Question: how to deal with trolls? Can't anybody do something about them?

[baro-san]

Somebody starts a thread in good faith. There are a number of forumites interested that participate in a civilized discussion, but sooner or later the thread is discovered by one or more obnoxious trolls. The "report" button seems to make no difference, as trolling seems to be covered by "free speech" in some moderators' view. It's aggravating, disruptive, and makes reasonable people leave the discussion, and maybe the site.

Fresh example: panzerman

 

[Baron]

Easy solution: Click on his username and put him on your ignore list.

 

[baro-san]

Easy solution: Click on his username and put him on your ignore list.

Is it possible to give each thread author the power to moderate their own thread?

Using "ignore" just hides the ignoree's messages, and in a ridiculous way:

panzerman​

• • • You are ignoring content by this member. Show Ignored Content

 

[BSAM]

(Here we go again...)

 

[OddTrader]

Is it possible to give each thread author the power to moderate their own thread?

Even worst, recently in a thread of which I was the thread author, a well-known ET poster suggested to me I should keep quiet and leave the current conversation! (I think that poster, as usual, didn't notice/check I was the thread author at all.)

It seemed and sounded (s)he was not only the thread author (of a thread that (s)he wasn't the actual OP!!!) but also (s)he was a person telling/advising me just to do a thing that (s)he wanted me to do - Authoritative (perhaps show off to her/his followers).

That was so funny to me, and then I left the thread (and add an ignore name), with a bit of disbelief/dismay!

 

[dbphoenix]

Is it possible to give each thread author the power to moderate their own thread?

Using "ignore" just hides the ignoree's messages, and in a ridiculous way:

panzerman​

• • • You are ignoring content by this member. Show Ignored Content

I've suggested that, to no avail. But to answer your question, yes, something could be done. As to why it isn't done, I have no idea. "Ignore" is ultimately a silly option and more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Baron]

Hmmm. Ok, let me see. The thread starter has the power to silence anyone that participates in the thread that he doesn't like. If that's not called a conflict of interest, I don't know what is.

 

[dbphoenix]

Hmmm. Ok, let me see. The thread starter has the power to silence anyone that participates in the thread that he doesn't like. If that's not called a conflict of interest, I don't know what is.

Not necessarily. I've been moderator of the Wyckoff Forum at TL for seven years. Trolls' posts are moved to an off-topic thread so that anyone who wants to read them can do so, while everyone else can discuss pertinent subjects. Unfortunately, TL has become a beginner/FX vendor site that few people bother with any more, but when James still owned it, there were at least a half dozen forums each with their own moderators. These moderators had no privileges outside their own forums, and they stood to lose even the privileges they had if they were too heavy-handed.

Many price-action traders have left because there's just no upside in having to deal with Dave Goodboy and whoever B1 is. Those who remain post far less because of the continuing ridicule. One could say that the thin-skinned don't belong here, but is that really what's wanted?

 

[Magna]

The "report" button seems to make no difference, as trolling seems to be covered by "free speech" in some moderators' view.

Yesterday you used the "report" function 4 times — 2 of the posts either got removed or edited, 2 were left alone. So you got 50% of what you wanted and yet you state "the report button seems to make no difference."

Hmmm. Probably best from now on, as Baron suggested, that you use the Ignore feature.

 

[Baron]

Look, this is basically 101-level stuff here. If you don't like what a person is saying.... you report him and the moderator may agree and remove his post(s), or he may not agree and allow the post(s) to stand, allowing YOU the freedom ... in either way... to put that poster on ignore if you so choose so you don't have to be bothered by his posts any more.