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I used to moderate a few message boards, and I fully agree. I think empowering the "power users" like this inevitably leads to Stack Overflow-style communities
by ericbarrett 6y ago
I used to moderate a few message boards, and I fully agree.
I think empowering the "power users" like this inevitably leads to Stack Overflow-style communities, where arrogant responses are the norm, the taste of a few regulates the many, and the culture of the community ossifies because new contributors are not welcomed.
- johnnyanmac 6y agoThe factor missing with a SO style "meritocracy" is that it needs to be hard to rise up, but very easy to fall down from misconduct: in other words, a built in accountability mechanism to ensure they don't abuse their power and become arrogant over it. Not necessarily ban worthy offenses (lest, they simply be banned), but ones that make a less welcome community. I'm lost on how to do this within an internet community, however. You don't want burners being made to report over a disagreement in opinion and impact them. Or worse, power users tearing each other down in retaliation. I don't think "election periods" would work well either because few people really care to be a moderator to begin with. I can only see it being done by having professional moderators and having a manager review any potential user complaints. Which I'm sure has other problems.