What the hell has happened to this place?

I find that hard to believe. I suppose I will have to take your word for it given that I have no way to verify what you say, but I think a lot of people who are interested in being mods don't even know how to apply. It seems to be a very cumbersome process.



As far as I can tell the number of moderators has hardly changed. If people are waiting longer for issues to be resolved then it could just be that the moderators aren't as good or have less time to devote to TSR, not that there are too few of them.



But that document also says:



It seems pretty unreasonable to volunteer as a moderator and then ask for pay. Why wold you volunteer in the first place if you felt the job warranted a salary?

Anyone who has been spotted as a potential mod will be contacted and asked to become a mod, so it's not always a case of applying as such. It's just the less obvious cases that need to apply more directly. There's a sticky thread in news, help and feedback which tells them how to do it. Do be aware that just because someone wants to become a mod, it doesn't mean they'll be taken - a long / recent card history is something of a no no, for instance, as is inactivity and a lack of helpfulness on the forums.

With regards to pay, there was a benefit in kind - the sub - as well as some more ad hoc benefits which were over and above expenses.

If you don't turn up to work as a mod then you get demodded (ie sacked) - which rather suggests that you do have to turn up whether you feel like it or not.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I'd add that we were always told as mods/SLs that a certain level of time commitment (in specified hours) is expected. There were also SL meetings you were expected to attend on a regular basis - which, to me, suggests that you had to turn up.

That's the same as with any voluntary role, isn't it? If I were to agree to do voluntary work in a charity shop, say, they'd expect me to turn up. If I kept not turning up, they'd replace me with another volunteer.

I'm not an employment lawyer, and I'm too busy at the moment to look into the subtle nuances in detail, but as a starting point I'd argue there's a massive difference between giving your time in a charity shop to benefit those less fortunate, and being screwed over by a profit making entity which doesn't want to give you your fair share of the cake.

Do be aware that just because someone wants to become a mod, it doesn't mean they'll be taken - a long / recent card history is something of a no no, for instance, as is inactivity and a lack of helpfulness on the forums.

It's about choice, though, isn't it? When asked to become a mod, or applying to become a mod, you know that TSR is a business. You know that they're probably making a profit, otherwise they wouldn't continue. And you know that you're not going to be paid for what you do. So, it's an informed decision. And you can quit at any time.

Now, would I say no to being paid, or having gift vouchers or lots of chocolates sent my way? Of course not. I'd be silly to decline. But, I knew what the deal was when I signed up for it. It's a voluntary role and, therefore, TSR are under no obligation to pay me. They get someone to help keep the forum tidy, and I get to do something I enjoy doing, so I don't see how that amounts to being screwed over.

I agree. There are still a number of long serving moderators around so clearly Origami Bullets' and Blackacre's opinions are not shared by the whole team.

I agree. There are still a number of long serving moderators around so clearly Origami Bullets' and Blackacre's opinions are not shared by the whole team.

...and the departure of at least five of the "old guard" of the SL team - in fairly rapid succession - would suggest that it is by people who've been subjected to it for long enough. Ask Mad Vlad yourself, if you must; he was a mod back in 2005 (?) and left last year, so he's more than qualified to comment on the changes.

The irony of those who don't like TSR and still use it fascinates me

Logic doesn't exist online

I've been on TSR for 5 years now under different accounts. And maybe I've just grown out of this site, but it appears to have lost all of it's original value. The majority of posters are judgemental, ignorant and contemptuous people who try and say things for effect, or to seem funny/ banterish, but have absolutely nothing of value to add.


It's a disgrace. The forum used to be used by normal students, but it's now as if it attracts those from the darker areas of the Internet, where bitter, lonely creatures who never feel right in the real world find comfort. It's become a geekier version of Misc and even Reddit.

There's never any decent debate anymore. I remember when the last election was coming around there'd be plenty of good debates going around. Yeah there were plenty of different opinions, but people actually said things of substance. But now it's people just blindly spouting extreme opinions, not giving a toss what the other side says.

And there are so many threads hating on women, it's unreal. I cannot fathom. I see the word 'feminist' used with contempt and disgust in every other thread I read. But the voice of feminists on here are so quiet compared to the pig-headed posters who dominate the forums talking about women as if they genuinely think they are an inferior species.

I genuinely can't work out what's happened to this place, but it doesn't feel like 'The Student Room' anymore. It feels like a forum which attracts the quiet misfits in society. I think this site is done.


I can't post in a site which tolerates people saying victims of sexual assault are justified in being assaulted because 'they are fit though'. Whereas if you dare call someone a troll you get an immediate warning. You need to get your act together.

Definitely. I don't want to get into an argument over this topic but I want to make it clear that the opinions that have been aired here are by no means the only opinions. We definitely aren't scraping the barrel for mods and in fact have recently had lots of great new appointments and are at a really good place as a team right now. When everyone pulls together and actually wants to put in effort to help the site (which was not the case with some of those who left) then things move and things change and we work in a really positive place.



And a number of the "old guard" who still remain who were "subjected" to the same things. Plus as you say, you guys all left last year, so I'm not really sure you're qualified to be commenting on how things are working currently and the internals of how our recruitment is functioning.

The above regarding some of those who left not wanting to help the team is a straw man. I and the old SLs I refer to did want to, hence the frustration when we felt our concerns weren't being taken on board because they weren't on message.

Regarding "use" of the site, Bubbles, if you bothered to look at my post history you'd see I've made <1 post per day since I left - probably <1 per week, though I can't check easily on my phone. If you're still happy with the arrangement, good for you, but I honestly haven't looked back since I was demodded.

I could give a list of ways in which you refused to help the team but I'm not going to air dirty laundry here.

As a team we have very much put your departure behind us, and while we are very grateful for all you did for TSR, I can honestly say that the current team are moving from strength to strength both in terms of working as a team and supporting one another, and in all pushing TSR in a positive direction.

It doesn't feel like it's being pushed in a positive direction really though. It has a completely different feel to it now.

Regarding "use" of the site, Bubbles, if you bothered to look at my post history you'd see I've made <1 post per day since I left - probably <1 per week, though I can't check easily on my phone. If you're still happy with the arrangement, good for you, but I honestly haven't looked back since I was demodded.