Re: [gentoo-project] Appeals of Moderation Decisions

[desultory <desultory@gentoo.org>]

On 01/31/19 14:27, Rich Freeman wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 2:11 PM Rich Freeman <rich0@gentoo.org> wrote:
>>
>> Can Council define an appeals process for appeals of moderation
>> decisions in general for any official Gentoo communications media?  I
>> think we have this for mailing lists, as Proctors is the only real
>> moderation there and Proctors does have an appeals process.  I think
>> IRC and Forums are the areas with gaps - to the extent that either has
>> an appeals process I can't find it documented anywhere (I welcome
>> leads in both areas to comment).
>>
> 
> Proctors already has a defined appeals process.  Minor actions like
> warnings or short bans are final, and longer bans are appealable to
> Comrel.  IMO this is a reasonable balance.
> 
> To the extent that either IRC or Forums formally has a process for
> short-term bans (<1wk)/etc I would suggest those also be
> non-appealable beyond any internal process these teams have.
> 
> For appeals beyond this I suggest that Comrel also be the point of
> appeal.  I think Proctors could also work, but it raises the question
> of bureaucracy as in theory an IRC op might make a decision, then
> Proctors takes an appeal, then Comrel takes an appeal, and then maybe
> even Council takes an appeal.  That is a lot of appeals.
> 
> Very long-term it might make sense to try to better harmonize how we
> do moderation on all these different media, but I think that is really
> a separate issue, and doesn't need to be settled right away.  I think
> that the absence of ANY appeals process in the interim is more of an
> issue, as it does leave people who are subject to what might be one
> person's decision no real access to due process.  Even if all the
> moderators are doing a perfect job there should be a process.
> 
> I'd encourage IRC ops or Forums mods to chime in with their thoughts here...
> 
Given prior interaction with ComRel, including their lead expressly
including the option to not reply at all in their poll of the members
regarding a matter before them (though, to be fair, points for admitting
it), as Forums project lead I am disinclined to take on any additional
"oversight" without good cause.

As originally constituted, proctors were to essentially be CoC
enforcement for media no other team was in place (mostly the mailing
lists), expanding their role to be yet another level of appeal in media
where other teams are in place seems to be muddling their purpose somewhat.

The forums appeal process is quite simple: contact us. Aside from spam,
there is not much use of direct sanctions by the forums team and when
there is simply demonstrating that one is acting in good faith is
typically enough to have such sanctions lifted. If a user truly cannot
reach some accord with moderators they can try other avenues but any
case where that would be plausible is not likely to end in the
moderators' decision being overturned by anyone who is not somehow
strongly partisan to the  party making the appeal and willfully ignoring
the actual circumstances of the sanction being levied.