Feedback to the moderation team.

[Risvertasashi]

There's been a lot of threads disappearing lately.

Now we have the rules, so when someone is say very aggressive about their housing feedback, or posts staff members' Linked In profiles, or things like that... Yeah, that's pretty black and white, so I can't complain about those getting deleted.

But then I notice some other ones disappearing... like, say, a person honestly wondering if they should continue playing XIV.

Posting seeking to damage or disparage Square Enix, the forum, FINAL FANTASY XIV, or others.
Posting content that seeks to interfere with the running of FINAL FANTASY XIV.
Posting content with the intention of criticizing either Square Enix staff or specific individuals.

Now technically according to that, the moderation team can delete and banhammer anyone/anything that isn't sunshine and rainbows. And if someone's blatantly trolling, I can understand wanting to clean that up. And with how volatile things have been here lately, it's understandable to be weary of wading through such posts.

That said, I can't help but feel that a few recent deletions may have targeted posters with legitimate concerns or questions... that the community may be a bit sensitive to, but weren't trolls. I would ask the moderation team, therefor, for a little more leniency towards those posters.

Even if what is said is not necessarily 100% favorable towards Square Enix as a company, I think there's worthwhile discussion to be had... for the poster as a person, if not the game as a whole.

Thank you for your consideration.

[Musashidon]

you break the rules you break the rules.

SE isn't out to stop peoples opinions.

[Risvertasashi]

you break the rules you break the rules.

With all due respect, I don't think you've read the rules. Aside from what's already been mentioned, this is there:

Taking any other actions that are deemed inappropriate by Square Enix in our sole discretion.

Essentially, they can unilaterally decide anything is inappropriate. Exactly what is and isn't breaking the rules can be very unclear. Now there are a number of active and pretty blunt criticism threads right now (And I even started one :O )... but this just makes it even more confusing when some of the seemingly benign ones get deleted. I couldn't begin to guess what rule was broken.

Now the people that make, for example, a thread directly attacking a certain community rep or simply flaming everyone... it's not unclear why those were deleted. Making a thread like that, I agree, "you break the rules you break the rules."

[Musashidon]

With all due respect, I don't think you've read the rules. Aside from what's already been mentioned, this is there:

so every rule has to be 100% specific? things aren't black and white.

a thread isn't deleted solely because of the first post it can be deleted cause of someone else's arguement in it.

when it comes down to it, se isn't just deleting threads because they don't want criticism or anyone to not agree on what they do.

[SkylerStorm]

the moderation team can delete and banhammer anyone/anything that isn't sunshine and rainbows.

And that is pretty much what they do.

[NyarukoW]

The moderators are doing their best keep the troublemakers of the forums. Like the the one the other day where someone just wanted to come here and spew hatred against the LGBT community for no good reason. They took down that thread as they should. And when people start naming names and targetting individuals in game or on the forums those threads should be shut down.

[Chihaya]

But then I notice some other ones disappearing... like, say, a person honestly wondering if they should continue playing XIV.

If it was a legitimately thread that raises topics for discussion without turning it into a flame fest, then a lot of those are still here.

If you wanted to talk about the ones like last night/this morning, where the OP blatantly says they don't want to pay subs for this game anymore because there's better games out there, and then lashes out at anyone that says otherwise. Calling them narrow/closed minded and attention seeking when the whole thread was set up for attention(HAI GUIZ IM LEAVING)/flame fest. Yes, these should be deleted.

[WHS]

I would rather see thread locking then deleting.

[Shougun]

Not sure if we are talking about the same one but there was a poster asking if anyone planned on playing WoW, and then started to ask for tips/help on what to look for in FFXIV to make it worth playing.

Technically once that happened ("help me decide why this game is worth playing over that other game") then it is more in line with the forums, but the initial post had nothing to do with FFXIV.. assured deletion. The threads that have lasted so long on the verge of nothing to do with ARR have only lasted so long because of low drama and mostly for good humor, otherwise bang bang banhammered.

Another common thing I see that happens is a thread starts out innocent or a bit heated (but not ban worthy) and then people inside the thread turn it into a subject that is unsalvageable, rather than spending hours trying to keep bits and pieces the whole thing goes. OR related to that they take the thread offline for a bit while they clean it out, and then it comes back up - I've seen that happen quite a few times.

Anyway, not trying to make a judgement call on if this thread is "right" or "wrong", I just wanted to offer some possible things that may have made it appear like wonton deletions (but were not). Maybe if we talked about particular threads that were deleted we could better discuss what happened, although that might lead to us getting in trouble if they were legitimately deleted lol!

[Risvertasashi]

so every rule has to be 100% specific? things aren't black and white.

No. I understand why they wrote the rules they way they did.

a thread isn't deleted solely because of the first post it can be deleted cause of someone else's arguement in it.

That is a good point.

And that is pretty much what they do.

Here I have to disagree. My perception, at least, is that if you keep it civil, criticism can be voiced. Most of the time.

If you wanted to talk about the ones like last night/this morning, where the OP blatantly says they don't want to pay subs for this game anymore because there's better games out there, and then lashes out at anyone that says otherwise. Calling them narrow/closed minded and attention seeking when the whole thread was set up for attention(HAI GUIZ IM LEAVING)/flame fest. Yes, these should be deleted.

The one that comes to mind most recently did not have that; OP wasn't attacking anyone (though after the poster you describe, I can see the mod team being on a hair trigger about those).

But this isn't necessarily an issue just within the last day or two...