Cleaning Up Online Conversation

I have to admit...some Viners bring out the worst in me at times! I am a civilized person. I believe in corny stuff like 'Do unto others...' (and, no the rest isn't; 'but don't get caught!'). There is just some posters who know what buttons to push. They are different for everyone. Mine are: Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Discrimination, and being rude to my NV buddies (to name a few). I still try and be civil, if not a bit cold and can honestly say I've never 'torn' into another Viner. I have double-teamed a few with friends.

What's the bottom line? Mom always said, "Stay away from politics and religion." What else do we talk about around this site? That's where the action is and it's hard not to add your opinion.

demmy....you are right on, yet the Don'ts are lofty ideals and when someone uses words like wh*re, b*tch, f*g, the N word, and other inflammatory, foul words it's hard not to at least respond...What? Dude? Are you kidding? ST*U, and the like. I can say I am 99% in control. It's the 1% crud that makes me see red.

Anonymity plays a huge roll. Most use screen names. No one knows where they live. Cowards will do these things when there are little repercussions...not even suspensions. Trolls with no life to speak of and too much anger to deal with exist and we are often the brunt of their sad, sad lives.

I plan to be better in 2011, ignore the ignorant and prop up the positive, intelligent discourse. Since I am a woman, I do have the prerogative to change my mind (me, being sexist, bad PJ).

Great post, Tyler and Happy New Year!

PJ

I would suggest a very basic NV 10 Don'ts/Dos before one contemplates posting. I won't list them all but here's some ideas:

How about 15? An article from 2006 that covers it very well.

http://stacym.newsvine.com/_news/2006/12/20/490425-how-to-be-a-newsvine-superstar-the-15-point-snarky-edition

That's a great article -- I wish I would have read it before I made my first NV comment.

Thanks for linking that here, ombra. Woot.

Oooo, excellent idea Tyler. They also have to answer for reporting something as a specific violation based on the CoH that obviously isn't. IT would become very obvious very quickly who the "report because you don't like it" people are.

Nothing? Speechless? Interesting.

Actually, I too, would be interested in hearing Tyler or another official NV mod (not a guide or fellow viner) respond to this. These are examples that mods keep saying to supply but when they are supplied they don't reply.

RV has made some valid examples here. I would appreciate hearing what Tyler's answer to these points is.

Anybody else hear that grinding sound? It's the darndest thing!

Thank you, Viki. I would also like to hear what Tyler has to say, since this is his article and he is in the position to moderate examples as the ones supplied whereas you, as a guide, cannot.

I would think, Viki, that the examples given above would have been cause for Tyler to step in since the moderator wasn't properly moderating the article but obviously nothing was done. At the least I would like to think Tyler would have enough respect for RV and the problem shown to address the discussion here in his own article.

To just tell someone to "well, just don't go to the seed" is rather a cop out answer in my opinion. Using that type of response tends to reinforce the notion that blatant violations -are- being ignored and rather than deal with this problem, the NV staff would rather we just all shut up about it so they don't have to face the issue and do something about it.

You have a good heart, Viki and your genuineness is hard to miss.

You know, if a user isn't moderating a thread according to the CoH, and lets what you see as detriments to productive discussion stand, maybe you should stop visiting their seeds/articles/threads.

I've done this. I would just like to see some action taken if I report those who are not following the CoH.

However, I know that Tyler and Sally are extremely busy and cannot possibly react every time that I click on the '!' icon. I appreciate the time that people like Tyler, Sally, and yourself put in to making Newsvine the "neighborhood" that it is. See the last line in post #9 and add to it this. I can't always get what I want.

Vicki,

The comments listed above by RV in GB#1 are an example of why I have almost stopped coming to newsvine. Since the election, the headlines of posts have become almost lurid from some of the regular posters (Killfile, Soph0571, MrSpocky, to name just a few) and yet no one moderates these lurid headlines. I have quit going to their articles because of the posters that congregate there. They are free to post any pejorative remark that they want and nothing ever happens (I have reported several to Sally and Tyler with only one action from Sally). Yet if someone from the slightly "Right of Center" crowd make a statement that is even slightly snarky, they receive a suspension.

I try in every comment I make to be civil. I was an E-7 in the Marine Corps when I got out. I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. but when someone disagrees with what I say in a post, I would prefer a "I disagree with you because," rather than some of the being called a "F%$&!ng Moron," "Teabagger," "greedy Bastard," NAZI, Fascist, or "Banjo Picking Inbread Idiot." (Yes, I have been called all of those by some viners and nothing has happened to them). This is also what helps cause the hate rhetoric. If people see that the laws are applied in an unfair way, they quit caring about what they say.

I know that the site is "Left Leaning" as you said in one of your entries from the past, but I think that Fairness and equal treatment under the law is also necessary. My real complaint is the disparity in punishment (even when it is reported). If you are going to punish me for stepping 1 foot off base, I would like to see the same treatment for others; not allowing them to get a 30 ft lead,

I came to newsvine in 2008 to to interact with people that I don't necessarily agree with and "Get Smarter". Many of my friends have left because they of what I have described. If the rules start getting enforced equally, maybe people will start playing nicely in the sandbox together.

Those are CV in #8, but not 9.

Good, so now I should be able to say that I would "attempt to beat [Obama] about the head and neck with a boom mic" if he said something that I disagreed with? I'd LOVE to see how that would go over.

Youch!

If you're saying it would be a code violation, I believe not- since it's not a personal attack on a private individual posting at NV, but rather, a public figure who is subject to such rhetoric all the time.

However, it is an unfair comparison to weigh the implications of fantasizing about physically harming Bill O'Reilly versus our President, for which I believe there are laws excepting such freedom of speech.