DPF owners are increasingly frustrated at abuse, ad hominems and wild unsubstantiated allegations being made in threads. To ensure that all members concentrate on the evidence and interpretation of the evidence, we are proposing the introduction of an infractions system which is easily facilitated by the vBulletin site software. The system is suitable for the moderation of defined infractions and two are initially proposed as outlined below. If a member is consistently guilty of infractions, they will automatically be placed on moderation.

Before introducing the system, we welcome the views - pro and con - of members. This is not a done deal, so please all let us know your views in this thread.

System Description
The system allows moderators/administrators to penalize users for individual offending posts, using a semi-automated 'infractions' system built into the site software.

Each infraction has a points value and is remembered by the system for a defined period. Points values are cumulative during the time they are remembered. When a defined number of points have been accumulated, the user is automatically placed on post moderation. Removal from moderated status is NOT automated, but at the discretion of the Moderators.

There just 2 types of infraction proposed initially, with points values defined as follows:

1. Insulting other member(s) - 3 points
   
2. Unnecessary re-quoting of entire posts - 1 point
   

The proposed initial accumulated points total that triggers the penalty is 12.

The proposed initial 'remembered' period is 42 days.

Both the remembered period and points values will be subject to individual adjustment in light of experience.

When an infraction is incurred, the offending user will receive a private notifying message from the moderator issuing the infraction.

Neither Infractions nor infraction points levels will visible to anyone other than the Moderators.

It will be possible to appeal an infraction and for Moderators/Administrators to revoke or adjust the accrued points manually

Infractions explanation:

1. Insults to other members. This has become endemic, often couched in the subtlest and cleverest of disguises and language constructs, but endemic and unacceptable nonetheless. DPF are determined it should be stopped. The proposed settings will mean that just 3 infractions in 6 weeks will get the recipient placed on moderation.
   
2. Unnecessary re-quoting. This has been addressed several times before but seems to have had no discernible effect. The problem is mainly one of re-posting entire articles when replying to a post that contains the original. It is probably the biggest single unnecessary consumer of both disk-space and bandwidth on the site. If a comment or response is deemed useful, then the minor additional time required to eliminate or reduce the original post down to the relevant parts should not be an issue. To do otherwise is frankly lazy and almost akin to spam in that it is annoying, distracting and makes the thread difficult to navigate. The points value of an infraction is low because it is hoped that the necessary learning curve will be climbed before auto-moderation occurs. IOW - users should not get incensed on receipt of this infraction because 12 will be needed in any 6 week period to trigger the penalty.
   

Notes

• The 'Insults' infraction is aimed at clearly venomous personal attacks and blatant ad-hominem distraction from substantive issues. It is NOT intended to outlaw rhetorical devices such as the use of sarcasm, anger, mockery, humour and many others - provided they are aimed squarely at a proposition or argument rather than the person making it. Venomous personal attack is usually clear enough, no matter the subtlety of the language constructs employed; identifying it as such involves some judgment, but that is what is being targeted here.
  

• The system is NOT intended as a substitute for all previous moderator activity. It is simply an attempt to ensure that a far higher proportion of infractions are acted upon than hitherto.
  

• The two initial infractions are included because they are clearly definable recurring problems.