A sensible suggestion

[XFool]

...At least, I think so.

Since there have been, and are, continuing 'issues' wrt the topic of named TLF threads - what it is about, what it is not about, what is on topic, off topic, moderation etc. Why not simply take it that the originator of a thread is nominally the 'Thread Owner'. They started it, they know best what it is about or not about; what is off topic, what is not off topic. Let them decide. Let them openly declare in thread if, in their opinion, it is going "Off topic"; not leave it to the judgement of third parties such as moderators (or thread topic fanatics).

I am NOT suggesting "no moderation". I am suggesting thread topic moderation be left, in the first instance, in the hands of the thread owner (OP). If the OP's moderation in thread proves unsuccessful, then and only then, the OP can complain to an official moderator.

All other normal TLF policy moderation to remain in the hands of standard TLF moderators.

It could even help take some of the workload off official moderators.

[csearle]

This is pretty much already the way we moderate threads here. We afford the OP the ownership of the thread they started, especially when it comes to the on/off-topicness of the discussion. However if the topic has gone so far off-topic that it bears no relationship to the original post then I can well imagine some moderators would find no recourse to the OP necessary. C.

[XFool]

This is pretty much already the way we moderate threads here.

Perhaps it could benefit by being made explicit, in line with my suggestion?

It seems to me it could, perhaps, prove more psychologically effective coming directly from the OP in the first instance. We would get a definite idea of who is who and what the OP themselves feels and wants from the thread. As it is, at present one can be left feeling, rightly or wrongly, that one has been 'moderated' rather heavy-handedly by some possibly relatively anonymous third party, whose judgement, opinions and motives one is unsure of and may even disagree with.

It can feel very disappointing, frustrating and unsatisfactory in some instances.

[csearle]

By the way we do get a certain proportion of reports from OPs saying their threads have been hi-jacked despite their published requests. C.