MyBB Community Forums

The idea is to empower and encourage members to accurately moderate each other's posts - thereby resulting in a smoother operating forum with a reduced need for oversight.

I've read about attempts to do this in other forums, but never found anything successful being used. And so I realize this would be of value to some forums. I know I would want to use such a plugin, and I realize I could pay someone to do this. Here's how it could work.

1. Each member is assigned a rank. This ranking system could be the only one used, or it could be used in addition to some other ranking system. But for this system each rank carries with it a "report value".

Examples of Ranks and Report Values: Guest = report value of 0. Member 0 = report value of 0, Member 1 = report value of 1, Member 2 = report value of 2, etc.

2. Example: Member 1 clicks on "report post" and then selects reason "A" from a short list of reasons. Member 5 clicks on "report post" and then selects reason "D".

3. The report from the above example shows up to a moderator once the total report value for any one reason equals X or more. So if the admin sets the threshold for X to 5, then the report for the above example would show up to a moderator once Member 5 reported it.

4. Once the report shows, a moderator decides which (if any) reason was correct. Those reporting correctly are rewarded with points (similar to a post count), and those reporting incorrectly lose points. The points added or lost determine a gain or loss of rank, depending on an administrator determined level of points needed for each rank.

Not sure how clear I've explained this. Please post questions or comments. Thanks

Interesting concept.

Right now, without any plugins the way I've implemented is to manually assign users to a special usergroup where they can warn other members and limit the warning amount to prevent abuse if a member gets their account hacked or if they decide to cause harm.

Not as robust as you're proposing but it works.

(2013-01-06, 04:08 AM)PwnEm Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting concept.

Right now, without any plugins the way I've implemented is to manually assign users to a special usergroup where they can warn other members and limit the warning amount to prevent abuse if a member gets their account hacked or if they decide to cause harm.

Not as robust as you're proposing but it works.

Thanks. A better sense of rules, order, fairness, respect and empowerment for those participating by the rules is the goal. I've been a member of a few different forums for years and have always experienced a need for better moderation. Conflicts arise which result in some members disengaging, some not returning, and guests being discouraged from joining.

Does anyone else see value in such a plug-in?

Intended Benefits:
- Members promoted for accurately moderating other members
- Members demoted for inaccurately moderating other members
- Reduced spam
- Encourage more guests to join
- Encourage more members to participate and stay
- Potential to dramatically increase automation of forum moderation

I think this is similar to what Stackoverflow have, where members can suggest edits for the OP and get some sort of points if the edits are approved.

That does sound similar. For this plugin, the Admin awards points for correctly reporting posting violations and takes away points for false / incorrect reporting.

The better moderating members get promoted. The worse ones get demoted. The Admin does less work. The forum runs smoother, creates a more inviting community for new members to join, and runs off those who don't play by the rules.

The idea is grand but it's unneeded imo. Selecting a strong fair moderating team isn't hard; it's not something a webmaster should fail at so there should never be a need for this plugin in terms of practicality. However, the motivational factor that comes with it definitely interests me. Good luck if you get this made.

(2013-02-13, 02:28 PM)Xanth Wrote: [ -> ]The idea is grand but it's unneeded imo. Selecting a strong fair moderating team isn't hard; it's not something a webmaster should fail at so there should never be a need for this plugin in terms of practicality. However, the motivational factor that comes with it definitely interests me. Good luck if you get this made.

Thanks for your comments. It's good to see you recognize some of its positives. But I rebut your assessment of its usefulness / practicality, so to possibly help you and other webmasters reading this.

Deciding whether it would be useful or practical would be the classic business decision of whether to use more labor or better technology in order to get the same desired results. There of course are many examples in business where those who automated succeeded and those who did not failed.

Sure, if you see no need to use the plugin, then fine. And that may be the case for many. But what happens when your competitors start using the plugin, and your guests and members notice and appreciate the positive differences? Hmmmm..... better think about that some more.

The plugin would work as better technology that creates a reduction in labor, a tool for you to use instead of selecting moderators - or - as a tool for you to use in addition to selecting moderators.

I have plans for a version of this to be made by another MyBB member for $50. Here's the thread - http://community.mybb.com/thread-134472.html

Comments and questions are welcome.