From The Otherkin Community

	The Otherkin Community Handbook » Moderation » Policies » Finality
	The Otherkin Community Handbook is a collection of information about The Otherkin Community, Inc. and its services. The Handbook is designed to provide helpful aid to members and visitors of The Otherkin Community, as well as information for staff, employees and volunteers. Categories: Forums, Moderation

Moderator decisions are final and are not to be publicly contested. If there are objections, the members should take them up in private. This differs from the previous policy allowing open discussion about moderation, and ensures that the authority of the moderators, and the decisions of the moderators, are not questioned. It also ensures that the environment remains stable and does not turn into a fight between the staff and its members.

Contents 1 History 2 Decision 3 Reporting Problems 4 Freedom Of Speech

History

Previously, the staff had a policy of listening to what members had to say and allowing the public discussion of moderation. This would ensure that kinks in procedure could be worked out and that the members held the right to defend themselves. However, the system was taken advantage of in a number of cases, including one severe case that resulted in a forum-wide controversy. The issues involved members that were displeased with the enforcement of the Community Rules & Regulations on themselves, their party, or friends. It resulted in an endless battle between the moderators and members as the moderators attempted to explain the procedure and the members attempted to defend a clear violation.

Decision

Due to the incidents mentioned above, the staff decided that members of The Otherkin Community should not be permitted to speak out against moderator actions within The Otherkin Community Forums or any other public services (such as the chat lobby). The staff argued that:

• Violations of the Rules & Regulations are violations regardless of interpretation and will be moderated in accordance with the Rules & Regulations, "by the book"
• Moderator decisions are final and allowing members to speak against moderation will only undermine authority
• Allowing members to speak out against moderation actions within the forums created unnecessary tension and an unwelcome, hostile atmosphere. Often the threads would result in arguments that went nowhere and resulted in unnecessary stress on the staff and members.
• Moderators will never be able to please everyone; there will always exist individuals who do not agree with moderation regardless of the rules in place. Those who speak out against the moderation are generally those who do not agree with, or ignore, the Rules & Regulations, or the values of The Otherkin Community.
• If members disagree with moderation or how the Community is "run", they may contact the staff privately with their concerns. The staff has a policy of listening to its members and will take into consideration what is said. This allows for construction discussion.

Reporting Problems

If an individual believes a member was moderated wrongly or unfairly, or has a suggestion or question regarding policy, they may send an e-mail to support@otherkincommunity.org, or contact a staff member directly via PM on The Otherkin Community Forums. The staff will address any concerns, take into account member statements, and respond as necessary.

Freedom Of Speech

The Otherkin Community does not wish to limit the freedom of speech of its members. Please understand that the above decision was reached because the staff felt strongly that it was required to maintain an atmosphere that fit within the values of The Otherkin Community. The staff still provides a private venue for discussion, and its jurisdiction extends only to the areas in which moderation is applied on public community services. That is - moderators or staff of The Otherkin Community will not attempt to restrict discussions on 3rd party websites or areas of The Otherkin Community that are under the jurisdiction of other users, such as hosted blogs or unofficial channels within the chat.