How to not mini-mod: A detailed illustration on preventing mini-modding!

[Nick]

How to not mini-mod
A detailed illustration on preventing mini-modding!
brought to you by Patchisou Yutohru

Not mini modding is a really hard thing to do. It requires impeccable dedication, sensibility, and practice. That is why I'm bringing you this handy dandy guide, to help you to know when mini-modding is appropriate, how to recognize it, what to do when you spot it, and prevent it from happening to you and the people you care about.

When is mini-modding appropriate?
Never.

How do I recognize mini-modding?
If a member posts telling someone that a thread doesn't belong there, a thread belongs somewhere else, a thread is going to be locked, and other mod-like statements and isn't a staff member, that is mini-modding.

How do I know if someone is a staff member?
If a member isn't in bold blue, bold orange, or bold red, they're not a staff member.

Here's an example of a moderator:

You can tell they're a moderator because their name is bold and blue and they have a moderator badge underneath their username.

This is a super moderator:

You can tell they're a super moderator because their name is bold and orange and they have a super moderator badge underneath their username.

This is an administrator:

You can tell they're an administrator because their name is bold and red and they have an administrator badge underneath their username.

This is a supporter:

You can tell they're a supporter because they have an italicized green username and have a supporter badge underneath their usernames. Don't be fooled by their unique appearance!!! Because they aren't bold blue, bold orange, or bold red, they aren't a staff member.

How do I prevent mini-modding from happening in my resident forums?
Preventing mini-modding lies in your hands. You can prevent mini-moddng by promoting safe posting. An important thing to remember is that mini-mods are all around us. Practicing safe forum posting is a way to prevent mini-modding from occurring. You can do this by following the rules. If something isn't where it belongs, don't take it upon yourself or you can end up in a hostile situation, and the reason we have rules is to prevent situations like this from happening. In situations where someone posts in the wrong forum, or posts something that doesn't belong on the forums at all, remain calm and look for the report button. The report button looks something like this:

It can be found on all posts above the mini details about the member, like their gender, their post count, and so on.

What do I do when someone mini-mods?
Mini-modding is a dangerous thing, and the people who do so are even more so. Never approach a situation without a clear head and the proper equipment. Using the lessons I showed you earlier, about recognizing staff members, determine where the person is indeed mini-modding. If so, in this case, the proper equipment requires a bit more than a common member has and only staff members are equipped to handle these situations, so it's important to remain safe and out of the line of fire. In situations where someone claims the identity of a moderator (but you recognize they aren't, due to the clues I told you about before), remain calm and look for the report button. The report button looks something like this:

It can be found on all posts above the mini details about the member, like their gender, their post count, and so on.

Thanks for this guide. I feel like I am ready to approach this problem head on!

 

[droomph]

This thread shouldn't go here because it's too clear in its wording.

Anyways I don't know how long and frequently this has been going on, but I trust that there was a need for it.

 

[Guy]

I like this. I like this a lot.

It gives me the idea that we should put together a "Member's Handbook" that includes detailed information like this, similar to the Moderator Guidelines we have in the Lounge. Thoughts?

+1 for the Sadie Saxton yourewelcome.gif

 

[droomph]

I like this. I like this a lot.

It gives me the idea that we should put together a "Member's Handbook" that includes detailed information like this, similar to the Moderator Guidelines we have in the Lounge. Thoughts?

+1 for the Sadie Saxton yourewelcome.gif

Or… maybe we should put this as a sticky in the Community Announcements with all the other rules thread? Idk, just a suggestion. Or maybe even merge all those threads as one.

…did they do that already? Oh

 

[Kura]

This is fantastic that this is getting defined! Though I have a question.. is this only applicable through/ in threads? So is "mini-modding" on someone's VM wall allowed? Like if someone wanted to VM someone to give them advice around the forums after maybe seeing misplaced posts or just in general, is that wrong?
Like I dunno.. hmm an example: "Oh hey I noticed you posted (your youtube video) around and just wanted to let you know to read the rules again because advertising your stuff isn't allowed on PC" or I dunno.. something?
Or then would PMing them a thing like that be wrong too? or is it only ok if they approach you first to ask you?

Just wanted to know :3

 

[Nihilego]

This is fantastic that this is getting defined! Though I have a question.. is this only applicable through/ in threads? So is "mini-modding" on someone's VM wall allowed? Like if someone wanted to VM someone to give them advice around the forums after maybe seeing misplaced posts or just in general, is that wrong?
Like I dunno.. hmm an example: "Oh hey I noticed you posted (your youtube video) around and just wanted to let you know to read the rules again because advertising your stuff isn't allowed on PC" or I dunno.. something?
Or then would PMing them a thing like that be wrong too? or is it only ok if they approach you first to ask you?

Just wanted to know :3

This is applicable everywhere on the forum. Minimodding through VMs, PMs or post comments is still minimodding. As for if the person asked you... hm. I'd be alright with it as long as you add something like "but I recommend you ask [x] moderator just to double-check" to the end or something like that. :]

 

[Kura]

This is applicable everywhere on the forum. Minimodding through VMs, PMs or post comments is still minimodding. As for if the person asked you... hm. I'd be alright with it as long as you add something like "but I recommend you ask [x] moderator just to double-check" to the end or something like that. :]

Sounds good to me! And one last thing.. I figure it's okay, but I would want to double-check: what about in this section here (Questions and Feedback) and in the quick question thread? Is answering someone here ok or should we generally always try and leave it to staff unless it's a suggestion?

 

[Shiny Celebi]

Thank you very much for this quide. I dont know how big a problem this is here, but I appreciate the staff putting this here for people to see so others can see and be aware.

 

[Sydian]

Sounds good to me! And one last thing.. I figure it's okay, but I would want to double-check: what about in this section here (Questions and Feedback) and in the quick question thread? Is answering someone here ok or should we generally always try and leave it to staff unless it's a suggestion?

CQ&F, to me, has always been the only forum it's sort of acceptable to mini-mod. I think it's fine to answer someone's questions when it comes to this forum, especially considering it's for questions and getting help with the site.

 

[Kura]

Cool! Sounds pretty straightforward to me. And I am guessing we are also welcome to PM a staff member saying "I noticed (insert new member here) seemed a bit lost around the forums/ has slightly spammy posts/ keeps posting in the wrong section, but I'm not sure if you have noticed, too. Would you mind helping them out when you have the time?" Yeah? :3
I doubt something like that would happen all too often.. but sometimes I see it, or like I get new members replying to me on their own VM wall instead of my VM wall, and it's only when I'm like "oh hey what ever happened to this convo?" and click on their page do I notice that they accidentally replied to themselves. Stuff like that.. well.. that's kinda a bad example because when I reply to them I can just sorta add "oh hey, by the way, press the view conversation link first" or whatever.. but I just would want to cover my bases here in case a situation like that came up again, so I am asking now that I have the opportunity.

TL;DR= If we see a member struggling, is it ok if we sorta offhandedly PMed one of you mods to suggest to keep an eye on them or help them out? Or should we just assume you do it by seeing it already or that they themselves would PM you instead and leave it up to them/you?

 

[Hikamaru]

Thanks Nick for compiling this helpful information. It can be a big help to the newer members who are having trouble identifying staff members, especially upon sight of all those green Supporter names like mine and they come to us instead of the staff members.

I've had some newbies ask if I was a mod only to tell them I wasn't because of the non-bold format and the fact I'm just italic and not bold. I sometimes even had to report mini-modding on some occasions, but at least this is a neat step to help the newbies when it comes to what is mini-modding and what isn't.

 

[droomph]

TL;DR= If we see a member struggling, is it ok if we sorta offhandedly PMed one of you mods to suggest to keep an eye on them or help them out? Or should we just assume you do it by seeing it already or that they themselves would PM you instead and leave it up to them/you?

I would suggest directing them over to the mentor's thing, or probably just mention to them nonchalantly.

…but, just thinking of what I would do (not always right), say "hey, I'm not going to get you in trouble or anything, but you might want to cut down on the ___". I might be wrong. So.

 

[Sydian]

Cool! Sounds pretty straightforward to me. And I am guessing we are also welcome to PM a staff member saying "I noticed (insert new member here) seemed a bit lost around the forums/ has slightly spammy posts/ keeps posting in the wrong section, but I'm not sure if you have noticed, too. Would you mind helping them out when you have the time?" Yeah? :3

Yeah, I don't see any problem with that! And about the VM thing, I don't think it's mini-modding to tell them how to reply to a VM correctly, so don't worry about that either. :P Just VM them again and explain how to reply without posting on their own profile, haha.

TL;DR= If we see a member struggling, is it ok if we sorta offhandedly PMed one of you mods to suggest to keep an eye on them or help them out? Or should we just assume you do it by seeing it already or that they themselves would PM you instead and leave it up to them/you?

I don't see a problem with it personally, like if you're PMing/VMing them any questions they may have asked you or if you noticed them struggling. I think the main problem with mini-modding is that members do it and often are just rather condescending about it, like "this is in the wrong forum. Syd will lock this shortly" or "this thread is inactive. Syd will lock it soon though." But if you're just kindly helping someone out that you've noticed struggling or something, I don't see a problem in helping them through PM or VM. To be safe though, you could always just PM us. I wouldn't mind it myself.

As I'm not a higher staff member though, I'd wait to get their opinion on it. That's just how I think of it as, so yeah. I don't imagine any of them would mind what I have said here, but yeah.

I would suggest directing them over to the mentor's thing, or probably just mention to them nonchalantly.

Maybe even direct them to a mod, especially if it's for a specific topic. The mentor thing isn't around atm sadly. :(

 

[Elaitenstile]

Hmm I'm probably one of the people who were wishing that this was there way before this guide was posted. TBH I really appreciate this and finally can get to know the use of the report button.

So basically, I can just report a post if it doesn't seem proper or something, right?

What if a person reports a post for false motives? Does he get infracted? I just asked this since I want to be double-sure about the concept.

 

[Nick]

You don't get punished for reporting something that isn't supposed to be reported. All that happens is a moderator looks at it, decides nothing is wrong with it, and closes the report.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

May not clear PC of mini-modding but may help to those who bother to read this...
Although I think those who read this already know about report button...

 

[Sydian]

May not clear PC of mini-modding but may help to those who bother to read this...
Although I think those who read this already know about report button...

They usually do know it's there, they just don't think to use it, it seems.

 

[Xander Olivieri]

This entire thing just played itself in my head as if I were taking one of my Product Knowledge tests at work. x-x I even self-narrated it in the Coach PK voice in my head. Someone help me TTwTT

Definitely TRU learning qualified in my books.

 

[curiousnathan]

May not clear PC of mini-modding but may help to those who bother to read this...
Although I think those who read this already know about report button...

More importantly, it will leave no room for excuses as to "I don't know what is and what isn't defined as mini-modding." etc.

 

[vaporeon7]

Will this thread be linked in the rules where it talks about mini-modding?

or just ignore me if it already has :3