3 ms·

I’m just hearing about this case for the first time, and it took me a while to understand what happened, the question is detailed but there’s no summary, so her

I’m just hearing about this case for the first time, and it took me a while to understand what happened, the question is detailed but there’s no summary, so here’s mine in case you’re interested: A moderator had questions about / issues with a new Code of Conduct policy change which would “apparently force” moderators to use preferred pronouns of users, while the moderator preferred to use “they” to avoid using the wrong pronoun. StackExchange abruptly demoted the moderator before the change was published, and have since failed to give a good, evidence supported reasoning why. StackExchange attempted to apologize, multiple times, escalating to its CTO. The moderator still feels hurt and has not been reinstated.

NobodyNada 6y ago
You’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head. A few missing pieces: - The moderator in question is a professional writer and preferred to avoid using any pronouns at all. She emailed SE to ask if that was acceptable, or if the new policy was mandating that she go out of her way to use pronouns. SE did not respond to her emails at all, then several weeks later they revoked her moderator status on a Friday night without even telling her — she figured it out when logged into the site and saw that her moderator tools were gone. - Stack Exchange then went to the press and called her a transophobe and a bigot. They did post several “apologies,” but they weren’t apologies at all — they simply restated the (false) accusations and said they weren’t going to do anything to fix it. (See https://web.archive.org/web/20191005000615/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334248/an-update-to-our-community-and-an-apology https://web.archive.org/web/20191005000615/https://meta.stac...) - SE didn’t retract any of the accusations until the moderator got a lawyer and prepared to sue for defamation (SE’s accusations were the top Google result for her name for months) - Then when all of the outrage started to die down, part 2 began when SE fired two long-time community managers who were just about the only staff members left that the community still trusted: https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/342039/258777 https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/342039/258777
- SilasX 6y ago
  Jiminy! That's an unforced error if I ever saw one! Thanks for the summary and context.
thewebcount 6y ago
It's worth noting also around this same time they changed the front page of the site from the list of current questions to a "welcome" page that attempts to direct you towards purchasing one of their enterprise products. This is of no use to the vast majority of users who go to the site. Between that and their CEO retiring, it's clear that the site is moving to a new way of working, and it's one that isn't beneficial to their actual users. If they're having trouble making money the way they previously did, then I guess they have to try something new, but it sure is sad to see this happen.

NobodyNada 6y ago

You’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head. A few missing pieces: - The moderator in question is a professional writer and preferred to avoid using any pronouns at all. She emailed SE to ask if that was acceptable, or if the new policy was mandating that she go out of her way to use pronouns. SE did not respond to her emails at all, then several weeks later they revoked her moderator status on a Friday night without even telling her — she figured it out when logged into the site and saw that her moderator tools were gone. - Stack Exchange then went to the press and called her a transophobe and a bigot. They did post several “apologies,” but they weren’t apologies at all — they simply restated the (false) accusations and said they weren’t going to do anything to fix it. (See https://web.archive.org/web/20191005000615/https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/334248/an-update-to-our-community-and-an-apology https://web.archive.org/web/20191005000615/https://meta.stac...) - SE didn’t retract any of the accusations until the moderator got a lawyer and prepared to sue for defamation (SE’s accusations were the top Google result for her name for months) - Then when all of the outrage started to die down, part 2 began when SE fired two long-time community managers who were just about the only staff members left that the community still trusted: https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/342039/258777 https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/342039/258777

SilasX 6y ago
Jiminy! That's an unforced error if I ever saw one! Thanks for the summary and context.

thewebcount 6y ago

It's worth noting also around this same time they changed the front page of the site from the list of current questions to a "welcome" page that attempts to direct you towards purchasing one of their enterprise products. This is of no use to the vast majority of users who go to the site. Between that and their CEO retiring, it's clear that the site is moving to a new way of working, and it's one that isn't beneficial to their actual users. If they're having trouble making money the way they previously did, then I guess they have to try something new, but it sure is sad to see this happen.