So Far, What's Your Take?

[Anonymous]

Jeff, I must admit I was a bit skeptical about the new nanny forums. So far, so good but just curious how much trolling and/or sock puppeting you have detected since the launch of a separate nanny board-what positive changes have you seen as well as negative?

[jsteele]

I am very pleased with how the new nanny forums have developed. In the old forum, almost every thread resulted in a fight of some sort. Threads here are much more civil. There has been much less sock puppetting and trolling and it is easier to detect. Previously, the nanny threads would get lost in the mix of regular DCUM threads. Now, I look at them separately and can detect trolls easier.

On the good side, in addition to the improved tone, is the success of the au pair forum. That's a brand new community for us. I should also add that the au pair forum was created by user request. It wasn't my idea.

The regional forums don't appear to be taking off. There also seems to be, or at least have been, a lot of confusion about them. Previously, I received lots of requests for forums for different regions. I was attempting to address that desire, but it has been interpreted at trying to keep nannies out of the main nanny forums. That is not the intention at all. Nevertheless, those forums aren't causing any problems, so I can simply ignore them for now.

On the bad side, the lack of a nanny forum in the main forum section means that parents are more likely to post nanny posts in the General Parenting Discussion forum. They should come here to post and I am constantly locking threads that were posted inappropriately in the other section.

[Anonymous]

Jeff, OP here, and wish to thank you for your quick and thoughful response. Will continue to support the new forums with your guidance. No, I'm not Spock, this is just how I write in a hurry on the internet.

[Anonymous]

Jeff, still feel the same way now? Basically, rather than jettisoning the Nanny Board altogether, you have relegated us to the equilvalent of the kid's table at Thanksgiving. No need to check up too often except for every now and then when someone is rude to the grownups. "Please be polite" posts case in point. I'll be honest with you if I haven't already. It bothers me that you state that you don't visit this board very much so any problems need to come to your attention via the report button.Yet calling troll when we don't agree with a post or find it suspicious is frowned upon. Tell me if I'm wrong but do you continue to generate ad revenue by creating this new board? If so, can you monitor a bit instead of us having to alert to every little thing?

[jsteele]

The level of monitoring I do on these forums is almost exactly the same as I do in the other forums. The only difference is that I am interested in politics and DC Schools, so I am active in those forums as a user. As a result, those forums get more closely monitored. But, you don't think that I am reading Expectant moms, TTC, or Infertility do you?

Also, someone posted this thread:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/nanny-forum/posts/list/275406.page

As a result, I have been closely monitoring that particular poster. You may have noticed that I have intervened with regard to her sock puppetting on a few occasions.

So, you are not being completely ignored. But, I view monitoring DCUM as a group effort in which the users have a role. It is impractical for me to read every message so I have to rely on reports from users.

[Anonymous]

OP here, and let me admit that while I expressed disappointment that you aren't a little more hands on as they say on your own website, I am also disappointed at the turn so many of the threads have taken here, once again making nannies and employers both look like idiots, which is certainly NOT your fault. I was also the poster who asked if you had ever considered dismantling the nanny forum. Of course, if that had happened, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[Anonymous]

I think this new system is great, except that people can still post on old threads in the old nanny section, as someone just did a few days ago, resurrecting several dead threads. I think that old forum should be migrated over here and the old nanny completely shut down.

Otherwise, everything here is great. Sure, there are still some very mean people on this forum, but they're never going away. The level of moderation is the same as the other board and not at all like a kid's table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this new system is great, except that people can still post on old threads in the old nanny section, as someone just did a few days ago, resurrecting several dead threads. I think that old forum should be migrated over here and the old nanny completely shut down.

Otherwise, everything here is great. Sure, there are still some very mean people on this forum, but they're never going away. The level of moderation is the same as the other board and not at all like a kid's table.

Are you new or old around here? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

I have been around here several years, 16:50.

Your point?