Suggestions For Improving The Banning System

[flyoffacliff]

I have been thinking about the banning system, and ways to make it better, and come up with the following:



1. Allow a "ban reason" to be displayed to a banned member when they try to login to a banned account AND/OR send an automated email with details about the ban.


2. Allow "ban templates" to be made that moderators can select from when banning, such as:

Action: Advertising in posts
Consequence: 25 warning points

Action: Bumping within 24 hours
Consequence: 10 warning points

Action: Posting inappropriate images
Consequence: 7 day ban

I think that bans made this way would be more fair, because some moderators may be strictor than others.


3. Ability to move banned users to a special member group (probably called "banned"), so that you can tell a user is banned by looking at their mini-profile.


4. Add an option to choose whether or not they can view the forums while banned.


5. The current "ban options", allow 3 check-boxes:
a. Ban member's username?
b. Ban member by global ID?
c. Ban member's IP address?

I know option a. does nothing if option b. is checked. So I figured instead of having the 3 check-boxes, have a drop down menu with different options. Here is an image with the different options, I did not finish it, but you get the point:

[Ryan Roos]

1) If you ban someone they DO NOT need a reason. Banning is the last resort in moderation. If a member is banned it is because they are to never return to your forum. In order you should be using the warning system, then the disable system then the banning system. In the first two stages you can give them reasons. When you reach the point that you are banning a member they do not need to be told why. A person who is banned will be well aware of their behavior. A spammer knows they're spamming. A person who you warned to stop posting porn will know they posted porn again. They are never coming back to your forum so you do not need to tell them why they are banned. If you are banning for minor offenses then you're doing it wrong. Use the warning system or the disable accounts system for those things.

2) We have previously discussed warning templates (it's a possible future feature of Reported Posts). Though really the new Reported Post feature already covers suggested warning levels and let's staff decide as a cohesive group. If an admin wants to create a list of rules and offenses for reference they already can.

3) You can already do this.

4) This defeats the entire purpose of a ban. A ban is to protect your forum. Again please read number one above.

5) The ban system allows you to remove people from your forum permanently. You have multiple solutions for doing so. What combonation you use is up to you. We aren't going to complicate things by introducing levels of banning (including banning that still allows them access to your forum). As the admin you decide how to ban them. We provide you the options. You make the decision. Since you would have to fill out the information anyway it makes no sense to have to check boxes to select what type of ban you want first. Simply provide the information and the system will accept it and execute it according to what you provide. In most cases you will provide all 3 pieces of information. The reason you don't only have that option is some people may only have 1 bit of information from a previous community elsewhere. We don't require all types of info for the ban to be created.

You really need to look at what the banning system is. It is for the permanent removal of people you feel are dangerous or abusive to your community. It is not a warning system or a lesson teaching tool. The warning system and disable account feature are those things. Using the tools provided to you, you can already moderate to any degree you wish. Banning is a last resort, not a starting point (unless the person is clearly a problem that can't be fixed or dealt with).

Edit: It has been previously pointed out by other members as well that in v5 we have actually provided you a way to give them a reason. Youcan use the Email Members feature before you apply the ban to send them a reason. My explanation above still explains why it will not be a built in feature of the Ban System. But if you absolutely feel that you want to open a line of communication with the banned member you can technically already do so in v5.