[user104658]

... Involved in heated threads.

Continued from SD;

Because when someone says something personal, and yes completely unfair, to another member then their post is deleted and they get an infraction, which is completely right.

But when the same thing happens and a mod is on the receiving end, the thread gets locked, and if you comment on the thread being locked, that thread is locked too and you get blocked from making new threads in the section completely.

This represents a two-tier system of forum membership and illustrates exactly why people feel like they can't engage naturally in threads with "mods posting as members" no matter how much those mods insist that they can keep their capacity as a mod and their capacity as a member separate.

So just to note;

I think what was said to Niamh in the thread I question was awful and also, from what I know of her, completely untrue.

However I think that the response is knee-jerk, over the top, a complete abuse of power, and a double standard.

Also I'll say that I have no idea if it was Niamh herself who started locking & blocking, it may well not have been, but it was certainly because it was a moderator on the receiving end of a hurtful comment.

My personal opinion on this is that the forum is now at a point where mods need to choose between being a non-staff member, or being a mod and staying impartial in contentious threads.

Being both quite clearly doesn't work, for various reasons.