Assignment #6: Hunting the Leviathan

Online forums are generally given set of rules and conventions in order for individuals to participate, and they are expected to adhere to them. If individuals are found to break the conventions specified, they are corrected and warned, either by the other members of the forum or the Leviathan. This is demonstrated more explicitly on smaller forums/websites run by a webmaster, which will be described with the following example.

Officetally.com is a popular fansite of NBC's show The Office which is run by a fan herself. It serves as an information site where fans can get the latest information on the show and its cast as well as a forum where fans can discuss episodes and respond to information posts. The webmaster, the Leviathan in this case, made a strict comment policy concerning the website, and people who do not conform to this standard are warned or censored (i.e. the webmaster deletes their comment). The Comment policy is as follows:

All comments are initially held in a moderation queue.

A comment, or portions of a comment, may be DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE if:

• It’s bad English. Please use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Comments are deleted for this reason more than any other.
• It’s derogatory. No comments against someone’s race, religion, politics, sex, sexual orientation, etc. will be tolerated.
• It’s a personal attack. Don’t type: “All you JAMmers suck.”
• It’s excessively profane or sexually explicit.
• It disses other websites, chat rooms, etc.
• It describes or encourages illegal activity.
• It’s off-topic. If it has nothing to do with the post being commented on, it will be deleted. If you have a news tip or a question about the site, please email me.
• It discusses the personal and private lives of the show’s staff.
• It shouts or squees. Shouting is using all caps, like: “JIM AND PAM MUST BE TOGETHER!” Squeeing is “I want to see Jim without a shirt!!!!!! Yes!!!!!”
• It’s a duplicate of a comment that was already made.
• It responds to or encourages other offensive comments.
• It’s a spoiler. You can post spoilers in the spoiler post or any other post that has the orange spoiler tag. Otherwise, it will be deleted.
• It’s more than 200 words. I moderate each comment myself, and it’s a bit trying to get through comments that are blog-length!
• NEW: It “hijacks” the post. This includes multiple comments on the same post, usually to reiterate a viewpoint that may be off-topic.
• NEW: You aren’t who you say you are. You are impersonating someone else, or posting under multiple identities.
• NEW: You post multiple comments on the same post. If you do this, your first comment will be accepted; all others will be deleted.
• It’s inappropriate in a way not covered by any of the points above. I know this is a judgment call on my part. Use your common sense, folks, and just be polite. Let’s act like Pam’s mom is reading these comments. :)

As Wallace explains, "as you enter each niche in which you can interact with others in some way, you will often find (or be directed to find) specialty signs that apply to the virtual habitats of specific groups," or the "sign on the door," as shown by the comment policy (65). The "arched eyebrow" given to violators is given by the Leviathan in this case, because she moderates the comments herself. And because the Leviathan is the giver of the "arched eyebrow" as opposed to other members, convention is more strictly enforced.

People come to know the norm by examples made of violators and the Leviathan's notice to the general community. In this example, the webmaster edits questionable comments and indications the violation, such as "proofread and edit," or deletes the comment entirely. In one event, the webmaster posted an entry to remind users of the comment policy. She also indicated that the regulars have always been adherent to the policy, referring them as "Tallyheads"; this term of solidarity further discourages violation of the policy and strengthens the Leviathan's power of enforcing it. This way, violators are pushed out, and those who want to join the community conform to the convention.

The Leviathan in this case, though a form of control of the forum, allows the site to serve its purpose as a fansite in informing fans and facilitating discussion in support of the show.