Ok examples from sites i belong to. One i have been at since May 2000. The website has around 10 hardcore rules you do not break. Talking about Warez sites, downloading hacked software etc. You do that banned automatically. Discussing anything that is illegal in the US like smoking drugs. Banned automatically.
One example of transparency is him banning his own Moderator. A moderator that joined when the site was created in 1998 was banned in 2003 for using foul and abusive language. Like all other bannings. He was given two warnings. The third was a 2 week banning and then lastly he was banned permanently. And you arent allowed back to the site when you are banned.
That will never happen on gupshup. Because Mods arent normal members anymore. They are above the rules.
Another example of transparency. Every time a post is moved or editted, you are informed of what rules you broke and why it was moved in a pm. Also the mods ask if you have any questions or would like to discuss the action. This is not a rule. This is generally what the forums do. They respect their membership and work for them. The difference between a mod PM on another site and gupshup is like getting an letter from the House of Lords and a letter from the Khoka on your street corner. Also thus you cant complain a mod is biased against you.
An example on Gupshup. Myself and Mad Scientist (medic) posted a thread in general. Later on it was moved to Cafe by Xtreme. The next day Xtreme himself stated in a thread by Minerva that this thread is cafe material but for you i will bend the rules. So much for transparency and fairness eh?
Transparency is linked to fairness, equality and basic all round respect and manners.
Another example for a politics forum. Mods do not interfere with conversations going on in their fourms, unless this wish to and explicitly state that. Then another mod is assigned moderation of that particular thread.
An example on Gupshup. If say Umer, Nescio and PCG are participating in a thread, they will in turn not moderate that thread. If the forum belongs to one them, they will ask for a moderator to step in and check that they themselves dont cross the line. Other moderators are inencouraged to edit the mods in the discussion to make sure they dont cross the line.
Mods on these sites are there to set the example. On gupshup they are the exception to all the rules.
On these forums we get to choose our mods. Which i personally like. But you cant do that on gupshup because you will have intolerant idiots running amuck.
One thing i like about the forum where the mod was banned was that questions of policy are answered within 24 hours without fail. There is no ignoring. There is no bouncing back and forth. There is no favoritism.
Gupshup is not like that. Here you ignore and bouce and if you dont like what the person says you call them an idiot and attempt to ban them.
Now just some additional information. On the forums i mentioned i am the only practicing conservative muslim. I have said alot of stuff that has gotten me the ire of mods here. But there i have stated stuff like the attack of Sept the 11th does not deserve to be mourned as it is. 2000 is a low number etc. I didnt get flamed. I didnt get harrassed. I didnt get banned.
On gupshup, once you are a mod you are god. You can say whatever you want and treat people the way you want. There is no respect for opinions or people. I dont know if that is an active policy but it has started from the top down. Flaming is as common as breathing on Gupshup.
If you need further clarification. I will do my best.
As for the context of the other posts. I was banned in Feb or March. I basically insulted Faisal a great deal. He deserved it in my opinion. I still dont regret my comments nor the fact that i insulted him. Why did i insult him? I believe he editted one of my posts where i pointed out a stupid comment he made and mocked him and it started off from that. You can always ask Faisal of his opinion.
