Poll of the Day > Dikitain is no longer a mod

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/community/dikitain

RIP in regular user.

He'll always be a mod in my heart and in my bed

good

Looks like Kirby's still angry about getting modded for saying transphobic things.

Sarcasthma posted...

Looks like Kirby's still angry about getting modded for saying transphobic things.

That's the problem with his generation: They never want to take responsibility for their own actions.

that means we can @Dikitain without the auto-alert! (unless they removed that cuz IDK)

That's a shame, he was one of the good ones. Unlike that Error guy.

streamofthesky posted...

That's a shame, he was one of the good ones. Unlike that Error guy.

You don't know what they did though.

such a short topic...
this makes only 3 posts

Yellow posted...

You don't know what they did though.

It's possible to be de-modded just because you don't feel like dealing with the stress and the extra work.

If anything, that's the more likely scenario, because some mods here have done really shitty things and the admins always tend to try and protect them (or at least they used to). That was how Ail kept her mod powers for so long in spite of nearly every member on about three separate social boards complaining to the admins that she should be removed immediately.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

That was how Ail kept her mod powers for so long in spite of nearly every member on about three separate social boards complaining to the admins that she should be removed immediately.

Complaints that started as soon as she was made a mod, and ended when Kat Pager came about... how many months later? Three or four?

adjl posted...

That's the problem with his generation: They never want to take responsibility for their own actions.

Not sure what generation Kirby is part of, but its almost inspiring how consistently terrible of a user hes been during all these years on PotD.

Entity13 posted...

Complaints that started as soon as she was made a mod, and ended when Kat Pager came about... how many months later? Three or four?

That's the worst part. She wasn't even de-modded over the complaints or the blatant bias or other issues. She was de-modded because she just kind of disappeared for a while.

The mod/admin reaction at the time was mostly to just circle the wagons and defend her more against any and all complaints. Because she'd effectively sucked up to the people in power on private boards and thus was able to use that to keep her spot in spite of the absolute shitstorm it kicked off (the likes of which has never been seen before or since).

Dikitain is no longer a mod

Indeed

I won't get into details, but I will say that:

1) It wasn't my choice
2) It wasn't "bad" terms, and I can re-apply after a certain amount of time.

That said, I probably won't bother going back. Not because I hated it or because everyone magically hated me because I was a mod. Mostly because (believe it or not), I didn't really do much as a mod. I basically did the bare minimum to remain "active" and considering I would rather lurk 95% of the time it doesn't really make sense to be a mod anymore. Either way, interesting 4 years and maybe I will do a AMA on reddit when this site finally dies and my non-disclosure agreement runs out.

Probably not though.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

It's possible to be de-modded just because you don't feel like dealing with the stress and the extra work.

Another mod (yunalenne10) also got demodded after allegedly being hacked and having the account locked because of it. I don't know if it's related or a coincidence, but Dikitain above me said his demodding wasn't by choice, so..

ParanoidObsessive posted...

That's the worst part. She wasn't even de-modded over the complaints or the blatant bias or other issues. She was de-modded because she just kind of disappeared for a while.

I mean, if we're going to be any level of fair or accurate, the vast majority of people complaining about Ail in particular either hated her from the get-go or blamed Ail and her social circle for their moderation history, rather than accepting responsibility for their own words and actions that got them modded. She was by no means a perfect person or mod, but she was a scapegoat for a bunch of little boys who had nothing better to do than throw feces at a woman for believing she was a witch. Yes, she was bad at handling things, and it boggles the mind why she was given power in this site, but at the end of the day, it turned out people just needed to get away from her, away from this place, to grow a little.

It wasn't until Kat Pager happened, when the mods and admins could actually see people were better off without Ail's influence. You may argue that it was her absence or inactivity that removed her from the ranks of the moderators, but I will argue that the mods found a comment of hers they didn't like and were trying to contact her on her stomping grounds (here), so they finally listened to everyone on B8 and PotD and removed her from the position.

Then the site started to die. There was peace, and lots of people realized it was timed to move on. Be gremlins elsewhere, or become something other than gremlins. And yet, it's ironic that her apparent death was the lethal nail to the message boards. There were more losses and milestones since, but hers was the one that kicked it all off.

Dikitain posted...

Either way, interesting 4 years and maybe I will do a AMA on reddit when this site finally dies and my non-disclosure agreement runs out.

I've been telling a few people here that once this site has been interred into oblivion--and possibly even then frequented by PO for some unknown reason--those of us wanting to stay in touch with one another will have Discord, Reddit, some online games, or other essential contact info. Those who want no such connections will spend a bit finding a new habit.

In any case, cheers to you, Dik.

For some reason I thought it was longer than 4 years for him.

Dikitain posted...

Indeed

I won't get into details, but I will say that:

1) It wasn't my choice
2) It wasn't "bad" terms, and I can re-apply after a certain amount of time.

That said, I probably won't bother going back. Not because I hated it or because everyone magically hated me because I was a mod. Mostly because (believe it or not), I didn't really do much as a mod. I basically did the bare minimum to remain "active" and considering I would rather lurk 95% of the time it doesn't really make sense to be a mod anymore. Either way, interesting 4 years and maybe I will do a AMA on reddit when this site finally dies and my non-disclosure agreement runs out.

Probably not though.

We still love you, buddy.

Dikitain posted...

Indeed

I won't get into details, but I will say that:

1) It wasn't my choice
2) It wasn't "bad" terms, and I can re-apply after a certain amount of time.

That said, I probably won't bother going back. Not because I hated it or because everyone magically hated me because I was a mod. Mostly because (believe it or not), I didn't really do much as a mod. I basically did the bare minimum to remain "active" and considering I would rather lurk 95% of the time it doesn't really make sense to be a mod anymore. Either way, interesting 4 years and maybe I will do a AMA on reddit when this site finally dies and my non-disclosure agreement runs out.

Probably not though.

Gamefaqs can afford lawyers?

Dikitain posted...

Indeed

I won't get into details, but I will say that:

1) It wasn't my choice
2) It wasn't "bad" terms, and I can re-apply after a certain amount of time.

That said, I probably won't bother going back. Not because I hated it or because everyone magically hated me because I was a mod. Mostly because (believe it or not), I didn't really do much as a mod. I basically did the bare minimum to remain "active" and considering I would rather lurk 95% of the time it doesn't really make sense to be a mod anymore. Either way, interesting 4 years and maybe I will do a AMA on reddit when this site finally dies and my non-disclosure agreement runs out.

Probably not though.

its a cover up folks

Dikitain posted...

Either way, interesting 4 years and maybe I will do a AMA on reddit when this site finally dies and my non-disclosure agreement runs out.

Can you at least show us on the doll where Allen touched you?

Entity13 posted...

I mean, if we're going to be any level of fair or accurate, the vast majority of people complaining about Ail in particular either hated her from the get-go or blamed Ail and her social circle for their moderation history, rather than accepting responsibility for their own words and actions that got them modded.

Yeah, but the problem was never necessarily even whether or not her actual moderation history was fair, but that the mere existence of her mod power itself was causing a significant backlash. The fear of her abusing her power was a much larger factor than any proof that she ever did. But that in itself fueled negativity and assumptions... which in turn made the reaction to her worse. So giving her mod power effectively made the site as a whole worse, and to a greater degree than her ability to moderate could possibly make it better. Which essentially means she was an objectively bad mod - even if it wasn't necessarily because of her actions as mod.

Basically, you should never give someone who hates more than half the posters power over them. Even if they never use it, you can't trust them to ever use it responsibly.

It's the same reason why I've said in the past that I'd make a terrible mod here. Because I wouldn't even remotely hide my biases. And I'd nuke the ever-living shit out of most of you on a whim. I'd be the most biased mod this site has ever seen. But at least I admit it (and don't apply to be a moderator when they have calls for it).



Entity13 posted...

but she was a scapegoat for a bunch of little boys who had nothing better to do than throw feces at a woman for believing she was a witch.

Ehh. I'd say the problem was far less that she was a witch and far more that she was a bitch.

The witch thing was just a convenient way to needle her once people realized it bothered her. Same with people going after her for being an older woman posting on a site with mostly younger boys/men (though that particular thought stings a bit these days). She was the perfect storm of being an incredibly abrasive and divisive personality who was simultaneously one of the easiest people to troll who've ever posted on the site. She was going to be a magnet for abuse no matter what she believed.

It also wasn't helped by the fact that she was an intense personality who tended to think with her emotions more than her head and wasn't always all that careful with how she phrased things or interacted with people. It often lead to her making enemies of people who otherwise wouldn't have cared about her at all (or who might otherwise have been on her side). Sure, she was able to dial herself down at times (especially when she wanted something and was being a bit manipulative), but usually she'd put her foot in her mouth eventually.

You could argue the chicken/egg scenario of whether or not she was abrasive because she was always getting attacked or if she was always getting attacked because she was abrasive, but either way the end result is still going to be the same.

There's also the argument that she was more socially awkward than malevolent, but once she'd developed a negative reputation people were always going to view her actions in the most negative possible light, but again, the outcome is still going to be the same either way. And at a certain point, someone needs to be introspective enough to take a step back and realize that they're part of the problem.



Entity13 posted...

and it boggles the mind why she was given power in this site

It wasn't much of a mystery even at the time. She was really good at sucking up to existing mods and admins who she hung around with on some of the private boards. Which were places where she could present herself in a much calmer, responsible light. She wanted the power, and was clever enough to work to get it.

So long as none of those mods or admins ever came to PotD (which none of them really did), they'd never really see anything different.

It's almost enough to make me suggest that part of the modding process should be to go to a given applicant's "home board" and ask the people who know them best if they'd trust them with mod powers. If a ton of people are screaming no or begging you not to do it, maybe it's time to start asking why. But that has flaws of its own, and would actually require work from notoriously work-adverse admins, so it's probably not a great idea either.



Entity13 posted...

Then the site started to die. There was peace, and lots of people realized it was timed to move on. Be gremlins elsewhere, or become something other than gremlins. And yet, it's ironic that her apparent death was the lethal nail to the message boards. There were more losses and milestones since, but hers was the one that kicked it all off.

I'd kind of disagree with this. It's kind of fun in a mythologizing sort of way, but it's not really true in any meaningful way.

First off, I'd say the board was fine for years after she left. The social dynamic certainly changed (understandably so), but it settled into a new normal and was relatively positive for years afterward. It wasn't until much later that the real rot started to set in, and it had nothing to do with her at all.

I'd argue the board/site started dying because spin-offs pulled people away, and then the very nature of the Internet and social media in general shifted due to factors that had nothing to do with the site itself. Larger social trends had more to do with it than the actions of any single person.

I suppose there's an argument to be made that it was her divisive presence that led to the first spin-off boards in the first place, which in turn inspired the later ones by example, so you could say she still had an indirect influence on one of the factors that eventually started killing the site. But even the spin-offs were probably a minor factor, since for every old user who left a new one came in. It wasn't until that influx of new blood stopped that the losses became significant. Sure, people might nostalgically say "Man, whatever happened to so-and-so" or "Man, all you new people kind of suck, I miss all the old guys", but it wasn't really until the site as a whole became pass that it really became a major issue.

As fun as it is to talk about Ail like she's the Devil of a long-forgotten Age, it's not really true.



Entity13 posted...

I've been telling a few people here that once this site has been interred into oblivion--and possibly even then frequented by PO for some unknown reason--those of us wanting to stay in touch with one another will have Discord, Reddit, some online games, or other essential contact info.

I've mentioned in the past that I post on Reddit all the time now. Only one (former) PotDer knows what my user-name there is, but I'm probably posting there more now than I do here. If this site dies tomorrow it'll be more of a whimper than a bang from my perspective.

Sure, it takes time - but this won't be the first or the last site I've spent tons of time on that I eventually watched die. I've been on the Web since there's BEEN a Web. I know first-hand that nothing lasts forever.

Man, it's been a while since I've seen PO Wall of Text with both barrels. This Ail fella must've woke the kraken

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Yeah, but the problem was never necessarily even whether or not her actual moderation history was fair, but that the mere existence of her mod power itself was causing a significant backlash.

That is basically the first point I made, as I recall. Even if I didn't outright say it.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

So long as none of those mods or admins ever came to PotD (which none of them really did), they'd never really see anything different.

It's almost enough to make me suggest that part of the modding process should be to go to a given applicant's "home board" and ask the people who know them best if they'd trust them with mod powers. If a ton of people are screaming no or begging you not to do it, maybe it's time to start asking why. But that has flaws of its own, and would actually require work from notoriously work-adverse admins, so it's probably not a great idea either

I definitely would have liked a venting process to make sure the applicant is suitable rather than looking at their clean mod history and what they say on the application. Don't even ask the community directly, but look at the active messages to see what is frequent as a location, and get a sense from the board(s) what the general attitude is. THEN ask questions if necessary, on a dedicated alt account not tied to running the site.

See, what boggles the mind about Ail's ascension isn't how you think. It's that it was clear back then that the mods only worked when a post was marked by 2-3 or more people who didn't have high moderation histories themselves, plus marking accuracy because lone markers whose failed attempts at pointing out ToS breaking posts must be swept under the rug. I'm getting sidetracked, there, but the fact of the matter, the wrench in the works when thinking about the whole thing, is that it was clear Ail was entirely active. One potential analogy one could come up with is comparing most mods to stores of gunpowder, some wet and most dry, that only really do anything when the conditions are right, and in comes a radioactive isotope that is Ail. Even without seeing the boards' attitude toward her, the admins could, should have known she was too active for the role. Proper vetting could have prevented that.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

I've mentioned in the past that I post on Reddit all the time now. Only one (former) PotDer knows what my user-name there is, but I'm probably posting there more now than I do here. If this site dies tomorrow it'll be more of a whimper than a bang from my perspective.

Sure, it takes time - but this won't be the first or the last site I've spent tons of time on that I eventually watched die. I've been on the Web since there's BEEN a Web. I know first-hand that nothing lasts forever.

Likewise, but I did have to throw a joke at your expense. =)

ParanoidObsessive posted...

I'd argue the board/site started dying because spin-offs pulled people away, and then the very nature of the Internet and social media in general shifted due to factors that had nothing to do with the site itself. Larger social trends had more to do with it than the actions of any single person.

I suppose there's an argument to be made that it was her divisive presence that led to the first spin-off boards in the first place, which in turn inspired the later ones by example, so you could say she still had an indirect influence on one of the factors that eventually started killing the site. But even the spin-offs were probably a minor factor, since for every old user who left a new one came in. It wasn't until that influx of new blood stopped that the losses became significant. Sure, people might nostalgically say "Man, whatever happened to so-and-so" or "Man, all you new people kind of suck, I miss all the old guys", but it wasn't really until the site as a whole became pass that it really became a major issue.

As fun as it is to talk about Ail like she's the Devil of a long-forgotten Age, it's not really true.

She made at least one spin-off board, or helped run it at least, and caused at least two or three to be made, but those posters stuck around here WHILE she was doing her thing. It was during the calm, your alleged "new normal" that some of the posters drifted away from here. They saw a drama llama was gone, and needed a new plane to feed; the spin-off boards that had already been in place became their new feeding ground. They only ever came back here when Paradiso's server went under one of its dozen-ish times. Not to be part of the community, but to do as hungry beasts do when their hunting grounds are on fire.

Even back then, the amount of new blood this site received was severely limited, less than it was pre-Kat Pager. Ail didn't attract anyone, but various consequences having to do with how the forum was made or run, such as key features being missing, all coincided and gave people less reason to stick around. Why stay somewhere bareboned with the moderation staff being how it was, when you could go to a free or low-cost forum with a bargain? None of the Gamefaqs mods, more of the up-to-date features! Kat Pager happened, and some of the regulars here at the time realized they didn't need or want to be here.

Far-Queue posted...

Man, it's been a while since I've seen PO Wall of Text with both barrels. This Ail fella must've woke the kraken

Even I knew back then she was something of a control freak. I tried telling her in the friendliest way possible to tone it down, especially on a site full of 13-to-15 year-olds. Sadly, I was too socially awkward back then due to my own issues I wouldn't even begin addressing until I was in my early 20s. I don't think I ever got the point across to her. C'est la vie, I guess.

i miss getting banned from reborn. favorite potd merit badge i ever got.

Revelation34 posted...

Gamefaqs can afford lawyers?

no, money down!