Abuse of Power by an Administrator - I Have Been Demoted

The "silent majority"

I'm not even going to ask.

 

- Did Carter-TFN do something warranting a demotion for himself?

Clearly we can't know the answer to this. Someone said there were like 200 messages and a bunch of PMs? We, the userbase, will never be privy to it. We can only state, based upon assumptions, that IF a Mod (ANY Mod) performed a blatant abuse of power over another Mod (or any user, really) that some sort of demotion (probably a one-week demotion to VIP spank) is warranted. I don't think we can decide this specific issue though.

- Were Bane's actions publicly and privately deserving of a demotion?

Private stuff? We obviously can't decide again. Public stuff -- no, because it was handled at least respectfully to the topic, even if the Mod/Staff in question did not find it respectful to THEM.

 

The context of the post where Carter was told to shut his mouth was not in jest. I would have thought that no matter who the user was.

 

In this case, I doubt the MS will remain very silent. Most mods who see this will have an opinion about it one way or the other, and the rest will hear about it pretty quickly I would assume.

 

I feel that I just need to say something here. I'm sitting here, watching people rag on Carter, and disrespect him, and, even though I am not the most popular person on this board, I do believe in friendship, and standing by one's friends, and despite the fact I think the situation bears looking into, and while Carter may have acted rashly, I see no reason for a personal assault on him by anyone with a grudge to sling mud. Yes, I am looking at you Ariana, and Adoniah, and the rest of you. In all the time I have known Carter, I have found him to be fair, level-headed, for the most part, funny, and he is someone I am glad to call a friend. During my recent spate of troubles here on the JC, it was Carter who became one of my champions in trying to undo a messy situation I had gotten myself into, and despite it being an unpopular cause, he nevertheless worked to help bring me back on to the JC, and I owe him a debt of gratitude for that. I've seen him weather false accusations, I've seen him deal with a lot of drama on these boards, and folks, despite the fact he is staff, he is also human, and subject to the same moods and reactions as any of the rest of us.

Is what he did wrong? I don't know, but I know the situation will be looked into, and addressed. Do I think any less of my friend? No. THat's what friendship is about.

 

I was not suggesting Lord Bane said it in jest, only that the words are used frequently in other threads.


I think if this was Carter's first offence, what people are suggesting would be acceptable. However, it is not, it is just one incident in a long line of offences he has done (unpunished offences, at that.) That calls for pulling out the big guns.

EP: I could not disagree more. I have never seen Carter be fair or level-headed. I have, however, see Lord Bane be that on a number of times. And speaking of friendshiop, while Carter may be your friend, I consider Lord Bane one of mine. Therefore, I am only doing what you apparently approve of -- standing up for my friend.

 

well, we in the commons, won't know how many in management participated in the polls or how many questions they responded to.

 

It's good that you have such strong convictions, EP. I like to consider Bane as much a friend to me as Carter is to you, which is why I'm backing him on this. Obviously we have a difference of opinions here, which isn't going to be resolved, so there's no point fighting about it, but it is good to see that some people aren't just jumping on the bandwagon.

 

yes, Ariana, but I managed to do it without the insults...

which is why I'm backing him on this.

that is exactly the wrong attitude to have here.. this is not some prizefight in Vegas. This is a situation involving the ModSquad, and until all the facts are known, I don't see the need to be choosing sides, or laying bets...

 

I'm not slinging mud, I just see no purpose for him to moderate and make demotions unilaterally. I don't see why he even has his powers to begin with if it's just a courtesy I doubt you'd extend that same courtesy to a celebrity. You merely give them VIP status. He's gotten away with too much, from what I've seen so far.

 

While we are aware of some or even alot of the specifics, we don't know everything, and since this situation involves a TFN staffer, the findings and recommendations should be taken to the Head Cheez, Josh, for final determination.

 

I see what I say differently than you. While my wording may be harsh, I am not saying anything that I have not personally observed. While they may seem to be insults, I am stating what I view as facts.

Carter does not seem to be as level-headed as I think a mod should be.

I do not understand why a Staff Admin should have mod powers.

He has, in my opinion, abused his power a number of times and gone unpunished for it. I would like that to stop.

I am sorry if I offended you. I was only trying to make my point on why Carter should not have the power he does, and I know that when I get whipped into a frenzy, my words can be very harsh.


EDIT: I'm not "taking sides." I'm expressing my opinions about one mod and being a friend to the other.

 

I've been told "I really don't like you" by a mod before, but I didn't take it to heart.

I've been called worse, and by the "great" Chyren no less. Didn't faze me a bit. It's a real shame tho', seeing here act much younger than they truly are, and over such petty things as well.


Bane, stick to your guns. If you feel that you do have a legitimate issue with Carter, keep your behavior about reproach and take it up personally with Josh if need be. If, on the other hand, you did do that which you are accused of, then look upon this as a learning opportunity and move on with your life. An internet messageboard isn't worth getting all bent out of shape over.

 

Ariana, EP, et. al. You've all said your peace. Let's not derail. Nobody defame another's character. No personal attacks. Please.

 

no, Ariana, I am not taking "sides" as you put it. I merely felt the need to speak up for a friend I saw being needlessly attacked by people who, IMHO, were jumping on the drama bandwagon, and saw an opportunity to bash an admin. If you read my post, I stated that I did not have all the facts, and as such was not prepared to decide whether Carter acted in the right or the wrong. But even if he did, I would deplore the action, but not abandon my friend.

any further discussion of this serves no purpose here. If you have anything more to say, I suggest you take it to PM...

 

Who says they were BOTH being immature?

Bane said "Carter used CAPITALS, he pushed me to flame him."

1. Bane can't just tell Carter to shut up, if Bane doesn't agree telling him to "shut up" is not the answer. You can argue a point without getting mad and angry at your "opponent".

2. Carter let his emotions get the better of him, from what I can tell. The two of them don't get along, from my POV. Banning someone because they tell them to shut up is not a way. That's an abuse of power. Hence immature.

I'm not saying that once their punishments are over, they will be the best of friends. But they will think twice, about it.

 

I think that there needs to be some discussion about procedure for punishing mods who overstep with other mods (be they staff or not), and always attention to procedure with users.

I'm not friends with Bane or Carter, but have had perfectly cordial dealings with both of them, and no real conflicts with either. I guess that makes me relatively neutral. I think that Bane lost his temper inappropriately and didn't go through channels for complaints, and if a user did it on my watch, I'd probably be issuing a warning for flaming. I've seen people get a few days ban for about the same level, and it wouldn't be fair to just say that mods are allowed. That said, it was the kind of temper-losing that everyone has at some point online. It's not a pattern behavior, and I don't think that, if it got a ban, it should be a long one.

I'm more concerned about Carter going outside the (albeit loosely) established procedures than I am about Bane running out of patience and saying something ill-advised. I don't want to repeat that mistake by going outside them myself, but I do want to say that I share the concern.

 

I could not disagree more. I have never seen Carter be fair or level-headed. I have, however, see Lord Bane be that on a number of times. And speaking of friendshiop, while Carter may be your friend, I consider Lord Bane one of mine. Therefore, I am only doing what you apparently approve of -- standing up for my friend.

There's a difference in what you've been doing and what EP has been doing. EP is standing up for her friend. You on the other hand have been throwing out accusations that have no place in this thread against someone you apparently have a grudge against.

I consider myself friendly (if not friends) with both primaries in this topic, and would rather have all the facts before rushing to judgement. Do we have any of the history that started this obvious bad blood between the two? Again, no. So unless you've been in on this entire discussion I don't see how anyone can pass judgement.

 

nice to have you back, kyle.

*sits next to kyle with full bucket of buttered popcorn*

I think Chyren has called all of us names and cussed us out, for something as minor as saying, goodnite, to everyone.

I must congratulate everyone for extending the olive leaf to each other during this very heated and upset time. When all has been completed, and the findings and recommendations are presented to Josh for determination, let us all keep our cool. We may not always agree, but we hafta learn to get along, for the sake, sanity, and life of our beloved board.

 

I think if we knew what he said "Shut up" to and what context it was in, we could make a more accurate opinion about this. But since we don't, all we have to go on is emotion and "What I would have done"'s which really doesn't add anything but it does give an accurate picture for the mods and admins to know what the general consensus of the users (people who've posted here) opinions on the matter. An uninformed opinion, but an opinion nonetheless. I support LB, he's my friend. Is there no other reason to support him? I think he could've acted better, but honestly would any of you have acted differently in his position?

 

This thread should be locked, and the Guidelines for dealing with Administrative impropriety be given at least a snowball's chance in Hell of at least being attempted. The guidelines:

If you feel a Mod (and/or other member of the Administration?) wrongly locked a thread, banned a member, or behaved improperly
1. Go to the profile of the Mod

2. Compose your message to them containing the link to the thread, the post in which you beleive they behaved improperly or wrongly locked. Do not yell at them or say "You are wrong". Explain, as if you would to a two-year old, what you feel they did wrong, what you feel they could do to correct the situation, what you think they could do to make sure it doesn't happen again.

3. Send them the private message

4. Wait Three days

5. Go to Sent Private Messages

6. Find the pm you sent to them, and see when or if they read it by looking in the Date Read Column

7. Wait needed time for them to have had 3 days since they read it

8. If 8 days have past since you sent it, and they still have not read it, or they have not responded and it is after 3 days since they read it, continue

9. PM Vertical with the complete pm you sent to the Mod, as well as Date Sent & Read times. At this point, you should also send a pm to the Advisory Council. The current members are listed here. The Advisory Council is set up for this type of problem, and it is a good idea to contact them.

10. For Vertical, wait 2 days after his reading it for a response(follow steps 5 - 6) for a response, then move to another admin.

11. For any of the AC members, wait 2 days for a response, then move to another member

12. When a matter requires conversation among JC staff or the Advisory Council, it can take anywhere from 3-7 days for a matter to be resolved thoroughly, and longer if it's a mjor issue. Please remeber this, but do not feel you have to keep quiet. Sending out pm's requesting a status update every 4-5 days is acceptable.

13. If you receive no response from any of them, go to the Communications Forum.

14. Prepare a message containing your pm you sent to the mods/admins & Advisory Council members in question, as well as pms sent and received dates to all mods' and admins in question.

Freaking drama. We should NOT be seeing a Comms thread on this right now and this thread should be locked. 99.99% of the majority of posters here, including me do not have the full story on this matter.

I recommend to Sapient this thread gets locked. People wait until Vertical is around to make a decision, and the matter gets confined to the Advisory Council and Modsquad for now, for no other purpose than to dissiminate facts to interested parties.

This is not a popularity contest. This is not a drama show for people's entertainment. This is not a "whack on your most hated member of the administration" thread.

There is a process for this whole situation. Use it, for crying out loud. If nothing else, we can learn if it works, and if not, what doesn't work about it.

 

Genghis...stop creating drama. We're all being very nice about all this now, and it's actually being constructive. Perhaps those guidelines are not the best method 100% of the time.

 

- Did Carter-TFN do something warranting a demotion for himself?

Yes. This is not the first time that he has done something of this nature, not to mention other situations. In the thread about the JCC Banner, he was downright rude to a few members. I thought the JC Mods, and especially Staff Admins, were supposed to be held to a higher standard?

- Were Bane's actions publicly and privately deserving of a demotion?

I didn't see him do anything wrong in public. This issue was clearly not going to be solved through PMs with Carter, so there is nothing wrong with this thread. Privately, yeah, maybe a warning, and possibly something else after review from Vertical, but surely not an instant demod, and later ban, by a single person, who does not even have that authority. If it was Verticle, there would be less of a problem, he has final say. Carter doesn't. He didn't earn his modship any more than a sock earns its regular membership. He hasn't proven worthy of colors, as the other mods have, and quite a few times, he has proven himself unworthy.

Does anyone have the exact reason why he as an Administrator, and not a Manager, Moderator, VIP, or ::GASP:: Regular Member with a Title?

 

From what I can tell it's JC-TFN relations, but I'm not even sure about that.

 

Genghis, please refrain from posting.

I realize you eblieve religiously in following the guidelines, but your hamfisted attempts at communication aren't helping.


This is clearly a almost unique circumstance and as such your precious guidelines are even less important then usual.

Frankly the administration hopes everyone waits two weeks after the action before they start contacting people so they can ignore the issue and pretend it happend a long time ago and isn't important now.