Screenshot shows three comments being removed from !196@lemmy.blahaj.zone (this community) by one of 196’s mods with the reason for removal being “.” (literally just a period).

I looked into this and discovered that the comments were just some fairly polite, if snarky, comments in response to the mod themselves. I could not identify a reason for comment removal per the site or community rules, so if there was one, “.” doesn’t cut it.

This is a callout post y’all. Do better. Start putting actual moderation reasons into the modlog for the benefit of you and other mods, otherwise what is the point of a transparent and federated platform?

As of now, it looks like the mod involved is just using their mod powers in a self-serving fashion. I am not making that accusation now, but that’s how it looks.

Please and thank you. Mods here do an excellent job keeping 196 on Lemmy a bearable place to be, and I know you are already struggling to staff the positions, but please also hold one another accountable when it comes to misuse of power. Thanks :)

  •  Queue   ( @queue@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English
    209•4 months ago

    Alright, I’ll try to do better. I will say that while this doesn’t defend my actions, I’ve been under a high amount of stress in the last 2 weeks. If people want, I will resign as mod without question.

    EDIT: Restored the posts with “Restored due to community feedback/me being a dick.”

    EDIT 2: I am going to do some shopping and chores, if the community wants me gone, I will remove myself when I am back, or have the mod team boot me.

    •  nickwitha_k (he/him)   ( @nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org ) 
      35•4 months ago

      I think that your willingness to self-examine, admit fault, and attempt to make amends speaks well of your character and suitability as a mod (if you desire to continue and it is healthy for you to do so). You come across as genuine and willing to try to listen and self-correct.

      We all have bad days/weeks/months/years. It’s unfortunately just part of being human. And we all do things that we may not think are necessarily right when reflecting on them, often because of emotional state, etc. That’s ok. Yeah, it may cause some hurt or upset, and damage that we do may not always be repairable but, that’s just life as a social being. As long as you try to do better, there’s nothing more anyone can legitimately ask of you. Personal growth and emotional health isn’t linear - don’t beat yourself up if you hit a rut. You’re human; screwing up is one of our species’ greatest talents.

      Please take care of yourself and see what you can do to address stressors in your life, where possible. Your well-being is more important and any moderation queue. If taking some time away is needed but you wish to continue, please coordinate with the other mods to get it.

    •  Catoblepas   ( @Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) 
      26•4 months ago

      I wasn’t involved in the post in question, but FWIW I appreciate you taking feedback into account and putting the posts back up. Everyone’s human and is going to make sub-optimal calls sometimes, being open to fixing it is basically the best that can be asked for.

      I don’t want you to resign over this or anything like that, but please do take care of yourself even if that means taking some time away. If internet modding is adding to your stress in an already stressed time, you gotta put on your own oxygen mask first before you assist others, you know?

      •  Queue   ( @queue@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) English
        18•4 months ago

        Fair enough, but I sometimes feel like “if no one will clean up the mess, who will?” in most things in life. Small and big, trivial and actual problems. From “if I don’t do the dishes, who will?” to “If there’s a flood of Mod requests, and everyone else is busy, I should deal with it.”

        Being an online moderator is simultaneous the most trival and easy task and “I can’t believe people say these things, why do I have to clean up the messes users leave with zero thinking behind them?”

        I recently left a role as a voted in admin of something since I grew tired of moderating my friends and the straw that broke the camels back was during the self-immolation protest a few months back

        spoiler

        Two people heavily implied if not directly said that if anyone in the server didn’t want to do it themselves, they are a false ally and why socialism never took root in America.

        Really was dumbfounded by such a take that I screenshot the chat logs for clarity, removed the chat, banned them, and resigned as admin and told my friends “If you wanna hang with me still, I’ll be here in this place, otherwise I’m done being here.”

        Sometimes people just say the dumbest things online, I’m one of those people sometimes.

        •  Catoblepas   ( @Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) 
          7•4 months ago

          Having modded internet forums in the past I totally get it, especially anything queer related is going to attract just the absolute trash of the internet. It’s legitimately distressing for many people to see that shit all day even if you’re getting paid for it, but on a volunteer basis? It’s basically a miracle anywhere is modded at all, much less in a timely manner.

          It sounds like there were some jackasses on that server. There’s probably someone smarter than me that’s explored the concept of forum moderation as emotional labor which is expected to be performed and devalued; but in lieu of that I’ll just say don’t discount the effort you put in. If it was so easy everyone could do it then there would never be a lack of mods or disagreement about modding (which, LMAO).

        •  jellyfish   ( @jellyfish@beehaw.org ) 
          6•4 months ago

          Geez no wonder you’re in a bit of a funk. It’s terrible having to moderate friends in general, and that’s a messy situation that will only lead to misunderstanding when done over text. Hope you take some time for you and check in with yourself.

    •  skulblaka   ( @skulblaka@startrek.website ) 
      19•4 months ago

      This statement by itself restores a ton of my faith in you. I have no weight to throw around here and ultimately my opinion is more or less meaningless, but in my meaningless opinion, if an actual effort is made to improve on this then I’m happy to have you stay. A simple apology, explanation and promise is more than I’ve gotten out of 99% of all other moderators I’ve ever interacted with.