While speaking last night on Burnin it Down, I brought up something that I have had more time to think about. Chris asked me why more firefighters weren’t embracing social media. I stated that I felt firefighters were embracing blogs…but maybe not other forms like twitter and facebook.
I would like to say that maybe I was wrong about the blogs.
I do feel as though more firefighters need to embrace social media. More departments do to.
However, this post is about why they aren’t. I stated on the show that maybe some firefighters were shell shocked from sites like Firehouse.com forums and The Watchdesk.
Firehouse.com forums
Firehouse forums were originally very widely used and respected. Then came the idiots who ruined it. There was moderation to a point. After a while more idiots joined in and more moderation was necessary. The moderation needed to keep the forums civil got to a point where the moderators were spending too much time moderating (I am pretty sure they were also the webteam for the site).
In the end the forums lagged and many of the biggest names on there left.
Was the moderation necessary? Was it Censorship?
The WatchDesk
The Watchdesk has been a completely different animal. They have moderators too but the site is very loosely watched over. Some say it is the truth from the boots on the ground. I know for a fact that few would say what they type being an anonymous username. Most of the moderation I see is when people don’t follow the rules…not really what they say.
Is it moderation? Is it Censorship?
Some people say that moderation is censorship and that any form of moderation or censorship is bad. They think that whatever people want to say should be allowed, accepted, and posted. Someone made the comment that a forum should be totally uninhibited and not moderated or censored at all. Your mother, wife, and grandmother are fair game.
Just ask Dave Statter about moderating. He has gone through comments that just shouldn’t be printed. However, he is very light at moderation and a lot of comments that might not be print worthy are online. This is his way of appealing to the masses. I am not saying it is right or wrong. Just ask me…I know all about moderating comments on a blog…I was nearly hung at a Union meeting for comments that others made on a blog I run. Some of the comments made by some who were going to do the hanging. I was responsible because I did or didn’t allow the comments. It is a tangled web for sure!
So I ask you. Do you think that forums/blogs should be moderated or not. Do you view moderation as censorship?
There is a whole lot more to this discussion I might add in the future. Give me your thoughts on this ideal first though.
Also on the FireCritic …
- Monday Morning Shoutout – STATter911.com – August 16, 2010
- Is being Chief Really Worth it? – September 27, 2009
- Have you Seen This? – October 12, 2009
- Who are the BEST Firefighters? – September 25, 2009
I think you're on the money about the Firehouse forums leaving a bad taste in people's mouths. I've heard a lot of people say they don't get on forums or fire service websites because of the stupidity at Firehouse over the years. I myself bailed on it after the great PG/Kentland blowups of 2001.
I think you're on the money about the Firehouse forums leaving a bad taste in people's mouths. I've heard a lot of people say they don't get on forums or fire service websites because of the stupidity at Firehouse over the years. I myself bailed on it after the great PG/Kentland blowups of 2001.
Hey, I was part of that classic never-ending thread
I am all for free and unfettered commenting, and I admire STATter for allowing idiots the freedom to prove who they are and what they are made. Of course that allows me to call them on it in my own comments as well. .
Wether your forum is open or censored is fine but you have to let people know up front….The problem with the TBO is that they claimed to have an open forum but in reality if one of the mods didnt like what you said your comment would get deleted.
Bottom line is if your gonna have an “open” forum then everything goes.
If your going to have rules then have rules but let everyone know what they are up front. Several of the forums I post on (firefighting, sports, movies) have posting rules and they are spelled out from jump street.
You cant have “hidden” rules….thats like not posting the speed limit and then giving me a ticket for speeding.
Thanks for noticing. I was one who left Firehouse.com; not because it was moderated, but because it was UNEVENLY moderated. “In case of a tie, advantage goes to the Prince George boys”. It was that obvious, to some of us that there was favoritism being meted out. They would let little no nutters hurl huge flame balls and then boot their target for responding in kind. Anyway, what was the question?
Here's the deal as I know it today: if we don't moderate our websites, we can be held liable under Obama's new plans to control what is said on websites, blogs, facebook, etc. I just heard this morning that under ObamaNation, right thinking people will be the targets of his Internet czar if you say something on a blog or website that is speculative, rumored or false.
So; we don't have to clean up our acts. Sounds like the government under Obama is going to do that in a selective manner.
Thanks for noticing. I was one who left Firehouse.com; not because it was moderated, but because it was UNEVENLY moderated. “In case of a tie, advantage goes to the Prince George boys”. It was that obvious, to some of us that there was favoritism being meted out. They would let little no nutters hurl huge flame balls and then boot their target for responding in kind. Anyway, what was the question?
Here's the deal as I know it today: if we don't moderate our websites, we can be held liable under Obama's new plans to control what is said on websites, blogs, facebook, etc. I just heard this morning that under ObamaNation, right thinking people will be the targets of his Internet czar if you say something on a blog or website that is speculative, rumored or false.
So; we don't have to clean up our acts. Sounds like the government under Obama is going to do that in a selective manner.
FH.com's problem was they've never, EVER been able to find the right mix. The Webteam has either been entirely too heavy-handed, or completely AWOL.
FH.com's problem was they've never, EVER been able to find the right mix. The Webteam has either been entirely too heavy-handed, or completely AWOL.
FH.com's problem was they've never, EVER been able to find the right mix. The Webteam has either been entirely too heavy-handed, or completely AWOL.