» Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:09 pm Discussion has been about stealing, copying, ripping other's mods, and posting them to other sites, or even to the same sites.
Current discussion can be summarized as follows:
Theft is too easy on Steam Workshop
Moderation is too lax on Steam Workshop
Steam Workshop Flaws
Mod "authors" including THIEVES can:
Delete comments on their mod.
Edit the content OF OTHER USERS in discussions about their mod, including both title and content.
BAN ANY USER which partakes in discussion on any of their mods.
Arbitrarily "prove" they are the mod owner/creator to have the mod UNBANNED after being reported.
The ban can include:
- A temporary ban of 1 day, 3 days, a week, a month
- A permanent ban
The ban is limited to the Skryim Workshop Discussion section of the Discussions board on the Workshop.
The ban does not affect your Steam account or your ability to download/upload mods.
The issue from all of this:
Combatting stolen mods is next to impossible. Mod authors are given free rein to quell any dissidence, including MOD THIEVES. They will delete comments which expose the theft. If you create or post in a Discussion (different from comments) they can permanently ban you if they so desire.
Merely using the "Report" feature is not enough. Mod thieves can provide arbitrary proof to moderators, which then un-ban the mod.
The freedom to edit the content and titles of Discussions made by other users opens Steam and its users up to all kinds of fraud.
The solution for this:
- Possibly remove the Ban ability permanently. (Allows user to retaliate when exposed for theft)
- Possibly remove the Delete Comments ability permanently. (Allows user to cover up theft)
- If there are N number of Reports against a mod:
Disallow the "Modder" / Thief from deleting other users' comments
Remove any "moderator"-type privileges.
- After the first banned mod for theft / violation of TOS, start removing moderator-type privileges permanently.
- Strikes rule. If 1-3 of your mods get banned for being stolen, you're gone.
- You can be banned for good BEFORE the 2nd or 3rd strikes at moderator discretion.
Arthmoor believes a 1-Strike rule is good, I think 3-Strikes is fine, including all other TOS violations that aren't theft. With it being customary to ban after the first theft anyway, unless the user REALLY had no idea.
