Markie

There are a number of things that concern me about the proposals as drafted.

Let me say from the outset that I have asked for several years that Mods be given a tool to allow them to identify new members posting in the their forum, or first time postings by an established member. This would have allowed the Mods to do the task that the Ambassadors have been assigned. This tool has not been made available, and so the ability to welcome new members/posters is a hit and miss affair. How will this proposal identify new members or first time posters?

I, like some Moderators who have posted, are concerned that there is no ability to remove an Ambassador for breaking the rules. Rather than there being a 'secret database' (surely a comment unworthy of a TalkBoard member), there is a database, available to all Mods of people who have broken the terms of service. This database is an essential tool in ensuring consistency of Moderation.

That Mods 'may' be consulted about Ambassadors in their forums is of concern, as it would clearly be possible to appoint a person who has a warning or suspension to a forum where they have earned that. This seems to be a recipe for disaster with the Ambassador welcoming people whilst at the same time continuing in their problem behavior. Surely the same removal criteria as Mods would solve this? (30 day suspension earned). This is not an issue of 'boy scouts' but rather that the Ambassadors will need to explain postings in terms of the TOS, which they themselves have breached on more than one occasion in order to get the 30 days. Other postings seem not to understand that a 30 day would not be the first level of suspension but rather the third - and so the person would have had to break the TOS THREE times before getting to the 30 days. And still you think they are suitable to be Ambassadors?

Unlike Mods there appears to be no minimum requirements for this role. Mods are required to log in to their forums every day now or possibly cease to be Mods. What about Ambassadors, do they have to welcome people within a particular time frame? How will multiple Ambassadors ensure that they don't all welcome the same person?

I am concerned that within the JD of the Ambassador will be to explain the 'ins and outs' of the forum. That could easily set up the Ambassdor to be in conflict with the Moderators of that Forum. That surely is not sensible or the new members will be replying to Mods, that the Ambassador said that they could post this or that.

As I laid out at the start, I have always wanted us to be able to go out and welcome people but am truly not sure that this will work on the ground.