# Suggestion on moderation: temporary suspensions ...



## UrduMedium

I have been using these forums for about a month. It is disheartening to see a number of threads degenrate into bickering and negative personal exchanges (at least on IIL). The behavior is typically not so bad to deserve banning one or more members. So as a result nothing changes and the pattern continues. 

I think if the members do not follow the guidelines, they should be subject to milder consequences (than being banned). One example would be a 3-day suspension on the second offence (only warning for the first time), and then progressively longer suspensions. I'm convinced that something like this will drive positive change and the level of mutual respect and tolerance among the members who sharply disagree on the subject matter.


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## swift

Well, to my knowledge, that's pretty much how it works.  Moreover, I know the procedure by heart as it is described in this French-Spanish Forum sticky. I thought these guidelines were explained in every forum, but that's not the case. I'm very surprised.

Here's a summary of the post I linked above:

Any member who violates the rules or continually shows disrespect for the philosophy of these forums is contacted by moderators via PM and is made aware of the reasons the moderators find their behavior to be unacceptable. An official warning is sent when private messaging is exhausted. If this first OW doesn't persuade the offender, then a final warning is sent. If the latter has no effect on the member's behavior, moderators proceed to banning.


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## JamesM

As a side note, temporary suspensions have been tried in the past.  From my personal experience as a moderator here, I can report that they are generally ineffective.  The idea sounds good. I was a strong proponent of temporary bans in my early days as a moderator.  After having reached a consensus with the other moderators in my forum to try it several times, only to have the offender continue or even escalate the unacceptable behavior after the ban expired, I am no longer convinced it is an effective approach.  I wish it were.  I also want to commend the more senior moderators for their patience in trying something they knew wouldn't work, just so that I could learn first-hand what the results were.


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## swift

Yes, Paquita's post shows the same conclusion. 


Paquit& said:


> *Exclusion provisoire*
> Nous avons essayé une exclusion provisoire, pour un temps très court. Le but est d'attirer l'attention du membre qui n'a pas encore reçu l'avertissement final. *L'expérience nous a montré que cela ne résout pas le problème. *Nous pourrons continuer à l'utiliser, mais cela n'empêche pas l'exclusion définitive de celui qui continuerait à enfreindre les règles.​


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## UrduMedium

As I said in the original post, most of the times the behavior is not offensive enough to warrant banning, still disruptive and inappropriate. With this attitude people can continue this behavior for long periods without ever being deemed 'bannable'. So the thought was that a lesser intensity consequence will tell the member that even artful staying within the limits but causing disruption has consequences. But perhaps these things have been tried and not found to be particularly effective.

Appreciate views shared above by more senior members on this. Of course I am very new, and value your judgment.


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## Cagey

UrduMedium, I trust that you understood from what has been said above that we do a lot of moderating in private messages behind the scenes.  So moderators may be doing something, even when nothing appears to be happening. 

Also, you should report interactions that concern you.  Moderators don't see every post, and members who report things we missed are very helpful.  We check every report, and take whatever actions seem appropriate.  Not everyone will see every action the same way, but we do appreciate people who try to maintain a "respectful, helpful and cordial tone".


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## Destruida

It's the most pleasant and courteous forum I've ever seen.


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## JamesM

Destruida said:


> It's the most pleasant and courteous forum I've ever seen.



That's very good to hear, Destruida.


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## fenixpollo

Members who continually break forum rules are given a 2nd chance. Then they are given a third chance. In most cases, they are given many more than that. Moderators ask them to change their behavior, then the moderators send them official warnings, in which they are informed that if they don't change their behavior, they will be banned. These members have demonstrated that they are not capable of being a member of this collaborative community, because they refuse to follow the rules of this place, despite repeated requests and warnings.


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## 涼宮

But I mean after the banning, in case they want to return being a different user. You know, there are the type of people who don't learn by being warned, they learn by being put in drastic scenarios. I think that members who are banned and return to the forum, they should be allowed to do it if they show they changed, if not, okay, ban them again.


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## JamesM

I can understand the sentiment, but think about those who don't learn.  Given our current system, they could post dozens of disruptive posts in the time it takes to go through unofficial cautions, first warning, second warning, discussion among moderators and then banning again.  As it is, banning eats up a lot of moderator time.  This would compound the problem.


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