Weddingbee boards

Ladies, we need to address a growing problem in the Hive lately: name-calling.  We have received a growing number of flags from users reporting suspected "trolling" in the Hive.  We appreciate those flags, they give the moderators a heads up when one of our members feels that "something is just not right."

However, lately we've seen too many people accusing newbees of being trolls.  It is alienating, inappropriate, and most of all unsupportive of that person.  Troll-calling is a personal attack, and these posts may be deleted.  Many times these posters are actually established WB members posting under psuedonyms because they are embarassed to post as themselves.

Internet discussion boards will always have trolls come and go, especially as they continue to grow like WB has in the past year.  The Mod team actively investigates all flags, and users who are caught trolling are banned when there is evidence to prove that is the case.

We are asking the Hive, please, if you suspect a member is instigating drama on our boards for the purpose of gaining attention (which is the true definition of a troll), please flag the post and IGNORE IT.  Do not reply with insinuations, insults, or other forms of harassment.  Many members found WB through search engines, and we were all "wannabees" at one point.  New members are not automatic suspects simply because their first post "is dramaz."

The second part of this issue is name-calling in general.  We have had several threads pop up insulting members of another website, and even linking to that website.  We absolutely do not condone this behavior.  WB is a positive, supportive community intended to help other brides, and defamatory posts aimed at members of another online community aren't helpful or positive.  Worse yet, they bring the drama from other boards here. Links of this nature will be deleted in the future.

Lastly, we want to address the topic of baiting.

"Baiting: the act of encouraging responses or replies in order to cause dissent or discord; to instigate participation in a negative way."

::eats popcorn::  <----BAITING

"Here's a link to this other thread where there is dramaz."  <-------BAITING

"Anyone smell pot roast?"  <-------BAITING

Anytime you call attention to drama you're amplifying it; you're actively participating in it.  We've seen a lot of posts lately where members are simultaneously flagging users and yet actively encouraging arguments/attacks to continue.  The culture of the community is built on how we interact with each other, and we hope that everyone wants to keep that on the friendly side.  Baiting often encourages members to gang up on someone, so please think twice the next time you pull out your bowl of Orville Redenbacher hoping to watch the next roast.  Your post might be the tipping point in a thread dying or erupting.

In short, we hope everyone can be treated with respect and dignity on this site. When in doubt, assume that the person has good intentions.  It's better when we're all working together to make honey instead of buzzing around stinging each other.

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Can you add a bit about people sending harassing PMs? That is THE most annoying thing on the bee. I don't get the whole "take it to the PM" thing. If I don't like what someone is saying to me I don't send them malicious private messages. I do it publicly, because I have nothing to hide. The whole you-can't-flame-people-on-the-boards-but-you-can-do-it-privately thing is bogus.

Agree. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!