We all make mistakes and sometimes even the most helpful members on your forum will unknowingly break one of your forum's rules. When this happens, how do you deal with the member and notify them of what they have done, without annoying them or leaving them with a bad feeling towards your community?
Great Members Who Break one of Your Forum Rules!
- Thread starter Fergal
- Start date
I would do like theezy does and just send them a friendly PM with a link to the rule they have broken and just kindly remind them not to do it again. As you said, we all make mistakes, and I'm sure I've even broken a rule on a forum accidentally before. So even the most careful members make mistakes sometimes.
Gimgak said:
Duh :lol:
Being serious now, it can be a slightly tricky situation. I know I had a similar happening with members on my forum, and a couple of my best members ended up leaving over it, as they believe they were in the right. It's unfortuanate, but what's the point of rules if you don't enforce them.
I would just send a PM with a nice and easy reminder of the rule they broke and leave it at that. If the member can accept that their are rules and that everyone is held to them, then they'll stay. If not, then leaving may have done you a favour in the long run.
Depends what it is. But we generally treat them the same for the same level of infraction, taking into account they've never had a "record" before. Above all we have to be fair. And if we've been fair in the past to everyone else, they will usually accept that what they did was wrong. I've seen this myself. We had to ban 6 people last Christmas for suddenly turning on the site. They were banned for a few months until they came around, apologised etc. and demonstrated that they were "back to normal." We let them back, but we would've let anyone back after a similar infraction following a similar period of wonderful behaviour.
I have only ever banned around five people throughout my forum history. Whenever I ban someone I almost feel like crying because of the sad little creep who can no longer visit.Jack01 said:
Though sometimes I almost ROFL.
Rules is rules and if you break them then you must be spoken to, if it was a legitimate mistake then a simple warning should suffice , but if the offender is to continue then they must be banned, i have personally made mistakes and been scolded for my actions, these were simple mistakes and i have been warned, but, like i say rules are rules and if continued to break them then a punishment is due!!
Were only human after all we all make mistakes but the ones who do it on purpose then that is a different matter, we can all spot a trouble maker and the tell tale signs are all ways there, 1-2-3 strikes your out = ban,
This is just my personal opinion.
Were only human after all we all make mistakes but the ones who do it on purpose then that is a different matter, we can all spot a trouble maker and the tell tale signs are all ways there, 1-2-3 strikes your out = ban,
This is just my personal opinion.
What do you mean by warning? Like an official board infraction or just a PM reminding them of the rules?bretttina said:
I know when I make a simple mistake and I get an official board infraction/warning added to my account right off the bat, its a turn off.
Just a simple PM and a small note about the rules that have been broken, but if the person persists in his or her actions then like i say 1-2-3 strikes = ban!
I will usually give anyone a chance to prove that their mistake was genuine , unless the perpetrator has really done a serious offence.
I will usually give anyone a chance to prove that their mistake was genuine , unless the perpetrator has really done a serious offence.
I take each situation - case by case scenario.
All comes down to what rules are broke, and how it might affect the other members of the community.
If they are very active members and have done it by accident - due to tiredness or whatever reason it might be, i let them know via PM and hopefully they understand.
All comes down to what rules are broke, and how it might affect the other members of the community.
If they are very active members and have done it by accident - due to tiredness or whatever reason it might be, i let them know via PM and hopefully they understand.
This doesn't happen much at all at my board...but it has happened a handful of times in the last few years. First and foremost I always communicate the rule violation by PM and never on any pages of the main board. I also provide a board link in the PM, and with the specific and pertinent board rule(s) in a highlighted quote for the member's reference. The tone of my PM is not accusatory and I simply ask them to understand and recognize the rule violation. I'm always courteous and respectful with ANY member who has broken a rule, regardless of whether they are active or not. I've actually had members in the past apologize profusely for some minor board rule violation, their reaction suggesting to me that they expect me to suspend their account or some other harsh reaction. I have to explain that I am not someone who runs their message board with a proverbial "iron fist". That doesn't mean I don't believe in rules because I do. It does mean I always give my board's members the benefit of the doubt.Fergal said:
Most of these violations have involved signature images that were much larger than board rules allow: two of my most active members are especially fond of using them, their sig images often so huge that many of our themes(skins) pages "bulge" outwards, a pet peeve of mine I readily admit.
Thus far I have had complete compliance from my online community's members because, I believe, I approach them regarding anything board related with courtesy and respect. Obviously this will not work 100% of the time...but I do believe it will work 90-95% of the time.
theezy said:
Pretty much the same, as well as, remind them that members who see staff, or respected members of the forum, breaking the rules (even if an accident) gives them the impression it's ok for them to do so as well.
HadesForzr
New Arrival
Well, I posted the rules. They don't read it. Maybe for first-timers. Give them a warning without any infraction. If it continues, be firm and start infracting or even ban.
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