What are the rules on when it is appropriate for...
a moderator in a forum to edit your posts and when is it not? I had a moderator edit a post this past week and I do not feel I said anything that was inappropriate, vulgar, problematic, hateful, or anything that one would commonly expect to be edited for. I'm not sure where or how else I can ask this question and I don't feel like I can approach the moderator directly as their approach seems to be one that squelches any difference in opinion. FWIW, what was edited out was the frustration I expressed with missing a weigh-in time.
My understanding of "the rules" (see 12 and 13 specifically) is that the answer to your question of when it is appropriate for
a moderator in a forum to edit your posts?
Is "anytime they see fit." It's a "like it or lump it" rule.
I don't mean that disrespectfully to the moderators or this site. The moderators' job isn't an easy one, and they are not paid for it. If there were grievance procedures, it would only make their jobs that much harder (and stressfull to boot, if they knew that any and every decision could be challenged).
It's no fun to be editied, but this is a privately owned site, so full "freedom of speech" doesn't apply. Just as you can ask anyone to leave your property for any reason (including their opinions), the moderators can ask any of us to leave for any reason. Once we write a post, it becomes essentially "property" of the site, so that the moderators can edit as they see fit.
When I first joined, I also thought the moderators' were heavy-handed and "touchy". I thought "we're all adult enough to handle disagreeing opinions - even if they're worded strongly (I'm pretty hard to offend, so I kind of expect everyone else to be).
Over the years, I've become a lot more sympathetic to the moderators, as I've seen for myself what can happen when a negative thread escapes the moderators quick attention (they can't be everywhere at once). Negative threads are like forest fires and some relatively "innocent" statements are often the tinder. It may not have been your comment as much as the fact that similar comments have sparked intensely negative threads in the past. In essence the moderator may have been removing the "tinder" before it becomes a fire.
Maybe you don't see it as possibly enflaming, but maybe the moderator has had similar threads get nasty. It may seem that the moderator was over-reacting, but according to the rules, they get to use their own judgement (and they can't use anyone else's).
I don't always agree with the mods (I don't think they always agree with each other - that wouldn't be human), but they're referees with final say, so it's pointless to argue (and it can get you banned from the site).
I too was edited and I do not see why. I did say I found someone's post condescending and it was. Actually it was downright rude. But I was adult and professional. However I respect that the mods have a hard job and I am even okay with it especially as free speech is not a key base for this forum. However my issue is the poster I commented on has ranted and raved at others and her posts are there for all to see. I find it odd. I do think though it has something to do with a predominant belief system..
Last edited by nelie; 12-16-2012 at 08:18 AM.
Reason: test
You can always PM the mods if you have a question. I couldn't find what post you had that was edited but if you PM, myself or Suzanne, we can look into it.
Honestly, we are more likely to delete posts than edit them and we'll send a PM. Sometimes in the cleanup effort of a discussion that starts getting away from the rules, we may delete multiple posts, edit out quotes, etc to keep the intent of the posts and we may not end up PMing everyone involved.
Plucky, I'm the one that edited your post. The post you responded to was deleted, so it didn't make sense to leave your response standing. As nelie pointed out, sometimes editing out quotes or comments is part of the cleanup process. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding!
What are the rules on when it is appropriate for...
