Harassment And Bullying - FYI Moderators And Members

[ABSpareEditor]

The role of the AnswerBank Editor is to maintain the quality of the website content. It is not to get involved in personal disputes between users. The harassment and bullying occurring on the site is now affecting the quality of the website.

The sly digs and conversations full of insinuations are being dragged across different threads and categories. It's making the site unpleasant.

Regular and well-established members should know better. It's a shame that those involved are regular and longstanding.

We're implementing a zero-tolerance stance when it comes to this now.

Moderators, please suspend well-established users if they involve themselves with this ongoing drama. If we feel the suspension is justified then we will leave it in place indefinitely.

[Redhelen72]

Well Corby my warning was given publicly

[naomi24]

By me, RH - and you thanked me for it.

[THECORBYLOON]

Ah, as the ED had said folk had received warnings, I thought you meant you had received an e-mail.

[MissTerious2]

Naomi. I'm not stirring but can I add that my reply to PP a few threads above defines bullying and exclusion is mentioned. Is is actually written for schools but some adults act like school children. It is so blatantly obvious that Red is ignored by the same group of people who dominate the early birds thread. And it's not just Red that gets ignored. I dont personally care a jot if I'm ignored, but understand how Red feels. The early bird thread should be inclusive as it was before. Personal grudges shouldn't be brought onto AB.

[fitdarren]

I see RH has been suspended, The wrong one in my opinion. Come back emmie when you were fair and talked to all.

[pastafreak]

13:30...what??? WHY???
And regarding 13:22...its often said on there...'be kind' and 'do into others'. Think about it.

[Peter Pedant]

Bullying in casse anyone wonders ( I did) can reasonably be defined

"The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online’."

Harassment is legally defined, but some orgs ( NHS) have their own definitions which conflict and cause difficulty (speaking from experience)

[gness]

I agree, Fitdarren. After SpareEd posted this the nastiness simply became more veiled. Snide remarks that would mean nothing to most except the recipient and a few others.
It's a shame the site has been reduced to this childish behaviour.

[fitdarren]

I don't know why pasta, but like I said, the wrong one.

[anneasquith]

What are abers not seeing what is going on in this site ?

[pastafreak]

Its all become rather shameful.

[ABSpareEditor]

We have asked users who know they do not get along with other users to give them a wide berth. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything.

We can't penalise members for ignoring and avoiding other members.

We can't force members to reply to other members. Where would that end? Forcing members to say thank you in quizzes and puzzles?

[THECORBYLOON]

It might well be that some of the sly wee digs are not seen by the Mods or are seen but the meanings behind then are not appreciated.

Either way, they slip past unless those in the know report them and explain what is behind the offending comments.

[gness]

I'm pretty sure I have reported at least one obvious to some veiled spiteful comment, Corby. If not I will.

Would be better for AB if the one or two making those comments just stopped.

[bednobs]

"Forcing members to say thank you in quizzes and puzzles?"
what a great idea! while you are at it, can you enforce people coming back and revealing whether they really DID have domino's or chippy for tea, and wht skirt they wore whilst doing so?

[jno]

bednobs, yes, it would be helpful if AB enabled photos of dinners, dresses etc to be displayed in posts. I could halve membership levels overnight by posting a shot of a pineapple pizza.

[bednobs]

i'd certainly follow ed's rules and ignore you in perpetuity after JNO.

[gness]

For heaven's sake, Jno...just don't add bananas! Yuk!