Policy Discussion: moderators editing players' posts

[Mr. Flay]

I occasionally fix broken quotes/formatting tags (especially when it affects votes) and blank double-posts, IF I can catch it fairly quickly. But I never really stated in my rules that I would do so, so I wanted to check in outside my games and see how other people felt.

Since polls on this site only allow a single choice, I'll do this as a list instead.

Should moderators:

1. Remove/blank double-posts
   
2. Spellcheck (except Macros)
   
3. Complete/fix broken formatting tags
   
4. Remove personal attacks (on request?)
   
5. Fix unintentional smilies (8) for example)
   
6. Remove accidental outing of roles (for any game) or personal information (home phone, last name, SSN, etc)
   
7. Add missing formatting
   
8. Anything they're asked to do in thread/via PM

Keep in mind that (AFAIK) a moderator editing another post in their own thread does

not

get the

"

This post edited one time.

"

text at the bottom.

I usually do remove roles/personal info IF I can catch it within a few minutes, otherwise there's no telling how long players have been able to see it... I'll also do smilies, but only if the player doesn't understand what's happened.

[Mr Stoofer]

1. I always remove/blank double-posts
2. I don't spellcheck.
3. I usually complete/fix broken formatting tags, if I can work out what was intended.
4. I always remove personal attacks and warn or modkill the offender.
5. I always fix unintentional smilies (Cool for example)
6. I won't remove accidental outing of roles/personal information; I'll just modkill the offender. There's no telling how long players have been able to see it.
7. I don't change the format of players' posts. If a vote isn't bolded, I just won't count it.
8. I'll make corrections if asked in thread/via PM, if its is correcting an obvious mistake. If in doubt, I won't correct it.

[Cogito Ergo Sum]

Keep in mind that (AFAIK) a moderator editing another post in their own thread does not get the "This post edited one time." text at the bottom.

You can add that though. If you've reserved a colour beforehand, you can just put "

Fixed formatting.

" at the bottom for example.

As a Mod, I just edit as I see fit, but I always make clear that I am editting. That way, it's never a problem.

[Mr. Flay]

Yeah, I frequently do make an

::edit::

comment , I was just making sure people knew the difference.

[Simenon]

Remove/blank double-posts

Yes

Spellcheck (except Macros)

Never

Complete/fix broken formatting tags

Yes if you have the time or the player requests it.

Remove personal attacks (on request?)

Only with a very specific request.

Fix unintentional smilies ( for example)

Only upon request.

Remove accidental outing of roles (for any game) or personal information (home phone, last name, SSN, etc)

lolno. I agree with stoof.

Add missing formatting

Never

Anything they're asked to do in thread/via PM

Never, although I'm not entirely sure what this question is asking.

[Kelly Chen]

I don't have a lot different to say.

[*]Remove/blank double-posts: pretty likely
[*]Spellcheck (except Macros): no lol
[*]Complete/fix broken formatting tags: on request, or if it is very clear how to fix it; I can get confused in a long post that is totally messed up and don't want to risk error
[*]Remove personal attacks (on request?): Yes, that and unnecessary profanity, after having voiced concern about it
[*]Fix unintentional smilies (8) for example): Sure, I might. I hate that 8 issue.
[*]Remove accidental outing of roles (for any game) or personal information (home phone, last name, SSN, etc): The latter, sure. For roles, only if I were confident I'd caught it the very moment it happened, and if I didn't catch it it would ruin the game. Then I'd ask people to PM me if they saw it.
[*]Add missing formatting: I wouldn't do anything that requires any guesswork on my part. If it's a screwed up bolding of a vote, I probably won't fix it but I will count it.
[*]Anything they're asked to do in thread/via PM: I guess this might apply to games where it isn't allowed to address the mod in-thread.

[Albert B. Rampage]

Only 1. and 6.

[Guardian]

I'd say none. The player did what they did, let it be on record.

[IH]

My favorite answer is "I feel like it"

Also I never mess with the actualy words and such, because they could be breadcrumbing something weird.

[Albert B. Rampage]

"When I double-post, I want you to CLAIM!"

[Nocmen]

1. Yes
2. No.
3. Sometimes (aka if I see them)
4. Depends if there is any relevance to the game. If its just someone saying like "your mom sucks", then yes.
5. No. Thats just too much work >_>
6. Thats probably a modkill. But if they give personal info...that would probably be taken out.
7. Nope, no format means they didnt try. At least with #3 I see the broken tags to fix, Im not psychic.
8. Depends on game relevance.

[Zindaras]

1: Yes. They just clog the thread.
2: No.
3: Yes.
4: No. Personal attacks are relevant to the game. I think it would be bad to edit them out.
5: No. Same as spellchecking, it's all in the details, it doesn't clog up space or bother people that much.
6: Personal information is gone as soon as I see it. Accidental outing of role only if I am really quick, same as Kelly.
7: Yes.
8: Depends on what it is. I'd most assuredly add a notice about it at the end of the post, though.

[mith]

My answers to these would be different depending on the game.

But, in general:

1. I might blank double posts if I caught them quickly enough.
2. Never spellcheck. I hope no one else does.
3. I only fix broken tags in newbie games (for instructional purposes), and in VM2 (as players were warned to preview beforehand).
4. I never remove personal attacks, unless they are serious enough to warrant a modkilling or ban.
5. I only fix unintentional smilies in newbie games.
6. I wouldn't remove outing of roles, unless it *wasn't* accidental (i.e. scum trying to ruin the game by outing his partners; again, something that would warrnat a modkill or ban). I would remove personal information if asked, if the information is about another player, or if the information is about a minor.
7. I never add missing formatting.
8. If someone asked me to do something, I would do exactly the same as above (I wouldn't for example, correct a typo that a player wants to fix). If it's not covered above, then it depends on what it is.

I've started using the new tags for mod edits.

[Zindaras]

Addition to my earlier post: I only fix broken quote tags and other things that can be really annoying.

[Thok]

I generally take the minimalist approach to editting. I'll remove double posts if people ask me to, and I once turned a ridiculously large animation into a link.

[Mr. Flay]

My formal answerset is pleasantly close to mith's.

1. I almost always blank double-posts; I'll remove them if they're the last thing in the thread, but I'm afraid of the "No new posts" bug.
   
2. I never spellcheck (I reserve that behavior for the wiki).
   
3. I fix broken formatting tags if the resulting error is egregious (i.e. bolding/italicizing seven paragraphs, breaking quote nesting) and/or could mess up my vote counting.
   
4. I don't believe I've ever removed personal attacks, because they're part of the game record at that point.
   
5. I do fix some unintentional smilies, particularly 8).
   
6. I've only removed accidental outing of roles when it was for another game and the player PMed me frantically IMMEDIATELY. Otherwise, tough luck... luckily, I don't think I've ever seen personally identifying info in game, but I'd edit that out if it was accidental.
   
7. I never add missing formatting.

[EmpTyger]

In general, only if aesthetic only. If the edit would have an effect on gameplay, then it should not be modified. Also, the mod should indicate that they have edited a post both by indicating so in the edited post and by courtesy PM to the edited player. Though I suppose the exception would be a deleted doublepost, which ipso facto would have no post in which to indicate the modedit, though a courtesy e-mail would still be appropriate.

Specifically:

1) Remove/blank double-posts

Yes

2) Spellcheck

No

3) Complete/fix broken formatting tags

Yes. (Unless, as I stated it effects the game; ie, if a vote is unbolded, it should be left unbolded.)

4) Remove personal attacks

No. If it's that bad, remove the player, not the post.

5) Fix unintentional smilies

Yes

6a) Remove accidental outing of roles (for any game)

Only if the role outed is from a different game in progress. (ie, a player in game A outed a role in game B; A =/= B) This isn't your call; it's the call of the mod of game B, and you should take measures to minimize the level of damage control they might need to do. A swift modedit by you might save their game; a delay might kill it. Even if it seems too much time has passed, it is not your place to remove their option.

6b) Remove accidental outing of personal information (home phone, last name, SSN, etc)

Yes

7) Add missing formatting

Not sure I understand how is this different from (3)...

8) Anything they're asked to do in thread/via PM

I'm not sure what is being asked here, but anything is a dangerous word. So, no.

[Thestatusquo]

The only editting I ever do is

a) If a player asks me to fix formatting for them

b) Placing vote counts at the top of the page.

[Glork]

1 - Yes
3 - Yes

All others, probably not, except in extenuating circumstances.

[Vel-Rahn Koon]

Should moderators:

1. Remove/blank double-posts
   
   Yes, if it is caught early enough.
   
   
2. Spellcheck (except Macros)
   
   Never
   
   
3. Complete/fix broken formatting tags
   
   If requested, and if I can figure it out.
   
   
4. Remove personal attacks (on request?)
   
   They're against the spirit of the game, so I might consider it, although it hasn't come up yet.
   
   
5. Fix unintentional smilies (8) for example)
   
   Yes
   
   
6. Remove accidental outing of roles (for any game) or personal information (home phone, last name, SSN, etc)
   
   Definitely personal information
   
   
7. Add missing formatting
   
   no that's why they make a Preview button
   
   
8. Anything they're asked to do in thread/via PM. Keep in mind that (AFAIK) a moderator editing another post in their own thread does
   not
   get the
   "

   This post edited one time.

   "
   text at the bottom.
   
   It depends on what it is, although I won't change anything that could affect the game, and I would want the request to be in-game so that it's part of the record.

I've got one to add: A "Bah" post that's too long. Edit that in a heartbeat!

[MeMe]

Double/blank posts only -- and then with a mod note in one of the deleted posts, something like "four duplicate posts removed by the mod."

I consider mod edits to post content kind of bastardy -- even broken tags can sometimes be used as the basis for accusations by readers (and if you think that's wrong, vote the player accusing based on it, etc.) or as a deliberate "oops" by a player to look less on top of it than they really are. If

anyone

could've seen something that was in the thread,

everyone

should be able to.

I've also seen moderators fully abuse the power to edit strictly for laughs...and that REALLY pisses me off. Everything in a player post should be generated by the name to the

left

of the post except in extreme circumstances of misconduct -- and then it should be clear which parts are due to edit and by whom.

[Zindaras]

This is a bit of a tangent, but I'd like to ask it anyway:

How do you think vote counts should be done? I personally prefer seeing the mod post them, so I can use the View All Posts By User function to make a voting analysis, but I see a lot of people editing them in.

[Maz Medias]

1. Remove/blank double-posts
   
2. Spellcheck (except Macros)
   
3. Complete/fix broken formatting tags
   
4. Remove personal attacks (on request?)
   
5. Fix unintentional smilies (8) for example)
   
6. Remove accidental outing of roles (for any game) or personal information (home phone, last name, SSN, etc)
   
7. Add missing formatting
   
8. Anything they're asked to do in thread/via PM

Yes, no, yes, no, yes, yes, :?:, by fiat.

[Mr. Flay]

This is a bit of a tangent, but I'd like to ask it anyway:

How do you think vote counts should be done? I personally prefer seeing the mod post them, so I can use the View All Posts By User function to make a voting analysis, but I see a lot of people editing them in.

I've not seen a lot of it happening, but I suspect that's because I'm religious about getting a new post up near the top of each new page. Usually players start posting vote counts (hopefully marked "unofficial") when the mod starts to drift off or be absent, or posting goes nuts for a brief time (see the deadline period of Methodical Mafia's Day 1, when we cranked out like 5 pages in 12 hours).

While I agree with MeMe on mod edits for laughs/commentary, I don't see what possible benefit could be derived from analyzing broken tags; I usually only fix quotes because they're so confusing, but I still don't see it, except for broken bold tags on votes, which I never fix.

[gorckat]

This is a bit of a tangent, but I'd like to ask it anyway:

How do you think vote counts should be done? I personally prefer seeing the mod post them, so I can use the View All Posts By User function to make a voting analysis, but I see a lot of people editing them in.

Agreed. I know some mods edit them into the first post of each page, but I think they deserve their own mod post.

They could be editted into the first post, along with the living/dead lists so long as they get their own post as well (so votes can be traced over time easier).