How do you keep track of your members' behavior? Do you use the "User Notes" feature (if your board has that)? Do you issue warnings/infractions as a way of keeping a log? Or do you just rely on your memory?
I happen to have an excellent memory. Because of this, I use it to the fullest extent. In rare cases (and scenarios), I have used the "User Notes" feature. There are some situations that vary on a daily basis and, rather than storing all of this knowledge in my memory, having it stored someone and being able to visually "see" it helps immensely.
User notes extensively, with copies of PMs and links to posts (even if they are soft deleted). The entire staff does that so we can figure out the trends. Occasionally images they have put up that are questionable. Wish there was an attachment feature on user notes so an external hosting site was not needed, some pictures can be offensive. I did start out using a private forum that only I could see to keep track but searching for that information became a problem and wanted to share with the rest of the staff.
I still haven't figured out the User Notes feature We generally post in the Admin section about who needs watching, etc.
Ah yes, that's another way to go about doing it. Doing so also makes for some amusing discussion. :lol:
After a few bad things occur, we put them on close moderation. And, after a few reports, we know that the member is a problematic one.
User notes feature? Sounds like another as-yet-undiscovered vB perk ... To share not just what happened, but also detailed notes by mods of background info or just their thoughts on the situation ... they were invited in as mods for the quality of those thoughts, so it is good to save them from the time of the incident. Sub-forum of the mod forum: Problem Children Each Problem Child has a thread with their name. It lives forever. Any mod can start it, and usually someone does if a member hits the radar more than twice, or is argumentative about following the rules (there aren't many!) All infractions etc. are linked there. All communications - pm, email - are copied there, with replies. If they reform the thread just sinks out of sight and never needs to be used again. But usually people who make it to PC are confirmed recidivists and the documentation is important. As I'm posting elsewhere ... we just had a member who seems to have an outbreak of stupidity every 6 months. Her thread really documented just how much mod time she has absorbed over the past couple of years, as the mods haven't dwelled on the situation and loose that memory. The thread clearly shows the same cycle. We explain, there can be no justifications whatsoever for this behavior, it has to stop or she'll loose access. She agrees, promises 'never again.' She does it again 6 months later, claims the same justification, claims she didn't understand the rule. Looking back at the thread we are able to determine that the other 1,800+ active members have understood the rule this entire time but she has not. Another forum might have rules easier for her to understand. Reviewing the thread also shows us how silly we, the mods, are being to go through this again each time. The mods just don't have long memories for this stuff if a member is not causing problems. The thread keeps us consistent and on track.
Yes, vB. I believe they show up in the member profile. (If what I've read is correct. I've never actually seen them in action.)
I actually have a good memory, as Chris also said, I use it to my full extent. On Pisoga I get to ban a LOT of people, but I can tell you exactly why each user was banned for only looking at their username.
The user notes are essentially a thread, attached to the user profile. When viewing a members profile there is a button 'user notes', click on that and the user notes show up. Then people don't have to search for a separate thread. You do need permissions to view the user notes enabled, typically mods & admins can use those.
When you get more then,, lets say,,, 15,000 members, who has time to keep track? There comes a point when it takes more time then its worth to keep track of problem members. If the member is a problem, send them on their way. Yes, sometimes I will make notes on users accounts. I have an automatic ban tied in with infractions, and all of that is recorded in the users profile. The number of points for the re-defined infractions equals the number of days for the ban. 7 points = 7 day ban 30 points = 30 day ban 60 points = 60 day ban and so on out to 6 months. I think I have a 365 point infraction that would equal a 1 year ban.
I have always made use of the "User Note" feature of vBulletin. I set the permissions of it so only staff and the member can see the user note(s). In addition, we keep track behind the scenes, mainly in the staff section.
On my forum, we use the User Notes feature and we also just keep track in the staff forum. We rarely have any member issues (maybe we've had a total of five in our year-long+ lifetime) so my memory hasn't let me down yet. :lol:
This is what we do. There really aren't that many members that we have a need to watch. I take out my whip occassionally and that usually gets them back in line.
we have staff meetings in msn, and save them. also i have a really good memory, i can remember most things that happened on most forums i am on, since i registered, and several things commonly talked about that happened years ago. i even know several regularly posting members ip adresses, off by heart! i can smell a troll a mile off! (another forum i am on call me the forum detective)
