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  • Scary Jerry 👻jerry@infosec.exchange
    Apr 7, 2024, 11:58 PM

    I don’t want to do this, because I think it’s important for people to communicate about what matters to them. I am, however, considering a new rule for Infosec.* instances regarding accounts that primarily exist to argue politics and the Israel war, in particular. People have lost civility and I’m tired of being the arbiter of what genocide is, whether what Hamas did warrants Israel’s response, whether Israel “had it coming” for their treatment of Palestinians, where the threshold between antisemitism and Islamophobia is, and so on. I’m tired of people coming at me and the moderators. I’m tired of the hundreds of reports we get per week. We have prided ourselves on nuanced moderation, but I can’t do it any more.

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Replies

  • [nate@social0 ~]$ :idle:gangrif@undrground.org
    Apr 8, 2024, 12:02 AM

    @jerry I once read a piece about the mental health of content moderators on the larger social platforms. Some of the horrible things they had to look at had just scarred them.

    Its part of why they use AI to assess stuff before hitting people. Maybe Mastodon needs to find something like that to integrate with.

    I feel for you, and do not envy the job. People are really passionate about this, and lots of other things happening right now. That's never good online.

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  • Bruce Heerssenbruce@darkmoon.social
    Apr 8, 2024, 12:05 AM

    @jerry
    If that's derailing what you think your instances should be, then you are justified in putting a stop to it. Especially if it is impacting your mental health or that of your moderators.

    Also, you're allowed to take a break, man.

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  • Xavier Ashe :donor:Xavier@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 12:17 AM

    @jerry I would be supportive of a rule that prohibits excess political content. This is a community of professionals. And while we should be occasionally talking about politics, if someone posts in excess, then they could be asked to leave. Dunno... just my 2 cents.

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  • AJCxZ0AJCxZ0@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 12:32 AM

    @jerry As God Emperor (or Good Umpire), you should do as you see fit for your empire.

    As an enjoyer of this Mastodon instance and the community which discusses things which interest me, the fact that your time and attention is being wasted by folks who are either actually violating the terms and conditions, or reporting things which are not doing so, is of significant concern.
    If past experience of moderation from the mailing lists of the pre-web Internet to now are any indication, then moderation is always trying and thankless and serving as a moderator for too long serves neither the individual nor the community. Until the LLMs finally solve the problem technologically, please do what you need to keep this a labour of love and ask for help when you need it.

    Clickety click.

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  • FallsMom 🌻FallsMom@mastodon.coffee
    Apr 8, 2024, 12:55 AM

    @jerry

    Sadness. The lack of civility on this topic is just the most recent, most virulent, decimation of honest discourse in the US. It's what the followers of former POTUS are fomenting.

    Divide divide divide delay delay delay. 😧

    Please do what you need to to take care of yourself!

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  • Censors are CultistsCensorsAreCultists@berserker.town
    Apr 8, 2024, 2:23 AM

    @lerg That would have been better I imagine. I could have shortened the war, creating a better peace than what was achieved in our timeline.

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  • Madagascar_SkyMadagascar_Sky@mastodon.social
    Apr 8, 2024, 4:12 AM

    @jerry
    /r/NonCredibleDefense on reddit is a community to meme about war and weapons. They have the standard rules against hate speech, self promotion, etc. They have another peculiar rule that states "The following posts will be automatically removed by the mod team. India vs Pakistan"

    If you've been in discussions in the neighbourhood of this subject, you'll understand the need for that rule, even though India and Pakistan form a very crucial part of the international defence discussion.

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  • yProdyProd@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 7:12 AM

    @jerry Since we're all (mostly non-paying) guests here, “topic X causes too much moderation woes” is a perfectly valid reason to ban topic X, irrespective of whether the topic itself is bad – especially if you are nice about it (e.g. give people warning and time to migrate away if needed), which I assume you will be, as always. Thanks for the effort you put into this!

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  • LuxanoLuxano@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 7:17 AM

    @jerry I personally am here for security related topics, so I would not be against banning problematic political topics that have nothing to do with technology.
    And even if, this is your instance do as you want, you do not have to justify anything.

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  • James Tinmouthtinmouth@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 7:45 AM

    @jerry two of the things people using the service HAVE to realise is (a) "coming for the moderators" is flat out unacceptable whatever the situation, and (b) flooding the moderators means something has to stop as the resource isn't there to process the flood, whatever the subject and reasons.

    I mod elsewhere and everything even slightly OT or random just gets silently deleted as we realised early on there wasn't the time to deal (I appreciate very much masto is hugely different!)

    I believe if a thing threatens the existence of the instance (and it's not core to it) it has to go, and you'd be broadly supported in such a move.

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  • Angua :celeste_hearts_disability_pride:AnguaDelphine@mk.absturztau.be
    Apr 8, 2024, 9:48 AM

    @jerry@infosec.exchange

    As a general point, whatever the bone/s of contention, I think your TOS is/are already quite clear.

    "…and for fucks sake, be nice to each other. We are only here for a brief time. Make it enjoyable."

    More to the point than the other ethos I read of "Be Excellent To Each Other & Don't Feed The Trolls".

    If people cannot add a CW entitled "Rant about..." and persist in rancid behaviour, then you are entitled to close them down; your house, your rules surely?

    #Moderation #Admins #ThisIsNotXitter #Fediquette

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  • El Jefe ":verified:" :donor:eljefedsecurit@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 3:22 PM

    @jerry above all please take care of yourself and your well being, this shit ain't worth it. IMO, I would welcome a rule that would summarily ban both bad actors on any debate related to religion, politics or warfare. It does not matter the side, the intent is always the same : foment hate, cause division, dismantle communities with Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

    I've blocked people for less, and those that do this kind of krap are not here for this community inasmuch as their intent to destroy it.

    No ruth.

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  • OnlyMedezz@infosec.exchange
    Apr 8, 2024, 6:29 PM

    Hi @jerry. I ran a tiny BBS back in the day, and whatever ‘rules’ I laid out, some always wanted to ignore them, or pressure me into doing what they wanted. I can only image what it’d be like at infosec.* scale.

    Re-reading the existing server rules, they clearly set expectations that this was going to be a nice, courteous place to hang out. I don’t see any conflict with what you are proposing.

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