Thread Probation
 

So, I was reading the "Mods Need Applauded"<i>sic</i> thread over on tilted politics, and thinking about what I like about the way the fingernail grip of civility is maintained, and noticing that, as the big show approaches, mods are getting a bit quicker to lock a thread.

We're (ostensibly) all grown-ups here, and we probably shouldn't need to be told every thread to play nice. However, politics brings out the (nasty, grubby, Lord of the Flies style) kid in many of us, and emotion can run high. So I have a thought:

How about, when a mod sees a thread starting to get out of hand, they put the thread on Probation. The first think one sees at the top of each page is a warning that "This Thread is on Probabtion. If it does not return to topic and/or become civil very soon, it will be locked."

Just a thought. Every now and then I see a locked thread that I can come up with a post that would have put it politiely back on topic. Of course, the real trick is to think of that post before the thread is locked. I think a warning notice would help.

Sounds good, however, that does happen a lot of time.

Lebell usually writes such warnings in yellow.

I think they do what they need to do, overall.

Edited version for clarity:
Would it be possible to contact a mod and send them a post, if you thought it would "put it politiely back on topic".
The mods would have a read, then they could decide whether to:
* post it and unlock the thread again,
* post it but not unlock the thread,
* ignore it?

Most people are mature on TFP but if we're gonna have a probation, that name seems rather like a punishment for any people involved in that thread. Just call it something like shortbus...

Interesting idea and a worthy objective. But I wonder if having a thread on probabtion would simply inflame the discourse (his fault, your fault, people like you, etc.) and open up an unproductive debate. Perhaps best to leave as is...

Plus, I can just see the "double secret probabtion" jokes flying.

We already warn once or twice before locking a thread that didn't start as a troll or flame.

Oh definitely, and by doing that, you the mods do tend to keep threads in line longer.

The thought I had at the time I started this thread was that, if one who was not a moderator but who felt a deep attachment to this place and shared the goal of civil discourse saw a thread that was on probabtion, they might pop in and comment in such a way as to attempt to head the thread back in a civil direction.

With an election approaching, this would probably backfire.