Civilized Rights
(?)Community Member
- Posted: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:05:26 +0000
Wait! Do not forget to sign!
This is a peaceful petition which will let Gaia officials know that:
We would like more rights regarding the banning of user accounts.
More rights. More justice.
This is a peaceful petition which will let Gaia officials know that:
We would like more rights regarding the banning of user accounts.
More rights. More justice.
This would mean potentially:
A more thorough 'checks-and-balances' system regarding moderator authority:
Require a moderator to take more steps to ban accounts, offer better explanations, and generally answer to the banned community. Perhaps this would come with a more advanced warning system. Perhaps this would mean that moderators would have to consult other officials, not simply other moderators (and possibly friends) on their decisions. Perhaps the membertalk feature, used to report moderator issues, would be better set up, have faster replies, employ people not biased by friendships with other moderators, etc. Essentially, it should be more difficult for moderators to permanently ban accounts. We understand that there are some problem Gaians who need to be dealt with instantly; however, for this, we suggest, perhaps, suspensions instead, under the reasoning that "trolls" typically do not sustain the attention span for a fourteen day suspension.
Helping end the hypocrisy:
This bullet comes in lieu of the well-known phenomenon, opinions. What one moderator might see as breaking the TOS, another might not. Let us face it--the TOS is vague in some very important spots. It appears that, at times, moderators pick and choose when to be technical about the rules. This bias interferes with the rights of Gaians under the rule of moderators (as in, people in positions of power, over people without such power and privilege). How many Gaians have watched as they are penalized for bogus, if not extremely nit-picked rule breakage, whilst other members feel free to wantonly break the most basic understandings of the TOS? Is this unfair? Yes. Is it reasonable to think that Gaian can fix every single incident of this injustice? No. Is it fair to think that, with better moderating/moderator systems, officials might produce a better way to handle this unfairness? Yes. The rules must be the same for everyone, everywhere, and completely comprehensible, with as little vagueness as possible...speaking of...
Create/Revamp the TOS:
This will be a large topic, and my apologies for any vagueness. A common problem of justice is interpreting the law. Obviously, this topic will never be fully resolved, and is very difficult to handle. However, it can scarcely be denied that there are some basic flaws in the TOS that should be addressed by the powers-that-be. I will cite a part of the TOS right now that reflects some of the anti-rights behavior I speak of:
"You agree that Gaia, in its sole discretion and for any or no reason, may terminate any account (or any part thereof) you may have with Gaia or your use of Gaia Online and remove and discard all or any part of your account including its inventory of any virtual items, Gaia Gold, Gaia Cash Member profile, or any Member Submission, at any time."
I understand this is a commonplace save-your-butt precaution but: why is it that Gaians should be forced to agree to totalitarian rule such as this? No reason? No reason. Allow that to sink in for a moment, please. Now, if you are a Gaian who has purchased a Gaia cash card, or ever paid for any item on this website--- how or why does it seem reasonable to accept that, though you pay real, hard-earned money to this site, it owes you nothing in return--not even the most basic right to have reasons for termination? Most of us are paying customers, enjoying and delighting in this website for the people. Would it seem reasonable to you, to buy a candy bar, when, under the wrapper it reads: We sell this candy bar to you, under full discretion that we may take it back at any time without reason? We understand Gaia needing to cover it's...liabilities, but in the meanwhile, we (most of us) are paying customers, and feel that we deserve more rights regarding banned accounts.
The bottom line:
Make it harder to ban individuals....
We are Gaians who love and support Gaia. We are they who make this website possible at all. It does not seem reasonable that we should be without rights, without reasons, and without accounts due to moderating issues, or otherwise incomplete or unjust rules? There needs to be organization, unity in meaning, and more checks and balances for moderators, to ensure a more enjoyable and fairer website for everyone. A better system for bans. More rights for Gaians.
If you agree, please post, "I sign this" in the thread somewhere, and you will be added to the list. This is not meant to target any single moderator whatsoever, nor is this a complaint about a single banning. This is a peaceful petition that will let Gaia officials know that this is a serious concern of the people's and should be paid attention to. We have faith that, perhaps the system will not fail us in this.
Disclaimer: This is not a perfect petition, by no means, and if you see a way to better it, please let me know. Feel free to discuss and talk freely, but please remember to attempt to follow the TOS; no flaming, etc. First and foremost this is a peaceful method of allowing unheard voices to speak out against what has happened to them, or what they see happening to others, or what they feel is unfair and needs to be addressed. if you like this thread!
A more thorough 'checks-and-balances' system regarding moderator authority:
Require a moderator to take more steps to ban accounts, offer better explanations, and generally answer to the banned community. Perhaps this would come with a more advanced warning system. Perhaps this would mean that moderators would have to consult other officials, not simply other moderators (and possibly friends) on their decisions. Perhaps the membertalk feature, used to report moderator issues, would be better set up, have faster replies, employ people not biased by friendships with other moderators, etc. Essentially, it should be more difficult for moderators to permanently ban accounts. We understand that there are some problem Gaians who need to be dealt with instantly; however, for this, we suggest, perhaps, suspensions instead, under the reasoning that "trolls" typically do not sustain the attention span for a fourteen day suspension.
Helping end the hypocrisy:
This bullet comes in lieu of the well-known phenomenon, opinions. What one moderator might see as breaking the TOS, another might not. Let us face it--the TOS is vague in some very important spots. It appears that, at times, moderators pick and choose when to be technical about the rules. This bias interferes with the rights of Gaians under the rule of moderators (as in, people in positions of power, over people without such power and privilege). How many Gaians have watched as they are penalized for bogus, if not extremely nit-picked rule breakage, whilst other members feel free to wantonly break the most basic understandings of the TOS? Is this unfair? Yes. Is it reasonable to think that Gaian can fix every single incident of this injustice? No. Is it fair to think that, with better moderating/moderator systems, officials might produce a better way to handle this unfairness? Yes. The rules must be the same for everyone, everywhere, and completely comprehensible, with as little vagueness as possible...speaking of...
Create/Revamp the TOS:
This will be a large topic, and my apologies for any vagueness. A common problem of justice is interpreting the law. Obviously, this topic will never be fully resolved, and is very difficult to handle. However, it can scarcely be denied that there are some basic flaws in the TOS that should be addressed by the powers-that-be. I will cite a part of the TOS right now that reflects some of the anti-rights behavior I speak of:
"You agree that Gaia, in its sole discretion and for any or no reason, may terminate any account (or any part thereof) you may have with Gaia or your use of Gaia Online and remove and discard all or any part of your account including its inventory of any virtual items, Gaia Gold, Gaia Cash Member profile, or any Member Submission, at any time."
I understand this is a commonplace save-your-butt precaution but: why is it that Gaians should be forced to agree to totalitarian rule such as this? No reason? No reason. Allow that to sink in for a moment, please. Now, if you are a Gaian who has purchased a Gaia cash card, or ever paid for any item on this website--- how or why does it seem reasonable to accept that, though you pay real, hard-earned money to this site, it owes you nothing in return--not even the most basic right to have reasons for termination? Most of us are paying customers, enjoying and delighting in this website for the people. Would it seem reasonable to you, to buy a candy bar, when, under the wrapper it reads: We sell this candy bar to you, under full discretion that we may take it back at any time without reason? We understand Gaia needing to cover it's...liabilities, but in the meanwhile, we (most of us) are paying customers, and feel that we deserve more rights regarding banned accounts.
The bottom line:
Make it harder to ban individuals....
We are Gaians who love and support Gaia. We are they who make this website possible at all. It does not seem reasonable that we should be without rights, without reasons, and without accounts due to moderating issues, or otherwise incomplete or unjust rules? There needs to be organization, unity in meaning, and more checks and balances for moderators, to ensure a more enjoyable and fairer website for everyone. A better system for bans. More rights for Gaians.
If you agree, please post, "I sign this" in the thread somewhere, and you will be added to the list. This is not meant to target any single moderator whatsoever, nor is this a complaint about a single banning. This is a peaceful petition that will let Gaia officials know that this is a serious concern of the people's and should be paid attention to. We have faith that, perhaps the system will not fail us in this.
Disclaimer: This is not a perfect petition, by no means, and if you see a way to better it, please let me know. Feel free to discuss and talk freely, but please remember to attempt to follow the TOS; no flaming, etc. First and foremost this is a peaceful method of allowing unheard voices to speak out against what has happened to them, or what they see happening to others, or what they feel is unfair and needs to be addressed. if you like this thread!