Suggestion: Vote For Forum Moderators

So, In light of recent events and the up roaring of the Utopian Community, it seems that there is a general consensus of non-fair moderation within the forums. What can fix this? I understand that this is not a democracy, but how about we let the community actually decide on who should be moderators? Let the contestants post why they LEGITIMATELY think they should be a moderator and what they have to offer and let the community vote. I am not saying kick the ones that we have in place, but if the community feels that certain ones need to leave, then we will be able to vote in new moderators. There should be a total of 4 Forum Moderators, who will be able to enforce the forum rules, and not issue bans based on personal biasing. If this does get approved, start another voting thread. But for now, I feel people should post their thoughts an/or "resumes" here. And devs/mods, please don't delete this as who knows what may actually come out of this, better unbiased moderation?

I don't think forum moderation should be subjected to community vote. Having moderators selected based on popular vote does nothing to prevent or discourage biased moderators.

Ultimately it will come down to the Devs decision on whether or not it will go to an actual vote. But look at it this way, the majority of the players here have been here some time. If you have moderators who have been around for years, they are somewhat respected within the community no matter what discord they may have caused in the past, and not some random schmo off the street. If I screwed up, and have someone say Cheetzy call me out on it, id prolly listen more than someone who just joined the game.

I strongly disagree with the premise here. Forum moderators should be selected based on impartiality, rationality, and their willingness to apply an even hand in the face of outside pressure. A popular vote would ensure none of these things.

I'm not saying I agree with all of the actions of the current moderators. I think some situations could certainly have been handled better, and I hope that the moderation team will move forward with the lessons of those situations and their outcomes in mind. But I don't think that the Devs will likely appoint some random player who only just joined, and I certainly don't think the community should be the ones selecting who moderates the community.

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Originally Posted by Allanon KT

I strongly disagree with the premise here. Forum moderators should be selected based on impartiality, rationality, and their willingness to apply an even hand in the face of outside pressure. A popular vote would ensure none of these things.

I'm not saying I agree with all of the actions of the current moderators. I think some situations could certainly have been handled better, and I hope that the moderation team will move forward with the lessons of those situations and their outcomes in mind. But I don't think that the Devs will likely appoint some random player who only just joined, and I certainly don't think the community should be the ones selecting who moderates the community.

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Says the new moderator? Who has been around for some time now... submit your application

I think it's important that the community knows who is moderating them and accepts who it is. We will never reach 100% consensus, there will always be people who hate Bishop or hate Palem or whoever, but that the community can more or less agree on a mod is important to them accepting their decisions and not screaming bias, etc.

As for Allanon's post...why does a vote not ensure impartiality, rationality, or willingness to apply an even hand? That'd be up to the individual wouldn't it? I expect that some nominees, or even popular vote winners, will of course be unsuited to the job. Some may even, if we entertain the possibility that this is adopted, fail after being made mods.

But as the spiritcreeper incident showed us, community approval has little to do with impartiality or evenhandedness. The owners aren't infallible now, and none have been previous (case in point our whole mod lineup tbh).

The forums haven't needed a change in moderation since 2012/13, and the devs have failed repeatedly to listen to concerns and address the root of them. They just hear smoke and clear cut the forest to find the fire. The same approach hawk uses when he devises changes, I am sure.

It will be so nice to have a 2nd abs member on the mod team, if we don't count Emeriti's closest ally Persian.

Clearly nothing is stacked against anyone when one of the moderators/devs listed gripes with the forums is the rehashing of old arguments, events, etc.... Usually involving Absalom (so day nothing of the absurdity of that being an issue).

Anyways I'm on the go and can't finish this post. Try not to ban me Palame & co

Please don't mistake what I'm saying, I agree that there should definitely be community-agreed criteria for new moderators taken into consideration for the selection process. I don't agree with the concept of the community being given the final say in who moderates them, however, as that then fails to ensure the aforementioned criteria are taken into account during the selection process, instead reducing it to a popularity contest rather than the most suitable candidate.

Also, half my current kd were from the hardcore anti-abs crowd. I'd like to think it says a lot about me that they're happy to allow me to lead. Abs is long gone, as you've stated. It's time we all moved on.

55 views and 4 votes is the start of the hypothesis we couldn't vote on voting for mods let alone actually vote for mods xD

To my understanding the forums are neither a democracy nor a platform of free speech, as intended and nothing wrong with that. Devs own game, therefore own forums, have right to put in whoever they think best represents their interest; working as intended.

What is there to discuss?

-DM <3

Not going to happen.