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It seems cartoonish, that I am not only complaining about something that is clearly wrong, but something that is also actively promoted by other mods and enjoyed. I want to know, how KnowYourMeme sunk so low as to have rules specifically saying it is okay for a mod to suspend an account for 3 hours at their leisure.

Here is the exact rule (these rules are for Riff-Raff): 7. You might get suspended. Mods are free to give small 3 hour or less suspensions, for flights of fancy. Usually if you are a bad poster or just unlucky, you might get a 3 hour or less time-out. Don’t worry, these won’t count up to a suspension total and will not result in bans.

Here are some of the justifications I've gained for why this is in play from actual mods: it's for fun. There, that's all the justification I have been given by multiple mods. I am not short-changing anyone reading this that is the only real reason they have. There are no rules regulating the mods by saying "please do not suspend an account for 3 hours unless the users have genuinely done something deserving of it." What I am getting from this is if a mod say, wanted to suspend an account for fun when a user posted something the mod disagreed with, what message does that send to the user? That the user shouldn't voice their opinions? That it isn't okay for you to think differently? That happens, to be the exact thoughts that ran through my head when my account was suspended after I complained about a riff-raff thread harassing a single user and the justification used on me was basically 'because I can.' This is a very blatant abuse of power and should be regulated. I urge the community to think hard on this as KnowYourMeme is currently endorsing mods to blatantly misuse their power, which sends the message the position of mod does not exist to keep users in line, but exists because people in power want to screw other people over. This rule is not integral, riff-raff would still be exactly the same, and nothing would be lost except the ability for mods to power-trip and suspend people they don't like or disagree with on a whim.

Honestly no offense meant here, rather just a simple question: Why would you go on Riff-Raff in the first place if such a petty thing upsets you? Even if you have concerns about the way yourself or others are being treated there, it's not really the place to voice them.

I think this may be more of an issue with RR than with the rules of RR. But I'm not going to suggest you dismiss it as easily as "If you don't like it, then don't post there," because this is a matter that would still be the case even if you didn't post there.
 
Yes, mods are the only users that can suspend. So they have something (even if done for fun) over non-mod users. That is, a mod can suspend for fun, but the users aren't entitled to the same fun. So basically, the mods get to have some fun that the users cannot.

With that said, the maximum suspension is 3 hours. Go long enough without eating vegetables, and you could spend that time taking a dump. (I would not recommend this.) And to be honest, most moderators did to a lot of work in order to be considered decent for moderatorship or at least have a decent enough head on their shoulders. They don't get paid, and most of the stuff they do behind the scenes is just work and deliberation which isn't fun. You can think of it as a nonsensical reward for what they do on the site.

Yes, mods are the only users that can suspend.

Not all moderators are able to suspend people (or ban).

Not all moderators are able to suspend people (or ban).

My point still stands don't sass me fossil dragon I know fucking steel fairies.

So I guess a few things

Again, the only section of the forum that has the joke suspensions is RR. Elsewhere else on the site, suspensions are taken seriously, and must have a legimate reason. Moderators who abuse this are reprimanded. Personally, I do not agree with the RR joke suspensions, and do agree that nothing of value would be lost if we got rid of them. Blubber will tell you I was a little worried about RR even before it became a thing. Still the reason I was okay with it was because what happens on RR stays on RR. Unfortunately, recently this has not been the case.

Also, while mods can suspend users willy nilly in RR, they can also suspend other mods. I have no idea how many times RandomMan or Blubber has been suspended, I've lost since stopped keeping track of that.

Again, joke suspensions are only applicable in RR. If you want to voice a real option you can do it anywhere that isn't RR and you will be fine. If you think the moderators are bad because the suspended users or moved your image, you can freely express this outside of Riff Raff in something that is on topic for it and not have to worry about repercussions, provided you act sensibly.

That the user shouldn’t voice their opinions? That it isn’t okay for you to think differently?

When it comes to Riff-Raff, serious opinions stated with serious intent are the antithesis of what the board represents.

If you want to present an opinion on a general issue, Serious Debate is where you want to be. If you want to give an opinion on a site-related issue (including any complaints about Riff-Raff threads), go to the Maintenance forum.

The fact that the incident spilled over onto your wall is regrettable and the users involved have been reprimanded. What is unfair, however, is claiming that joke suspensions in a joke board are somehow being abused to create conformity of thought. There are several outlets for airing your grievances (even if you don't want to contact a mod or admin); Riff-Raff was not and will never be one of them.

I practically never joke suspend outside of retaliating against other mods for suspending me, and it wouldn't make much difference to me whether Riff-Raff had rule 7 or not. However, I feel as if your objections are misplaced. Once again, Riff-Raff is not the entire forum.

EDIT: whoever is downvoting Epyc, please give it a break. We don't need to inflame this situation any further.

{ Again, the only section of the forum that has the joke suspensions is RR. }

{ What is unfair, however, is claiming that joke suspensions in a joke board are somehow being abused to create conformity of thought. }

oh ya for sure let me just direct everyone back to this thread in the general discussion forum.

There's that special Lisa Exception in action again on KYM~ not only was I given a "joke suspension" outside of RR, but I was then given an actual suspension (which was removed by the admins) for pointing out blatant mod hypocrisy.

ya'll keep up those excuses tho

I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that this joke suspension was due to a RR post. However I'll admit that my memory over this isn't the best. Either way Don and Bob did have a discussion in IRC about this, so don't think he is just laughing about the issue.

Second, the real suspension was not for pointing out hipocracy. This was a legimate suspension because of your recent behavioral issues such as derailing threads and overall poor behavior. These kind of suspensions are ment to inform users what issues are and to try to improve upon the so they do not happen again. It is up to the individual user to act upon it or not.

If you feel that mods have made a wrong decision we are fine talking about it in its own thread or via PMs. Bringing this up in multiple threads where this is not the topic is inheritly off-topic posting.

He says exactly which discussion forum post he's giving it for on the bottom of the first page.

It was not a legitimate suspension hence it was removed by the admins, who said I should have got a warning. Which was then graciously given to me by the mod who made the initial threat six hours after everyone was told to chill out and diffuse the situation.

Yeah, every time it or something similar happens they get a "talking to". Bob got a talkng to in IRC, the people who attacked Wyn's wall were verbally reprimanded, gee, I wonder why the behavior keeps happening.

This thread is about the mods abusing their suspension powers, I provided an example where such a thing was done when the mods tried to tell OP that they're complaining about nothing. Do not try to tell me I am derailing this thread.

This thread is about the mods abusing their suspension powers

Not, this thread is about joke suspensions on Riff Raff and why the OP thinks it's morally wrong to suspend people on riff raff for fun.

Your case happened on General and the circumstances were completely different than that of Riff Raff's. Now please, please, I kindly ask you to stop derailing this thread into your personal problems.

Lisa, I never said this wasn’t the place to discuss these issues. This thread is exactly where these discussions should take place

Refer to my previous point please. Possible "mod abuse" on other areas of the site is not the topic of this thread and should not be discussed here.

Lisa, I never said this wasn't the place to discuss these issues. This thread is exactly where these discussions should take place. But you have brought this up in other threads where this was not the focus of the topic and that was what I was addressing. I'm sorry my post came across as saying that your post in this thread was off topic.

As for your post otherwise, I did state that mods who abused this power were reprimanded, and Bob was. The issue at hand was the OP was upset about the fact mods can suspend for fun in RR, which was what everyone was saying was not a big deal. Joke suspensions outside of there are serious and should not occur. These are much more troubling when they happen and should be reported.

Lisa, I never said this wasn’t the place to discuss these issues. This thread is exactly where these discussions should take place.

Not a mod. Don't claim to be. Just hear me out though.
 
Actually, I do think Lisa's posts are off-topic. As Jacob (almost) said, this forum/board is suitable for that, but Matt's complaint is specific to Riff-Raff. I posit that suspensions in Riff-Raff and issues with those suspensions are a different matter than what Lisa's suspension. So you shouldn't be sorry for that implication, Jacob.

Not just to spite Lisa though: Her ability to argue and persistence in such matters is almost certainly going to remove the focus from OP's point of Riff-Raff and make it a broader issue *(i.e., moderatorship in general) which won't address OP's concerns (the case has already been made, but I don't think that should open the floor to related but separate complaints on the same thread.)

She should certainly make a thread where she can point out the hypocrisy. I do believe Bob was in the wrong, and I know some mods act like asses. But if she doesn't think that his reprimand was enough, then she can argue for why she thinks more should be done or why the culture of moderatorship/bias against her should be changed. But for OP's sake, I personally would like to see it in a separate thread.

Lisa, I would suggest that for your own sake as well. You, on your own notoriety, will get plenty of attention should you make a thread complaining about moderatorship on the site and its hypocrisy or what have you. You, yourself, have said that you're a star on this site and that anything you do will get plenty of attention.

As such, let OP have his complaints fully fleshed out in this thread. They're related, as they're both about mods. But it's not the same complaint:

• One is more about Riff-Raff and why mods can suspend for whatever reason. The first isn't an abuse of power; you can't abuse suspensions on a board where you can suspend for whatever. That's within the rules for Riff-Raff. The complaint is with Riff-Raff itself as it is organized.
• One is more about questionable moderatorship on the site. The second is an (alleged) abuse of power. The complain is with moderatorship.

I would like to see Matt get his explanation in full without as well as your own complaint getting its own (and separate) due and attention. When he's done, he'll say so (or will just stop posting, which he hasn't done in a while,) and the thread can die while Lisa's can continue.

I would like to point out I have had issues with that same forum moderator and how he talks to me. Not going to direct hate at a specific user but just thought it should be pointed out. If I must give exact details I have been cussed at by the mod, demanded to get back in irc chat so they can continue insulting my thoughts on this, and then messaged after telling the forum mod to please stop messaging me. That is just a side note in relation to this thread though. I just think suspensions only cause problems for other users and are nothing more than power-abuse by mods that circle-jerk about how great that rule is, even if it only benefits the mods.

First off, you're lying.

I said you were an asshole if you believed your preferences should override the fun other users have with Riff Raff. It's a conditional insult, therefore, you're only insulted because you choose to identify under the conditions that would mark the insult. Therefore, your choice.

I didn't demand you to get back in the IRC. You're always free to disagree, doesn't mean I'll like it.

And my message to you after you asked me to stop messaging you was literally, without exaggeration, just a reply that said "Message."

If that bothered you in any way, you're clearly not made for this site. Here's a site more suited to your needs

Stop lying about your predicament and stop acting like a child.

But you told me to get back in the chat and called me a coward when I said no.

No, I said that you understand why people love Riff Raff but you still refuse to acknowledge or accept it.

I said that that was running with your tail between your legs. That was cowardice.

That is an interesting definition of cowardice.

Interesting, but no less viable. You'll find I'm an interesting person.

Now, we're derailing the thread.

I feel like a "joke" RR suspension should only apply to RR. As in, if you get suspended on RR, you can't post on RR for a bit, but you're still free to post on the other forums. That way the joke suspension is exclusive to RR, and doesn't affect the user's actions elsewhere. Just my two cents, take it as you will.

It's a good idea. Unfortunately, there's nothing in place to make this feasible, and I highly doubt James would put in the extra work just for something so insignificant.

Also, I'd like to point out that the joke suspensions are three hours max. Three hours of no memes… irony aside, that's not a big deal.

Riff-Raff suspensions only really happen nowadays in 3 situations:

1) First time posting on the board introduction suspension, which also tests if you're fit for Riff-Raff.
2) Creating a really REALLY bad thread under the excuse that it's Riff-Raff.
3) The topic of the thread centers around getting suspended.

Of course their are exceptions to it, but even in cases of taking Riff-Raff too serious we don't even always suspend. The only person that might go overkill with it is TripleZ.

So to say a person is at constant risk of getting suspended is unnecessary. Unless you're a newcomer you just have to avoid making bad threads or not post in suspension-style threads.

Of course should we start to disallow Riff-Raff suspensions, I won't consider it a loss. I hardly ever Riff-Raff suspend nowadays and when I do it, it's a mod or IRC goer (people I know can take the joke) most of the time.

So it's not like everyone is getting suspended all the time. The possibility is there, but if you just post like everyone else I doubt it'll happen.

I personally never suspend people for any reason other than actual violations. I still maintain the philosophy of only using mod powers when needed and that's how I think it should be. But I can't tell other mods how to do their job.

Some people feel that suspending really isn't that big of a deal anyway and perhaps it shouldn't be seen as one. So you can't post on a memesite for 2 hours? Honestly that's a very, very small inconvenience. You can just go take a lunch break and be unbanned later. I wouldn't worry about it so much

& now we've got a mod telling a user that they're not right for KYM and should fuck on off to tumblr, after they admittedly antagonized them with an additional message after being asked to stop.

lmao this is a joke.

I have never said I was a star of this site, first of all, I've acknowledged that ya'lls obsession with me has made me notorious here.

{ You, on your own notoriety, will get plenty of attention should you make a thread complaining about moderatorship on the site and its hypocrisy or what have you. }

Or, just like in this thread, maybe the mods will come in and tell me I'm just not right for KYM and should go to tumblr instead. That's what mods are for, right, driving people away from the site?

Plenty of people have brought up the issue of mod abuse, why would it be any different if I start the topic? It's on the admins, and I've already said to them everything I felt compelled to say through PM.

Goddammit Lisa stop derailing the thread

Lisa, you're derailing this thread again. This time going even further from the initial topic by putting the focus of your post on yourself, your relationship with the mods, and possible mod abuse.

You've been suggested and requested within this thread, well explained and in a friendly manner, to create a seperate thread if you wish to continue with your topic. Please do this if you indeed wish to continue. For further information, please check out the "Keep It Relevant" rule under the site's basic rules.

Likewise I will request other posters to not reply to the points brought forward in this post within this thread. You are free to discuss it either through PM discussions withher or by creating a seperate thread.

Thanks in advance.

If that was true the rules would say that. The fact it is not said anywhere in the rules proves this is just a social game. Not everyone posts the same, and being suspended for posting differently is a bad way of using mod power. This isn't a game and this rule should be removed. It is not integral to riff raff and causes issues for the people suspended, especially ones without the 'fun' power to suspend back. If mods are really fine with suspending other accounts, I'd like to see what would happen if every user had the ability to suspend an account for 3 hours on riff raff. What do you think would happen then?

You are correct.

That's why that set of rules is unique to Riff-Raff and thus only applies to Riff-Raff. Yes, what should get a 1-3 hour suspension is often based on opinion, but that's why it's only for that short lengths. Like was said before, 1-3 hours not browsing memes is a very minor inconvenience.

Again, should we disallow them I would have no issues and won't consider it a loss. And if a majority of the active Riff-Raff posters indeed do consider them more of a bother than funny, then I'm certain we will consider removing the rule. Perhaps make a poll for that within Riff-Raff, I dunno.

But let's say we remove the rule, would you suddenly post a lot more in the board? This is a rule that only affects that board, thus I believe the decision should lie with the posters on that board.

My advice to you is to get over it. If how that board functions pisses you off so much then that's all the advice i can give you, cause its not going anywhere anytime soon, so i suggest you move on with your life.

"The Mods Consistently Suspend Accounts For Fun, Why Is This Allowed And Promoted?"

Because 90% of our userbase apparently wants to keep them (or have them shortened).

Sorry brah, but I chose to go with democracy, and it seems you're a gross minority.

Swinging the Banhammer is fun though