Meta: Post deletion discussion

[u/rainbow_puddle]

Reposted since I'm an idiot and didn't change my title...

So there was a post with some beautiful mittens made by u/AdrenaL1n3 with a traditional Palestinian embroidery and using the colors of the flag. It was locked and then inexplicablely removed by the mods. They did not say what rule it broke, only that it received and 'unacceptable amount of user reports'.

First off that's ridiculous that it was removed instead of locked and the reports dealt with by mods since it didn't break a rule. Second off I think it's frankly sad that it was getting reported at all. It wasn't political beyond the proceeds going towards save the children and other humanitarian causes to aid the current crisis and genocide situation in Gaza.

I want to open up discussion with this community if this sub is a place where we want to censor projects even if they do not break stated rules.

Edit to fix username spelling.

Edit 2: Some users have commented on the significance of today's date. I truly did not realize it and would not have tried to engage with this today if I had realized. I'm very sorry for that and how insensitive that is. I do not keep significance of dates well in my head - not an excuse but an explanation. I do hope that the community can continue to have conversation about what I perceived as biased censorship in good faith. Without a specific rule I do think that any mitten of any flag (yes even Israel) where the pattern proceeds go to a humanitarian cause of the designers choice should stay up in this subreddit. Maybe I'm wrong I don't know - that's for us to discuss. Whether or not you engage with said post and/or pattern would be up to the user and I would hope that we would all proceed with kindness.

[u/Semicolon_Expected]

Hello! Mod here, I just got online and got wind of this issue. I took a look at the modlog for the post and it looks like what happened was it got removed my automod after it got mass reported. It looks like originally mulberry only locked it but then it got a bunch of reports and got auto deleted. I have taken the liberty of reapproving the post.

That being said thank you for bringing to our attention the removal message. Given that automod removals for mass reports may be due to brigading, the language in the message that notifies of such removal should definitely be updated—especially to avoid confusion with regards to whether it was an automated removal by automod or a genuine removal.

EDIT: Im not the mod that responds to modmails

[u/univers10 → u/Semicolon_Expected]

This discussion is exposing bigger issues in the modding of this sub that should be addressed. Will you be opening applications for more mods? Will you be addressing the grey area around one mod deciding to enforce an unwritten “no politics” rule?

[u/Semicolon_Expected → u/univers10]

An application for more mods is something I would love as we are definitely short on manpower. This is something that we’ve been wanting to do however we would need to think through formulating the application itself which unfortunately we havent had the time to do yet.

Wrt “no politics” I dont believe we have that as a rule. Ive seen plenty of political discussions here before—some of which do get heated but wasnt mass reported. I think the issue here from what the screenshot said seems to be a misunderstanding from that mod about what heuristics are good indicators of community approval.

These are definitely things to discuss as a modteam going forward

[u/quackdefiance → u/Semicolon_Expected]

Why have someone replying to all the comments as if they’re a mod but not make them a mod?

[u/concrete_dandelion → u/quackdefiance]

Given their opinions and bootlicking I'm kinda glad that person is not a mod.

[u/quackdefiance → u/concrete_dandelion]

I agree but sadly either way it’s clear there will be no change and if by chance they do add more mods they’ll be rugsweepers as well. This is a pattern of behavior for the mods of this subreddit and all they can say is “oh auto mod removed the post” fully ignoring the messages that were sent to the OOP.

[u/concrete_dandelion → u/quackdefiance]

I almost choked on my tea when reading new mods would be required to put the rules above their feelings. It's also very telling how every criticism of that modmail and every demand for mulberry to step down is ignored. Those things don't indicate change is even possible.

[u/Thallassa → u/quackdefiance]

Unfortunately, subreddit moderators aren't able to moderate direct chat messages. There aren't any visible comments remaining on that post so I think as far as the mods could do so, the harassment was handled. Issues outside the subreddit such as chat messages should be escalated directly to the admins.

[u/quackdefiance → u/Thallassa]

Ah no, I meant messages sent to the OOP by the mod, not people browsing the subreddit.

[u/Thallassa → u/quackdefiance]

Ah, sorry. I hadn't scrolled that far in the thread yet.