Status Update Rules (Upd: April 6th, 2015)

[Pelly <3's U]

So just so everyone can be clear on some things that are not allowed and may be used as grounds to receive a strike (I will update this post as needed/I'm reminded of stuff because garsh I'm tired right now)

*No using the status updates to cause drama or start flame wars

*The status updates are public, don't post something passive aggressive there about a member/topic/another forum/mod and expect that you are being a cool groovy secret agent. Everyone will know what you're bitching about, and you will look like an ass.

*Don't link NSFW stuff in the updates please, even if it's tagged this is an all ages forum. Very mild stuff/borderline may receive a pass (like linking to someones DA/FA gallery that has some NSFW pics in it, since it'd be something like their responsibility to block that content out), but for the most part if it'd be illegal for someone under 18 to see it, it's probably better not to post it. When we've seriously had to ban someone for posting Silver eating Blaze out (even non-explicitly), you understand why we don't want this.

*Don't post spoilers about games. Spoilers belong in topics, preferably spoiler tagged.

*Don't spam the updates. We're very loose about what we allow (you can pretty much say whatever silly, dumb shit you want) but if you're making an update every minute it's a bit ridiculous. So far we've never striked anyone for this (because we're so lenient with it) but keep in mind that it's kind of related too...

*Don't use the status updates as an ongoing conversation with someone. We have PM's, the ability to comment on profiles, and the ability to comment on induvidual statues. No one cares about your conversation. Sorry.

Now as most people here know, after some initial problems with the status updates we had with the updates....for the most part now they run smooth as silk and hardly ever need moderating....so don't feel like 'oh crap I can't post statuses because I feel like I'm going to get in trouble D: '

Just be smart about it and there will be smooth sailing !

Edited April 6, 2015 by Shauna

[Carbo]

We've decided to split the rules from the last topic into a separate one due to the immense back-and-forth going on between members cluttering the discussion and the obtuse approach there was to handling particular issues.

From now on if there is an issue to be resolved in terms of status updates or some sort of notice that needs clarification or expansion upon, we ask of members to contact staff on the matter. This topic will be updated periodically as more need for rules and clarifications develop.

[Sean]

New rule.

Insult slinging in any shape or form will no longer be tolerated in the statuses. Members "joke-insulting" each other have been an increasing problem, and we are simply tired of dealing with it. There are some members who do not enjoy being the target of such jokes, and it gets hard to tell when a joke stops being a joke and insults start being serious, so we no longer care if you are joking or not; if you are continuously making spiteful comments toward members and it becomes a recurring thing that we take notice, you can be sure that we will take action against you, most likely resulting in stripping away your status privileges, temporarily or permanently as we see fit.

[Remy]

Calling someone a faggot repeatedly is not particularly funny, smart, or witty. It's just, immature, childish, grade school level harassment. Not to mention the obvious homophobic slur.

 

The people who have been caught for this should consider themselves lucky they still have accounts here at all. SSMB is not your school, grow up.

[Pelly <3's U]

Due to all the trouble this has caused multiple times.

 

If you post a screamer in the status updates, we will revoke your status update privileges and reserve to the right to take further action as we deem necessary. 

 

This isn't 2003 people, I can't believe I even have to warn people for this.

[Tornado]

New thing in regards to statuses is how to respond to a rule breaking one. If you see an offensive status that is against either the general SSMB rules or the specific Status Update rules:

 

 

 

DON'T DO THIS:

 

 

 

 

That is no less unacceptable than the original status that broke the rules, and in fact I tend to be a lot more annoyed with how there always seems a handful of different members who take things way too far in response to a rule breaking status (and last night was no exception). You aren't helping anyone by dragging out the drama for two hours or more by verbally assaulting the person who made the original status across several other updates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know that it has never been clear how to report status updates in the past, with the previous system being to PM a moderator that something happened, so now we have a new way to report them that us staff greatly prefer to be used to the old system. First, take a screenshot of the status update in question, so we can see what happened. Then go to the user page of the member you want to report:

 

(In this example, I'm reporting Pelly because with her banned I can steal her original character).

 

Scroll all the way to the bottom and this is on the right side:

 

 

Now, I honestly had no idea that was even there until I was made a moderator and had been just using the "PM Sean" system of reporting; and knowing that is there is why we want members to utilize it for status update abuse. It's exactly the same process from there as if you were reporting a post. Paste the screenshot you took in Paint or something and upload it to an image hosting site of your choice. Then past the link to the picture in the report box, and then all of the moderators will be able to see it immediately rather than just the one that you would have PM'ed in the past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No harm no foul for last night, but going forward we would greatly appreciate it if you let the moderators deal with status updates rather than start huge fights over them for us to clean up later.

 

 

 

Remember, kids, that reporting is the cool thing to do.

 

[Nepenthe]

It's come to staff attention that there's been a string of uncomfortable sexual statuses being made. Not only are there reports, but we've been talking about what to do with them in general. We've not hammered out any specific plans yet mainly because everyone feels the statuses are annoying as hell to moderate due to the lack of tools at our disposal to do so efficiently and the general lack of reports we get about them, combined with their real time nature that makes each one that much more insignificant. But in spite of this, I feel I need to say something in light of an awful spat that broke out today.
 
First, let's get another consensus out of the way: this isn't something that's actually new much less exclusive to one member. A lot of you guys have the capacity to be varying degrees of uncomfortable from time to time, ranging from the groan-worthy booty meme, random rabble about sex and virginity, to that period of nauseatingly-depraved pedophilia joking that had the audacity to be defended by some. But because SSMB isn't entirely composed of prudes that want to ban every single direct or implied mention of sex under the sun (although we are nonetheless aware of the "don't post NSFW shit" rule in this very thread), we've been allowing this kind of thing to fester for awhile, both because of the difficulty in moderation and because what makes us each uncomfortable can be subjective and thus difficultly enforced on the whole. 
 
This subjectivity goes for you guys as well. We've not been lost on the irony of what's been happening recently when- again- some of you guys will just out and say "I'm rock hard" or make some awful sex joke without batting an eyelid. Each of your thresholds of what is and isn't acceptable are just as random as ours and potentially rooted in biases and prejudices to boot, thus the severe reaction that broke out yesterday is both excessively hypocritical and stirring unnecessary drama, which goes a bit in line with what But another thing was made clear in that topic as well: riling up other users, even indirectly, and disrupting their enjoyment of the status function is grounds for losing your privileges. Trolling is a no-no; this holds whether or not you post lewd shit to do it.
 
We ultimately have a little issue going on here that staff would like to solve if it actually needs solving after this. In the meantime, we will be working on further clarifying the rules. Furthermore, I and a couple others have been given the greenlight to go ahead and start moderating this kind of shit as we see fit: the NSFW statuses, the trolling, and the ridiculous arguing. We will be making judgement calls within reason, and of course you're free to dispute any potential decisions with an administrator if you feel we're overstepping the line. We would also like for you to continue reporting rule-breaking statuses. But because this is a problem of the community and not one or two individuals, I will personally not rule on the reports in the system for now (though this doesn't mean another staffer won't, so don't be surprised if disciplinary action is taken later).
 
Finally, since we would rather not drag this silliness out any longer than necessary, discussion about this update in the statuses is prohibited. Let's start over with a clean slate and heed the rules.

[Chris]

There has been quite a bit of misinformation spreading as of late about the status update system, how it works and how we handle moderation of it. Unfortunately, it's not quite as laid out and clear as it should have been and for that I apologize.

 

The status update system is very unique on Invision Board (which is the forum software you use here). While posts and topics were obviously their major concern during development, status updates were pushed to be a small extra within the software. Invision Board itself operates as a standalone setup encompassing the major aspects, with the 'modules' (everything in the main index sidebar - right side) being additional and sometimes external extras using separate databases. It's for this reason that you're unlikely to ever see the like system or ignore preferences incorporated into them unless Invision Power decides that it's worth supporting on a higher degree (or a professional modder does it but that gets rather messy).

 

With those functions not being included into the package, we only have the ability to prevent status updates on a per user basis. Since this is only tracked via the administrator logs here, we tend not to use it very often and let discussion go on without a hitch - it's a fun system, so why jump in on that? When something inappropriate appears in there then we're likely to take action using our traditional warning system on the forums except with the status updates ability being removed with the first warning.

 

So, besides the forum rules and the topic you're currently reading, what do we enforce? Well, anything harmful to other users within the system of course due to the lack of the ignore function. Excessive sexual references/innuendos, harmful links or tricks and mostly just stuff you wouldn't post in a topic either. Having fun is one thing but deliberately using the system as a means to annoy, disturb or attack others is frowned upon. Due to the way that the system is, any removed status update privileges will not be reinstated without first contacting a member of the staff (via personal message and not in a topic). We simply do not have the means to manage this easily on our end. However, this doesn't excuse the cases of poor communication we have had with regards to warnings and removals which will not be happening going forward. The term professionalism was brought up in this topic earlier but simply is not the case - the staff here are volunteers and as such should not be expected to conduct themselves in such an overarching manner.

 

Concern with this post, previous warnings or the system in general can be taken straight to me. As of late I have spotted some members afraid to ask the moderation about it but if this is the case then I've clearly failed in my position and something must be done. There should be no concern in contacting me over such matters.

[Sean]

I have a thing I'd like to address that, while isn't rule-breaking, will hopefully improve interactions here and quell a few sour moods as well, or at least redirect them elsewhere. For the time being, this will be my final act as SSMB moderator, unless by some freakish chance I actually decide to come back for good in the future...!!? (oh god I really hope not)

 

A lot of people here need to quit with the statuses where they ask what other members think of them, or if they're disliked or cared for at all. Here's the thing about these sorts of questions: they don't particularly go over the way you think they would. If you think you truly want people's honest opinions about you and you're asking in a status whether people honestly dislike you, nine times out of ten, you don't. Asking people what they think of you tends to serve one of two purposes: fishing for compliments, which may I clarify only serve to improve your mood and sense of self-worth short-term, or looking for more reasons to feel bad about yourself, as if to confirm that people do actually dislike you like you believe they do. People are either going to reassure you - sometimes honestly, sometimes half-heartedly - that there is nothing wrong with you and that people care about you, or they'll get fed up with your self-deprecation, depending on how you come off, and give you answers you're not gonna like hearing. Nobody can ask for that sort of personal criticism and walk away feeling satisfied with the results.

 

I like to consider SSMB as being very open toward people expressing their personal feelings, seeing as how we have an entire subforum dedicated to just that. However, I think it's important to take tact into consideration when doing so. Asking what people think of you usually doesn't come off as anything but a flash of insecurity that can't be nurtured positively, no matter how you spin it. Even the responses that are saying nice things about you, that's not the best way to go about looking for encouragement from others. In a way you're kind of putting people on the spot by asking them such a direct question that sprouts not from a sober mindset but one fueled by self-defeating mentality. So instead of asking people what they think of you, you are free to make a post in the emotions thread or a topic in the PD forum about your actual insecurities, detailing them in an honest light that gets them out in the open so that people can respond to you much more empathetically, and perhaps in a more meaningful way than "noo of course I and other people care about you!!"

 

If you're someone who tends to make these statuses, ask yourself this: Have they ever made you feel truly better about yourself, and if so, have these effects lasted for long? If you ask people what they think of you and brace yourself as you worry about the worst possible answers, is that really a coping mechanism you should be fostering? Expressing your feelings ought to feel more like a weight off your shoulders rather than a stressful event, and I believe this forum is a safe haven for people to talk about most things that are on their minds, within reason. You can definitely get across the anxiety you have that people may not care about you or dislike you without doing it in a way that simply makes you feel worse and even may get other people annoyed at you depending on how and how often you do it.

 

I made a status the other day about this very issue, and I got a few replies that indicated that I'm just being cold and insensitive. If nothing else, I consider myself to be very empathetic toward people's feelings (a shock, I know), and I wouldn't be making this post just to tell people that it's getting to be annoying. I know a thing or two about self-hatred; it's a fucking poison that infects more people than they deserve. But I've learned quite a few things over the years that my teen and early-20s self would never have picked up just looking at everything at face-value, and so I'm telling you this not as a mod laying down the law but in an effort to pass down one tiny bit of knowledge that hopefully will help some of you understand why asking people "what do you think of me" is not a correct or even helpful solution, no matter who's answering.

 

As proof that I do actually relate to some extent to these feelings and I'm not just being a heartless jerk, I've felt multiple times before that most people didn't care about me, either on the forums or elsewhere in my life. It's something I've dealt with for practically all my life to this very day, and I even mentioned it briefly in the joke announcement topic I made a few days ago. This is not an uncommon phenomenon, nor do I believe I'm being overly stern when I tell people to stop with these sorts of statuses. I'm telling you this for your own good, because the underlying effects of these questions ends up doing a lot of harm to you in the long run, especially if you continue to do stuff like this. There are multiple ways to go about dealing with your issues and we offer a few venues right here on this forum, so I don't think the statuses are your only options in the least.

 

 

 

Last thing for now, and this is something that has been said numerous times before but bears repetition. If there is anything concerning your part on the forums you want to get off your chest but don't want to express publicly or don't have anyone on-hand to talk about it with, you're free to message any SSMB moderator about it. We're not therapists, but if any other member here is making you feel uncomfortable or if you somehow don't feel that you belong on the forums, rest assured we'll have something to say that hopefully won't make you feel like total shit and in the case of the former, do what we can about it.

 

And with that, peace.