Since the increase in DT-members, I've already noticed an increase in red tags. I can imagine a new user easily feels threatened, and I can also imagine many users don't mean bad. I'm not talking about the obvious and less obvious scammers that deserve red trust (and continue scamming with the next account), I'm talking about the "gray" cases in between.
I'd hate to see the supply of real new users dry up because of this. When someone isn't a clear scammer, don't they deserve the benefit of the doubt?
I'd like to add to this topic:
before leaving feedback, ask yourself if your feedback makes the forum better, and (if applicable) is it worth destroying someone's reputation?What I consider not taggable:
Posting an unpopular opinion.
I wanted to post an example, but it got too long so I made another topic. It seems to me this user got 3 red tags for his "unpopular opinion":
Red trust on Bestmixer: is this justified?.
At the other end of the scale, another mixer (who I didn't trust
from the start) had to
scam 16 Bitcoin first because DT (including myself) doesn't tag it without evidence.
Summary: if we keep going at this rate, I think we're damaging the forum and it's users!
I have been trying to tell this forum for a REALLY long time that we need a very clear set of rules we all agree to abide by. Inherently any time you do this there will be imperfections of course, but not having a base set of standards for users here is FAR MORE damaging. It is more important that some ANY frame of reference exists for us all to refer to than it be perfect in every way. Without this BASE standard, there will never be respect for any authority or rules here, unwritten or not, because all rules will be a result of arbitrary and selective enforcement.
While I empathize for Theymos here in some ways (I wouldn't want it to be my problem), I also think that this latest default trust system change was like throwing gasoline on a dumpster fire. Honestly though, in some ways I find it hard to blame him. What better way to kill a tumor than to burn it out using its own energy? The problem is the forum might go with it.
Dumpster fire aside, I think this is also a genuine opportunity for the users here. Theymos is essentially indicating he wants the user base to fix their own problems regarding trust. Nothing is stopping users talking to those within their own networks of trust and forming a constitution of sorts, or rules for being part of the trust network. What I suggest is that these individuals and groups write their own rules for engagement with others on the forum, and those within those networks can form their own rules for inclusion.
I am sure a lot of you just puked in your mouths right now thinking about such a future, but the fact is this is the system we already operate under regarding these factions, Theymos just removed the veneer from it. It is time for the productive, constructive, and creative part of the user base here to use this as an opportunity to create counter forces to these abusive trust network cartels that already operate here (for whatever the reason).
Lets create a set, or multiple sets of rules that are universal, clear, able to be uniformly enforced, and create a system of redress of grievances. Con artists and power hungry sociopaths have trouble with rules when they aren't the ones dictating them. This forum is amazing when it comes together and upholds the standards that make it great. Lets make some basic, clear, enforceable, and just rules that don't end up causing more trouble than they are preventing. Then we can finally tell the resident forum Barney Fife's to go pound sand when they try to accuse and harass others to increase their own influence.