IP moderation proposal 2

This Wiki Page will describe the basic idea of how the new system discussed in this thread and then this one.

Short version

 * Only one moderator at a time
 * The moderator changes on a periodic basis
 * Each moderator applies his own rules

Long version
This is pretty straightforward. Each week (or whatever period is agreed on) a new moderator will be chosen according to the following criteria:

The potential moderator must have been with the group on a semi-regular basis for 2 months before becoming eligible. This means posting and contributing your own IDEAS. Not people who just cut and paste propaganda.

The order will be decided by the current moderator team, trying to rotate political views (left wing/right wing/center etc), discussion style (polite/rude/nondescript etc).

People will have to request being a mod. The METHOD of request will be determined later once the system gets rolling along. In the meantime, the list has been set for the next 3 months with people who r "regulars" in the group already. Keep in mind that there are gonna be way more members than weeks in a year. So it may take a long time before you get a turn.

Moderators have ABSOLUTE POWER during their weekly tenure There seems to be some confusion about this. So let me make it clear. ABSOLUTE POWER means just that.

The new mod will have the ability to reprimand people and ban them without recourse. Or not! IP has the potential for all kinds of intense and heated dialogue which has the potential to get very rough and fall into a lot of personal insults as well as some nasty ideologies. The fact is there are members from all over the world who have "truths" they regard as sacred. The problem is some of these "truths" may be considered idiotic nonsense in another part of the world. Now we can pretend that we can always be civil about this, which would essentially mean that some opinions would be censored, OR we can let the "truth come out". Some people here clearly don't like inflammatory discussions, other do. Some folks don't like personal insults, others do. This system is a compromise. Some weeks things will be heated. Other times they will be muted. The mod of the week can choose to moderate and keep things going in a certain direction. He can do this by reprimanding and banning members from the group if they don't comply with his directions. Or he can just let it go in whatever direction it flows.

Entirely up to the moderator.

Of course there is potential here for a mod to use his power to censor and ban people s/he doesnt like or doesnt agree with. Keep in mind that ABSOLUTE POWER doesnt mean u should abuse it. Quite the contrary, it should be viewed as a RESPONSIBILITY and NOT a PRIVILEGE. The success or failure of this new system will most likely depend on people making an effort to be fair and reasonable. A clear BENEFIT of this system will be an expedited manner of dealing with personal attacks etc. A moderator will have the capacity to cut off members who he feels are misbehaving without having to go thru a whole tribunal of moderators making decisions with input from all the involved parties and their "lawyers" and "accusers". The mods decision to ban someone may not even be fair. But it will be quick and there will not be these long drawn out arguments of "who started it first".

Mods can introduce themselves at the start of their tenure (This is a club about travel and hospitality exchange remember) and describe their general political leanings and style and what they will tolerate. The other members will have to get used to the new mod every week and comply with their requirements of civility. Whether loose or strict. The point here is that there r many points of view and ways of expressing them. This system will accommodate ALL those opinions.

Details
The exact details are not defined yet. It will be quite some work to decide on them, we will do it with everyone if the proposition passes.

Issues to consider if the proposition passes:


 * What criteria to be considered as a moderator?
 * What will be the exact role of the current moderator team?
 * How to avoid members flooding the MDST when there's an unfair moderator?
 * You can already add something

Beta testing
As of 2009-12-11, the group is testing this moderation model. The list of temporary moderators can be found there