Thanks for the link! I fully agree that banning is an important tool, though oftentimes a softer approach is more effective. Like a polite, firm warning, for di

Thanks for the link! I fully agree that banning is an important tool, though oftentimes a softer approach is more effective. Like a polite, firm warning, for disruptive people who aren't trolling for entertainment nor complete "assholes". And you should request people not to feed trolls; pointing out that if they find themselves feeling a strong emotional urge to respond, it's a sign they're dealing with a troll. (Being a civil moderator is important because it sets an example — you won't overreact over some tiny irritant. And of course, recreational trolls want you to overrespond; that's their entire game.) If you do encounter truly disruptive people, then aggressively removing them from the forum is important, like you'd remove a harasser from a meeting. I like this case study of how a feminist forum had to deal with conflicting internal forces keeping them from maintaining a useful forum. (http://inkido.indiana.edu/research/onlinemanu/papers/herring_et_al.pdf http://inkido.indiana.edu/research/onlinemanu/papers/herring...)