Comments on: Banned from Boing Boing?

By: M

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:36:20 +0000

I've recently grown quite disillusioned with the comment threads at Boing Boing as well. I've submitted a number of links to the site over the years (some of which have been posted). I've also commented semi-regularly. Recently, after I politely questioned the overzealous censorship of a couple of comments posted by other people, and also criticized the too-cute-by-half “disemvowelling” technique that the moderators use, my own comment was disemvowelled.

I'm not sure why I should continue to add value (and revenue) to a site that treats me, and anyone with a dissenting but politely expressed opinion, with disrespect.

Perhaps effective community moderation requires someone with less ego. Have you read the moderation policy statement? It's been described as “novel-length.” Its tone of pomposity is almost unbearable.

By: Al

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:26:31 +0000

Third most popular blog on the net… just don’t try to participate in its “community” features.

By: Dory Cocktorow

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:48:52 +0000

Remind me why we should care about BoingBoing again?

By: Just Joe

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:26:54 +0000

Theresa is far too opinionated and has too much power to moderate at Boing Boing without negatively impacting the site experience. She cannot help but insert herself into situations that would resolve themselves on their own. She seems to confuse the process of moderation with the idea of knowing what is best for Boing Boing.

By: Jiun

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:49:16 +0000

Al, I think you’re dead-on that the only real way to salvage something here is for BB to simply let Teresa go. They can even add a nice note about how they all still love her, and appreciate the hard work she’s done, etc.

It’s either that, or wait for people to forget. Problem with that is, the intarwebs has a long memory.

By: Jim Treacher

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:39:55 +0000

For a moderator, she certainly seems immoderate.

By: Al

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:25:58 +0000

I’m surprised that you found this so quickly, Liz. :-)

I can’t even post comments on Boing Boing anymore so my enthusiasm for the future there is a bit dampened. Who wants to participate in a blog where you can’t even comment? The IP address was only unblocked, I’m sure, because Cory cc’d Teresa with a directive that it shouldn’t be blocked. I’ve sent Teresa two e-mails about the other half of it (without cc’ing Cory, who is on vacation and doesn’t need this shit anyway) and gotten no reply at all. I think that says wonders right there about her “moderation.”

I’ve moderated communities and lists before, sometimes badly as well, and I know it is a hard job but it is clear that Boing Boing needs to rethink whether to either have comments or to have any of the current moderators being paid to work on it.

By: Liz Upton

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:34:24 +0000

Wow - I’m flattered you picked my comment out of the (goes to check) 1384 that are up there. It’ll be interesting to see whether *I* can still post after all this, given that they told you they are now using mods who are “a little shaky on ip addresses” - Teresa’s not been gentle with those who have criticised her methods, even politely, before. At least it still has vowels.