Permanent Suppression

[Enfaru]

Code: Select all

I actually think that Regional Founders / WA need to be given the power to permanently hide. At the moment NS++ circumvents this process, I'm not sure how but Regional Founders / WA Admin act as moderators for their RMB's to keep the peace. This is not just a case of suppression where another member can oppress another member (a feature I actually like) this is a case of rule breaking.

Regional Founders, WA Administrators and their appointed regional governments act as moderators for their RMBs to enforce the rules of both NationStates and the rules set forth by the region. Some posts for instance can threaten the community and break rules at the same time. The Suppression feature allows us to not pester the moderators each and every time there is an infraction. In otherwords we can deal with the problems ourselves.

NS++ thinks it's all a game and that if people want to spam the hell out of an RMB they should be able to. This means we have only two options left. One, ban them. Which considering the severity of the crime is meaningless or two report them to the moderators. Who are all volunteers and extremely busy, often not getting round to a report for up to 24 hours. Some people have been left waiting longer than that. In which time the damage is done and cannot be undone. In otherwords it's too late.

Therefore I'm asking for implementation of a feature to allow Regional Founders or WA with exec permissions to be able to permanently suppress or 'remove' RMB posts that cannot be unhidden/restored by anyone but a NationStates moderator or an Exec, according to the rules laid out both by the region, by NationStates and by Exec discretion.

[Frisbeeteria]

Suppression is available to allow regional admins to clean up their RMBs, but it's reversible to prevent autocratic regional admins from suppressing information for political or personal reasons. In addition, it is common for raiders to suppress all RMB posts, forcing natives to click on each post to read what's been posted. With a permanent suppression feature, raiders could legally DESTROY RMB conversations. Perhaps mods could undo it, but with raiders routinely suppressing 40+ regions in an evening's raiding, that's not a task I'm interested in undertaking.

The Suppression feature allows us to not pester the moderators each and every time there is an infraction.

If it's an actual game infraction, you should absolutely be "pestering" us. That's what we're here for. We've even seen to it that you can click on the post's timestamp to get to an easy Report function. We'll be able to make a judgment on whether it breaks rules, without the drama of regional politics affecting our decision.

[Enfaru]

and this is why I don't like and therefore don't participate in the raider defender game. -_-; It stops regional staff from actually managing regional affairs.

Edit...

Just a darn moment...

Suppression is available to allow regional admins to clean up their RMBs, but it's reversible to prevent autocratic regional admins from suppressing information for political or personal reasons. In addition, it is common for raiders to suppress all RMB posts, forcing natives to click on each post to read what's been posted. With a permanent suppression feature, raiders could legally DESTROY RMB conversations. Perhaps mods could undo it, but with raiders routinely suppressing 40+ regions in an evening's raiding, that's not a task I'm interested in undertaking.

That's exactly what the suppress feature is for! If the players don't like it, they can always go elsewhere. If you decided for instance (and yes, Frisbeeteria, prime example of autocratic dictator ) to suppress every one of my forum posts. I would after a while, go elsewhere/create a clone of nationstates where it is less autocratic. In much the same way as players can start up their own regions or go to other regions.

Edit 2

Further more. If a raiders suppress conversations that's just a penalty of getting raided. Why should regions who have lost their regional founder be able to unsuppress posts. They should have thought about that.

[Nephmir]

To be fair, the FAQ does say:

My region's WA Delegate is an evil dictator who abuses her power! Make her stop!
Delegates are elected: if you don't like yours, it's up to you to get her unelected! Delegates are free to use or abuse their power as they see fit.

...which implies that Delegates are free to abuse their power.

Besides, to prevent abuse from R/D and tag raiding couldn't it just have a small influence cost? Almost all tag raid delegates don't have any significant amount of influence upon being elected anyway, and Raiders would not spend extra influence permanently suppressing posts when they need it to refound the region during lengthy occupations.

[Frisbeeteria]

Frisbeeteria, prime example of autocratic dictator

Why thank you! It's nice to be appreciated. I am, after all, an extremely transparent autocratic dictator, as virtually all of my arguments are viewable by all forum readers.

couldn't it just have a small influence cost?

At first thought, not a horrible idea. On thinking about it though, I realize that feeder and sinker delegates tend to have enormous influence pools, and are enormously difficult to oppose politically. This is also true for many of the 100+ member regions, who often have long-established delegates with enormous influence balances. Giving them essentially complete control of the content of the RMB makes them all but impossible to dislodge.

Also, Founders don't get charged influence for any other change. I realize we treat Founders like vest-pocket kings, but I think that regional populations deserve at least ONE public outlet for dissent.

[Nephmir]

Frisbeeteria, prime example of autocratic dictator

Why thank you! It's nice to be appreciated. I am, after all, an extremely transparent autocratic dictator, as virtually all of my arguments are viewable by all forum readers.

couldn't it just have a small influence cost?

At first thought, not a horrible idea. On thinking about it though, I realize that feeder and sinker delegates tend to have enormous influence pools, and are enormously difficult to oppose politically. This is also true for many of the 100+ member regions, who often have long-established delegates with enormous influence balances. Giving them essentially complete control of the content of the RMB makes them all but impossible to dislodge.

Also, Founders don't get charged influence for any other change. I realize we treat Founders like vest-pocket kings, but I think that regional populations deserve at least ONE public outlet for dissent.

I see. Though suppression of opposing viewpoints is often a tactic exercised by governments or organizations to maintain order and to use as a medium for propaganda... as you are no doubt well aware.

All regions in NationStates are technically forced to have freedom of speech. I can't go and create an actual authoritarian dictatorship region, for example, since opposing political ideologies can enter a region and inspire rebellion on the RMB. Maybe a delegate shouldn't have the powers to permanently suppress, since he or she can be replaced, but a founder is for life- so shouldn't he or she have the ability to crush opposition? At the very least, nations that don't agree or like the lack of freedom of speech will leave for a region that allows conflicting ideologies.

[Bears Armed]

Why should regions who have lost their regional founder be able to unsuppress posts. They should have thought about that.

Oh, really?!?
If the founder was controled by just one player, as is so often the case, then how exactly was the rest of the regional membership supposed to keep that nation in existence? Their only potential solution (under the current rules, without a succession mechanism) would be to replace it by re-founding the region... which would obliterate all of the existing RMB posts anyhows.

[Cora II]

@Bears Armed.

Everyone can always make back up from RMB and add it to the New Region's RMB after Founding/successful refounding.

If Founder player decides leave from the Game, he/she can give access of the founder puppet to a Successor. (Yes. I know very well that is not encouraged by Mods)

Living Community of a region can very well move if it is unable organize enough safe region for it's needs.

What comes to The topic. I do not see any extra value in permanent RMB suppressions made by others then players themselves to their own comments and by the Moderation for moderation needs. (Other issue is then should RMB deletions allowed for DEAT'd nations too)

Even in rather strict TBR Tagging Protocol RMB suppressions are on the lowest level of importance, usually it would take 30 seconds - 1 minute to unsuppress typical RMB of a TBR Tag.