Teens Forum

I'm very sad to see this happen. And to those who have no clue what happened, I'd suggest IM'ing a CF teen member or staffer--- you'll probably find out the story faster that way.

Or at least a story.

CaDan said:

Or at least a story.

Click to expand...

too funny!

Thread reopened for now.

Note:
I was in no way involved in this mess but I am a very active member of CFTeens and several other boards. My post record is something I am proud of and if you wish to see what I believe and how I debate and discuss, please read through my posts.

FYI:
I am a friend or acquaintance of many of those who were banned.
I am certainly not biased towards them because I by matter of principle don't take sides unless I truly believe in the cause.
I have sided with those who disagree with the Staff simply because I have seen no evidence that denies anything they have said... and this announcement thread seems to prove some of it.


My goals:
I really want reconciliation. Friendships between the leaders of the board and the youth.

Forgiveness.

I want Teens to return and continue and be a fruitful area for fellowship and debate among the youth.

And I am concerned this fiasco is threatening that.

Now:
As far as I can tell, this is a chronological account of what occurred from the point of view of the teens banned:
-The Advisers were considering changing the age limit in the Teen section but wanted to keep it on the down low for a while or until they actually implemented the changes. The change would have been from 13-21 to 13-18.

-A teen forum Moderator felt this was betraying almost 200 members of this forum by shattering friendships across the 16-21 year old populace.

-This moderator opened a thread about 'hypothetical changes' but actually just quoted almost verbatim tha actual discussion of the proposed changes from the Advisers posts in the staff area.

-This moderator was banned. The thread locked and deleted.

-The teens who saw it started talking vigorously in PMs and elsewhere. They were all banned and then suddenly Meh mass banned a huge number of teens and teen moderates who assisted the first moderator who was banned for leaking the info.

-Meh accused teens of hacking her account and doing bans.

-More bans.

-Supposed hacker was hinted at having been caught.

-All info was locked and the CFTeen section was closed indefinitely.

-The chat channel was filled with questions, it was closed.

-Little information was given by anyone.

-Over 90 of the CF Teens (including many of the active ones and all the ones who were banned) moved to a new website they created as a temporary haven.

-The confusion has been terrible and some teens have even been starting to wonder if Meh was lying about the hacking in order to cover up a loss of temper.
This is a particularly troubling accusation and I really hope the whole hacking thing could be explained.

-The total lack of information has added to the confusion.

-This announcement opened with words that seemed to accuse the teens as having been solely to blame.

-The many in the exile forum felt betrayed and were outraged.

-They are at a state of negotiations to figure out what to do next, something I was not authorized to give details on because I am here saying this of my own free will and desire to facilitate reconciliation in whatever way I can. I am not here to represent them. Just to do what I can to help the situation.

I hope the Advisers can add to this and give the other side of this story so the picture becomes more clear.
The Teens have not had any other input besides the bits and pieces that have been put together.
I, for one, really want to hear the Staff side of this whole issue.

I endeavor to record an accurate account of these events as I am a Historian and love politics and stories.

Thank you all.


NOTE: This is not intended to be taken as an exhaustive history or completely accurate. This is what I have gathered from interactions outside of CF Forums with the fellows I mentioned.
I have posted this for anyone who wants a brief perspective and history of the events. And also for the Advisers and other Staff to post and say what is accurate and what is not from their official perspective.

If Mehs account was hacked, I would hope that the advisors had some very definative proof of exactly who did it before proceeding down this very dodgy rabbit hole.

Why were so many people banned?

I understand everyone is upset right now - however there is a LOT going on right now, most of which we cannot discuss with the members. For those of you who have seen me post in Teens/know me here and there, you know I'm not the type who would want to hurt the Teens in that area.

However, a lot has gone on and everyone needs a breather and a chance to cool off. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, but it did. People chewing us out/flaming or hacking accounts is NOT going to solve the problems at hand.
If you don't believe the Advisors have the best in mind for Teens, that's yours to believe although I know differently. Because I have been a member on Teens for a long time, I know some of you will remember me. I'm sticking in here on Staff and I'm not going anywhere. I have the best interest for Teens at heart because I've been there as well.

So if you want to see things up and running again (soon), here's what you do -
Cool down and give us the benefit of the doubt that we didn't plan this, it happened. Work with us, keep cool, and we will sort everything out as soon as possible.

Thank you so much Meh!

I want you to know that several people remarked that they thought you were one of the most sympathetic to the Teens.

It pains me deeply that anyone would do that to you.

I hope you can release the avatar names in the future of the culprits.
But if you can't, that is understandable.

meh said:

The Teens forum has been moved to archives and is closed for at least three weeks. There was an incident where someone thinking they were doing a good deed leaked some staff info and posted in Teens. There were changes coming to Teens, and were thought to be final. However, parts were still under discussion. Advisors were still discussing a point or two amongst themselves. Many Teens were understandably upset by these posts talking about what changes may come. Most voiced their opposition in fine ways. Others began flaming, trolling, etc. and received bans.

Click to expand...

Thank you.

During the time administration was dealing with that incident, we discovered some staff accounts had been hacked. This caused the situation to escalate as board safety had to come first. After this, two Advisors noticed their personal computers had been hacked.

Click to expand...

Two?!? We only heard about you.

Information was removed, personal items were gotten into, basically private space was invaded. There were at least two culprits. Two have been indentified. In the middle of dealing with that, the board was undergoing proxy attacks.

Click to expand...

I am unsure how far you can take this but much of that may have criminal implications in the 'real world'.

While we acknowledge that things esclated to major proportions and we did not deal with things in the manner some people would have liked, their were serious concerns about board safety and personal account safety to deal with.

Click to expand...

That is understandable and explains why you all have been seemingly so edgy.

Again, thank you for the response.

On a personal note, I realize that not every teen was involved in the hacking of my computer. However, I have taken days off not to speak with any of them regarding these issues because I was angry. I am still angry. I am human. I'm not perfect. I don't think having my personal space invaded is just one of those things I need to deal with as an Advisor.

Click to expand...

This is terrible.

Your reaction is understandable.

People will need to give me some space and room and I still won't be discussing the Teen area issue for awhile. It's best for everyone.

Click to expand...

I think you have helped enough by posting here.

When the Teen area re-opens, there will be changes. They may or may not be the same as originally intended. Teens will not be happy.

However on several of these issues we listened to parental concerns and wants for the area.

Click to expand...

A lot of the teens... many (many) of whom are adults would be effected by any age changes.

But more importantly, there has been concern that the parents involved are unrelated to any of the teens... or at least to such a few in number that dozens if not a hundred people would be effected for the sake of 2 or 3.

Spock would say: "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few... or the one!"

We also used our best judgment regarding safety of members. And all changes are still being discussed, as is the re-opening of the forum.

Click to expand...

Good to hear!

As I'm on LOA I won't be coming back here for a bit. I do apologize to any teens I hurt with my angry responses. I ask that you forgive me and give me time to return to normal.

Click to expand...

I believe this is a great step towards exactly that.

Thank you again and God Bless!

Tenebrae said:

If Mehs account was hacked, I would hope that the advisors had some very definative proof of exactly who did it before proceeding down this very dodgy rabbit hole.

Why were so many people banned?

Click to expand...

What Meh described seems to indicate a sort of Martial Law in response to personal assaults and digital crime against the leaders of the board.
I think that in this event, the reaction was painful but understandable as far as I can tell at this point.
We will see all where this goes.

I just hope CFTeens can recover.

Atlantians said:

I just hope CFTeens can recover.

Click to expand...

It can, but we need everyone to work together. We all (The staff and the members) want the same thing - to see Teens reopened. There's no use in fighting each other over it, because we have the same common goal in mind. Right now, we just need everyone to settle down and help us out, so we can get Teens running again as soon as possible. The more fighting there is about, the longer it's going to take for all of us.

Special note to the Teen Forum members -
Let's work together, guys. Teens has been a tight knit community for as long as I can remember. Now's not the time for everyone to start falling apart because of confusion, anger and misunderstanding. We can get Teens working again, be we need you all to help us. We do want to help you, but we have to keep it closed if everyone keeps lashing out.

The thing is, almost the entire population of the most active members have moved over to a temporary pre-fab evacuation outpost.
Many are considering not coming back.

And I am talking the most active members.
Many of the key-stone members were also banned... so...
But I presume many bans will be lifted, at least of those not directly responsible for the chaos.

Three weeks of no CFT will solidify the schism and by then they will have made a permanent solution outside this forum.

I will still be around here. I am capable of opening more than one browser window and going to more than one website so...

Okay, I've stayed out of this because I wasn't around when the event happened, and I didn't have anything constructive to add at the time, but I think this needs to be said. This might get me in trouble, but oh well.

I think that the teens need to stop being told to calm down. From what I've seen(And as I said, I've stayed out if this) the teens have been completely calm. On the CF haven forum, there is no ruckus or anything. We want things to be figured out just as much as you all do. But every time someone tries to come out and get some answers/make peace/explain, they get banned. People need to stop telling all the teens to calm down because, the teens are completely calm.

No one is getting upset there, no one is name calling, no one is trying to cause problems. We want things to be figured out.

There's my 0.02... Its my opinion and it wasn't meant to be disrespectful in anyway shape or form

Katie, you forgot to pepper your post with friendly emotes.


She is right though. All of the stuff over there is very friendly. Very little changed in the transition.

Even the whole CFTeens situation is being talked about in a lighthearted way.

There certainly will be ill-will for a while- but that can be worked out.

Oh... shooooooootttttt

All I'm going to say is that I agree with the other two.

Many, MANY teens have been hurt over this and feel stabbed in the back.

Many staff including all the Advisers seem to feel the same way.
So it is a circular mess.

Thus the situation. Poor Meh.

Its just a mass stabbing.

I've been wondering when the full story on this was going to be released. I was picking up bits and pieces before they were deleted. Good to finally see the full situation.

Dark_Lite said:

I've been wondering when the full story on this was going to be released. I was picking up bits and pieces before they were deleted. Good to finally see the full situation.

Click to expand...

Indeed.

Wait... is that... Darth Vader? You stabbed us all in the back with your big mean blue light sword thing!!!! It was YOU!!!!

*flees in terror... and then gets stabbed in the back with a blue glowy stick*

Hahaha...

I myslef am hurt about this situation. I feel that yes us a mods were talked to about it but nothing was asked to the teens. I feel that perhaps that maybe this wouldn't have happened if the Advisors would more then likely have talked to the members.

It wouldn't have been a great Idea just to bam changes. It would prolly have cause a little more chaos then the others.

I'm with Donna and the other two posters before her. I have been talking to the CFT and you know what They are calm. They are upset yes but they aren't like trying to cause a ricas or anything.

I feel that perhaps this situation yes its getting handled and yes its getting taking care of but it wasn't handled properly.

I'm no longer a staff because I left on personnal issues but as a CFT member and friend to most of them this was not the smoothess course too take.

I now way am I being rude or anything like that. I'm basing my opinion.

Also I wanted to say thank you to Meh for that post that she did post. It was helpful and easy explanation. I'm sorry that her comp was hacked as well.

Just I'm not happy teens aren't happy but telling us to calm down and keep doing that isn't the way to go when we have calmed down.

Donna says hurt and stabbed in the back. Honestly I am as well. What hurt me the most is I've modded for teens for 6 months and been an active member there for years. About 2 years I was active. When I got told that mods well have to find another section I was hurt.

CFT was my home and my closests friends were there. Having to leave all of sudden wasn't the greatist thing for me.

I decided anyways to wait it out and cancel my first resignation. Well things came up and school was an issue in one of them so I resigned again this time official.

I do want everyone to know though that I've always have had heart for teen ministries. A teen ministry consists of those 13-19. That is the age limit by law. According to law once someone hits 20 they are no longer a teen.

I've said my peace on the whole matter. Again nothing here is ment to be flamery or rude just an opinion.