The border collie is vigilantly defending the side of right against the goofballs who send people to neighborhood watch just because they don’t like what they have to say.

It’s like an obsession for me now. I can’t stop!

to NW. I found out one day through a friend that Noona’s account had almost been deleted. I was livid.
So, now I pop in and out to see if any friends need defending. Seeing Simon there was almost as big a shock as Noona.
I think if this site is going to be “moderated” is should be done properly, not left to some pathetic automated programm, then left to users to save people.
One wonders what the robots do other than make money from our content!!!!!!!!!!!.
LOL I’ll probably be on NW next.
love gemmword

Go here
Or just scroll to the bottom of any 43T page and use the Neighborhood Watch link.

Questionable accounts are periodically flagged. They can be flagged by 43T users or flagged by a couple bots that search for certain things like use of links. Anyone who wants to can participate in NW and vote to suspend of defend an account that’s been flagged. What you should do, in my opinion, is compare the account that’s been flagged to the 43T community guidelines and vote accordingly. Some people are better than others about following this protocol.

The nice perk about participating in NW is that you often get extra cheers for voting.

for some time. And I found out that I disagree.
I have already written elsewhere that it bothers me to get cheers for denunciating people, but all in all I think NW is a good thing.
or… it is neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’ but a tool.

I am glad that we as users of 43T have a say—that the descision about who gets deleted is not in the hand of almighty admins.
I am still new here, so I might be mistaken. But until now I have always found that regular users who’ve got flagged have been defended by the majority.

I am glad that spam is sorted out and gotten rid of that fast.

And if the community decides it’s fed up with, eg., the mermaid kids, heck, that’s democracy (though I don’t see them doing much harm. They are just … being silly.)

NW gives us some responsibility, and I believe most of us can handle that.

They were looking for a way to limit spam and give us a chance to self-police the site. The idea is good, but has often been mis-used.

43 Things has a feature to link to your website as part of your profile so blog and homepage links are welcome and people need to get that. Its just when somebody has an account with a few goals and every entry has a link back to their site that it creates problems.

...and keep it running. I’d say that’s a pretty major contribution.

The “bots” are automated programs that the Robots designed to try to limit the amount of spam.

The system clearly isn’t perfect, but if enough people are willing to put in a few moments a day to help sort the spam from the innocent links (and defend legitimate users who get flagged by someone who disagrees with their views or the way they express them), it seems to me that it’s better than nothing.

I can post near-naked photos of myself and not get flagged, yet a tube of Pringles sets alarm bells ringing. It’s a funny old world.

You certainly could end up on NW for the links. Hopefully you’d be defended. However, you nor anyone else would be informed that your account was under danger. Nor would you have any opportunity to defend yourself. Just suddenly your account would be “gone”.
All your enteries, comments, photos, cheers would be gone forever. Makes you wonder if you should be backing up and saving your enties doesn’t it?
I’ve seen many comments on this thread about people flagging others’s accounts – well the workings of NW are not open to us saps, couldn’t have that!!!!. But from my limited observations, it seems most accounts land in NW courtesy of thise pathetic automated programs – meanwhile some genuine creeps go unaccosted.
The system is appaling.
love gemmword

Simon has been among the monitors showing as “most active this month” quite regularly since I started paying attention to NW.

And I’m glad for that, because I find him level-headed and open-minded, but quite willing to stand up and be counted when…well, when it counts.

The more such people who give a few moments out of their day (or even week) to click “Suspend” or “Keep” a few times, the “safer” we’ll all be from an unjustified suspension.

and reminders. I’m sure some folks reading this thread are new and never saw your previous blog posts on the topic.

Seems to me like Neighborhood Watch is a good compromise between letting the site be overrun by spam and us having to pay for somebody to clean up the mess. It also seems like it has a way better accuracy record than the anti-spam tool that takes care of my email. :)

You do a great job as “voice of the Robots” Daniel. Keep up the good work.

and for clearing up several issues of concern.
Could you please explain why no one is informed when their account lands on NW? This is a point of genuine concern to many users, myself included.
Having read your post, and link, I can appreciate the need to some extent, for the automated programs.
However, many genuine users add links in their posts – at times to pass along legimate health info, at times just for fun. Such actions seem perfectly acceptable, but most of us have concerns that we will end up on NW because of these innocent/helpful actions. And we would not even be informed.
Can NW be tweaked to accomodate such a function?
And could clarification be provided on the site re the guidlines, they are very vague.

I appreciate, and agree with your point that spammer’s are becoming increasingly devious in their attempts to exploit 43t. And I think many marketers would like to infiltrate our community. None of us like the “hard sell”, and I think this will continue to be a problem. However, I think preventing long-term established users from sharing their products/services with others is an equally large problem. I am very ill and basically housebound, I, for one, would very much like the opportunity to make purchases from friends on 43T, and be able to recieve referrals from friends.
I believe such a function would enhance the community, not detract from it.
May I suggest a compromise?
Have you ever considered a 43T Shop/Marketing Corner? Such a facility would allow users who so desired to have access to other users goods, and would still keep overt marketing from the main body of the site. This could also be a form of revenue for the site, as a minimum fee for advertising could be charged. Considering the poor state of the US economy, I would see this as a win/win situation.
Long-term established users could sell their goods to a community to which they have already nurtured and supported. Others could choose to visit the marketing corner or not, no pressure at all. Entires within that specialist corner would not be subject to NW, as they would have paid a small contribution to post there, so the threat of suspension/deletion would be removed. And as previously said, it would be another stream of income for Admin.
I do think parameters would have to be set, again to prevent new arrivals spamming the site. However, I think such an innovation could be advantageous to the whole community, and I think a feather in the cap for 43T.
Anything which differentiates 43T from similar sites can only be a good thing.

Do I think the Robots are evil? No, and I never suggested that. I do think you are business men, and I do think there is very little input and interaction. I was subscribed to each one of you for some time, and never recieved a reply to any comments I made, not even a hello. I think such distancing does little to warm the users hearts towards Admin, but of course it is purely your decision.
But that plays a large part in users dismay over NW etc.
One comment you made in your post bewilders me – we, users sould give a little back!!!
We users have gained much support and friendship from 43T, on the whole, from other users. However, we do supply the content, and traffic for the site, and we do defend legimate users who turn up on NW for no good reason, as well as dealing with all the spam. What more is expected???

Now that this discussion as opened up, I sincerely hope that progress can be made, and this community which is dear to all our hearts can continue to flourish and improve.
love gemmword

You’ve always been honest and fair with me. The pictures are meant to be a comment on how I view NW being used as a tool against PEOPLE…not spam or spammers…PEOPLE, your people, if you’ll allow that, that have been targeted by others of your people for no reason other than they are disagreed with or not liked. And I know this isn’t your intent, but it IS the intent of some of the Brown Shirts people who are listed on the right side of NW.

I never for a second meant to insult you Botfolks, and I apologize if that is the way my screeding (is that a word? Doubtful.) was taken.

THAT is my issue with NW and no other.