Moderation Update Thread

[lilith2013]

This thread serves as a channel for the moderation team to provide updates on changes in our moderation approach, policies, and general status of site moderation.

[lilith2013]

The creation of this thread

As a result of staff discussions regarding the "Moderation Transparency and Accountability" thread, we are creating a staff update thread, which we hope will serve to keep users more in the loop regarding site changes and staff decisions. We have decided not to commit to a specific cadence for update posts, but will make a dedicated post for each update item as the change is implemented. This means there will be few to no “we have no updates” posts.

[lilith2013]

Petition-style bans

We have begun to implement a new style of ban based on some user feedback that we received after a recent ban related to prohibited viewpoints. If someone has been banned for problematic viewpoints or behavior which actively harms the site, harm prevention then becomes a significant factor in a ban, and a set timeframe for a ban does not guarantee that the banned user's harmful behavior will stop when they return. When harm prevention is a significant factor in a ban, we are starting to consider "petition-style bans" which are longer than one month and have a minimum time of less than a year, and now require a petition to the relevant mod team in order for the ban to be lifted. The banned user will need to acknowledge that they broke the rules and agree to refrain from that behavior in the future. Hopefully the new focus on harm prevention will help to better protect our users.

Very generically, the ban message would include something like the following:

In order for your ban to be lifted after the minimum timeframe of [ban length], you will need to send the Discussion mod team:

1. An acknowledgment of breaking the rules, including a description of what happened, and
   
2. An agreement to stop doing that behavior in the future. The ban will be lifted at this point as long as your message accurately describes the events and seems sincere.

You can send your petition to a

Discussion mod

at any time. If you would like to appeal this ban due to what you believe is "Moderation Error" as described in the Appeals instructions, you can reach out to zoraster at any time. You can also send an appeal to zoraster after [ban length] has passed if you believe you qualify under the Commutation section of the Appeals instructions.

The goal for both the moderators and the user is to have the ban lifted while setting the user up so that further action isn't needed. It is not necessary to agree with the policy that resulted in the ban so long as the user wants to avoid violating the policy. Users are welcome to voice their disagreement with the policy as long as doing so doesn't violate the rules to begin with (for example, prohibited viewpoints). But our hope is to make sure that those who are receiving these longer bans understand their bans and at least will try to avoid getting banned in the future. On the whole, we do not want to see users banned, and we're hopeful that we can avoid escalation in punishments that end with users indefinitely banned.

These bans are still appealable to zoraster if the user believes the ban is incorrect (i.e. "Moderator Error" section of the Appeals instructions), or if the minimum ban length has passed, the user can choose to send a Commutation appeal to zoraster. Note that appeals to zoraster for bans will generally have a higher standard for a user's return than the conditions for petition-style bans.

In response to some of the feedback we have received regarding this new style of ban, the banned user can send their petition to the relevant mod team at any time after their ban has been enacted. The mod team will discuss petitions upon receiving them, which can reduce lag time between the end of the minimum ban length and the ban being lifted. However, the minimum ban length will still be served regardless of the outcome of any discussion based on petitions received before the minimum ban length has passed.

[lilith2013]

feedback for bans thread

Based on the feedback we have received regarding the Feedback for Bans thread, we have removed the restrictions on posting in this thread. Please see this post for more details.

[lilith2013]

MAFIA RULES UPDATE

The Listmod team has reviewed and updated the mafia-specific rules, as follows:

• The rules specific to players in the Forum Rules/Guidelines have been updated to reflect our current standards of conduct, remove outdated language, and reflect the updated content of the announcement threads (updates to which are listed below). (Language update to #10 was made on February 25th, 2022.)
  
• We have created an announcement thread on Out-of-Game Influence clarifying the definition of out-of-game influence and in which scenarios we will take action. (A language clarification was made to #4 on February 21st, 2022.)
  
• We have updated the rule on quoting private communications and created an announcement thread on Proving Private Communications describing the change.
  
• We have updated the rule on discussion of ongoing games, and updated the announcement thread on Discussion of Ongoing Games with a description of the change and examples of the types of statements now covered by the rule. ("Discussion of activity" exception was removed on February 21st, 2022.)
  
• Finally, we have created a specific section of rules for mafia game moderators.

To give everyone some time to digest the updates before they go into effect, these changes have been posted but will be effective as of

March 1st, 2022.

We are going to be sending warnings on infractions that have occurred before March 1st to make players aware of where their conduct would be actionable under the updated guidelines and rules.

Given the number and magnitude of the changes we are making, we understand that there might be questions or uncertainty on some of these changes. You can ask any questions about or comment on these changes in this thread, or reach out to any Listmod privately.

In addition to the above rule changes, we are considering implementing a size limit on Large games, and invite feedback on this change (link will be added once the details are posted).

[lilith2013]

queue overhaul implementation

We are in the process of implementing the queue overhaul we announced in July. To summarize, we are sunsetting the Newbie Queue and consolidating all other games into Open, Normal, and Theme. Here is a detailed list of the changes to the Open, Normal, and Theme queues:

1. The Theme Queue will now contain Micro, Mini, and Large Themes, although Large Theme games will still have their own signup threads.
   
   
2. The Theme Queue will have one designated Micro Theme slot, and two slots in total for Minis and Larges.
   
   
3. The Open Queue will remain at two slots, but one slot is now designated for Approved Open setups, which will be our "newbie-friendly" queue slot. We are working on updating the Approved Open list so that all setups on this list are newbie-friendly. There will always be at least one Approved Open/newbie-friendly setup in signups if possible.
   
   
4. The Normal queue will remain at two slots, but there will no longer be a spot reserved for Large Normals specifically - any two games can fill the slots, with the caveat that there can be a maximum of one large normal in signups at a time. Micro and Mini Normals are also now explicitly separate game types.
   
   
5. Deadlines for games to fill will become more standardized across queues.
   1. Two weeks for Micro Themes
      
   2. Three weeks for Opens and Mini Themes
      
   3. Four weeks for Large Themes
6. Game limits will be simplified and standardized across queues.
   1. Playing: Players can play in a maximum of eight games of ten or more players at a time. There is no limit to playing games with nine or fewer players, but keep in mind that excessive flaking out/replacing out may lead to restrictions from playing mafia.
      
   2. Moderating: Game moderators can run a maximum of two games with ten or more players at a time. There is no limit to running games with nine or fewer players, but game mods have to wait until their previous game goes into signups to enter the queue again (this prevents someone from taking up consecutive slots in a queue when others want to mod games). Also keep in mind that abandoning games may result in restrictions on moderating games.
7. Requirements for backup/co-mods will be standardized across queues.
   1. First time game moderators must always have a backup/co-mod.
      
   2. For games with fourteen or more players, a backup/co-mod is always required.
      
   3. If a game moderator is running more than one game at a time, a backup/co-mod is always required.
      
   4. If this is the only game a game moderator is running across all queues, it is not their first game, and it has thirteen or fewer players, a backup/co-mod is strongly recommended but not required.
      
   5. Backup/co-mods must always qualify to run the game on their own in the event they need to take over the game.
8. Experience requirements will be simplified and standardized across queues. We are no longer differentiating between sizes of games when considering moderated games to meet experience requirements.
   1. Approved Opens and Mini Normals do not require any experience.
      
   2. Micro Themes, Mini Themes, Large Normals, and non-Approved Opens require one successfully moderated game.
      
   3. Large Themes require two successfully moderated games.
      
   4. Additionally, if a game moderator is running multiple games at the same time, they must have at least as many games of moderating experience as they are running simultaneously.
9. Pre-in policies will be standardized across queues. Games in all queues can now have half of their slots rounded down as pre-ins, and pre-ins must confirm within 72 hours of the game going into signups.
   
   
10. Areas where game moderators have discretion and can decide their own policies will now be described in more detail in the "Moderator Information" section of each queue. This includes policies regarding hydras, alts, blacklisting, experience requirements, and requesting exceptions to site rules, as applicable.
    
    
11. Queue forms will be standardized across queues, and now have designated spaces for game moderators to indicate their policies on the areas where they have discretion.
    
    
12. All games currently in signups will be listed in a central location (will be linked here) so players can see what games are available at a glance.

Anything not mentioned above should be consistent with our previous policies, but please reach out if you are seeing any discrepancies. These changes will go into effect as soon as each queue has a new thread posted.

If you have any questions or comments on the queue overhaul, you can post in this thread.

(Edited on September 23 2023, to reflect changes to the administration of the Normal Queue)