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In the chat, we were talking about filling the chat with images. I commented that so long as they aren't GIFs (content-appropriate implied too of course) that remain showing in the chat they are fine. The reason behind this is that GIFs are more distracting when left in GIF form (they're fine if changed to links after a little while so it doesn't show any longer). This is common policy across multiple SE rooms as a way to improve the quality of the chat rooms. It is one of the rules that is not explicitly stated because there are many of them that would be too long for the room's description and no one would read it anyway.

Directly after said comment, a user posted a GIF and, as per common policy, I moved it to the Trash room. Immediately afterwards I was removed as a room owner. What is the reasoning behind this?

To me it seems as if I were reprimanded for moving the GIF to the trash. If not, what was the reason?

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    What's most odd here is the double standards. You took an action without consulting others - fair enough - but for the consequence to be an action taken against you without consultation is a tad ironic..
    – Dom
    Sep 1, 2015 at 21:30
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    As one of the masterminds behind "An open room for art, design, and cat gifs", I think having a few gifs around is no big deal, especially if they are relevant (or as relevant as a gif can be) for the conversation. It's nice to go back and see some images in the transcript! Most people inline the images after a few minutes, but someone new to the room would not know this. A faster, easier solution would be to edit and then leave a comment ("Hey, I changed your gif to inline because it takes time to load and is not relevant any more, you can do this by clicking on Edit").
    – Yisela
    Sep 2, 2015 at 14:36
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    Also, I don't agree with "GIFs are distracting and lower the quality of the chat when left showing". Our chat room has always been a relaxed, fun space. But this would be a different discussion, perhaps to be re-floated here: meta.graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/597/…
    – Yisela
    Sep 2, 2015 at 14:39
  • @Yisela I would love to edit and inline them, but only mods can edit others' comments
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 2, 2015 at 16:27

4 Answers 4

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Your status was revoked so that the mods could discuss what the role of room owners should be and what criteria should determine who is granted these privileges. There has never been any discussion on this; the previous set of room owners was chosen without any agreed upon reason. We'd like to hear from the community to help solidify that process.

We appreciate that your intent was to maintain a positive chat experience for everyone but your methodology was unsanctioned. I can see why the image rule is justified for other rooms, but that jurisdiction does not extend to ours. It would have been more appropriate to ask the user for permission to remove the embedding or suggest they do it themselves. It's not fair to enforce unwritten rules, so we encourage you to gather feedback from the community if you think it would be appropriate for our room.

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  • Thanks for the constructive feedback! I do wish that Ryan would have mentioned that when it happened
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 1, 2015 at 20:59
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Well, it does say "An open room for art, design, and cat gifs" right there in the title

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  • As I mentioned, I have no problem with gifs, just leaving them showing. Besides, this doesn't answer the question of why I was removed as a RO
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:26
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    clearly it was removed because it wasn't a cat gif.. j/k, lol
    – user9447
    Sep 4, 2015 at 16:15
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I think by editing another user's chat message you kind of went over what was intended. But I do realize there was absolutely nothing malicious in that action.

Many of the regulars were given room ownership privileges to view deleted messages or to edit their own messages beyond the standard limit. Or perhaps to assist new users in some of the more stack-oriented chat messages (like posting images to chat). I don't think the intent was ever to allow chat room regulars to edit all messages or moderate the chat as a whole. And really, they shouldn't be doing that. Stack has elections for that stuff.

On the whole, I don't think GIFs are an issue. Sure every once in a while there may be 5 or 6 in a row. However, most of the time there are none. I think for a design site to be a bit militant about gifs is kind of silly. No one has abused the posting of them from what I've seen. So really... don't fix it if it ain't broke.

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  • You're mistaken with the belief that ROs can edit other's messages, they can only move them. Only mods can edit others' messages
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 2, 2015 at 20:06
  • Also I disagree with your view that room regulars shouldn't moderate the chat to the extent ROs are allowed. ROs are given extra powers for a reason, mods aren't the only ones that should be allowed to do any sort of moderating. It's similar to moderating on the Q&A portion - with time (paid for in rep) people gain more moderation powers. Similarly in chat the powers of being a RO can be given
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 2, 2015 at 20:06
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    "I moved it to the Trash room" is that not editing another user's message???
    – Scott
    Sep 3, 2015 at 19:40
  • I wouldn't call it that
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 3, 2015 at 19:44
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    We disagree then :)
    – Scott
    Sep 3, 2015 at 19:45
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The user is me.

This is what Zach said (yes in that order, no comments):

not a big deal so long as they're not all gifs
→ 1 message moved to Trash

:)

And this is the only gif that was posted and deleted:

Hamster in pants

Edit:

I think you were removed for being a bit fast on using your "power", which you were. Another user was also removed at the same time as you.

Also, if we see the transcript, you actually did not follow the rules of SE when you arrived in the room:

Zach: (removed)<---- (link about new Google logo posted 2 seconds after he arrived)

Zach: didn't read before I posted :P @go-meek I like it

RULE:

Mind the recent chat — Please spend a moment reading the transcript to see if there is an active conversation.

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  • This answer also shows how distracting persistent gifs are
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:34
  • As for your edit, I did read through the transcript as shown in the comment and removed my comment as such (even though it still would have been helpful if left). As such it's showing that I did follow the rule and read the transcript
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:37
  • Unfortunately, I did not have the same opportunity as you, especially since gif are not forbidden :( (1 single gif)
    – go-junta
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:38
  • As for your reasoning of why I was removed - "a bit fast on using your "power"", why is that justification for removal of RO powers?
    – Zach Saucier
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:39
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    You gave no justification, but a smilie face. You didn't wait much either. I guess people who do have that power should at least try to educate the users, not use "smilie face" as a response. Now, that's what I think. Again, you were not the only one removed so that's not exclusive to you, probably just some clean-up. The question should be why should you have these privileges even more than the other user who was removed as well.
    – go-junta
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:44
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    @ZachSaucier "This answer also shows how distracting persistent gifs are" -- yes it's worse in a post because it doesn't move up.... But in a chat during an active conversation, 1 single gif is quickly a matter of the past. If it was spam of gif than yes that's different but that's not the case. Again, I think you focus on the gif and shouldn't; it's apparently nowhere in the rules.
    – go-junta
    Sep 1, 2015 at 19:55
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    I'm horrified by the carefree breaking of a more important rule. Your hamster is NSFW! ;)
    – Yisela
    Sep 2, 2015 at 14:49

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