I Don't Understand What Determines When A Thread Gets The Axe
I've only been a member of Audiogon since 2016 or 2017, so maybe some "old timers" could fill me in. I don't understand how threads covering "beaten like a dead horse" topics, for example, oh off the top of my head, "Cable Deniers", can carry on for days or weeks, have pages and pages of posts from Members that frankly get quite ugly with name calling and basically Grade School playground behavior...yet the Moderators never say a word or never step in with the, "This Discussion Is Closed" Czar-like ruling.
However, when a Member like, say @verdantaudio, tries to warn us about Fraudulent Retail Websites AND has proof that these sites are ripping people off, along with proof from other Audiogon Members who provide examples of these sites conducting fraudulent business activities, the Discussion is shut down and closed. WHO decided to close the discussion? The original poster? Audiogon? How do you find out? Better yet, WHY was a topic as important as Fraud shut down after only 30 posts, some with extremely valuable information such as one member who had done a Whois.com research showing extremely sketchy information and another Member who had information about the state of Kansas Fraud Unit investigating one of the companies.
Is it because a Forum Member kept complaining about the post? Do the businesses in question advertise on Audiogon? I'm very curious who makes the decisions on which discussions get shut down and which discussions are allowed to drone on and on with behavior and comments that people would NEVER have the guts to say to one another face to face. I've truly wondered this ever since I joined this fantastic audio community -- a place where I've learned more in 7 years than I had learned in the previous 35 years!
I must say I wasn't at all surprised when I saw the discussion had been closed. After all, a Member had made this cryptic post -- "My guess is this thread won't last." Let's see how long this one does (before it gets zapped, I'd sure like to know the outcome of the Kansas fraud unit that is investigating the company).
Slow down and enjoy the music...
It was almost certainly the moderators. If you truly want to find out, you can use the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page and inquire.
That doesn't seem cryptic to me at all. Notwithstanding your "czar" comment, the moderators here seem even-handed and consistent to me. That's why I knew the thread was doomed. |
That’s not how it works here at all, @czarivey. When you submit through the Contact Us link (it’s at the bottom of every page) you’ll get an almost immediate e-mail autoreply and ticket number. That will be followed by a personal email (not a chatbot) and followup. The "intervention" is human and very much thoughtful. A few days or so after your question or issue is resolved, you’ll get an automated survey form about your experience. It’s fair to complain where warranted, but let’s give credit where credit is due to the people who run Audiogon. |
While I've always been treated fairly and courteously by Audiogon staff, I don't think I've received any privileged treatment. I know a few other A'gon users "in real life," so I know my experience isn't unique. |
If you use the Contact Us link that is at the bottom of each page, you'll quickly receive an automated reply with a ticket number followed by a personal email from the moderator and, eventually, an automated user feedback form. That's at least three contacts for each inquiry. Something's wrong if that wasn't your result, e.g. the messages went to your spam folder, or perhaps you've confused A'gon with another audio site. I don't notice many threads being deleted. But I tend to avoid contentious threads and I usually ignore users that seem problematic, so perhaps that explains it. The angst over this particular deleted thread mostly overlooks the fact that the thread's OP made specific accusations of fraud and stated it was to be a repository for future such claims. That is a very distinct difference than accusing someone of shoddy service or botching an order and creates liability problems for A'gon. A'gon allows discussion that is critical of dealers and manufacturers, but there's a limit. The post under review here was properly removed, imo. |
We don’t disagree there at all, @allenf1963. The problems were that it included accusations of felony fraud and then doxxed one of the accused. The OP was apparently both a dealer and a manufacturer. His fraud allegations included a claim that a non-authorized dealer was selling his product. I understand the OPs ire at that but selling gray market goods isn’t fraud. The thread was also established to be a repository for future allegations of fraud. Those allegations of fraud create potential liability for A’gon, so the thread was properly deleted, imo. A’gon is filled with claims of bad service, poor support, dicey web sites and the like. But when the leap is made to allege a felony, that’s not A’gon’s place. Users should alert proper authorities of those allegations. |
You’re being more than a bit over dramatic. If you think the moderators here are so dishonest, why are you here? Doesn’t your presence simply further their secret agenda? The examples you cite are really aren't the equivalent of the deleted thread. |
