[geotag277]

I find it amusing to consider the context in which you invoke the concepts of "echo chambers" and "censorship".

What does it mean for a construction related forum to exist in an "echo chamber"? SRC has a list of threads detailing different construction projects, and each project has updates regarding aspects of the construction. Glazing, construction materials, spandrel are discussed. The kinds of talk that used to exist here. There isn't an "echo chamber" regarding the best type of glazing or spandrel or exterior materials. In fact, some people over there are quite critical of some of the design decisions on certain buildings.

So what is really being censored? What exactly is the echo chamber?

I find people invoke "echo chamber" and "censorship" often when they feel their contributions are being shut down which they self aggrandize as brilliant. No, it isn't a brilliant observation to point out the negative aspects of condominum living for the billionth time in a general construction thread. No, it isn't a brilliant observation to continually derail the construction thread over the investment differences between single family homes and condominiums. No, it isn't a brilliant observation to continually post links to inner city crime while never posting links to suburban crime.

Moderation should focus on keeping conversations organized and on track. Recognizing that the construction thread is being derailed for the billionth time by the same people over the same arguments is about putting those discussions in the right place (we have a thread related to this: Housing Choices - where you choose to live). Recognizing that the same people are continually stirring up garbage and trolling these threads and potentially banning them is about keeping the peace, keeping the discussion on track, and recognizing the toxicity that some people inherently bring to the discussion.

Again, people want to cry "censorship" and calling this an "echo chamber", but this is a forum dedicated to urban development. Just like you wouldn't go on a car forum and repeatedly over and over talk about how cars are terrible investments, you should never own a depreciating asset, and that biking is one true way mode of transportation, you shouldn't really go on an urban development forum and constantly stir up garbage.

Not to mention, there are clearly delinated thread topics which cover all sorts of these conversations that makes it easy for people to ignore. By polluting what used to be informative threads like the Calgary Construction thread with these asinine debates, you are making the entire forum's signal to noise ratio ridiculous, and no one in their right mind would wade through all the garbage to get to the posts that actually talk about what they care about in the first place, which is construction updates.

I will repeat, the problem is and has been over the past 3 years a lack of moderation, and as a result there has been an influx of these shit disturbers who keep rehashing the same off topic debates in the construction forum and elsewhere, and these people are clearly trolling, rules are not being enforced, and likely they should have been banned, suspended, and the conversations more aggressively deliniated along their respective thread topics so that the signal to noise ratio is maintained at a rational level.

Unfortunately, all of this is a lot of work, especially with the recent influx of trolling contributors. I can't imagine anyone outside of Calgary would bother to care enough to maintain the conversation, and having a Calgary mod who only logs in once every few weeks explains everything.

It takes an engaged moderation team to keep forums and discussions on niche topics like urban development on track, and the Calgary sub forum on this particular forum has been sorely missing it for years. As a result, many many many many valuable contributors have left.

And again, it's probably too late to change course now.