Mod Power Abuse - Steam community bans and moderators creating their own rules...

Incarnate

Would you say it's mod power abuse if a mod bans someone with the ban reasons also stated in the discussion by a member, that that was banned earlier the same day and before this ban question? Also to mention, these reasons being highly subjective and reasons you can't actually ban for, not without seriously risking banning someone unjustified and unfairly.

Personally, I'd say it's definitely highly questionable and suspicious when a mod bans a member using reasons that basically are unproven accusations from the member in question that received the ban earlier the particular day. Especially when using the accusations the earlier banned member accused the second banned member of, without any sort of proof, only speculation and assumption, where the earlier banned member had violated several community rules against the second member - also in many other threads without receiving ban prior to that. So considering that piece of information, it makes it even more suspicious, that suddenly the second member is banned using those very same accussations as ban reason. Furthermore, I know the second banned member actually questioned the ban, especially because it was unjustified and unfair. Did the second member receive a response from the moderator who had issued the ban, no the member did not. Weird right? I think so.

Also to note, the mod in question has also apparently invented own rules to close down threads, like for instance locking + moving, and/or deleting threads for violating "rules" that aren't even in the DbD's community rules, nor in the Steam community rules. Like for instance locking and then moving a thread for being "necroed", where the thread in question weren't and still isn't a dead topic at all, and quite many actually were engaged in the thread at the time - basically because there hadn't been a post to it for 14 days. In regards to this, I've actually asked other senior mods about this, and those I asked agreed with me that those shouldn't be locked for that, and most certainly not if the post in question isn't violating any rules.

So I'm curious, what does the moderator team and community managers see as moderator authority and power abuse? Would they see the above as potential moderator power abuse? In my opinion, it definitely calls for some investigation on BHVRs part, as having a moderator who's abusing his/her authority and power for own personal agenda is a serious problem and threat to the overall well being of the community. I'm sure @not_Queen or @Patricia can elaborate on this quite well, but I'm also curious to hear what the community think of this, as this was a DbD moderator, a senior mod at that, but certainly also in general. Even when considering all the moderators are volunteers, this sort of thing should not happen.

So what do you think, mod authority and power abuse or not?

What do you think?

Sarief

Steam mod banned @DocOctober for post that 3 weeks old.
He had to go through all his messages to find one that was "justifiable" and not banning anyone else on the discussion either. It happens a lot on Steam forums, just ignore it.
If you got banned, it means the troll you were arguing with was moderator (happened to me) and him calling you dick is OK, since he's mod.

If it was IRL, I would say "welcome to Russia" but since this is not...

ps: Steam forum is independent and things that happen there are "managed" by other people. just fyi

Incarnate

@Sarief said:
Steam mod banned @DocOctober for post that 3 weeks old.
He had to go through all his messages to find one that was "justifiable" and not banning anyone else on the discussion either. It happens a lot on Steam forums, just ignore it.
If you got banned, it means the troll you were arguing with was moderator (happened to me) and him calling you dick is OK, since he's mod.

If it was IRL, I would say "welcome to Russia" but since this is not...

ps: Steam forum is independent and things that happen there are "managed" by other people. just fyi

It certainly sucks that you have been banned on the Steam for something that actually wasn't a justifiable and valid reason. I don't see DocOctober as part of the moderator team on steam or here for that matter, it is very likely however as you say it's a second or even personal account of the moderators that you were dealing with, it also possible that a moderator was influenced to ban you, like it is with the above situation.

Steam isn't independent, that was their original community forum and it is the one that is officially associated with the game on Steam, so no it is not independent, furthermore, all the moderators there have been chosen by BHVR, and are supposed to follow their rules and code of conduct ALONG with steams rules and code of conduct.

I'm not going disclose who the members in question are, nor am I'm going to disclose who the moderator in question is, that is reserved for those with correct priviliges.

Mod authority and power abuse is most certainly a problem and should be handled, and that you @Sarief have been a victim of this too, makes me believe even more that there is at least one if not more who are abusing their moderator authority and power entrusted to them by BHVR. This kind of abuse should not be tolerated at all, and BHVR and community managers should investigate this much further, and should also appoint one to be looking into these matters.

I encourage more to stand out and share your experiences with DbD moderator authority and power abuse, so that we may get rid of those moderators.

PS. @Sarief, I did make a reply earlier to your post, but unfortunately it got flagged after a typo edit, and apparently ended up getting deleted.