Those of you who have moderated tribes that require MOD permission to join, how do you go about evaluating for TQ? (Troll Quotient) I have a pretty well-developed sense of who's gonna be a problem or not, but I am wondering how you do it. I generally look at the person's profile (no friends, no other tribes, just joined = NOPE), but that isn't foolproof. Perhaps there is no foolproof method, but I am just curious about you y'all do it.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Question about admitting members
Wed, March 12, 2008 - 11:12 AMI don't worry about it.
My public tribes can be joined by anyone and my private tribes are steel-fist private. I don't fuss with the stuff in between.
Never had a real troll problem, I guess.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Wed, March 12, 2008 - 11:31 AMI moderate the largest moderated tribe on tribe.net, and I will tell you it is not easy. I pretty much have your profile method (no friends, no other tribes, just joined = NOPE) and just cross my fingers. With about 10 requests per day, it can be cumbersome to give too much scrutiny.
I have also made my job as moderator easier: I proposed a rule, that the tribe voted on, that all posts must be on topic. violators will be removed. At this point, if a troll posts off-topic, most members will not respond to the post. Eventually I go in and delete the post, then remove the member.
Because the tribe description is sent to the member when they receive acceptance to the tribe, I make sure the rule is in that description. Hopefully this curtails much well-intentioned spamming, but obviously doesn't deter the determined troll.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Wed, March 12, 2008 - 5:45 PMI ussually will approve anyone who wants to join. If they start to troll then they get warning, if they troll again or are totally straight up trolling they get deleted and not let back in. I bookmark trolls for future reference.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Wed, March 12, 2008 - 7:17 PMI look at the profile of the person requesting to join, if there are no friends, no picture, no other tribes and not much filled out in the bio I will not let them in. But often there is a little something. I like to give benefit of doubt, and figure the person is new to Tribe. Since my moderated tribe is one that could be among the first someone joins (if they are a vegetarian) while the person is looking further for other tribes they'd like, I do get requests from brand new people that aren't trying to spam or troll.
Also, I figure a genuine troll or trouble maker would go to a little more trouble, putting up a picture and filling in some information, lies probably, about themselves. The well known trolls on tribe have usually done that each time they come back. So I look at whatever information is there on anyone who requests to join my moderated tribe, and see if they seem like they'd be someone interested in vegetarianism.
I don't require they be a vegetarian. I don't always send a message when I accept or decline their request. Sometimes I do if I accept. I let almost every one in. I feel just the fact that the person had to ask to enter will cause most people to treat the tribe with respect.
Occasionally if I feel there has been no trolling of the vegetarian or vegan tribes lately, I will set the tribe to public. A few times when I have done so someone comes in and writes something very angry towards vegetarians. Sometimes the responses from members of the tribe have been quite interesting when this happens, though. I have not actually deleted any of the angry posts yet. But I do want to prevent them, generally, so I usually have the tribe on the moderated setting.
When spam comes in, or any off topic advertising, I delete it. -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Wed, March 12, 2008 - 9:53 PMlobo what tribe do you moderate? Sounds too strict for me. : )
I generally accept pretty much everyone. I prefer tribes be kept public really. But keep some moderated because I actually want to keep certain people out. I know they can make other alts and join. Whatever. It's not that big of a deal really as if someone is a troll it will be obvious in their posts. If someone trolls too much they get booted. I don't think much about being off topic really. If it's way off and if someone is just being a shit disturber then no. Not cool. But I like the organic-ness of letting people say whatever they want and the freedom to do the same myself. Granted, if we are talking about a particular thing and someone starts talking about something totally unrelated and continues to do it regularly then they are just wrong. I don't want to make broad sweeping "rules" that must always be strictly adhered to. Even if people are occasionally bitchy that's fine too as long as it's not all the time. As many people that are familiar with me can attest, I can be quite the overeacting foul mouthed bitch myself. lol
I rarely refuse anyone. I take a quick look at their profile. But most of my moderated tribes are set so members can invite people too. If I happen to get a request and I look at their profile I might make a mental note if they are new to Tribe and have few friends. But really not much makes me decline people unless they have something really lame or messed up in their profile. Like this one guy that says he has hiv and is spreading it on purpose for his "Master Satan." That guy should be shot. You guys wouldnt believe some of the fucked up shit people have written to me as part of their request to join the "Satanists" tribe. They're apparently too stupid to realize that it's as simple as a request stating "I'd like to join your tribe." I'm so fully not at all impressed with and actually am disgusted and view some of these people as totally pathetic. I may be more than a little crazy myself but talk about the fucking lunatic fringe. lol Jesus FUCKING Christ!!! -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Thu, March 13, 2008 - 9:10 AMLunatic fringe...and you're their "leader"...that's more frightening (and appropriate) that I want to think about right now. -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Thu, March 13, 2008 - 8:21 PMNo Darla. My point was the opposite of that. lol I'm NOT their leader. I was referring to the super freaky deaky fringers whose requests I decline. The truly dangerous / fucked up or whack or whatever. I'm pretty fuckin' fringe and I love being a lunatic of sorts. And some people may think I'm dangerous. ( I swear I'm harmless. : ) But I like to stay grounded and at least have some pretense of normalcy in my life. Survival is always nice. I don't want to self destruct prematurely. I prefer to prolong that for as long as possible. Some of the people I was referring to seem beyond any limit or line I would want to cross. Whether what they say is true or not doesnt matter. Even with the beliefs I have there are still certain things that are unacceptable to me. Satanism isnt a free license to be irresponsible & wreckless. It has more to do with responsibility and discipline. However blurred ( or clear ) those lines may be for some people is always an interesting discussion topic to me. It fascinates me actually. Light and darkness are both a part of life. You cannot see the light in total darkness. And you cannot see the shadows in the darkness either unless you see in infra red. Light has it's place and we cannot live without it. I do try to avoid it. It kills me. But everyone needs just a little to survive. It's like vampire blood. All I need is one drop on my forehead and to be struck there with lightning. Some call it initiation. Pure energy. And if black is a combination of all colors, I'm a rainbow in the dark. Dio wasnt just talkin' smack. I despise religion but if I have one this is it. My Unitarian Universalist friends still love me. lol -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 12:47 AMDuuuude,
I was totally capping on you - I didn't mean to be insensitive or to do anything else other than tease you a bit. Not a judgment, nothing. There's just something about "lunatic fringe" that amused me (the sound).
Yes, there is much, much darkness out there, and I do get your point. It's like Christians who think that because they wear that particular emblem (and you - whoever you are - don't) that makes you less than. They feel it's ok to get into others' business about their perceived "morality" and "standards."
Peas, dude. Oh, and hugs, my friend!
D. -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 4:36 AMwww.youtube.com/watch - Lunatic Fringe
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 4:39 AMLunatic Fringe
from the Red Rider LP "As Far As Siam"
Lunatic fringe
I know you're out there
You're in hiding
And you hold your meetings
We can hear you coming
We know what you're after
We're wise to you this time
We won't let you kill the laughter.
Lunatic fringe
In the twilight's last gleaming
This is open season
But you won't get too far
We know you've got to blame someone
For your own confusion
But we're on guard this time
Against your final solution
We can hear you coming
(We can hear you coming)
No you're not going to win this time
We can hear the footsteps
(We can hear the footsteps)
Way out along the walkway
Lunatic fringe
We know you're out there
But in these new dark ages
There will still be light
An eye for an eye;
Well before you go under...
Can you feel the resistance?
Can you feel the thunder?
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 5:15 PMtoo strict for you? perhaps. maybe that's why you're not a member! too strict for the members? ask the over 6500 members who post and participate everyday... i think it's just right for them.
I moderate the Crafty VIxens tribe... over 6500 members with many many active members and many many posts per day... even WITH all the restrictions.
it wasn't working without restrictions.... many non-crafty people want to join and post about non-crafty topics or spam about non-crafty topics because they can reach 6500 members in one post...
so, we added the restrictions and now crafty vixens tribe is one of the best crafty forums on tribe and a significant crafty forum on the internet itself. Indeed, the Crafty Vixens tribe actually draw members from all over the internet to tribe.net because they want to post in the crafty vixens tribe.
our members value the restrictions because they know that when they come into the tribe, it will only be crafty postings there, and nothing else. And that, to a crafter, is a wonderful thing.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 5:23 PMI've heard of it. Fabulous. Glad it works for you and so many others. Is it all women or are men welcome. I have seen the name of the tribe for a long time but never checked it out. -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 6:19 PMno, it is not all women. anyone who wants to post about crafts is welcome.
those who post are mostly burners, belly dancers, costumers, serious crafters and novices. those who join are anyone even remotely interested in craftng. this is not a social tribe, it is a resource tribe. obscure crafting questions are often answered within 2 hours... usually in time to save a project or help make an equipment purchase. this tribe really needs a cape, it is such a helpful resource/hero for (non-traditional) crafters.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 6:23 PMSo a resource tribe can't be social?
That does sound cool though. I didnt know it was a crafts tribe. I just thought it was a cool name for a tribe for cool women. -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 6:29 PMYeah, it is a cool name... the double entendre makes it intriguing... but I cannot take credit for the name, that goes to Stormy, the tribe member who started the tribe (she handed it off to me a few years back due)
Because the main tribe is so large, we keep it as a resource tribe. I think this is a practice for most large tribes in general, as managing a big tribe has interesting issues that need solutions. Btw, there is a tribe for big tribe moderators, if you want to discuss large tribe moderator issues... it is moderated, of course, so ping me for an invite or go to: tribes.tribe.net/bigtribes
Anyway, at Crafty Vixens we keep the main tribe as a resource tribe. Then, we have spin-off Crafty Vixens tribes for the social aspects... at this point, Crafty Vixens is a brand into itself...
There are about 10 different Crafty Vixens specialty tribes, some are invite-only, some not... but these are less cumbersome in size, so have all the social aspects of most tribes on tribe.net... i.e. off-topic posts are allowed, etc. There are regional Crafty Vixens tribes, specialty Crafty Vixens tribes, based on interest, and specialty Crafty Vixens tribes based on various involvements with commercial crafting.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Fri, March 14, 2008 - 6:43 PMThe biggest tribe I moderate is the Ethical Consumerism tribe. ethicalconsumerism.tribe.net/ It has 1236 members. It's not overly active and I hardly ever have problems. About a year ago or so someone was throwing a hissy fit about some picture that someone posted in the gallery. High drama I tell you. lol The CONSPIRACY tribe has 540 members and we don't have many problems there either. tribes.tribe.net/conspiracypureevil If anyone is the shit disturber in there it's usually me after I've had too much whiskey. I'll come back later and read something I wrote and think to myself, "OMFG!!!" I can be a total asshole sometimes. I'm glad people seem to know that about me and don't trip. If I was that way all the time then I wouldnt like me either though. Overeacting is something I try not to do but sometimes it just comes out. The M in Mr. M doesnt stand for maturity I assure you. lol
The only big tribe I used to be on that there was alot of arguing was Politics. It made me ill so I was always joining and rejoining till I called the mod a stupid C word. We havent talked since. Whatever. ( rolls eyes ) I'd love to be her friend and still be able to go on that tribe once in a while but sometimes when things break they just arent fixable anymore. The Crossroads of Religion tribe can get heated from time to time too but it seems like it's gotten better in the past 6 months.
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Re: Question about admitting members
Sat, June 7, 2008 - 11:34 AMI take different tacks for different tribes.. the Trivia Tribe is open to all – and I have never removed a member and even Jesus spam got heaps of (funny) responses.. Other tribes memberships are “locked” – a few tribes I mod being of only two people.. Another Private and Tightly Controlled Tribe has rules – and a new member must meet certain criteria – then be proposed by a member – then all must vote on the new member.. It is all driven by the content and the level of trust and confidentiality of the tribe. If a “confidential” and truly private tribe – these operate on trust so I establish rules in order to preserve trust at all costs. It costs members often – but that is secondary to making the members feel they can speak in utter confidence.. it makes a sensitive private tribe really work. -
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Re: Question about admitting members
Sat, June 7, 2008 - 12:38 PMWe had a horrendous (and persistent) troll a few months back- that's when I changed the Biz of Belly Dance tribe to moderated.
I make sure requests have friends, pictures and are obviously interested in belly dance (or related business) in their profile. I actually find this makes it easier, despite the time of checking out profiles. When I "approve" someone I send it with a message asking them to introduce themselves and letting them know the "no SPAM" rule. It's helped a lot in reducing spam posts. There are over 2,000- so it has a tendency to attract people who want to market.
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