What if I disagree with moderation of my posts?

Users sometimes want to inquire about, question, or dispute a moderation action.

Facts to consider

• Moderation is almost always correct, appropriate, and done fairly. We know that reasonable people can have differences of opinion about the meaning of particular posts or how to interpret rules. Language is imprecise and sarcasm and nuances are hard to detect over the Internet so it's possible that your post was misinterpreted by other users and by the moderators. However, our moderators are experienced at interpreting posts, applying the Forum Rules, and making judgement calls in borderline cases.
• What's past is past. What concerns us is your future use of the forums. If you've been given a reminder, or even a temporary suspension, it's because we think you can follow the rules in the future. These actions are intended to help you use the forums properly and maintain your posting privileges.
• No matter what your past forum record is, follow the rules and you'll avoid problems and get the most out of the forums.

If you don't accept an action by or message from the moderators, here's what to do and what not to do:

What to do

1. If you received a reminder, temporary suspension, or ban, read any messages you've received from the moderators, which should tell you the specific information you need to know. Also see if there are related FAQs that answer questions you may have.
2. Consider the reason you think you should not have been moderated and see if it's on the Rulebreaking Top 10. If so, an answer is there too.
3. If you still disagree, use the Contact Form and tell us why you disagree. The support team and administrators will review your posts, account history, and the actions by the moderators based on your message and the moderation records, and in most cases email you a reply within one week. Sometimes they may start a private forum conversation with you.

What not to do

1. Do not lose your temper. The moderators are willing to answer questions and the administrators are willing to review moderation cases, but blowing up will not help you make your case.
2. Do not contact us without reviewing the information listed above. You'll be wasting your time and ours.
3. Do not start a private conversation to dispute moderation. Instead use the Contact Form so that administrators can review the case independently.
4. Do not report a reminder message as if you were reporting an inappropriate private conversation, since you will not get a reply.
5. Do not post about the moderation of a thread in that thread. To ask general questions about moderation or moderation policies, post in the Site and Forum Feedback forum. To ask questions about specific cases of moderation, use the Contact Form. To maintain user privacy, we do not answer questions about specific cases of moderation in forum threads. There is one exception - see point 2 under Is moderation handled privately?.
6. Do not insult the moderators for doing their job. Insulting any forum member is against the rules.
7. Do not re-register during a temporary suspension or after a ban. You will likely be recognized and permanently banned. Trying to bypass a suspension or ban shows an unwillingness to respect the rules that will dim any chance you have of retaining your account or being reinstated after a ban.