Using moderation powers to critique runs that aren't yours
4 years ago
Canada

I'm aware I may be opening a can of worms here, so I won't drop any names. I'll leave it up to those involved in this activity to identify themselves if they wish. And yes, if you, the reader, happen to do that, I'm ready to face criticism for bringing this up.

Regardless I've come across runs that have had the game's moderator add critique to the submission itself. Not just extra info or notes relevant to the run, but rather critique and comparison to said moderator's own run.

I wonder how people feel about this. Is it disrespectful? Is it no big deal? Should a moderator uphold their duty of impartiality when adding anything to a submission that is not their own? Is it stepping out of your jurisdiction as a moderator? Is this an abuse of privilege? Is it part of the privileges?

I personally believe this trespasses the bounds of moderation duties, and that it is at least morally questionable.

I think that could be an interesting discussion to have amongst runners and game moderators alike.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
Ohio, USA

For me, that's a huge no-no. Changing the notes on another person's run is for someone viewing the run, with things such as changes in timing method, reason for a change in acceptance or something with grandfathering, or rarities such as that. Moderator notes added in addition should be intended for anyone who views the run in the future.

It is NOT a place for a moderator to put critiques or tips on how the runner did poorly or how to improve. Notes from a moderator under a run should be the exception and not the rule, and ESPECIALLY should not be used to gives tips and critiques that weren't asked for. Leave the tips and notes for the runner/s to give.

Definitely disrespectful. Morally questionable? That's melodramatic. You don't have to propose this as an "open ended discussion for all parties involved to note jurisdiction or privilege" or anything floofy like that. Just point-blank ask whoever it is to stop, and if they don't, ask site admins to get involved at that point.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
Imaproshaman and XeroGoFast like this
Canada

First two paragraphs, I agree.

Last one is a huge stretch, however, and you're assuming a whole lot. It hasn't happened to me personally so no point for me to ask anyone to stop or get admins involved. But I've seen it and it did make me shudder. This is why I thought it'd be interesting to see what others thought of it as well. Not everything is an excuse to "hide ulterior motives", y'know.

Edited by the author 4 years ago

The mod's behaviour you describe sounds super disrespectful to me. Adding stuff like "retimed to X minutes Y seconds" would be one thing but critiquing a run? That sounds like something you shouldn't do at all. (Only exception I can think of: when the runner specifically asks for it.)

Israel

I added the "retimed" messages myself, but if I wanted to comment on the run I would do it in private or on the run itself (like a YouTube comment). The notes are for the runner, not the moderator.

Gaming_64 likes this
Netherlands

Moderators should not alter the comments the submitter made under its speedrun. Typically, the only situations the moderator should do this is when:

  1. They'd like to add a small note about run retiming. Which is allowed by most communities.
  2. They have to remove bad comments: misbehaving, bad copy pasta, spam, invoking hate speech etc. Even if this is the case, its good that a moderator leaves a note in the comments why comments were altered because of it. If bad comments occur regularly under submissions, it should be addressed to site staff.

Moderators have no special privileges that would justify criticizing a run in it's comments. If a moderator does this, tell them to stop. If a moderator continues to do so, its better to forward this issue to us site staff rather than invoking public discussion about this topic, which I don't have a problem with, but will probably not resolve the topic you are trying to address.

Unless perhaps you are planning to forward this thread to the moderator in question to show them how people feel about this in general, though I don't think this is the case.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
Imaproshaman, MASH and 6 others like this
Jönköping, Sweden

On the flipside, I've had to change a runner submissions initial comment because it directly adressed and disrespected another mod on the board.

Daravae likes this

Just use Youtube comments section or Twitch's vod chat feature for that.

Washington, USA
EmeraldAly
She/Her, They/Them
4 years ago

I would never alter a submission comment. I have at times put in my own comment (always prefaced as such) if timing needed to be adjusted or anything like that. I have thrown a GG in such comments as well once or twice (mainly because retiming usually adds to the reported time, so, even though it's following the board's rules, I always feel a little bad about it).

Putting in something like "GOML scrub" which is what this sounds like? No way that's okay.