ALMOST AFRAID TO POST I think I may have first posted this in the wrong thread, so repeat it here.
Hi Moderators,
I would have loved to contributed to this debate, and also the general comments on this thread but I have watched posts in the last 48 hours being withdrawn by the Moderators. It is very difficult when you want to make a constructive comment that may contain an element of criticism to find the Moderators here will not tolerate criticism from some members, and let others become really quite offensive in their remarks. I noticed one particularly that was quite humorous (at least I thought so) by Kathelinor, but that has now gone. Also today there was another post (I think by Roisin) with some quite sensible comments which has been withdrawn. I think I would feel very hurt if that had been my post, and I had thought it mild my comparison to others, to have it withdrawn and so i hold back to say how I really feel here. I can understand posts being withdrawn if they are hurtful to fellow bc sufferers, but surely Moderators your shoulders are broad enough to accept criticism when people are being so frustrated by your actions, or in the case of contact buttons - inaction.
dawnhc
Code of conduct Any posts that have been deleted have clearly broken the code of conduct by which you agreed to abide when you registered on the Breast Cancer Care chat forums, specifically point 2 ‘Rudeness will not be tolerated, do not threaten, embarrass or be disrespectful to other users or Breast Cancer Care staff.’
Regards
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Moderators post I have not been involved in this debate, but having read the last moderator posting, which personally I find rather curt and abrupt, I wonder how BCC would regard constantly ignoring service users requests, - because actually it strikes me as really rather rude.
The most successful moderators I have observed are those who manage to deal with issues with a gentleness of touch. Sadly this (above) approach may only serve to inflame matters further.
BCC you do some really good work - but you can do much better than this on the forums.
Best wishes
Celeste
Disrespecful? That is a very broad term is it not - at what point do we become disrespecful to the BCC staff, you could say that nearly all these posts are “disrespectful” if they disagree with the Moderator’s own point of view.
I welcome and enjoy reading lively debate even when I disagree with some of it and I too have met someone who lives near me and attends the same hospital through the old contact buttons.
LindaAnn
No Balance BCC I think, BCC, there is apoint for striking a balance - healthy debate surely is to be encouraged, yet the moderation of the forums is maybe rather too censorous and drakonian? Healthy debate is the whole purpose of a forum - is it not? You can’t have debate, a/ if we ll have to sit here saying ‘yes I agree’ all the time, or b/ If we can only discuss things that conform to the moderators/BCCs view point.
I am stunned that posts which were interesting have been deleted. Surely your very existence BCC is to support, help, and bring together all men and women with breast cancer, from all walks of life, for mutual support, information and help. I am unsure of your commitment to a forum on this web site - it seems only the meek and complying need apply.
ancient user For those who don’t remember me, I used this site for about 3 years (my original BC was four years ago) until the major forum revamp. It was a valued place for me and kept me going through many hard times. I made many friends and they have become part of my life.
I have just had a new cancer (in the same breast but a different cancer so I don’t know if it counts as a recurrance) and had a mastectomy. I needed information and support. I didn’t come here for it as I knew I could get more detailed information and better support from other places. I felt very sad about that. This is a major UK charity and it has a role and function to play in the panoply of services and charitable efforts in the UK.
I have always hoped that BCC would improve the forums in the ways that people have suggested and I still hope that will happen. I try to keep up with what is happening as I always hope to post here like I used to do. As I understand it from other BCC users now, policy is to encourage sharing of experiences and provide information with a strict restriction on the extent/type of debate that may arise so that it doesn’t inhibit internet shy individuals. My interpretation of that is that to achieve this BCC have to have quite a restricted policy and limit the use of the forums.
I believe that it is this which means that most of “our” suggestions are not appropriate and therefore do not get actioned. Established savvy users want things that aren’t really possible within the terms of reference.
Because of this, I was surprised to see the Find A Voice item. I can see that it has upset quite a few people who feel their views have not been listened to in the past.
I would ask three things of BCC:
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Can you clarify the boundaries for the sorts of things that people might suggest via the Find A Voice option so that, unlike past user polling, suggestions can be made which might be suitable for the type of forum BCC run?
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If the forum is never actually going to meet the requirement for the sorts of things that frequently get asked for because they are just not within the overall policy, could BCC make it explicitly clear what kind of function the forum can fulfill and that which it can’t - so that people’s expectations are realistic?
(For example, if the kind of debate which was ongoing 2-3 years ago but which became problematic is simply not within the policy could this be clarified and really spelt out.)
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Would it be possible for BCC to canvas opionions from members on what they see as priorities for the site?
(For example, where this used to be somewhere I came for lively debate and chat, I now see it more as somewhere for information and primary support rather than an ongoing support community. So my priority for BCC would be to invest more in the provision of information. In looking for information for my latest BC I did not look here because there is far better, more detailed and more up to date information elsewhere. )
I would like to see BCC flourishing. Perhaps it is a case of not being able to all things to all people. There are many different types of BC internet sites and perhaps BCC need to capitalise on what they do best. from reading this thread, it would seem that clarity about this might help.
pamelap I do remember you and I’m so sorry to hear that you have had a new cancer. I hope you have been able to find the information and support you need to be able to deal with it.
I think you have raised some excellent points for BCC to consider. My feeling is that BCC intends the forum to primarily fulfil the function of providing information and support to people newly diagnosed with and going through initial treatment for breast cancer. Some of us need not only that, but to debate and discuss the disease and effect on our lives, and all the media and cultural stuff that surrounds breast cancer. BCC has not explicitly said that the Forum is not for debate and discussion, but the style of moderation applied to some of the more vigorous debates suggests that they are not encouraged, because they are seen as unsupportive to vulnerable forum users. But the more outspoken forum users are no less vulnerable and in need of support.
Forum users need to have a clear understanding of what they can expect from the Forums and what BCC expects from users. I don’t think it is clear at the moment.
Also, the scope and purpose of the Forums cannot be set by BCC without input from Forum users. We, the people who have had breast cancer are stakeholders. Without us and our wretched disease, there would be no need for BCC (if only!). Many of us and our families and friends raise money for BCC and support it in other ways too and it is only right that we have a say in the BCC Forum strategy and it has to be a dialogue - not just filling in an online questionnaire with no opportunity for discussion.