So from what I’m gathering in this discussion, there were plenty of hateful posts that got flagged and removed, and some critical posts that got flagged (probably due to all of the tension created by the troll posts) and not removed. If the non-hateful posts didn’t get removed, then what is the problem?
Also, how about we start using links when referring to specific posts? Would be a lot more helpful and objective so that we don’t have to rely on each others’ interpretations.
This is not… entirely true, sadly.
Recently, I have had one of my posts flagged and then a mod reviewed it to have it deleted. Allegedly for trolling.
- “It’s not that Mercy only HAS mobility, but she has ONLY REALLY GOOD mobility.”
- Cooldown timers and transitions synergy health aren’t the same thing but that was a nice try.
- The difference between turning a six second ability to a seven second ability is absolutely different from turning a 1.5 second ability to a 2.5 second ability.
Mine is not the only case. Several others and, from personally looking into it, were also deleted for poor reasoning. This might not be the most nicely worded post, but I’d be hard pressed to label it trolling and several other threads and posts around have been flagged/deleted that didn’t break CoC on both sides of this debacle. The forums are lame, I guess.
Interesting. Are the reports reviewed by humans or by an algorithm? Also, I would like links to the posts you’re referring to.
To be removed, it has to. and the private message I got said so.
This is the message I received:
Hello,
This is an automated message from Overwatch Forums to let you know that your post was removed.
Your post was flagged as trolling: the community feels it is inflammatory, extraneous or upsetting.
This post was flagged by the community and a staff member opted to remove it.
I am also aware that atleast a well known individual Ranulf made a thread that did not break CoC, was a unique thread, and the conversations were pretty normal and that thread was flagged down before being deleted outright having over 200 posts before deletion.
I can’t give you links because, if they are deleted, they no longer exist and anything that could lead to them is a 404 if it’s an entire thread. For posts, that’s trickier, because they get removed from your activity like they never existed. Hopefully the private message I have given is enough, however.
Interesting. There’s some inconsistency in the moderation then, because sometimes mildly contentious posts get deleted when flagged, but other times, they don’t.
This changes things a lot, still not enought to think everyone here posting about Mercy is getting targeted by a Pro-life Karen cult that wish to censor the forums lol.
Oh no, absolutely not lmao.
Anyone that thinks there’s a gang of Mercy Mains that controls the forums believes in unfounded propaganda at best.
However, what this DOES mean is it has happened to both sides of the arguments and, on both sides, atleast some weren’t deserved. It’s hard to say how many because they no longer exist; you’d have to have been around and been there to know they were around.
Atleast this either implies the staff doesn’t pay attention, care, or some have biases.
Any of you should be concerned, because this means people can just flag whatever you write and it can possibly be removed legitimate or not. As far as I looked, there is no way to appeal the process, or atleast how to do so is buried deeply.
From what Nohrian has been saying, it seems that at least some were deserved, though, in my opinion. I think that has been the point of contention in the thread.
Perhaps the undeserved flagging was because people were already on high alert from the influx of troll posts. Unfortunate.
I was there for those posts at the time. Some were downright racist, some were inflammatory, and there are still threads up currently flagged that propose purely “Mercy Mains” are censoring the forums. Though there might be threads on either side of the argument that were in the wrong of breaking CoC, BOTH sides have received inconsistent moderating and, strangely, I only know of the Pro-Mercy threads that were undeservedly deleted. Atleast, from what has been given to more or witnessed. I wouldn’t state that opinion, however, because it’s kind of hard to tell you what got different treatment if things just don’t exist anymore.
(The above are some examples, flagged but not deleted.)
Whatever the case may be, the moderation during the time was pretty inconsistent and still is.
As for some that were deleted however…
Personally? I don’t care if anyone says anything. It could be the WORST thing ever said. I wouldn’t flag it. Unless it was just absolutely lacking any point, I wont. The worst that can happen is you have something you’ve stated represent the type of person you are. As so, if I’ve found a statement that shows a person as being a “type” representing their opinion, I’ll absolutely find it not worth my time and ignore it. Because if someone is a bigot in one way, I don’t see why I should realistically consider whatever else they have to say. They are hateful, they are a troll, whatever the case may be, it’s a waste of my time. If I give it my time, it’s only to make sure it isn’t deceptive to anyone else.
And a PROPER decision of a staff member should be in the right to make that same assertion, too. My problem is when they don’t and seem to delete things inconsistently.
With all honesty, I didnt give a damn at first because I personally just ignore morons, but realizing that its so easy to convince everyone that there is a women cult controlling the forums in the shadows suggest that we have very serious problems in the root of the community.
This is also the same community that has takes like Mei/Cassidy is OP, Moira nercotic orb is busted, Rein is worst tank, and that Junkrat is broken.
There is always going to be idiotic opinions and they might trend here and other forums from time to time especially on how you spin them. If people want to go that route, let them, because you can’t know what a person is like unless they say it outright. Let them look like fools.
Unfortunately, if you do not contain stupidity, it spreads like covid-19.
This community is what happens, when most players are incapable of actually making their own opinions, instead relying on content creators, streamers and other “influencers” to do the thought process.
Imagine what the community would say if Samito said “The only people that play Mercy are white girls without aim”.
The trending conversation would not be positive, I can tell you that.
Probably would support him, like they always do. Conversation would be part “you misunderstood him”, part sexist opinions, and only small part “that’s not ok”.
I dont really care if they hate certain champs or if they think they are easy. I personally hate Moira with all my soul. What I didnt expect is for them to make brave acussations against a certain character based solely on prejudices. Like people saying that its not their fault if Mercy happens to be played by women so people use female insults against her. But where is the source that she is really played mostly by women? Absolutely nothing, its all based on prejudices but they still parrot the same. But the final nail in the coffin I couldnt ever expect was for them to excuse the attacks on Mercy players as freedom of expression and playing victim when they are the first ones to bring up the gender thing.
You didn’t expect it, when it was(in the past) officially permitted by developers? When mods on this exact forum were working overtime to contain displeasure with rework, as posts approving it weren’t sent into abyss of megathreads?
Maybe I am being overly dramatic, but you can’t really expect people to behave, when developers themselves aren’t making good examples.
I remember ow1 going through a plague of mysoginy as well, and also related to Mercy. But thought those times passed and those people banned. Looks like I was wrong.
I could see his fans being that way as all fans work but I’ve seen a pretty deafening consensus in these threads where people just don’t like streamers or poke fun that them for anything.
and to give fairness, I’ve seen more sensible people in these forums with actual sense than the pointless one-off posts that, if you’re like me, aren’t even read.
It’s stupid, and hopefully the well known regulars around here don’t hold that same opinion.
But like how stipulations work in real law where “Yes, you have the right to film in public space but that isn’t the same as filming directly into someone’s window”, I really don’t think the people here that have sense in their head treat comments like that seriously. Or don’t want to believe atleast.
Either way, I’ll call it out when I see it and it’ll be a pleasure to see you there when it happens again. It’s always a good time gathering with nice people to trash on prejudice and morons.
Summary on Mercy’s Changes after Feb 7 - General Discussion - Overwatch Forums (blizzard.com)
I tried my best at going over every detail on this matter