Topic: Ideas for the site.

@antdickens Hey, I have some questions regarding ignoring users. I just noticed that you can now block users from seeing your messages and was wondering what that entails in more details. For instance:

1) Does that mean that my messages won't show up at all, but they can still see that I've written something in the thread/category?

2) What will happen to the threads that I've started? The first post just won't show up?

I'm also worried that if I block too many users, people will start complaining that they can't see my posts in relation to the discussions being had, and this feature will then be disabled by you guys. Is that a possibility or am I free to block how many I like?

I find this feature to be great though. I don't have to see other people's posts and they won't have to see mine.

@LtSarge correct, if you block someone it means they won't see your posts/comments — think of it like a reverse ignore.

Threads/topics are tricky, I believe at the moment topics (ie the first post) are exempt from this system therefore topics will always show even if you blocked someone or you ignored someone. Otherwise it would get very complicated.

Naturally, if you're having a discussion with someone in the thread and someone can only see one set of messages it may look strange to the blocked user... but there isn't much way around that.

@antdickens Thanks for the quick reply!

Of course, I wouldn't except whole threads to disappear for people that I've blocked as they might want to talk with other members in those topics.

Alright, great! Hopefully this system will work out since it's always tricky how people will respond whenever you guys introduce new features, even though some like me find them to be great.

@LtSarge you're welcome — I can understand why people feel the ignore/block feature is a little 'messy' but at the end of the day it is useful to people who feel less confident on the site and therefore I feel is very valuable.

@antdickens I don't really like the block feature and it's not working for me in anyway. I have been blocked for the first time yesterday (for whatever reason), and I'm already noticing the annoying fallout.

1) I often visit the site from not logged in devices and read the forums, meaning I do see the post in question. But then when I login the post is gone. I think it's weird that by logging in to the site I am actually losing access.

2) Even the posts from before that person blocked me are gone. This makes no sense to me, because some threads just become weird as a result.

3) I don't think someone else should have an impact on how I experience this site in that way. Especially (!) when I have not been harassing someone or whatever, but just because they don't like me or my opinion.

4) After discovering about my first remark, for sure I will logout and log back in again whenever I don't understand what the conversation is about. So, what's the actual point of the feature?

5) People can already use the Ignore function for their own experience. Whenever they feel harassed or etc. they should be able to report a user or something. That should be the way to keep a community healthy, not this, or "hurting" the website experience for someone else.

Not really interested in staying like this...

@Kidfried sorry you feel that way, but unfortunately the feature is here to stay. The way I see it anyone who posts has the right to decide if they don’t want certain other users to see their posts. It’s a protective feature, something we take very seriously, and generally people only use it when they need to. It’s currently working the same as Twitter and other social platforms.

@antdickens If anyone has the right to the visibility of their posts, then the forums should be made private.

It's not a feature that works for smaller communities. It now feels like I've been locked out of a part of the community for no valid reason at all. So who is there to protect me?

If it's here to stay, I don't know if I will.

@Kidfried it came from when people had ignored users, those users were still seeing the original persons comments and making snide remarks behind their back. The only sensible solution is to make a block that works both ways so users can’t see each other’s posts. The important think to remember here is that if a user has blocked someone they have also ignored them, you can’t just block them you must ignore them too. Meaning you won’t see any posts from here you have blocked and therefore there is no ‘behind the back’ stuff which is what we’re preventing.

We’ve got a new Community Manager joining the team soon who will be far more active in moderation going forward and hopefully the need for these tools will be smaller than now. Although it’s worth saying it’s a very small number of users that feel the need to use the block feature and therefore shouldn’t have a big impact on the community but a big impact for those that feel they need it.

@antdickens Like I said, it now has a negative impact of my experience on the website. And I wasn't doing or saying anything hurtful or singling someone out or whatever.

Thanks for all you have done for the website in the past, but this is a hard disagree for me. I don't trust it will benefit the community, and I don't see how taking Twitter and Reddit as an example ever will. Bye

I'm with @Kidfried on this one, as it doesn't seem right that someone can block a whole bunch of users just for a difference of opinion. Means they then can dictate the flow of conversation if so many users can't see their posts. Maybe they should be looking at themselves a bit more if they are that uncomfortable with so many users, as most of the posts were pretty harmless that I could see.

That being said I can totally understand the reasons behind it. Just not on the scale it has been allowed to happen recently. Maybe some kind of review process or something like that before someone can block a number of users at the same time.

@Iver Well it couldn't be handled much worse than it is currently in the Premier League.

@JohnnyShoulder @Iver yeah I think yesterday proved that the Block function actually created an issue where before there was none. Prior to the mass blocking, all posters who predominantly play on PlayStation (the vast majority of which ended up getting blocked) were patient, courteous and respectful enough. Then to find out I had been blocked, when I had bit my tongue a fair few times previously in an effort to keep the peace just made me think, okay let’s get real here for a minute!

Just look at what Phil Spencer had done to our friendly little corner of the internet

I haven't seen any posts from you since you said bye @Kidfried, is it really goodbye? 😞. It's a shame to possibly lose great members of the community over a feature that's meant to make people feel safer.

@velio84 … and to add to that, the space was perfectly safe prior to Block-gate 🥸

@velio84 that's fair in terms of the "unread"/"read" situation, it is a product of the feature being retro-fitted into the forums. The feature was primarily added around article comments and therefore there are more 'knock on' issues with the forum compared to comments, as we don't have the same kind of 'watch' features there. I'm tempted to remove the ignore/block feature when it comes to actually topics (first posts) because realistically there isn't going to be any issues with those.

@velio84 in fact, I've just removed the ignore/block on threads (ie the first post) as I do think that isn't really what the feature is intended for, which should make it a little better. Will see how it goes.

It is weird seeing gaps in the threads for one user that has blocked me (that I know of!), I am not super bothered in this instance as he's not a regular poster but I can see how it would be annoying to see big gaps in threads from some of the more active members and you could eventually be side-lined in conversations.

I assume all feedback is welcome so just my 2 cents, it's not my house at the end of the day.

@antdickens So does that mean you will be able to see the first post on a thread started by someone that has blocked you but you won't be able to see any other posts? If that's the case I don't know how much that helps as you still lose the flow the conversation further on that thread or in other threads where that person is a heavy poster. You also receive emails on topics that you are watching containing comments from users that have blocked you.