Feedback and suggestions

Hi everyone,

First, I’d like to thank all who have contributed to this thread. I’ve taken the time to read through the comments and want to address some of the concerns raised.

I understand the frustration some feel when threads are closed or go off-topic. It’s important to clarify that our moderation team follows clear guidelines when making these decisions so that everyone is treated fairly and equally.

The purpose of moderation is simple: to ensure that site rules are followed so that everyone can enjoy a safe and positive space. These rules aren’t complex but are designed to maintain respect and safety for all members.

Recently, several threads have been closed due to veering off-topic. Our moderators are doing their job by enforcing the guidelines we’ve set. The goal isn’t to stifle discussion, but to prevent unproductive exchanges that can lead to frustration or arguments. When conversations stray from the topic, they often devolve into back-and-forth disagreements that derail genuine discussion. In these cases, closing the thread is sometimes necessary to prevent escalation and ensure the forums remain constructive.

Of course, any content involving hate speech, harassment, or bullying is a priority and should be addressed immediately. I apologize if there have been instances where such posts weren’t dealt with as quickly as they should have been. Please rest assured that we’re not ignoring serious matters in favor of smaller disputes. If you notice anything inappropriate, I encourage you to report it, contact the team, or reach out to a moderator directly. We take these issues very seriously and will act swiftly to address them. Our warning and ban system is in place to handle this type of behavior.

Finally, I want to remind everyone of the importance in online communication. Without the benefit of facial expressions or tone of voice, written words can sometimes come across more harshly than intended. While I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, I understand how sensitive topics can lead to passionate discussions. Let’s all be mindful of how we communicate with one another. If you think someone or something is inappropriate or breaking site rules, please highlight it with a moderator through the various tools.

We do monitor the site daily, but with thousands of members and just a few of us, it can be a challenge to catch everything right away. Your help in self-moderating the community is incredibly valuable. Reporting issues when you see them allows us to respond more effectively, and working together is the best way to ensure this space remains enjoyable for everyone.

Thanks again, and please feel free to reach out if you have any concerns.

c00kie

I want to respond to what you said C00kie, but this also goes to everyone who's interested in this discussion. Any criticism on my points is welcome.

On threads going off topic (derailment):
There seems to be confusion around the issue. That's either because of a lack of clear line between what counts as derailment and what doesnt, or that line is poorly placed. The latter seems more likely acording to my experience. There have been instances where people percieve a clarification question (and the conversation that comes out of it) as a derailment. That should certainly not happen.



This is perhaps the most importand thing to talk about. You (the mods) are honestly doing an excelent job here, and i mean this sincerely. The cases in which a mistake happens from your side (and acording to the objectives you have as moderators) are too rare to account for the frustration people have.

To cut a long story short, i think the very goals of the rules, which you enforce, are not great. There is a lot of nuance that is not taken into account by them. I see that this domain (of community management) has been investigated on a very surface level only. Thats not specific to FF thought. The majority of online communities of all kinds seems to suffer from this. Its just that usually the problem doesnt manifest since conversations on issues that demand a more developed ability to think and communicate, dont really happen. But this also means that when such a conversation does take place, the reaction is usually to shut it down.



Again, thats the right uproach acording to the rules, but often the participands may end up going in the other direction, which is to settle the matter they disagree on!

And there is something else to be said here. Even if the argument escalates, shutting it down is nothing more than a symptomatic treatement. It doesnt solve any problems, and in fact makes them worse by making them more unoticeable (because the way to notice a problem is through the symptoms it causes) and thus reducing the likelyhood of them being fixed.

(I dont have something to add/say about the next paragrpah, i skip it here. The one after it contains multiple points which i will have to break down a little bit!)



Last point, any kind of self-moderation would be *massively* helped with a code of conduct that will go in adequate depth. We do not have tha

(also, increase some more the character limit maybe? 😅)

And i would like to talk to some mods about a number of things, not entierly specific to moderation (can i dm someone?)

Enas, there's no need to delve deeper. It seems you're trying to expand and clarify subjects that are straightforward for the majority of our member base.

Our rules are guidelines for the behavior we expect from members, and we've clearly outlined this in the rules section. It's impossible to create a rule for every scenario that might arise. Self-moderation doesn't require a complex set of codes—simply use the abuse report flags on profiles and content, or message our team via email to let us know what your issue is, which rule you believe was broken, and why. We'll investigate from there.

Derailment of a thread or discussion occurs when the conversation strays off topic, especially when it escalates into a heated back-and-forth between certain members. We are not a debate site. Our members come here to connect with like-minded individuals and discuss fat-related interests. We kindly ask that topics like politics, religion, or world events be minimized in order to preserve the relaxed, slow-paced atmosphere we've built for everyone to enjoy.

I've noticed that your threads often veer from the site’s main themes into discussions of politics, world events, economics, philosophy, and so on. We're simply not the right platform for that. Additionally, your approach to these conversations isn’t coming across well, and I can see why many members have taken issue with your posts and interactions. Please note that this behavior does violate our site rules. We've been lenient so far, but as it's having a negative impact on our forums and chat spaces, we may have to take further action.

One of our core rules is to be respectful to all members. If everyone kept that at the forefront of their minds during interactions, many issues would be avoided. Respect means considering others' feelings and boundaries, and it’s clear that some toes are being stepped on repeatedly, which isn’t acceptable.

While some discussions might resolve themselves, when they devolve into insults or rudeness, we cannot allow it. If you need to resolve differences, please do so privately. If you need clarification, ask privately as well.

Feel free to message me if you'd like to discuss the site or moderation further or the 'number of things' you wish to talk about.

Thanks,
c00kie
FF Team