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Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

stackoverflow.blog

41–50 of 57 posts

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#41
Interesting.

Although as someone who has been a part of a few volunteer moderation efforts. I've found that moderators don't always act in the best interests of the community (even when they think they are doing so) and sometimes become greatly detached from the non moderating community.

It's a sad truth that those who REALLY want to moderate, are often pretty bad at it.

A moderator council could be it's own field of landmines.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#42
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can stop providing updates and let it go stale.

Someone else can create a front end to the dumped data, similar to how you can run Wikipedia or OpenStreetMap locally (or from anywhere, really). Good timing considering Distributed Web efforts [1]. Internet Archive is having a Dweb meetup tonight FYI if you're in SF [2], word is Twitter's team focused on the same goals will be in attendence. [1] https://hacks.mozilla.org/2018/07/introducing-the-d-web/ [2] https://ww…

> Internet Archive is having a Dweb meetup tonight FYI if you're in SF

I'm not even being flippant here, this is an earnest piece of feedback.

Please don't call yourselves `dwebs`. That's just asking for people to not take you seriously.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone else can create a front end to the dumped data, similar to how you can run Wikipedia or OpenStreetMap locally (or from anywhere, really). Good timing considering Distributed Web efforts [1]. Internet Archive is having a Dweb meetup tonight FYI if you're in SF [2], word is Twitter's team focused on the same goals will be in attendence. [1] https://hacks.mozilla.org/2018/07/introducing-the-d-web/ [2] https://ww…

> Internet Archive is having a Dweb meetup tonight FYI if you're in SF I'm not even being flippant here, this is an earnest piece of feedback. Please don't call yourselves `dwebs`. That's just asking for people to not take you seriously.

No relation to any org in the meetup, just calling it what it was called in the online marketing of it. I’d agree the marketing needs some tweaks.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#45
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure how I feel about the ethics of volunteers massively contributing to the growth of a for-profit company. StackExchange wouldn’t be anywhere near as big as they are without its volunteers and yet they only care about their bottom line. Are there any non-profit alternatives?

Tesla owners once famously banded together to help Tesla through 'delivery hell' [0]. They did this for the love of the company and the company mission, despite not being paid and their actions only benefiting Tesla's bottom line. Is it not fair to say that volunteers have autonomy, and that we should respect that autonomy? In other words, if they don't feel they are being exploited, then why should it bother us? Why…

I am not bothered when someone promotes their favorite brands or products. I am however bothered when companies encourages and promotes such a mindset.

Thank the volunteers, that's fine. Incite regular consumers to become proselyting agents for free? A bit too close to manipulation, exploitation and cultish behaviors for me.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#46
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can stop providing updates and let it go stale.

Someone else can create a front end to the dumped data, similar to how you can run Wikipedia or OpenStreetMap locally (or from anywhere, really). Good timing considering Distributed Web efforts [1]. Internet Archive is having a Dweb meetup tonight FYI if you're in SF [2], word is Twitter's team focused on the same goals will be in attendence. [1] https://hacks.mozilla.org/2018/07/introducing-the-d-web/ [2] https://ww…

> Someone else can create a front end to the dumped data

only if SO allows them to (by licensing the contents of SO liberally as they are currently doing). But they can stop at any time.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#47
post #22
post #10

For those unaware of the context, StackExchange fired a (volunteer) moderator in September causing a wave of moderator resignations. Now in January they fired two Community Managers (ie. employees) and a third CM resigned. https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/342039/firing-commu...

I’m not sure how I feel about the ethics of volunteers massively contributing to the growth of a for-profit company. StackExchange wouldn’t be anywhere near as big as they are without its volunteers and yet they only care about their bottom line. Are there any non-profit alternatives?

I don't really get objections like that. The entire business model of Stack Overflow is, and always has been, the provision of a platform for people to help each other. They provide all of the infrastructure that allows this all to happen. Everyone who participates knows that they are a for profit company. Nobody is being forced to participate against their will. I don't see how retaining the ability to sell their product to corporations and to sell advertising space on the site in exchange for providing a completely free platform for people to help each other on a voluntary basis can be called evil or wrong in any way.

Just my personal opinion.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#48
post #10

For those unaware of the context, StackExchange fired a (volunteer) moderator in September causing a wave of moderator resignations. Now in January they fired two Community Managers (ie. employees) and a third CM resigned. https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/342039/firing-commu...

> 2020-01-16: Official policy on limiting "featured"ing the moderator resignation notice to only 24 hours

Wow. SO's response to the (IMO very justified) revolt of its volunteers is to simply suppress news of the disappearances.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#49
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tesla owners once famously banded together to help Tesla through 'delivery hell' [0]. They did this for the love of the company and the company mission, despite not being paid and their actions only benefiting Tesla's bottom line. Is it not fair to say that volunteers have autonomy, and that we should respect that autonomy? In other words, if they don't feel they are being exploited, then why should it bother us? Why…

I am not bothered when someone promotes their favorite brands or products. I am however bothered when companies encourages and promotes such a mindset. Thank the volunteers, that's fine. Incite regular consumers to become proselyting agents for free? A bit too close to manipulation, exploitation and cultish behaviors for me.

Do you have any examples where that’s been the case? I’m stretching my mind to think of any and have come up empty.

Re: Stack Overflow is forming a moderator council

#50
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not bothered when someone promotes their favorite brands or products. I am however bothered when companies encourages and promotes such a mindset. Thank the volunteers, that's fine. Incite regular consumers to become proselyting agents for free? A bit too close to manipulation, exploitation and cultish behaviors for me.

Do you have any examples where that’s been the case? I’m stretching my mind to think of any and have come up empty.

Almost every company-sponsored hackathon is like that. And every Google prompt to help them feed their recommendation database "to help improve their products" is the same.
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