How are moderation errors handled?

When members complain about unfair or incorrect moderation, they are usually wrong. The moderators follow guidelines to ensure consistency and are experienced at applying the forum rules uniformly. Still, we take all complaints seriously and there's a procedure to follow if you have complaints. See "What if I disagree with moderation of my posts?".

Moderators are people too. Although we try to choose moderators who are exceptionally level-headed, it is possible to annoy them. This isn't being unfair; it's being human. The moderators trade cases or rely on their team approach to make sure moderation isn't personal, even if you mistakenly treat it as such. We try for consistency in enforcement of the rules, but with multiple moderators we can't be 100% consistent when judgment calls are required.

It's possible for your intentions to be misinterpreted when you post. Moderators work quickly and if your post has multiple interpretations and it's been reported for breaking the rules, the moderators may draw the same conclusion without studying the history of your interactions with other forum members. You can lessen the chances of this by avoiding posts with sarcasm and teasing, even with forum friends.

Our volunteers do their best and they put tremendous effort into helping the site. Still, we rely on checks and balances to avoid moderation problems. The moderators work as a team and know of each other's actions. Administrators review moderation and help establish and interpret site policies. No moderator or administrator works in a vacuum and their actions are recorded. If an administrator or moderator has acted mistakenly or inappropriately, we'll correct it. If you've been timed-out or banned by mistake we will reinstate your account. If your posts or account have been handled in accordance with our rules, policies, and moderation guidelines, moderation decisions will stand.