Moderation Wheaton's Law

[Num7]

This has to be the best TL;DR snippet you can start your forum rules with. It also comes in very handy if you're not sure how to moderate a situation, or if someone is dancing around the rules, trolling and being edgy.

I wish forum rules weren't necessary. But they are... So I present to you Wheaton's Law!

Wheaton's Law

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I had someone I had to moderate (and eventually ban) who kept telling me the rules were too long for him to read. Yeah, sure... So I told him to read the first item only, and respect it. Which he didn't.

What was the first item on the rules, you may ask? "In doubt, follow Wheaton's Law: Don't be a d*ck"

In the age of social media, it's not as easy to moderate as it used to be. People are used to saying all sorts of nasty stuff on Facebook. Well, our forums ain't Facebook. So be nice!

Remember! Don't be a d*ck! And don't let others be on your site!

 

[Cedric]

That's funny and so true at the same time. You know, for decades, probably ever since the beginning of forums, it encourages/requires anyone to read the rules before registering. No one's able to register unless they check that box "I agree to the terms and privacy policy."

In our rules it states clear:

• Agreement: By registering and using Administrata, you agree to these terms. If you disagree, you may discontinue your use of the service and request account closure at any time.

Obviously, in reality - not many individuals care to actually read them (me included). But some sure love to argue about them afterwards.

"Don't be a dick" is a general thumb of rule that makes more sense than some can ever copy. Some people are just dicks of nature, so they think they're entitled to another set of rules. If everyone uses common sense then there is hardly any need for moderation.

Great share though!

 

[Cory]

There's a site dedicated to not reading the TOS on sites: https://tosdr.org/

It is indeed a lie that nearly everyone commits to. TOS, privacy policy, guidelines/rules, you name it!

Wheaton's Law can cover many banable offenses because it can constitute spamming, flaming, trolling, bullying, etc.

 

[Num7]

There's a site dedicated to not reading the TOS on sites: https://tosdr.org/

It is indeed a lie that nearly everyone commits to. TOS, privacy policy, guidelines/rules, you name it!

Wheaton's Law can cover many banable offenses because it can constitute spamming, flaming, trolling, bullying, etc.

Wow, that's an interesting site! I'm keeping it for later, I'll certainly check a couple of services and apps that I have in mind.

TOS are a strange thing. They're full of weird stuff we automatically agree to on a whim. So odd.

 

[Arantor]

This or some variant of this has long been either rule 1 or rule 2 on any site I've run.

(The other rule, either 2 or 1, is some variant of 'Admin is god. For any questions please reread.' because it's important to set out that while admins can be reasoned with, admins are the final authority, it's their house, their space, their rules.)