New Warning System

[Eric]

I have created a new warning system for the forum (applied to the entire ATX Community, not just the Politics forum) in an attempt to keep things friendly.

So here's how it's gonna work:

• All current warnings in the system have been removed, everyone starts fresh.
• Any warning you receive from now on will expire after 30 days.
• When you get a warning, you will not be able to post again until you acknowledge that the warning has been received.
• If you accumulate three warnings within a 30 day period, you lose the ability to post for 3 days.
• Every warning received above 3 removes posting ability for three days.
• The only way to reduce your warnings is to behave yourself and let them expire after 30 days.

All of these things are automated by the system, except for the actual handing-out of warnings by the moderators, who will do their best to be fair and consistent.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Complaints?

[Guest Taxed]

A list of prohibited behavior, words, swears, personal attacks that would cause a warning to be issued would be helpful to those of us very active in the Politics forum where trouble usually starts.

[Eric]

I need to create a list of "reasons" to add to the warning system. When a warning is given, one of the pre-determined reasons is selected.

I wouldn't mind a few suggestions. I think we should be able to get by with 5 or fewer generic reasons.

[Lion EA]

One should be Personal Attack, name-calling, insult directed at a person on this board (as opposed to those dumb Congressmen), criticism that is not constructive, etc.

[Eric]

One should be Personal Attack, name-calling, insult directed at a person on this board (as opposed to those dumb Congressmen), criticism that is not constructive, etc.

Well put. That might be the only rule we need.

Speaking of dumb congressmen, did you hear that their approval rating has dropped to 5%? Who are these 5%? Their moms?

[jklcpa]

If we start listing specific words that are off limits, people will still be abusive by using other words and get away with it by saying it isn't on the list.

As for categories:

• abusive behavior/personal attack of another member
• spamming multiple posts with the same garbage (thinking of that Florida guy), but maybe this shouldn't be part of this program because we can simply delete the spam?
• offensive posts with vulgarity/profanity
• maybe posts that receive a high number of "reports" because other members find it offensive? That would at least alert you and the moderators that enough people are finding it offensive to be considered for a warning to be issued, although we generally recognize offensive posts before that high a number would be tallied, so I don't know if this is a good idea. Just throwing it out there.
• what have been other reasons in the past that you or KC used that should be included?

[Elrod]

Just plain being MEAN!...........Play Nice, ....quit calling me a primate.

[ILLMAS]

Okay how can I participate in warning people, JK I will probably shut this place down.

[Eric]

Okay how can I participate in warning people, JK I will probably shut this place down.

I accept bribes

[Mr. Pencil]

The only thing I objected to was a topic that some members reasonably did not recognize as offensive, but unreasonably continued to pursue after several members explained why it was offensive.

[jklcpa]

Eric, when someone is warned and it is required that they acknowledge the warning before being able to post again, is the system automated to accept his or her response, or do one of us have to "release" this person to post again. If its manually done, there would be a delay if you or a moderator wasn't available for a period of time.

[Eric]

The only thing I objected to was a topic that some members reasonably did not recognize as offensive, but unreasonably continued to pursue after several members explained why it was offensive.

I'll give some thought to how to address this within the system.

Eric, when someone is warned and it is required that they acknowledge the warning before being able to post again, is the system automated to accept his or her response, or do one of us have to "release" this person to post again. If its manually done, there would be a delay if you or a moderator wasn't available for a period of time.

It's automatic. No intervention by moderators is required for any step of the process except for giving the actual warning.

[michaelmars]

Just plain being MEAN!...........Play Nice, ....quit calling me a primate.

ahhh we are just monkeying around with you, don't go banana's on us

[kcjenkins]

Lion's list seems excellent to me, Eric. And all our moderators here try very hard not to let our personal views cause us to overuse our power. I'm sure that will continue.

[Guest Taxed]

This question is for Eric. Will there be a little more tolerance in the Political Forum, unless it is a direct attack on the character of another member. In my opinion references to other political opinion which may have some nastiness should not cause the warning bells to go off. Eg. if I say "J** you are being stupid" .

After all we are big boys and girls if we dare to venture in the Political Forum.

[kcjenkins]

Even in that forum, we do expect reasonable civility, Taxed. Frankly, saying "J** you are being stupid" serves NO PURPOSE except to insult. So it's inappropriate. I think Eric and Judy will agree with me on that, even though they may not agree with me politically. I often [usually?] disagree with you, but I will not say something just to insult you. Please give everyone that courtesy.

[Jack from Ohio]

^{Shut down the political forum. If all the people in the political forum are that ultrasensitive, I vote to shut it down. How can a person discuss political topics and tiptoe through the tulip fields full of people with tissue paper feelings without hurting them at the same time.}

^{First it was created so the discussions could be ignored by all those that did not want to hear it, now the whiners (who don't exercise the American freedom of not reading) are making a huge stink about the very thing the forum was designed for.}

^{I vote to close the political forum.}

[Gail in Virginia]

I enjoy the political forum most of the time, but I hope it is possible to disagree with someone without attacking them personally. No matter how misguided I think your opinions may be sometimes, it doesn't follow that I dislike you personally. When personal attacks are included as part of the opinion, I don't really "hear" the reasons behind the opinion because I tune out the entire post. But when the posts actually contain facts or well stated opinions, I can try to learn something from them and may even (hard as it is to believe!) change my mind about an issue.

And I like that you get more than one chance when you are warned before you are shut out of the forum - hopefully when you are warned, there is some way to respond PRIVATELY and ask for clarification of why if it is not readily apparent to you.

This does make more work for the moderators, so thank you in advance for being willing to take this on!

[Jack from Ohio]

It is automated, other than a moderator issuing a warning.

Shut it down.

That will free up lots of time for the mods.

[Elrod]

I can't read anyways........So.......It matters Not...........

SLEEP.....I Need more sleep..................................

Ugh!.....age......when w i ll it end....

Mommy.?

[michaelmars]

I like the political forum...I find it informative and its great to see opinions from others across the country. Its a big country out there and we are a diverse group. I love seeing how the other half sees things. Everyone around me is from the same socio-economic environment, doesn't lead to much diversity.

That being said. I don't like the personal insults, the ad-hominum attacks, the constant repeating of one's point of view to every post, but as Jack said, this is a segregated forum and can always be skipped by those not interested. I think it also brings people here who might, in between, pontificating, answer a tax question or too. Its a great diversion between returns or while printing a return.

[OldJack]

Its pretty bad when a professional forum has to have a warning system! Makes you wonder if the members are really professional.

[Lion EA]

I need sleep, too! My clients have forgotten that before the shutdown and before the sequester, Congress delayed the start of tax season by as much as 2 1/2 months for most of my clientele. Now I'm trying to make up for it by sleeping even less. (I too tried to get transcripts to fill in a gap here and there in clients' documents, but have found e-Services sporadic at best. I loved it before -- getting transcripts immediately.)

I love everyone on these forums and learn from everyone on these forums, but disagree with certain people on certain topics. I don't venture over to the Politics forum, because what I learn from everyone is Taxes. And personal lives, whether a new grandchild or a new health challenge or a great joke.

Thank you to our moderators for putting up with us and providing these forums for us.

[Eric]

There is talking politics, and then there is emulating a loud-mouthed radio/tv pundit. If we can be capable of the former without resorting to the latter, then there shouldn't be a problem.

We may have to remove the Politics forum, but if that's the only solution, then the Politics threads in General Chat are going too since it's the subject matter that's causing people to behave so emotionally. And when I say emotional, I don't mean just being offended, I mean being offensive too.

The goal of the Politics forum wasn't to provide an arena for offensive behavior, it was meant as a place to discuss political topics without cluttering up General Chat.

We're not doing politics the Rush Limbaugh / Bill Maher way, so if that's your idea of a political discussion, then feel free to not participate. You shouldn't require "thick skin" to participate in calm and rational debate.

[Jack from Ohio]

Close all the political forums.