Journal of Other Forum Analysis

[HaughtyFrank]

And Goat Mimicry is banned. Of course, with no banner.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/constructive-community-discussion.270630/page-253?post=120339618#post-120339618

Got done for this one here: 

User banned (permanent): blatant lies and misinformation

Because contrary to what the staff keep insisting, they aren't actually good at owning up to and learning from their mistakes.



They never owned up to a mod colluding with SocialismEra to engage in brigading - they just demoted the mod, no acknowledgment whatsoever. They never walked back any of the more egregious Tara Reade bans. They still only ever consider looking at bans on appeal, because to do otherwise would allow them to proactively admit fault. The whole sex slavery debacle is just another one to throw onto the pile.

Just keep shooting Era mods! Those poli era meanies will stop eventually.

I like how they banned him for the old post and not the most recent one to make it less blatant

[Lonewulfeus]

Just think about how angry bdubs is right now.  Even if he’s getting paid there’s no way it’s enough to make it worth it.

[Potato]

If there was ever a time for PoliEra members to set themselves on fire in protest, this is probably it...

[railGUN]

Everyone thought the moderation on GAF had gone completely haywire (which it had) and then one wrong shower and it all came crashing down. Now, dubs only stands to lose his “job”, emphasis on the quotes, not millions of dollars, but regardless, one wrong step and it’s lights out.

And I’ll be here to watch and gloat, just like last time.

[TylenolJones]

It’s okay. They banned IrishNinja for a week to even it out. 

User banned (1 week): sniping at other posters, inflammatory commentary



this one's upsetting the narrative a bit, but it's spot on

case in point

joe Biden video

the blue team's favorite fascist reminding folks who he is, always has been, and will continue being despite the "optics" this year

 he really thought the mods made him invincible. 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/israel-begins-bombing-of-southern-gaza-following-collapse-of-ceasefire-see-staff-posts-for-posting-guidelines.772478/page-283?post=120355320#post-120355320

[benji]

*B-dubs nodding strongly*

It's dangerously close to self-awareness—an acknowledgement that these groups need to be on these platforms but their reason for being so would normally be what gets them kicked off. So obfuscation and banning the worst-behaving members of the group is the name of the game.

"They're trying to remain unpinnable," observed Sweet Baby Inc. chief operating officer David Beddard. "If you accuse them of doing something, they go 'no, no, no, we're doing this other thing.' And if you move to the other thing, it's like, 'no, no, we're doing this third thing.'"

He guessed that consciously or unconsciously, this is being done "by design."

How can something be unconsciously by design?

She urged Valve and Discord to recognize that harassment campaigns are continuously evolving, and that communications platforms need to keep pace with how they're being used to spread hate. "It's clear that some kind of evolution is needed, because this will only get bigger, and I don't mean for us," she said. "If this playbook can work as well now as it did 10 years ago [with Gamergate], it's going to keep working in certain ways, and they will find something bigger and worse to do than this."

How well did it work ten years ago?

[HaughtyFrank]

*B-dubs nodding strongly*

It's dangerously close to self-awareness—an acknowledgement that these groups need to be on these platforms but their reason for being so would normally be what gets them kicked off. So obfuscation and banning the worst-behaving members of the group is the name of the game.

"They're trying to remain unpinnable," observed Sweet Baby Inc. chief operating officer David Beddard. "If you accuse them of doing something, they go 'no, no, no, we're doing this other thing.' And if you move to the other thing, it's like, 'no, no, we're doing this third thing.'"

He guessed that consciously or unconsciously, this is being done "by design."

How can something be unconsciously by design?

She urged Valve and Discord to recognize that harassment campaigns are continuously evolving, and that communications platforms need to keep pace with how they're being used to spread hate. "It's clear that some kind of evolution is needed, because this will only get bigger, and I don't mean for us," she said. "If this playbook can work as well now as it did 10 years ago [with Gamergate], it's going to keep working in certain ways, and they will find something bigger and worse to do than this."

How well did it work ten years ago?

What I'm getting from this is that sweet baby inc is actually scared as fuck that they won't get hired anymore

[Potato]

It’s okay. They banned IrishNinja for a week to even it out. 

User banned (1 week): sniping at other posters, inflammatory commentary



this one's upsetting the narrative a bit, but it's spot on

case in point

joe Biden video

the blue team's favorite fascist reminding folks who he is, always has been, and will continue being despite the "optics" this year

 he really thought the mods made him invincible. 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/israel-begins-bombing-of-southern-gaza-following-collapse-of-ceasefire-see-staff-posts-for-posting-guidelines.772478/page-283?post=120355320#post-120355320

I don't think that person knows what "passive voice" means

[Uncle]

*B-dubs nodding strongly*

fucking everything is suddenly harassment  

taking note of something is harassment

saying "wow that's a bit fucked up" is harassment

[Potato]

*B-dubs nodding strongly*

fucking everything is suddenly harassment  

taking note of something is harassment

saying "wow that's a bit fucked up" is harassment

Pointing out virulent anti-Semitism is harassment CHUD!

[kaleidoscopium]

Google is a dark web doxxing tool after all, harassment can be whatever they want it to be at this rate

[Gameboy Nostalgia]

Sigh. It's all so tiring..

B-dubs, you win.. 

[hide]  [/hide]

[Gameboy Nostalgia]

https://www.reddit.com/r/ResetEraInAction/comments/1bciz6x/these_are_the_tweets_that_caused_the_poliera/

Reddit is late as usual. 

[Averon]

GOAT Mimicry going out like a champ...

B-Dumbs too much of a cowardly bitch to place the banned message on the cc post but instead some old post.

[Genocide Joe]

Do you think b dumbs has a furry costume now, or does she make him dress up like a dog catcher 

You know how Goofy and Pluto are both dogs but they have an imbalanced power dynamic thanks to the societal structure fostered by the patriarchy? It's like that, but a sex thing

Still catching up

[Boredfrom]

What I don't understand is this - I don't understand what has gotten into your heads that makes you think that we're out to get you. Users are what makes this site actually, you know, work. There is literally no incentive for us to make shit up. If we put a banner on someone's post where they are banned, stating "prior infractions for X," then that's because we are acknowledging a pattern. If you have to sit back and wonder whether we are making shit up or not, please ask yourself, "why am I doing this? And what has gone so wrong in my life where I'm worried about whether or not the people running a fucking video gaming forum are being truthful or not?" You don't need to know.

Why the fuck you need to doxx a game developer?

[nobody of note]

Constructive slows down and we get a post about the plagiarize thing:

It's bizarre that we have posts laying out that leadership will make mistakes - because of course, we all do and that's fine - but then when they're pointed out, it devolves into this pretzel attempt to justify the mistake rather than admit it. If you want folks to work with you on stuff, then it can't result in one person being asked to defend a decision that goes against what the actual source document says. And then defend it amidst folks really hurt by that decision rather than reflect on why it might have been wrong in the first place. I don't fault the moderator at all in the situation, I think it's really unfair to that person because all these decisions involve more than one, but the reasoning clearly continues to be very hard to parse. I have no opinion on whatever the fuck is going on with this discord shit other than doxxing is unequivocally uncalled for and unacceptable, this is only about the ban unrelated to all that. I think nuking anyone related to a dox is totally fine if it's supportable.

And a post about Era's treatment of Jewish people:

So, I have a bit to say about all that, especially Brady's ban, but also in general on discussion of Israel and Palestine here.

I can say is that, to me, this all tie back to how unsafe this forum feels to me, as a Jewish person living in Israel, since 7.10.
I mean, practically every single Era member in Israel has been banned already, because it has become practically impossible to be here and live in Israel - Even for me, who has been generally on the non-Zionist end of the spectrum.
Last year, I got DMs thanking me for my posts in support of a free Palestine and against Israeli aggression in the then-current I-P military operation thread, this year I saw some of those people who DM's me calling me a Zionist shill and such.

I think the new rules are fine and all, but I have absolutely 0 faith in any of them because the heart of the matter was never the rules of discussion.
I still remember the ORIGINAL thread on the 7/10 attack - which I participated in as I was hearing about the death of friends, while I was on the phone with a friend trapped inside her safe room as roaming militants trying to kidnap her to Gaza... I remember reading post after post - justifying the attack, reminding people of the context, a sly "praying for Palestine" or "so many innocents will die" (notice the will) even before the first IDF plane even left.
Most of these posts were not actioned or received ridiculously short bans despite being against the rules. I saw at least one mod (not that one) justifying the attacks as it happened in that thread.

The issue was always the acceptance of dehumanization. The right does it with Palestinians, here it's done to Israelis and Israel in the name of "solidarity" and "decolonial theory". This has become pervasive, and in truth - Not unique to this forum, it's spread across all of the western populist-left. Rather than deal with the actual situation, it's easier (and more easily populist) to create monsters and victims - Which is why both the populist right and left love to do it.

The issue is that moderation has decided to embrace this dehumanization in the hopes of "allowing a safe space" for Palestinians (though, mostly western Palestinian allies), while also being especially harsh on any pushback or perceived infraction from the other side (again, I assume to foster a "safe space" and to appear to be listening to marginalized people when they report.)
I have some experience with safe spaces for marginalized people. I've been on various places where Israelis and Palestinians can talk, that aim to be safe for Palestinians as marginalized people. There's a big difference between fostering a safe space where marginalized people can talk freely and respectfully, and a safe space where marginalized people feel that they can safely vent. The latter, in my opinion, should be kept to insular minority spaces - for sure not an open discussion forum that contain various people.
I get that from the mod team side, you see it as you actioning a lot of posts that exhibited this dehumanization, but I don't think you actually did - You actioned some of the worst offenders, but allowed the general sentiment as long as it was juuussssttt enough to pass plausible deniability - While at the same time actioning VERY aggressively any perceived mishap (as we can see with Brady's ban) from the other side.
On one side, you can say "talking about 'systematic sexual assault' on 7.10 is 'manufacturing consent'" and be fine, but you get banned for weeks for saying "kidnapping people and sexually assaulting them is sexual slavery". The message is clearly understood.

When one asks about responsibility for the community you have fostered, this also applies to Era - Because it became a place that felt anything but safe to some of the victim of 7/10 - Sure, not the primary victims since, but victims all the same.
So, this is why for me personally the exact list of rules doesn't matter all that much, because unfortunately I just have come to mistrust the amount of empathy in this community towards me as an Israeli Jew, with the backing of mods and the way they enforce the rules, not the rules themselves.

Thank you for sharing your perspective on this. It gives a very important layer to this that I hope the moderation staff considers moving forward.

And after a short period, B-Dubs posts! He addresses the most critical issue possible: whether or not the guy they permabanned for visiting kiwifarms knew what it was.

How about we stop pretending creepingfear didn't know about kiwifarms?

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.resetera.com/threads/trans-twitch-streamer-keffals-swatted-kf-dropped-by-cloudflare-other-cdns-staff-post.617754/page-42?post=94224783#post-94224783[/URL]

He knew exactly who they were, don't let him bullshit you.

[Tucker's Law]

GOAT Mimicry going out like a champ...

B-Dumbs too much of a cowardly bitch to place the banned message on the cc post but instead some old post.

I wouldn't be surprised if that was done so that the ban message sticks while they either remove all the "lies and misinformation" with a mod edit to that last post, or just remove the post entirely (just like their hero Josef would have done).

[benji]

https://www.reddit.com/r/ResetEraInAction/comments/1bciz6x/these_are_the_tweets_that_caused_the_poliera/

Reddit is late as usual. 

Siraxg
•
2h ago
There is nothing at all objectionable or anti-semitic about these tweets. That THIS is what lies at the heart of Poliera’s implosion tells me all i need to know - this was a flimsy pretext to rid the administration of one of the more vocal critics of white supremacy and the status quo.

A complete nothingburger.

[Gameboy Nostalgia]

Dude writes a heartfelt post and B-dubs ignores it. Moderation in action. 

[Tucker's Law]

And after a short period, B-Dubs posts! He addresses the most critical issue possible: whether or not the guy they permabanned for visiting kiwifarms knew what it was.

How about we stop pretending creepingfear didn't know about kiwifarms?

https://www.resetera.com/threads/trans-twitch-streamer-keffals-swatted-kf-dropped-by-cloudflare-other-cdns-staff-post.617754/page-42?post=94224783#post-94224783

He knew exactly who they were, don't let him bullshit you.

 
Bdubs coming in with another *WORST OPTION* tactically genius maneuver.

[Potato]

Constructive slows down and we get a post about the plagiarize thing:

How about we stop pretending creepingfear didn't know about kiwifarms?

https://www.resetera.com/threads/trans-twitch-streamer-keffals-swatted-kf-dropped-by-cloudflare-other-cdns-staff-post.617754/page-42?post=94224783#post-94224783

He knew exactly who they were, don't let him bullshit you.

How about you stop pretending Nepenthe isn't a rabid anti-Semite you cunt

[Gameboy Nostalgia]

I'm going to assume that even knowing about kiwifarms but never visiting it is bannable at this point.

[nachobro]

how is he so terrible at this? even lore just shut the fuck up and disappeared. b dumbs can't even manage that

[Averon]

Again, making visiting KF the crime of all crimes and...not his admin being a raging antisemite. Just more deflection.

[Gameboy Nostalgia]

you don't understand. These are just his views and he's right.

[Polident]

If I can admit something… I have no idea who the main players of this mess are or how they took over the community in the transition from gaf. Or how they rose up in the era era. Or why they alienated communities and games industry people over the few instigators.

What’s noticeable whenever you guys and other guys post their tweets: zero engagement. Outside of here, of course. What I see of posts shared here, nobody on era engages with them either. Such off putting and uninteresting people. You know they’re fuming whenever the question of ignoring mods is floated.

[PogiJones]

To put it bluntly, we do not give a shit, nor two shits, about who your favorite users are. If someone crosses a line, they will receive the same punishment as any other user.

Then why hasn't anything happened to Nepenthe? 

Because he only means that about one line: criticizing the forum cops.

[Potato]

If I can admit something… I have no idea who the main players of this mess are or how they took over the community in the transition from gaf. Or how they rose up in the era era. Or why they alienated communities and games industry people over the few instigators.

What’s noticeable whenever you guys and other guys post their tweets: zero engagement. Outside of here, of course. What I see of posts shared here, nobody on era engages with them either. Such off putting and uninteresting people. You know they’re fuming whenever the question of ignoring mods is floated.

It's played out when they complain they can't get any applicants for vacant mod positions. They always complain that when they "identify" the "right" people, those people say "no thanks" because they know how "difficult the job is". 

There's a bunch of people who would do an infinitely better job just waiting in the wings. Those cunts wouldn't dare asking them because it would show their shit performance up.

[nachobro]

Because he only means that about one line: criticizing the forum cops.

the thin purple line