is the time to revise your own responses and to show self restraint.
Don't engage, don't even respond, report their posts and let the moderators handle things. Threads cannot implode the way they did if people follows this advice. I hope, in the future, we can do better than this.
Recent events represented something that we hadn't really seen before in the this forum (I mean Cube, not MTGS as a whole). We watched a number of threads get utterly demolished and it was difficult to answer from the moderation side. Subtle troll posts from a certain user would be made with intentionally naïve or fallacious content that would be used to bait everyone into a discussion that would get increasingly circuitous. Every once in awhile there would be an overt statement of trolling, but the majority was subtle and not something we'd normally card — new players join our community every day and it's natural that some inexperience will show through. It's by discussion that people refine their opinions and come to understand each other after all. But these posts were different, they weren't innocent and instead were intentionally guiding threads down preconceived paths.
I think that with the ban things will return to normal, but I want to talk about how we can work together to help prevent things from getting out of hand in the future.
CAN REPORT
FORUM TROLLS
The big thing is that we really rely on you all to help us address problems in the forums by using the Report Post feature. The report button sends an automated PM to the entire Cube team that looks like this:
I've modtexted all of the auto-generated fields.
Now, this is a very valuable tool for us because we can't be everywhere at once. I know that the report screen has some strong language cautioning its use, but it's really okay to use it even if you're just saying "I'm not sure if this is problematic, but someone should keep an eye on this thread just in case."
Reports let us know what's going on and to specifically check out a thread sooner rather than later. We're all pretty close-knit here in the cube forum, but it's really not a bad thing to report a post. Our moderation approach tends to be as light as possible and I don't expect that to ever change, but reports help us maintain that by staying on top of issues before they get out of hand. It's not betraying a friend, it's helping us things keep things positive.
The other thing is that when you feel some one is trolling, it is far better to report it than to bite on the hook. This is awkward because, from what I've seen, most of the bites are people frustrated at wasting their good will on what turned out to not be a real conversation, but it's much easier for us to sort out these things when we're not looking at a bunch of flaming aimed back at the troll. So by all means continue being the awesome helpful community you are, but if you catch that someone is trolling, just report it instead of getting drawn in.
Anyway, feel free to discuss in here as you wish. I'd like to ask that you keep things level — even with the banning, I'd rather not see a ton of flames directed their way — but past that, just speak your mind.
Body Count: GRRRUUUUUUUUUUU
إن سرقت إسرق جمل
Level 1 Judge
My Cube for use with 6th ed. Rules
That's not to say that all minor offtopic parts of posts are unwanted. As ER says, it is often quite easy to mistake a troll for a naive new user who is unintentionally setting people off, and to try and give them suggestions. However, when you begin to recognize that a user is causing problems intentionally, then that is the time to revise your own responses and to show self restraint.
Don't engage, don't even respond, report their posts and let the moderators handle things. Threads cannot implode the way they did if people follows this advice. I hope, in the future, we can do better than this.
My Pauper Cube ♤ The Pauper Cube Thread Common Knowledge — 1 2