I note that on the subject of car importation some of the replies have gone. the explaination is given by the moderator that they have been reduced.

sorry to be very dense, but role does a moderator do...does he censor replies, cut them out ...or what?

perhaps someone may enlighten me as to what subjects will be affected and on what basis?

If all goes well and people treat each other respectfully, refrain from profanities and abuse, a moderator should not have to do anything.

If something does go wrong, a moderator can do anything from warn somebody, intervene by means of censorship/deleting or even ban a user.

I edited the car import topic to exemplify how that works. The topic has been reduced to the informative part only, the abuse and insults as well as all associated posts to that behaviour have been deleted.

thanks for the information...at least I now know.

must say though I think this forum will lose some of it crackle.

but if thats what people want....so be it.

I think it is a necessary evil, it is very off-putting for new users to see lots of unnecessary criticism and personal insults and it doesn't do much for me either!

If we are going to encourage first-timers to post and contribute to the life of the forum, then they have to feel comfortable and confident that they won't be torn to pieces.

Moderators certainly don't stifle debate or exchange of opinions, but we will be on the lookout for anything malicious, libellous etc.

No-one who cares about the forum and carvoeiro has anything to fear.

No-one who cares about the forum and carvoeiro has anything to fear.

Kteee, as much as I dislike some of those jerks that call themselves
"Guests", Governments make the same sort of statment each time they take away a civil liberty. (Not that I have anything to fear, of course)

A much better way, IMHO, would be to have the moderator come on line when someone is being a jerk, tell the poster that he/she is being a jerk, and to stop. If the poster continues in his/her evil ways, the moderator simply bans them.

Then we could drag them through the streets in chains. This would also help the local economy as the sales of rotten eggs and veggies would skyrocket.

I go along with Martin/Guest / and Cowboy ---will this forum lose its 'crackle' --if postings are cut down/ disappear/ topics removed?
I Know Steen would 'Lockup' a topic that had run out of steam/wentround in circles etc.
Are we being 'censored ' --I always thought we 'censored ourselves' here?
If someones abusive or uses very basd language --folk here soon put them in their place!
I agree with censorship for protection of the young--but thought we were all grownups here?
I do hope we're not going to lose some of the 'sparkiness' -- it will be sad day if we do
But its early days--maybe Im being pessimist--hope I dont have reason to be
P.S think Cowboys idea a good one. For moderator to 'step in' when things go too far!

Note to the Moderators:

Is there any way a poster can appeal against their input being 'moderated'?

I am often 'moderated' on the Turkish forum for content that would easily (has easily) be OK on this forum.

At the very least, is it possible to tell me when I've been 'moderated' and why?

Having had a good look and a good laugh at the jokes I don't think the moderatrs will be too heavy-handed.

It's the abusive postings and personal attacks that'll be the first to fall beneath their red pencil - as well they should.

What I'd like to know is will they 'moderate' each others postings

How do you define an abusive posting. Do sexist comments come under that? Digger kept banging on about ironing Banter to a lot of us but some people are offended? This is like being back at school!

I'm with Ellie and good company on this but think a certain someone is

Hope Gerry Cullen posts soon

Yeah guest--lets hear it from Gerry--its sure to be interesting--in his own inimitable style---thats what makes forum sparky --cos we're all so different
Have you seen Diggers ironing website Guest---certainly lot less boring than being plugged into the kitchen

I think you will find that most forums have moderators. I have previously moderated on a very different forum and had to intervene only a handful of times in 3 years.

Most of the discussions here are perfectly acceptable, but on occasion it goes a bit too far and responding only exacerbates the situation - it is then that a moderator steps in.

I'm sure most of the time you'll hardly even notice we're here

Please tell me as a mere visitor, who moderates the moderators perhaps a slap on the wrist for the naughty children.

Gerry wins the prize for using the first swear word today under another thread

Gerry, you are one cool dude

Is there any chance that ye could put all the bits that yis "moderate"away somewhere and every now and then we could dag in and take a quick look at them, a bit like,all right on the night,.
Are we really all that thin skinned ?

With you all the way Gerry Alright on the night sounds