Not the Bee - A Peek Behind the Now-Deleted Group “Moderators Anonymous”
Photographic Receipts
Titled: Swear Words and Their Implications for English Language Learning-Teaching
Dear Bees,
The “receipts” section is by far not all the drama that there was during the time of Moderator’s Anonymous, and certainly not all the unchristian drama I’ve experienced on NtB during my time there. It is a snapshot that I hope will pull back the curtain on my experiences.
During the last months of my time at Moderator’s Anonymous (I left around October 2023, after one of @Toyyoda’s “banishments”) I insisted that there was a vast amount of inconsistent enforcement of the “rules” AND a lot of hypocrisy occurring at the hands of the people who had been the most empowered by NtB leadership, in short, inconsistent legalism. There would be discussion about how @Toyyoda couldn’t do XYZ, but then I would observe some more favorable user doing the same and no one had a problem with it. I had a huge problem with this inconsistent application of what appeared to me to be arbitrary rules.
I voiced my opinions, even came up with notes (a screenshot of which is in the Receipts link, above) for a Zoom meeting the group had. My concerns were soundly ignored, and the more legalistic user’s opinions were embraced. I warned then that if this legalistic, hypocritical, inconsistent, moderating behavior continued, that it would eventually affect the Main Feed and infect the environment at large, severely and negatively affecting the entire atmosphere of Not the Bee Social.
Ultimately, Moderators Anonymous was shuttered by Dan, a good while after I voluntarily left the group.
Toyyoda came back from his “banishment,” and things were quieter for a while, and I kept to myself and then really just left the platform as I became more engaged with politics, activism, advocacy, X platform, and not least of all, the raising and homeschooling of 6 kiddos and keeping up with 26 acres of farm and livestock. I have continued to pay for the NtB platform so that I can see the post links that the friends I made on the site still send me.
Then the Baylor research grant issue arose, and the negative atmosphere I warned about, arrived in full force. Now it is staff inconsistently moderating, judging one “attack” of the words as a violation, where other word “attacks” are not considered violations.
This is discrimination against the users, a perversion of the Community Guidelines. Which, in actuality, the “guidelines” were written so incredibly poorly that they actually facilitate discriminatory practices.
Legal Shortcomings Based on the Community Guidelines
Inconsistent Enforcement: The guidelines lack clear mechanisms to ensure uniform application of rules, which has led to discriminatory treatment of users based on favoritism or subjective judgment, which violates principles of fairness and equal treatment.
Vague Language: The use of terms like "low effort posts" or "proper way to conduct yourself" without specific definitions allows for arbitrary enforcement, risking legal challenges related to due process or transparency.
No Appeal Process: The guidelines do not outline a formal process for users to appeal suspensions or deletions, which could be seen as a legal shortcoming if challenged under consumer protection or platform accountability laws.
Discriminatory Potential: The inconsistent moderation of "word attacks" is discriminatory if it disproportionately targets certain users, potentially breaching anti-discrimination laws or platform terms if not addressed.
Conclusion
In light of these experiences and the identified legal shortcomings, it is evident that the Not the Bee platform’s Community Guidelines, while intended as a common-sense guide, fall short in providing a fair and consistent framework for user interaction. The inconsistent enforcement and vague wording not only undermine the community’s integrity but also expose the platform to potential legal risks.
I strongly urge, again, for NtB leadership to revise these guidelines, establish clear enforcement protocols, and ensure an equitable environment for all users. Until such changes are made, the platform risks losing even more trust and engagement than it already has, including those like myself, who have invested time and resources into its growth.
P.S. Don’t get me started on the ModAnon period when we were discussing the “Christian romance novelist” that is actively using an NtB account to hock her soft porn to women on the platform.
In the words of the NtB Community Guidelines: “Long story short: be nice, respect yourself, and above all else, respect others. In other words, don’t be a jerk.”