What has happened to this place?

[Theophorus]

The censorship has really gotten out of hand.

 

[icedtea]

I do not know. I am back visitng again so haven't noticed anything.

 

[Matrona]

Yeah, I noticed a certain thread is missing, a thread that broke no rules, so its disappearance is rather mysterious.

Then again, I remember a mod who accused me of "promoting a non-Christian religion" for quoting the Synodikon of Orthodoxy.

 

[NewToLife]

I think the place has gone downhill as extremists have taken over.

 

[ThePosterFormerlyKnownAs]

Let's pray for our mods, it can't be easy moderating on a forum that strives so hard for a balance between pluralism and truth. This is not said sarcastically but rather, genuinely. They don't always agree with some of the rules but they have to enforce them because, ultimately, we are only guests here.

 

[kamikat]

To be honest, since Christian Forums was purchased by a new owner, certain rules have become mandatory that we might have overlooked in the past. Since I have come back to TAW, the way the team works is dramatically different than the way it used to work. We also tend to have more input from staff who are not strictly TAW staff. It appears that this is how the new owner wants things done.

 

[NewToLife]

To be honest, since Christian Forums was purchased by a new owner, certain rules have become mandatory that we might have overlooked in the past. Since I have come back to TAW, the way the team works is dramatically different than the way it used to work. We also tend to have more input from staff who are not strictly TAW staff. It appears that this is how the new owner wants things done.

If non-Orthodox now have influence into moderation here in TAW I for one find that disturbing....

 

[kamikat]

If non-Orthodox now have influence into moderation here in TAW I for one find that disturbing....

they don't moderate for theological content, just rules. One doesn't have to be Orthodox to recognize when a post is overly rude, a flame or a troll.

 

[Philothei]

do they jut yank out threads without notice? I think that has been hapenning all over the place.....

ph,

 

[kamikat]

as far as I can tell, no. There are some things that are required to be yanked, such as suicide topics, trolling stuff like inappropriate content or other filth, talk of illegal activity like drug use. On occasion, threads will be moved to other areas. Suicide, drug abuse, addiction, ect threads usually get moved to the Recovery area of CF, but you should get some kind of automated pm with that. I believe the same thing happens when something is moved from the main TAW area to the debate subform, however, I know I haven't been getting automated pm's to inform me of reports, so maybe the automated system is wonky lately.

 

[Khaleas]

I've been thinking the same exact thing... this is not a friendly place anymore... it's worse than freaking Iran... This used to be the first board I checked in the morning and now it's the last and it doesn't make me happy one bit anymore... Yea, yea, we're going to be told we don't have to be here (thanks) but maybe we would like to be here in a more friendly environment.

Hey Blake, can you get that new and improved OP up and running soon....

(wanders back to the Finnish Ortho board)

 

[rusmeister]

do they jut yank out threads without notice? I think that has been hapenning all over the place.....

ph,

What I find especially creepy is that all reference to the thread is erased - it would be much more reassuring to see the references in links (own posts, control panel, rep links) saying "removed" or whatever. This 'without a trace' thing is unnerving.

 

[Philothei]

You are right that is odd... Hm mine usually show up at the "own" but there ....is no thread....odd

 

[icedtea]

Have you guys asked the mods or admins?

 

[Akathist]

Anytime a thread is removed here at CF there is an automatic notice that is supposed to go to the member who started the thread. Please send a pm to staff if your thread that you started was removed and you wonder about it. Perhaps there is a new bug.

Threads that staff remove have an explanation sent to the member who started the thread via the pm system in addition to the automatic notification.

Any thread that has been removed was removed because the staff team voted that it was necessary. The OP of the thread was informed about the reason for the removal. They were also informed that they had the right to appeal the removal to the Review Team.

I feel strongly about the idea of censorship. If a thread is within the rules of CF I push very hard for it to not be removed. (Recently staff reopened a thread that was not a rule violation and we had many complaints about that. We know as staff that we will not please everyone.)

However, as staff we can not just look atindividual threads in isolation any longer. This is not how the new owner wants us to function. We must look at the bigger picture. As staff we are responsible for the overall feel of a forum area.

If there are threads that are causing complaints we must look at them. If these threads are off topic to the area they are in we must consider removing them. If appropriate we move them.

Otherwise a forum area becomes so full of off topic and potentially offensive threads that it drives other members away. It prevents lurking members from becomeing participants.

Recently there were a lot of complaints about some off topic threads in TAW. Staff took several days to discuss the matter before deciding to remove those off topic discussions for the welfare of the forum area and as part of the instruction to a member about what threads are off topic and what threads are not off topic.

I understand that individual is also writing to members or talking on IM and giving his side of the situation in a possibly slanted manner. They may also be exaggerating.

Please remember that staff have restrictions about what we can publically share or for that matter share in a pm if it is about another member.

Therefore there will likely not be a way for members to know the full situation and understand why staff have functioned as they have.

I assure you that TAW staff care about all members, even a member who may be campaigning to convince others he or she is not cared about. Sometimes we need to show others we care by setting boundaries for them and asking them to take a break from posting here temporarily.

Caring for an individual does not however over ride the need to care for the larger group. It is also caring to the group to put boundaries up on certain behaviors of individuals.

In a company for example, a manager will correct a behavior of a staff person if that behavior is negatively effecting the environment of the workplace. Even if some of the staff disagree that any correction should ever be done, it must be done at times.

In a work place, the manager often knows more about the situation then all of the staff because they are aware of confidential information that can not be shared.

Please try to trust that staff are taking the time to think these situations through carefully. We are discussing them as a team. We are striving to make decisions that is in the best interest of everyone. Also, we have to follow procedure and policies set by the owner of CF and upper staff.

 

[Philothei]

No where in the rules of CF says that "if the members think that in a cetrain forum, in their opinion, there are threads 'off topic' they can complain and have them removed..." is this a new rule? Ithought that off-topic is only for posts....

 

[Theophorus]

It's all cleared up now. The secret machinations of CF are determined to protect us from ourselves in pursuit of a false uptopia.

Let us pray for the ecumenical elite that must bear this heavy burden on our behalf.

 

[Akathist]

Off topic is for threads as well as posts.

Members are allowed to report any thread or post for staff to review. Staff use TAW guidelines related to CF rules and moderation procedures and policies of CF when discussing these reports.

To my knowledge, any recent thread removed from TAW by TAW staff had the answer to the question in the OP answered and the OP had read the answers. This played a role in our decision making.

 

[Akathist]

It's all cleared up now. The secret machinations of CF are determined to protect us from ourselves in pursuit of a false uptopia.

Let us pray for the ecumenical elite that must bear this heavy burden on our behalf.

I do not think it is fair to refer to Blake, Hoankan, kamikat, Axion Esti, choirfiend, etc as "ecumenical elite".

The TAW staff team cares about the members and they work very hard. They all are growing in the EO faith and are your brothers and sisters.

Blake is coming into the Church soon we hope. The rest are in the Church and receive the same sacrements you do. They defend the EO faith. They share the same beliefs about the Church anyone else who is EO believes.

 

[Lukaris]

I am guessing that it is also not censorship per se but the mods may have too much on their plates & a more leveling approach is being taken since more scrutiny cannot be applied but an action must be taken. I have had posts removed (some outside of TAW) that were moths old but became volatile when a controversy was reignited by a more recent post.