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Why is Mad_Scientist a moderator?

My complaint stems from the near nothingness response to the situation in that you're saying mods are virtually no different from normal users. I beg to disagree especially given Mad_Scientist own position they want the forum to be a better place for all users. Taking forum issues off site doesn't solve that problem, it only promotes it because you get into a case of fighting fire with fire. Having a moderator or any member of your staff participating in sophermic actions instead of civil discourse will only cause more problems in the long term.

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My complaint stems from the near nothingness response to the situation in that you're saying mods are virtually no different from normal users. I beg to disagree especially given Mad_Scientist own position they want the forum to be a better place for all users. Taking forum issues off site doesn't solve that problem, it only promotes it because you get into a case of fighting fire with fire. Having a moderator or any member of your staff participating in sophermic actions instead of civil discourse will only cause more problems in the long term.

Hit the nail right on the head. ANN is a business, volunteer or not their actions on Social Media reflect poorly on your Brand. Mods are not end users, they CENSOR, edit, and delete viewpoints they don't like. Your standard members cannot do that so that argument is invalid.

I lurk more then post, the things I am seeing lately on ANN forums are getting out of hand, shrugging that off speaks volumes.

I made a lengthy post about this a long while ago here in the Feedback forum - provided significant documented evidence of a mod behaving badly, and it was met with shrugs and excuses. I think ANN has made it clear that the general rule is "might makes right." Thus, behavior that might seem a bit unethical for a staffer is going to be allowed. I don't recall the last time that any questionable behavior by an ANN staff was met with some kind of public response of accountability. Many years ago.

Even if I agree with some of the positions ANN has taken on certain current issues (and I am fairly sure that I do), there aren't many businesses that would allow staff to create off site social media presences to mock the customers, even the bad ones. There is no world in which that is a good business practice, particularly when the staff has powers to directly police those same customers.

But this is a private business. They can do whatever they want. I just don't think it will benefit ANN over time.