Is there a better way to deal with a thread derailer?

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This is not a complaint about mods. I understand mods have to be as neutral and fair as possible in dealing with problems. I believe current WP mods are doing their best in that.

I'm just wondering if anyone can think of a better way to deal with conflicts (or in some cases trouble makers/trolls) in a thread than just locking the thread. I have seen some cases where a legitimate thread end up being locked because of some trouble makers causing an argument. Locking does stop the argument itself in a neutral way but that could be exactly what the trouble maker/troll wants just for the sake of harassing the OP (or other posters), who would like to continue the discussion. The forum rule doesn't even allow you to start a new thread about the same topic once it's locked.

It doesn't happen too often but I do see that happen once in a while. I remember one case where it looked almost as if the mod(s?) were supporting the harassers/trolls. The thread was legitimate and the trouble makers were pretty nasty but the mod simply locked it, making the trouble makers happy. Not surprisingly the OP of that thread (who'd been a regular poster) suddenly disappeared.

My suggestion is that mods step in a bit further and have a word with the trouble maker before resorting to locking the thread. I know it's easy to say. Can anyone think of anything else?

If it was just one or two people breaking site rules and turning a thread into a flame war it would be ideal if just those people could be locked out of that specific thread (prevented from posting replies to it, or from accessing the thread at all).

The best way to deal with trolls or people who try derailing threads is to just ignore completely ignore them. They usually aren't too much of a bother when they don't get responses, and if they are they usually get banned (on other sites I've been on at least).

Some mods just clean up the mess in threads than locking the topic. I know a place I go to and the mods there just love to remove posts to remove the drama or when it goes off topic. It's annoying only because I get notifications that someone responded to my post and then I see it's been removed so I didn't get to see their reply. Then my post is gone too that supposedly started the drama. But it also causes confusion because you make a post and the next thing you know it;s gone so you don;t even know if it's a bug in the forum and the mod doesn't even leave a note in the thread to let members know what the heck is going on. I have gotten several PMs on the other forum from the admin telling me to stop posting something and then I would know it was no bug on the forum and it was a mod that just removed my post and didn't tell me. This is why I get annoyed, lack of communication.

Thank you for responding.

I think it's a good idea. I wonder if the mod software has that capability. It would still require a good mod to decide who needs to be locked out in some cases.


Yes, it is ideal if everyone can just ignore trolls but realistically some people just can't help fighting back. I myself always just ignore people that seem troublesome.


I think it's still better to clean up the mess than to lock the entire thread. But in cleaning up, the mod can probably leave the post space itself with a message in it that the content of that post has been deleted. Cleaning up probably requires a lot more effort from the mods than locking but that shouldn't be a reason for locking a thread when it doesn't have to be locked.

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Someone else started a thread about a similar topic (prompted by a particular case of locking) and he and other posters have expanded it to a discussion of broader issues on WP. Here is the link. viewtopic.php?t=279689

Afew years ago I had some of my post in a thread deleted & I was given a warning. I wasn't intentionally trying to flame another member & was just saying some things out of frustration. I think deleting the bad posts & giving the trollers a warning to check themselves would help like it worked for me.

I think that mods shouldn't lock threads so quickly on wp.
There is way too much locking for insignificant things.