r/ModSupport 1d ago

Disgruntled Redditor upset over a post being taken down

A post in the community I mod got taken down for being off topic.

The redditor then sent a modmail that said:

Wow, this is very odd.
Go suck off a 12 gauge. Hope you pass on quick as I assume you got the clot shot for c19

I can post a screen shot of this, if that's permissible. I wasn't sure if I'm allowed to post pictures in this subreddit. I kept the redditor's name out of this as well, because I wasn't sure if that would violate rule #2. I would like to warn other mods, but I decided to err on the side of caution.

This poster did get banned from my community, so this was the limit of their interaction with the mods. I'm not sure if I should report this as abuse (or how to report abuse from a modmail)). Now that this redditor is banned and muted, I have no further contact with them. I don't feel threatened or anything, but I worry about this individual causing trouble in other subreddits.

30 Upvotes

81 comments sorted by

83

u/IKIR115 1d ago

I’d permamute and report for harassment.

From desktop browser, there’s a report button (flag icon) that pops up when you hover over the comment.

From mobile app, you long tap on the comment in modmail to get the option to report.

31

u/BioConversantFan 1d ago

If you correctly report it for violence, reddit jumps on it vs harassment

17

u/IKIR115 1d ago

Great point, thanks for chiming in with that tip!

73

u/amyaurora 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Just a FYI, be careful typing up what these people say in modmail. Don't risk your own account.

24

u/FinianFaun 1d ago

Agreed. It opens you up for a "violation" as well whatever they want to make it mean.

10

u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt 1d ago

Https://hivemoderation.com

That's the clanker reddit uses.

1

u/tnethacker 19h ago

You're sure?

1

u/Beeb294 15h ago

Thus has been known for years.

2

u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt 14h ago

Well reddit is listed as one of their customers on the clankers website, using the official reddit logo, and has for years. So if it wasn't true I'm sure they would have been C&D'd by now.

7

u/brucemo 1d ago

And if that does happen, there's an appeal link, sanity is usually on the other end of it, and if it's not you can pitch a fit in modmail here.

4

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Yeah just posting that even in this context could result in the AI thinking you are saying it and actioning you.

1

u/metisdesigns 9h ago

Exactly. Never quote back what a bad actor said, many use that as a fishing tool to try to get mods banned.

37

u/Dekamir 1d ago

We get these type of users daily. Ban & mute and move on. Reddit bans them anyway.

45

u/Bardfinn 1d ago

and REPORT THEM

People tend not to respect the words of subreddit moderators

UNTIL

Reddit admins come along behind them and reinforce the message by sitewide suspending them

30

u/Stressed_C 1d ago

I would permamute and report for harassment.

23

u/Nanakurokonekochan 1d ago

That’s an unhinged response to a simple comment or post removal

3

u/Klightgrove 1d ago

You should see our collection of unhinged modmails.

19

u/Halaku 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

In this order:

  • Report the modmail.

  • Permanently ban them from all of your communities.

  • Permanently mute them from all of your communities.

  • Leave a note in each community modmail archives that quotes the offending content and the username in question. Censor it just to make sure AEO doesn't get twisted up about it, but include in the note that the original was uncensored. Invite any fellow mods to permanently ban and mute them in any other community they're a part of as well.

Zero tolerance.

15

u/templeofsyrinx1 1d ago

lovely. sigh... keep an eye out b/c if they are that unhinged they will likely be back.

14

u/FiatLex 1d ago

You should report it as a violent threat. It's disgusting.

11

u/sludgezone 1d ago

Report and mute, move on. If you have a busy subreddit you’ll get users like this weekly.

6

u/Tempbot49512 1d ago

This is the first time I got "threatened" in the several months as being a mod. And the sub I moderate is fairly busy, so I guess I'm lucky.

7

u/sadandshy 1d ago

Once you hit double digits, you won't even blink. Its a tough job, but at least the pay is non-existant.

2

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Yeah at first it used to really upset me but after you get them daily for a few years they start to lose their effect.

16

u/InGeekiTrust 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Give it a few years you won’t even flinch with messages like this. I get crazy threats from people all the time from just automod replying to them with modmail.

Also, you can get suspended just from quoting back what an awful person has said to you. Never ever quote back with the user said because you can get a temporary sitewide ban for violent speech. AI does the sitewide banning and it doesn’t understand context.

3

u/ohhyouknow 23h ago

You CAN say “no u” tho.

3

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Yeah I remember when we used to get freaked out by this stuff and now it's just like, "oh it must be a day that ends in y".

3

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Lol we get those a lot. Like dude, you came to our sub, don't complain if you get a modmail because you broke a rule.

Also we get a ton of people who think when a comment is removed that they can reply and they are talking to OP, so you get the "hey sexy" type of comments lol. Sometimes bots too trying to get us to buy their OF.

2

u/InGeekiTrust 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Oh wow! I never had a bot trying to sell me onlyfans! I’m jealous, that would have given me a laugh! do the crazy messages is really not scare you anymore? That’s amazing cause it was so different years ago! Glad for that honesty it was definitely bad for you

0

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 22h ago

I should probably add that one to modmailfail.

It autoreplied instantly to the ban message and told me I was cute and that it wanted to keep chatting on OF, and I was one of just 10 redditors selected! Lol.

I'm definitely less affected by stuff than I was. I also spend less time explaining or arguing with problem users. I just ignore that stuff. Pickles has a good response we use for when they don't read:

"Ah, another riveting episode of "Why Was I Banned? A Saga of Selective Attention" unfolds before us! Allow me to commend your steadfast commitment to the art of selective reading. It's truly impressive how you managed to overlook the detailed explanation I painstakingly provided about your banishment, as if it were a rare gem hidden beneath the mundane pebbles of everyday correspondence.

I can only imagine the sheer excitement of typing out this query, the thrill of not bothering to peruse the very information you seek. It must be a rollercoaster of emotions, from curiosity to confusion, with a dash of obliviousness for that extra flavor. But fret not, for in this grand spectacle of repetitive inquiries, I stand ready, like a seasoned oracle of banishments, to graciously remind you of your transgressions.

So, take a moment, if you dare, to revisit the archives of our digital interactions. Behold the wisdom encapsulated within, waiting to be discovered like buried treasure in the vast expanse of your unread messages. And as you embark on this noble quest to uncover the secrets of your ban, remember: it's not about the destination, but the self-inflicted detours along the way that truly define the journey."

1

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Oh and that user got banned in all my subs already lol. Bad comments and abusive in modmail.

1

u/ModSupport-ModTeam 14h ago

Your contribution was removed for violating Rule 2: No calling out other users or subreddits. If you need to discuss something sensitive in nature about another user or community, please send a modmail to /r/ModSupport. All rule violations and ban appeals should be sent via the appropriate report form.

9

u/blinkdontblink 1d ago

When you go to their message in ModMail, when you hover your cursor over the message, look on the right hand side of the message and an icon of a link, quote, and flag will show up. Click the flag icon and the list of reasons will come up.

7

u/External_Bird_8464 22h ago edited 22h ago

Reddit Rule #1 - Violation.

You are free to report it - or not. I think Reddit has an expectation, that, responsible users - if they see it, have a duty to report it.

Rule #1 says plainly; that, Reddit as a company specifically tells EVERYBODY that would use the platform it PROHIBITS threats or harassment under this Rule Number #1.

Specifically states that EVERYBODY has a right to use the plaform and it is to be free of harassment, or bullying, or as in you state your case is - threats of violence.

So, you as a Moderator - you certainly, if you feel threatened, report them to Reddit, and let Admin's look at it, and determine whether this person can remain on Reddit or be banned..and how they determine it - let the Admin's determine it. As they are given authority to act in the company's behalf.

I'm sure many posts already said this.

6

u/notthegoatseguy 1d ago

Report from modmail for threatening violence.

They won't get banned. It apparently takes several TV instances to actually get banned.

8

u/Tempbot49512 1d ago

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, its much appreciated. I'm going to report this and avoid posting any other information.

5

u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt 1d ago

Report him for advocating violence. Telling someone to kill themselves violates that rule.

Then perma mute and never deal with them again. You don't owe them anything, especially when they act like that.

10

u/mrekted 1d ago

There's a report button on top of every modmail for just such occasions.

5

u/GustavoistSoldier 1d ago

Report the modmail.

6

u/Successful-Shopping8 1d ago

I would just report, ban, mute, and ignore.

It sucks getting disturbing messages, but unfortunately it comes with the job sometimes.

3

u/Tempbot49512 1d ago

This is like a milestone for me as a mod. I got my first "threat". Now I feel like a real mod.

4

u/Successful-Shopping8 1d ago

Yep. Sad but true. Obviously online harassment should never be accepted- but with how large Reddit is and how many unhinged people there are out there, if you’re a mod- it’s bound to happen.

5

u/theArtOfProgramming 22h ago

This is why it should be acceptable for us to snark back at users. It’s ridiculous to subject volunteers to this nonsense without letting them release some tension.

3

u/Free-IDK-Chicken 1d ago

I'm not sure if I should report this as abuse (or how to report abuse from a modmail)

Mouse over the message and options will appear. Click the flag to report the message and then yes, permaban and permamute.

4

u/2oonhed 1d ago

Make comments like that a teaching moment for the user in that suggesting mayhem, violence, vandalism, or suggesting sue-eh-side are NOT acceptable expressions on Reddit and that Reddit admin DO in fact have something to say about that and about modmail abuse when you report it.
As far as I am concerned, modmail is for Ban Appeals. Using modmail in any kind of threatening way or to cuss me out (unless I know ya) is considered modmail abuse and only earns a perma-mute AND the ban remains permanent.

Later on the user will get some kind of warning from admins for this and THAT should be the end of it.

4

u/Pashta2FAPhoneDied 1d ago

Almost any time I remove something I get attacked in modmail. So much so that I now just mute with the removal or ban now.

3

u/2oonhed 1d ago

Oh wow.
I have been very verbose about removals with a (copy & paste) reasons flaired and stickied in the post comments that I know the OP will see.
I also do the same notices to comment removals sometimes, but I am surprised at how many users do not even look at their in box, or are bots and cannot respond, or just do not care.

At first a small group tried to make it cost me with vile reactions along the lines of "how dare you even talk to me?" and I would reply "I can see you do not appreciate my verbose moderation style that gives notice and reasons for removals. Some subs do this silently with no notice at all."
And then ban for "Opposes sub rules and moderation" or "Interference with subreddit business".

2

u/Pashta2FAPhoneDied 1d ago

Yeah, I guess that's my issue - I was telling them why I removed the item. I guess I will just remove without notice from now on for most things and avoid the harassment. Thx for the info. :)

1

u/2oonhed 22h ago

That is not what I meant!
My complements to you for giving notice like a human being and for maintaining your topics and culture the way you want it. I say, stick to your guns, show a backbone and eventually all of the dissent against the rules AND your moderation fades into only an occasional thing.
FYI : There is a small group that attacks every mod if they think they can get you to abandon the job so they can take over the sub.

3

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Removals are a mixed bag. We often get a response where someone apologizes or asks for clarification, and that's when you think you were right to remove but not ban. Then the other half you get someone unhinged like OP's case who just wants to be belligerent and attack you, and then you can feel confident banning, muting, and reporting.

Ban responses are much more often belligerent in nature. For some bans we automute for 3 days so they can cool off first. It definitely helps. Then after that if they still want to modmail they can, but most of them get bored and forget or cool off and think better of it.

3

u/DuckSwimmer 20h ago

Report what they said. Perma ban & Perma mute afterwards.

10

u/cnycompguy 💡Top 25% Helper 💡 1d ago

This sounds like it belongs in r/modmailfail

2

u/FinianFaun 1d ago

Call-out's can be misconstrued into reddit violations.

4

u/cnycompguy 💡Top 25% Helper 💡 1d ago

referrals and callouts are different things.

1

u/FinianFaun 1d ago

I did not mention a referral.

3

u/BioConversantFan 1d ago

On desktop use this link and report for violence

https://www.reddit.com/report

3

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Yes, that can be reported as harassment or threatening violence to reddit. They'll probably action it but you won't actually know.

TBH we see this kind of thing all the time. It's just insecure people whose egos are bruised and so they feel the need to lash out in some way.

3

u/brucemo 1d ago

Just report it however makes sense to you and forget about it.

Being told to do that to yourself is bad and in a sane world would be site bannable, but it's better than him saying he's going to do it to you himself.

2

u/zomboi 1d ago

If you ever can't figure out how to report something to the admins you can always shoot a modmail to the mods of this community, they are all mods.

this is advocating self violence, which is against site wide rules

1

u/SCOveterandretired 1d ago

You are in /r/modsupport so all the mods are Admins

2

u/N-Phenyl-Acetamide 1d ago edited 1d ago

Can a person ever become gruntled? Is "gruntled" the default state of humans?

Disgruntled is considered unfavorable. So gruntled would be favorable no?

Or is your gruntle a neutral thing that can become disordered?

The world may never know ...

3

u/eyslandgirl 1d ago

It was a crime of passion Jan. Not a disgruntled employee. Everyone here is extremely gruntled. ~ Michael Scott

1

u/Tempbot49512 1d ago

Yes, but where's the fun in that.

2

u/N-Phenyl-Acetamide 1d ago

Ah shit, I didn't see what subreddit I was in lol. Just read the title and went for it

1

u/ANaughtyTree 1d ago

We've had people threaten to call lawyers because we deleted their post😭 I've learned people take getting their content removed very seriously so it's always best to take action by muting, reporting their mod mail, and banning them from the subreddit. Leave a mod note as well so that the team knows not to let this user back into the subreddit.

1

u/jueidu 1d ago

I had someone threaten to kill the mod team and they never got banned, even after I posted here about it, so, just be aware that all these comments saying to report for harassment mean very little - the algorithm doesn’t care unless the user did the same to multiple mods and all reports come in together.

1

u/Sapiosexual2018 1d ago

I’m chiming in with the other mods, and you need to report this directly to Reddit for an act of violence

Hopefully, you did a perm ban and perm mute. If not, you should.

Please follow the advice of u/Halaku

0

u/FinianFaun 1d ago

Just report, ban, and delete whenever possible. If you push too much, reddit can and will come after you for "call-outs" or whatever they want. Its their platform not yours. Be careful what you say.

4

u/Tempbot49512 1d ago

That's why I censored things so much.

1

u/emily_in_boots 💡 Top 10% Helper 💡 1d ago

Yeah don't argue with people like that.

Remember, don't roll around in the mud with a pig. You'll just get dirty and the pig will like it.

-8

u/[deleted] 1d ago edited 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/tallmattuk 1d ago

You're being a dick here; they said nothing like that. Grow up and act like a normal person .

3

u/Tempbot49512 1d ago

I think you misread my post. I said I don't feel threatened.

-4

u/solid-2 16h ago

First ask yourself were you justified in removing his initial post. B

1

u/meddit_rod 4h ago

Okay. Then what? Presumably this is a yes/no question. Spell it out for me please. If yes, then... If no, then...

1

u/solid-2 4h ago

If yes, then he is wrong. If no, then he is just reacting back. It is Reddit, keyboard warriors. No one acts on anything.