I've just been catching up with the MNHQ webchat (couldn't join yesterday as I was at work), and noticed the tension between MNHQ's stats which show the reduced number of deletions vs the feel from posters that the deletions are getting worse.
So, MNHQ say:
"Out of interest we've checked the deletions thing and surprisingly the number of deleted messages seems to have dropped not risen year on year - even though traffic is up by more than 40% (these include messages deleted from deleted threads - so one long thread = 1000 deletions)
Jan 1st 2011 to May 29th 2011: 81884 messages
Jan 1st 2012 to May 29th 2012: 72037 messages"
but as Hully said:
"While I do not doubt your marvellous statistics, there are a lot of us oldhands who notice a very different feel and approach.
Why might that be then?"
Well fellow MN'ers, I think I have the explanation - it is because they are both true! Moderation has increased, resulting in reduced deletions and this is why:
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Firstly, let's simplify the numbers:
Lets say in 2011, there were 500 deleted messages on 100 threads. This is at the time when moderation was not as strict. If a thread turned bunfighty, it didn't get deleted until it got really bad.
Of the 100 threads, 4 got deleted, however, before deletion they reached 100 posts, so 400 deletions over 4 threads with the rest of the 100 deletions spread over the remaining 96 threads = perception of light moderation and not many deletions.
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In 2012, there were 450 deleted messages on 100 threads, however moderation is stricter.
Of the 100 threads 4 are deleted, but as moderation is stricter they are deleted before they get big, so each deleted thread only has 25 messages on before it gets deleted so that is only 100 deletions over 4 threads leaving the rest of the 350 deletions over the remaining 96 threads = perception of heavier moderation and more deletions but less deleted posts.
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Just saying that there are less deleted posts doesn't mean a thing. 'Tis all about context you see 