I read an interesting post by one member of an internet forum, but today the post just says “Edited.” I have found my Leviathan. The job of a forum moderator is to keep posts “appropriate, ethical, and without foul language.” As both a forum member and an active forum reader, I have come to know this leviathan in the online forum space. When I apply to be a forum member, I often have to be approved by the forum moderator as well. This may take hours to days, depending on the level of activity of the forum and the dedication of its members. The leviathan has several methods of enforcing social norms in the online forum space. Most of the time, they check their forum frequently and remove this information. Often, when someone tries to post something “against forum rules,” he or she edits the person’s post without their consent or even knowledge. Wallace has some applicable theory for forums, especially the “raised eyebrow” factor by which both the forum moderator and the forum members make sure each comment is related to the forum thread. For example, one cannot start a new discussion topic without first creating a new thread. If the member tries to sell something or promote himself, he also becomes “booted,” which Wallace would say encourages group dynamics such as maintaining a close team, even if one member tries to disrupt the group. In many forums designed for posting specific news-related information, there is even a post rubric, by which each member must make their post with specific information, in a specific format, and in the correct order or the comment is rejected.
Although the Leviathan, or forum moderator, may abuse his or her power, my experiences have usually been positive with them. When I am looking through a forum for an answer to a computer-related question or one about the best way to find something online, I have usually been quite successful looking through certain forum threads. They are mostly on topic and to the point, and many experienced “techies” make discussions interesting and non-tangential. I would disagree with Wallace’s portrayal of the Leviathan in this specific instance because they make forums much more manageable, and forums would have not been as popular without the moderators bringing “order to the chaos.”
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2 comments:
You found a perfect example of how a Leviathan exists online. I have seen many forums where the moderator edits and removes posts if it is inappropriate or harmful to others in some way.
I actually used to be a frequent reader of a forum back home concerning hockey in the area. Often, players, parents, and potentially even coaches would anonymously submit posts criticizing and insulting players of other teams. Within seconds, the post or the particular thread would be deleted or edited. It is unfortunate that there is a need for such a 'leviathan', but luckily it is there to maintain peace online.
Hi Joe!
What a coincidence! I also analyzed forum moderators as an online incarnation of the Leviathan. I agree with you on the necessity of the Leviathan in this case. The rules and regulations imposed by the moderators not only serve to keep the forums "clean" and free of inappropriate (or even illegal) materials, they also keep the group cohesive and sustain a positive group dynamics.
From a personal anecdote, I had a brief stint as a moderator on a social forum maintained by a friend. My main job was to weed out inappropriate posts and drama. At certain points I definitely abused my powers to remove many posts that I personally did not believe to be acceptable. Despite my outright tyranny in some cases, nearly everyone liked my rather brutal method (instant ban, no warnings) because it greatly discouraged people from posting nonconstructive, useless, or "stupid" topics.
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