There have been questions recently about the ignore function. This is an attempt to explain how the function works and how it relates to the forum rules.
A healthy difference of opinion is necessary for a good discussion. That said, we know that temperatures can run high when certain subjects are discussed online. If you find yourself irritated by certain users' posts, the best solutions are to ignore them or reply to them politely.
There is one other alternative. The forum software has an ignore feature. If you enable this function, you won't see posts by users whom you've included on your ignore list. You won't see quoted posts from ignored users, but you will see replies to quotes. Keep in mind that that can look a little odd without the context of the quoted post.
It's not possible to ignore posts written by moderators or administrators. This is because those staff members occasionally need to post a mod or admin note in a thread, and these posts contain information all thread participants need to see. Staff members are first and foremost forum users, which means they also post as regular forum users. The posts they make as staff members are almost always prefaced by "Mod note" or "Admin note" and are easy to spot from their content.
If you decide to put another user on your ignore list, don't post about it in a thread. Your post will always be off-topic to the thread subject, and may well be considered trolling. It's reasonable to assume that such a post will irritate the user involved, and may well irritate other thread participants. If you post about putting a user on your ignore list, your post will be moderated.
It's fine to post general questions or comments about the ignore feature in the Site and Forum Feedback section, but please remember: don't post about or refer to specific moderation in the forums. Do direct any questions, complaints, or comments about specific moderation via the Contact Us form.
Remember, there is value in allowing your own opinions to be challenged. If however you want a little help to avoid getting in trouble over the rules, or you simply want to reduce a bit of online stress, the ignore feature is a tool you can try.
Here's one way to activate the ignore feature:
Another way is to click the user's name in a thread, then select ignore in the resulting profile pop-up.
A healthy difference of opinion is necessary for a good discussion. That said, we know that temperatures can run high when certain subjects are discussed online. If you find yourself irritated by certain users' posts, the best solutions are to ignore them or reply to them politely.
There is one other alternative. The forum software has an ignore feature. If you enable this function, you won't see posts by users whom you've included on your ignore list. You won't see quoted posts from ignored users, but you will see replies to quotes. Keep in mind that that can look a little odd without the context of the quoted post.
It's not possible to ignore posts written by moderators or administrators. This is because those staff members occasionally need to post a mod or admin note in a thread, and these posts contain information all thread participants need to see. Staff members are first and foremost forum users, which means they also post as regular forum users. The posts they make as staff members are almost always prefaced by "Mod note" or "Admin note" and are easy to spot from their content.
If you decide to put another user on your ignore list, don't post about it in a thread. Your post will always be off-topic to the thread subject, and may well be considered trolling. It's reasonable to assume that such a post will irritate the user involved, and may well irritate other thread participants. If you post about putting a user on your ignore list, your post will be moderated.
It's fine to post general questions or comments about the ignore feature in the Site and Forum Feedback section, but please remember: don't post about or refer to specific moderation in the forums. Do direct any questions, complaints, or comments about specific moderation via the Contact Us form.
Remember, there is value in allowing your own opinions to be challenged. If however you want a little help to avoid getting in trouble over the rules, or you simply want to reduce a bit of online stress, the ignore feature is a tool you can try.
Here's one way to activate the ignore feature:
- Go to your profile page by clicking your avatar in the upper right-hand corner of any forum page.
- Click on "People you ignore".
- Add the username, and click "Save changes".
Another way is to click the user's name in a thread, then select ignore in the resulting profile pop-up.
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