It's taken a couple weeks, but we've had a chance to go through some of the histories of folks you all recommended to join the mod team, and @The1stLantern is our first new recruit. We were impressed with his calm focus on facts and evidence, his questioning of claims, his positive interactions and his helpful attitude. He's been here since the beginning, so his fortitude speaks for itself. We especially liked his appreciation for Voat, as demonstrated in this comment:
WE CANNOT LOSE VOAT.
This place is our last bastion. This is the Alamo. Helms Deep. This is the last line of defense. If we lose this ground, we lose the war. There is no place else to retreat to from here.
Welcome aboard Lantern. Let's keep shining the light on corrupt abuse of kids!
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Crensch ago
Welcome aboard, @The1stLantern.
I'm not one for smalltalk, and the other mods can help you with the day-to-day stuff, so I'll try and fill you in on some things you may need to know for the bigger problems.
Almost everything you need help with will go to a [M]. There are three [O] here. KKWR has been absent since shortly after this place was set up. VSD and I are, by design and necessity, distant from the day to day of this place. We WILL step in to help if needed, and I'll allow the [M] to tell you the pros and cons of it happening.
There is another you should be aware of. @kevdude helped create the rules here. He is almost always pinged when [O] is needed, and often finds out about other issues about PG before me and VSD. For your purposes, consider him an [O].
Between the [O] and [M] we work out the problems that come up, and discuss what actions should or should not be taken. There is precedent for unilateral change, but there is precedent for recalling that change, too - so we tend to discuss things before moving.
The rules mods use to determine what stays and what does not are what stopped the rest of Voat from destroying this place. Making moderator actions outside of the rules causes problems across the board; as a regular user, feel free to dig deeper and call out bullshit, but as a mod, only what's specifically outlined is actionable with mod tools. You can be both, and we encourage it.
A bit of a history lesson that you do not have to read:
When this place was new, the old goats wanted to destroy it. KKWR came to PV to try and find a way that PG could stay here without being destroyed - every comment and submission was being downvoted.
I wound up accepting an [O] position and trying to play diplomat between the two populations. I almost immediately got swamped under by the trolls and constant attacks on this place, from both goats and the CTR-types working for the pedos. A firefighter in arson city; each threatening to burn this place to the ground.
After a while, @kevdude offered to take a temporary [O] spot to hammer out rules. The result of which you more or less see to this day. Those rules ultimately stopped the attacks from old goats, and allowed this place to be what it needed to be.
VSD was brought in as a trusted goat that could help spread the IRL danger (Arkancide) and pick up the slack should I disappear. Yes, that was a very real consideration for the position, and it still is. If all of a sudden VSD starts acting like his account was bought/stolen, and trying to take over the place, putt can reinstate me as [O] since I was [O] previously. And vice-versa.
I'm telling you this for a few reasons:
1) So you can understand why @kevdude is asked for his input
2) So you can understand why [O] is distant
3) Why there are so many [O]
Edit: other mods, feel free to correct or add anything here - this is more or less how I remember the happenings, and I figure a standard greeting could be forged from this for future use.
And again, welcome 1st!
Vindicator ago
Great history vignette, Crensch. Thanks for taking the time to write it. Will be sharing!