Should Members Be Allowed to Vote on Rule Changes?

[InMyOpinion]

Should Members Be Allowed to Vote on Rule Changes?

Hey everyone!

I’ve been thinking about how forums handle rule changes and whether members should have a say in the process (or not). Some communities allow users to vote on new rules or policy updates, while others keep it strictly admin/mod driven.

On one hand, letting members vote could make them feel more invested in the community and ensure the rules reflect what people actually want. But on the other hand, it could lead to issues if certain necessary rules get voted down or if the process slows down decision-making too much.

How do you handle rule changes on your forum? Do you think members should have a say, or is it better for admins and mods to make those decisions based on what’s best for the community?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I think they should be allowed to.

A true community is a community that involves its members more.

Back 15-20 years ago, we made decisions for the community because we pay for it and it's our choice--that was bad and probably helped lead to a downfall of forums.

I think the more we let the community get involved, get features they want and feel more like they own a piece of the place -- that's how we build loyal members who will stay with you and your forum until the end. I know I would!

 

[fdk]

I'm a bit torn on this one - while I think member engagement is great in general, for me personally, I wouldn't let members get involved with setting/voting on potential rule changes.

I think the main reason for that is that all of my forums have always had very few rules. Essentially, don't post illegal content, don't unnecessarily flame other members, and try to post things in the right place. My rules, on all my forums, were always pretty much that simple. I didn't really feel the need for "formal" rules most of the time - ultimately, while forums are a community, there is also a owner of the forum, who is essentially the owner of a private website and can choose who can access it and who can't - my own rule was always that I'd never prevent anyone from access unless they did something wrong first. Things we deemed to be "wrong" are very obvious things (as previously mentioned) - if you sign up to a forum and post illegal stuff or consistently flame other people, you're probably not the kind of person that's going to read some rules anyway.

 

[Al]

No. I keep my rules to a minimum anyway. They are very few and very obvious. Don't post illegal stuff and don't be a dick. If you have the right community ethos you don't really need rules. If you are in a situation where it is necessary to change a rule I'd question whether you have been a little too 'new admin' over those rules to begin with.