Moderation Overview

About the moderation team

A moderator (mod) is a volunteer granted authority by the site owner(s) to enforce the rules of the site; primarily, the voting policy and the code of conduct policy. Moderation actions are any actions taken by the mods to enforce the rules of the site. Mods have complete discretion in the enforcement and interpretation of the site rules, with all exceptions stated in these terms.

Current Team

Whiteflame, chief moderator Vader, deputy moderator Barney, assistant moderator

Additionally, any acting site president has strong advisory powers, to include the ability to veto bans.

Further, the following moderators are inactive but retain their status: David, assistant moderator Speedrace, forum moderator

Moderation Structure

There shall be one chief mod and one deputy mod. The chief mod has the power to overrule the deputy mod. The chief mod has the power, with the consent of the site owner(s), to appoint (as needed) various assistant mods beneath the deputy mod to assist with various tasks. Assistant mods must receive prior approval from the chief mod or deputy mod to take moderation actions.

Recusal

Mods may recuse themselves if deem it necessary. Mods must recuse themselves from moderating votes on their own debates and from moderating their own votes on others' debates. A mod who has recused themselves must designate another mod or trusted-third party to make decisions on their behalf for the situation in which the first mod has recused themselves.

Moderation Engagement and Enactment Process

Moderation may submit questions and proposals regarding moderation policy, voting policy, and the code of conduct to Moderation Engagement and Enactment Processes (MEEPs). MEEPs are binding referenda and comment periods on the questions and proposals submitted. Moderation has full discretion on which questions and proposals are submitted to MEEPs, though no substantive change to the COC may be made without either the consent of the site owner(s) or ratification via a MEEP. In order for a submitted question or proposal to be ratified, at least 10 users must have voted in the MEEP, and more than a majority of all those voting must have voted for the question or proposal. That means, in practice, that in a MEEP with 10 total voters, the minimum threshold for a binding result is 7 votes in favor of the proposal or question. MEEPs must be open for voting for at least 48 hours, and may be extended (at the mod's discretion) by no more than 12 hours. To be eligible to vote in a MEEP, the voter must be a user on DART, must have an account that is more than 24 hours old, and must not be banned during the voting window. If a MEEP fails to produce a binding result, moderation will maintain the pre-MEEP status quo, unless doing so is entirely untenable.