I really hope this post doesn't get shut down. I feel like the flow of communication is important, even if the communication is constructive criticism. Constructive criticism has been, in my experience, the greatest form of advice that I have ever received. So I really hope that anyone reading this understands that when we post here about our concerns, it's being done out of a desire to see progressive change. I can't speak for everyone, but I do not take the actions that I am about to talk about personally. With that preface said, let's get into the meat of my post:
I have received a few bans in my time here. The most recent one happened about a week ago. At that point, I reminded the moderators that we are supposed to receive warnings between bans, which I have never gotten. Because I am not ashamed of my bans or anything, and I don't feel like hiding my history would accomplish anything, I'll give you guys a specific breakdown of my ban/warning history:
12/31/13 - 1st Warning
03/11/14 - 2nd Warning
06/03/14 - 5-day Ban
07/09/14 - 2-week Ban
08/05/14 - 1-month Ban (this was appealed and later revoked on 8/21/14 because the ban shouldn't have happened in the first place)
11/17/14 - 6-month Ban (revoked and changed into a warning)
Based on the TOS, I should not be at the 6-month ban level. The 2-week ban should have been a warning, and the 1-month ban should have been a 2-week ban. I should be at the 1-month ban level, with a warning already issued prior. When I appealed my most recent ban, I was told that the TOS was changed to allow a warning between bans, and that my ban was a mistake. When I look at the TOS thread, I find that the last edit was made on September 12th, 2011. That means it was changed before I ever came onto these forums (as a member anyway). I don't know how it's possible that a TOS that was implemented more than three years ago can be something a moderator can forget. In my mind, all moderators should be intensely aware of the TOS, as ruling on TOS violations is literally the crux of their responsibility.
I think it would be fair if all of these bans and warnings were reviewed, and the list was updated to reflect the proper application of the TOS, so that we are all on the same page. Additionally, I think it would be a good idea to implement a "review board" for appeals to TOS violations, with all the moderators able to perform reviews. As it is, the two appeals that I made involved me first tracking down several of the upper management members of Catalyst. Not an easy process, but one that is made easier by my association with the demo team. If I wasn't on the demo team, I think I would have been up a creek without a paddle.