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Amendment[]
After some thought I've decided to propose an amendment to our current chat policy along the following lines:
Replace: "Bottom line, anything that turns wiki into a heated argument or debate, will not be tolerated and chat mods should ask that the conversation cease or be taken to a private message and out of main chat."
With: "Bottom line, anything that turns chat into a destructive environment will not be tolerated, and chat mods should ask that the conversation cease or be taken to a private message and out of main chat".
"Consult the following Warnings Leniency and Disputes sections of this page for relevant context."
The document as it now stands can be viewed here.
Reasoning[]
Note that this is a Level 5 and Up vote because it concerns the entirety of the wiki.
My reasoning for proposing this is fairly simple. Although I've always supported the language of our policy as a whole, I feel that this particular line, by clarifying as it does, provides a potential for misunderstanding or overlooking later language that provides context for the use of moderator powers. The "Warnings Leniency" and "Disputes" sections provide essential information for chat mod conduct, and many users read over policy quickly which could easily result in their exploitation by a heavy handed chatmod or administrator. Rights to reasonable dispute and discussion are essential parts of any democratic institution.
You may also note that "heated argument or debate" has been altered to "destructive environment", as I feel that the former language potentially limits discussion of harmless topics.
Voting[]
For: (+13)[]
- Flamefang (talk) 05:15, February 19, 2014 (UTC)
- "No wind is of service to him that is bound for nowhere." -Wind
- Hydro " We all have secrets. The ones we keep... and the ones that are kept from us." 05:21, February 19, 2014 (UTC) [[Special:EditCount/Hydrocarbon1997|Special:EditCount/Hydrocarbon1997]]
- Pandora
- {{Raiden/SigReal}}
- I’m like a bright good looking wild apricot. Can’t you see? ~Sophie
- Hello Sweetie! The Doctor is in.... Allons-y ~The Doctor Bach
- Facillis Decensus Averni-Onyx
- WH4T K1ND OF 4WFUL C1V1L1Z4T1ON WOULDNT 1NV3NT OR4NG3 CR34MS1CL3S
- Sun's out, Guns out. 16:41, February 19, 2014 (UTC)
- Dudungbrader "I only hate Artemis, not her hunters." 16:46, February 19, 2014 (UTC)
- "Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face" -Nar, An Agent of Chaos 16:53, February 19, 2014 (UTC)
- I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.- Wonder
Against: (+1)[]
- If it isn't brocken, don't fix it. Mods already have the right to kick and ban for anything. (Within reason and with warnings.) LinkCelestrial (talk) 05:20, February 19, 2014 (UTC)
Comments:[]
That's untrue, Celestrial, chatmods do not have the right to kick and ban for anything, as specified under the current policy. This is exactly why I think we need this change. Flamefang (talk) 05:34, February 19, 2014 (UTC)
Plus the current wording of the policy makes it sound like the topics are the problem, but the thing is, let's face it, people can turn anything into a heated argument. So the focus should be on stopping arguments, considering anyone can argue anything, trying to prevent that is absurd. I mean two users could get into an argument whether or not they like the chick that played Clarice in the Percy Jackson films to the point that it's disrupting chat, we can't exactly stop any talk about the Percy Jackson films to "avoid" that possibility as the wiki is about the books. I've also seen some really mean and heated arguments in the past about which cabin is better, Eros or <insert other cabin here>, we can't exactly stop people from talking about the wiki just 'in case' it turns into an argument. So the focus needs to be on stopping arguments once they happen, not preventing topics that 'could' lead to arguments.
Hello Sweetie! The Doctor is in.... Allons-y ~The Doctor Bach