Coin Forums, censorship, responsibility and more pondering thoughts

[coinsarefun]

Its been slightly over 2 years that CoinsAreFun has been online. We have over 5,000 posts and have managed to get a  almost 200 members. We have been lucky to get written up in a magazine two years in a row as a great place to discuss coins.
So If you will permit me to talk about something that has been troubling me for quite a few month's now.

As many, but not all have seen or heard lately there has been some rather hefty purging of members from a coin forum.
Some very good, decent, smart and important members that contribute to the coin community.
Some that were good but just act childishly (sometimes)..... but IMO  without malice.

I have been thinking about this lately. Why you may ask? well......because of our forum here.
We are a great forum, small community and still growing. Most if not all post regularly and most if not all get along.
Now we are a very small little group compared to the 2 larger coin forums that have grading companies.

I still can't help asking myself, what would I have done? How would I handle this place when and if its gets large enough?
When there are that many people in one room, it is bound to have clashes.
I have never posted on such provocative threads on that coin forum as I care not to be banned myself.
Yet I did find myself banned for a short time for a very simple misunderstanding and was back on within days.

It brings up many questions........are moderators supposed to be sensitive and ban without warnings or say that they have warned
and simply dismiss a member?. Is it there liability or sense of wanting to keep the scales of justice balanced? How far can or should they take it and to what point does it become censorship? Yes, it is their home we have come into and have discussions, but if one feels like they are walking on eggshells how honest does the discussion become?. Doesn't the point of open discussion about coins get diluted when you are concerned about how you phrase a certain sentence or word?.

What about the responsibility of the poster? Shouldn't he or she have some responsibility to be respectful of others.
This doesn't meen you need to agree with everyone or say that you like a certain coin when you don't. Just put your likes or dislikes
about a certain thought in a way as not to antagonize the other member or mock them.

In my opinion I think it comes down to liability and money, at least in regards a certain forum I am speaking to you about.
I feel that there has been frustration built up on both sides of the room. The forum members and the forum moderators.
In which this case the main moderator just so happens to be CEO. This to me is a double edge sword and has more con's than pro's
but that's an entirely new discussion.

I will give you a few of my thoughts and feelings on how I would handle the situation and we can all look back on this years to come and say
ha.......if she only knew

If i was CEO of a large grading company I would not be scanning and playing moderator to a forum.I don't care if I own and pay for it.
I want to hear it all.....the good, bad and ugly. If there is something I don't like I would have a "delete this thread" control button and move on. When a poster has so many threads deleted he either changes his ways or moves along to another ballpark.

I would have mod's set in place to take care of the threats and nasty language that may occur sine you never know when YN's are reading
the forums. Even though that forum is paid for by them they still reap benefits because the word of mouth and shear membership help adds
to their bottom line. This....no one can convince me any different!

I guess I can take solace in knowing that I will not ban someone for having an opinion that is different from mine or any other member.
I also know that I will never own and run a large 3rd party grading company either so I will not have that problem.

I thank you for reading this and letting me think out loud, I appreciate each and everyone one of you that contribute to CoinsAreFun
forum. Each one has an outstanding desire for coins and enjoy them greatly and are willing to share your knowledge with everyone.

I am grateful for this little merry band of forumites and look forward to many great years to come!


Stefanie

[coinsarefun]

bump for the morning crowd

[FilthyBroke]

Here's how I see it -

Each person is responsible for their own actions, and in turn accountable.  Don't say something you wouldn't want to back up.  That is the member's responsibility.

The forum mods can do what they want, but should also be aware of the signals they send out.  When you were banned (for a technicality, I'll add), it backed up my impression that those guys have a hair-trigger and don't really care about us as members.  I see far too much favoritism on those boards, and it's not fair to all others involved.  But it's their place, and I just have to take it for what it is, flawed as that may be.  In fact, go and look at the so-called sigline infractions that still exist, it makes you wonder why some were banned and some weren't.

I thoroughly enjoy your forum, Stefanie.  We have a nice little group here who knows how to get along well without all of that ego bumping or competition.  The atmosphere is relaxed, that's the key. 

Thanks for all that you do, Stefanie!

[regandon]

I do agree with much of what both of you have stated. I'm also a member on the forum you were banned from. To many over sized ego's on that forum. This site is how a forum should be,.... relaxed and no ego's. DW could learn a lot from how this forum is run.

Your one Grand Lady, Stefanie. Thanks for letting me be a member here.

[Billy Kingsley]

That board is far too ban happy, and it's especially troublesome when they ban people because others complain about them- not for breaking any specific rules, just because people keep complaining about them ad nausem!

Many of the rules seem arbitrary as well. I rarely spend much time there anymore.

[bear]

Stephanie, you might want to open a thread on the Forum titled " I was walking thru the woods" by Chumly.
You might find it interesting.  Regards, Abe

[coinsarefun]

Stephanie, you might want to open a thread on the Forum titled " I was walking thru the woods" by Chumly.
You might find it interesting.  Regards, Abe

I just did and your right, very interesting indeed. I like the way he presented it and I LOVE your new coins!!
And the 1850-O Is the cats meow

[coinsarefun]

does anyone else have thoughts about this

[bear]

The PCGS Forum appears to make snap decisions without finding out both sides of a story. It almost seems

that management feels endangered by senior members and resent, what they construe as undue influence over

the other Forum members. Over the past year many senior members have been banned. It has certainly effected the

depth and quality of educational postings. The fear of being banned, has intimidated people from starting new threads\

or replying to threads. This especially impact the newbies who are not sure exactly what is going on. It is a rather sad

development as it seems that the baby is being thrown out with the wash water.I have always felt that the PCGS Forum

was my second home. As I approach the twilight of my life due to illness, all I wished to do was give back some of the wonderful

experiences that this great hobby has given me. No matter what happens in the future, I will always have warm feelings

 for the PCGS Forum and its membership and continue to monitor the Forum, even though I am unable to reply or institute threads

or even answer PMs.

[coinsarefun]

I agree and can honestly sum this problem up very quickly and one word.........Don!

I haven't been on that board that long, probably 5 years or so, but it was never like this.

Its true, many great members are online and do not post, nor respond to threads, I think in fear of banishment.

In the end its the members that suffer the most for the lack of information and insight that will never get out to other members