Policy for closing forum threads - HP censorship?

1. 87

   Marisa Wrightposted 13 years ago

   I notice that the thread about Cagsil's ban has been closed to reply.    In view of this, I'd like to see what HubPages policy is on closing forum threads these days.
   
   It used to be that threads were only closed if people got abusive, or were discussing prohibited subjects. 
   
   It seems now that threads can be closed simply because people are asking awkward questions, or making a fuss about something.  It happened to me, and I now see it happening again, and I don't like it.  It smacks of censorship.
   
   Personally, I've always found threads about bannings tiresome.  The bans are temporary, designed more as a cooling-off period than a punishment, and they're over soon enough - so why the fuss?
   
   In this case, Cagsil didn't understand the reason for his ban and was frustrated at being unable to find out - the usual notification when he tried to post did NOT include a link to the offending post, as was apparently the case in the past.  So I can see some justification for the forum thread. 
   
   But anyway, my opinions about what is and isn't an appropriate thread is irrelevant.  And it should be irrelevant for the forum moderators too.

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2. 79

   TamCorposted 13 years ago

   This is reminding me more and more of the Ebay Discussion Forums...
   
   If someone gets kicked off for a time, you are not allowed to talk about it at all on their forums, or heaven forbid, make a whole thread about it.
   
   It's ridiculous on there sometimes--you can't even mention names like Amazon--you have to call it "The River"--same for Etsy, and any other competitors...
   
   I really hope that HP doesn't start that kind of moderating.  I left the Ebay boards because of it--and I'll leave this one, too, and I really don't want to.

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   1. 87

      Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I do hope it doesn't get to that point!
      
      I notice that in both the recent cases of thread closures, a question has been asked and a HubPages staff member has answered it.
      
      The attitude seems to be that if the HP staffer feels the question has been answered, then there's no point in allowing Hubbers to continue discussions - particularly if there's dissent.
      
      There is every point - that's what a forum is for, and I certainly hope that attitude can be put to bed.

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3. 84

   IzzyMposted 13 years ago

   There was a sock puppet in that thread, who posted again even after the staffer replied. That might explain why the thread was closed -it could only get nasty from there on.

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   1. 68

      Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I also think that may have had something to do with it IzzyM.
      They should get the IP address and ban the person if they are creating a new account to post trash talk after they were just banned from the forum to start with!
      If HP is "now" enforcing rules more: this is another rule they should enforce more.

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4. 84

   IzzyMposted 13 years ago

   Just to clarify new readers to this thread - Cagsil was banned from forum posting for a few days - doesn't mean anything, its just like being told to go and sit in the corner until you calm down - whereas the sock puppet in that thread had been banned from HP altogether for attacking another member, in this case Cagsil, both in the forums and via email in unprovoked and vicious attacks.
   Yes I agree his IP should be banned, and probably is now.

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5. 68

   psfposted 13 years ago

   May be a off topic. I agree about banning IP, but thinking how effective it would be. If I reset my modem/router I will get a new IP address!

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   1. 84

      IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      My IP address was dynamic for a long time, but I have a new contract and now I believe it is static. I think most people are on a static IP address, so they could have a work account and a home account that use different IP's but that is all.

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   2. 68

      Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This is true, but not everyone knows how to do this.

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