To the Admin and Moderator teams:
Rule 8 talks about the importance of quoting sources, and in the context of external websites, I think its clear enough that we should all do this when posting the opinions or facts about another person.
However, the same rule maybe doesnt stress enough the requirement for posters to avoid putting words into other peoples mouths. For example, if I posted a reply to PosterA, but included a quote from PosterB without identifying it as such. The casual reader may then mistakenly assume PosterA was being quoted.
This can be easily done in total innocence, especially when trying to avoid cluttering a thread with lengthy nested quotes. From my time here, Ive seen people responding appropriately with contrition and clarification when called out on this. (Forgive the alliteration...!)
But Im concerned that the rules arent explicit enough to help Moderators in identifying those (thankfully rare) occasions when misrepresentation is done with duplicitous intent.
Please would the Moderator team consider reviewing Rule 8 with a view to clarifying what is and isnt misrepresentation? Happy to engage via PM if anyone wishes to discuss it offline.
Many thanks for your time and effort in keeping up an excellent site.
Diagoras
Forum ruling on misrepresentation
Moderator: Moderators
