On 27 May 01, Russ Hunt wrote:

> How many people "read all those messages to check for flames"?  My view
> is that once I've intervened once I'd have to intervene all the time,
> because I'd have assumed responsibility for everything that
> gets posted, and I'd have a moderated list whatever I preferred.

I have to say I don't understand this approach, though I have heard it
before.  I suppose it is possible to manage a list without paying
attention to the content (which is what it sounds like you are saying, if
I read it right), but to me that is administering only, not managing.

I think the list goes far better when there are clear policies for what is
OK and what is not, and the moderator enforces them (gently but firmly).
My experience is that this is fairly easy because once you put it in place
and people learn that it will be enforced, they mostly stick to it.  When
there are not enforced policies many lists devolve from time to time into
flame wars.  They may end up looking successful but in fact many people
outside the circle of those who can tolerate the flames will stay away or
leave.

I don't buy the "slippery slope" argument that any moderation implies
judging and taking reponsibility for everything.  I let a lot of things
go, but if the policies are violated I step in (this would not work if the
policies were not clear beforehand).  On the adoption-related list I run
people express the oddest opinions and say things that I think are flat
out wrong. I don't make an issue out of it (except occasionally with the
list manager hat clearly off) and feel no responsibility for it.  But when
they start calling each other names, I step in.

I do realize that the net has a traditon, based in Usenet, of total self-
moderation.  My feeling is if people like that environment there are
plenty of places for it, but that it doesn't lead to good information flow
or build community (or if it does, that happens in spite of the
unmoderated nature of the venue) -- and those would generally be two of my
goals for most discussion lists I can imagine.


-----
Tom Rawson           [log in to unmask]