Staff members who tease members

[Duskpire]

If you were once a moderator or administrator than you have a really good idea what I'm getting at. Have you ever teased a member or messed with their profile settings?

I have witnessed harmless teasing and honestly, its hilarious.

For members who post to move up in rank. Have you ever given them a personal rank just to tease or get out a good laugh?

In one forum, I know this guy always posted on a topic even if he didn't know crap about it. So just for laughs.

The administrator labeled him " Legendary Poster"  for a way of nicely calling him a post whore.

When he asked, the mods giggled and said they'd never seen it before. So he posted another 200 posts and still his rank never changed.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Its usually amusing. As long as you're teasing someone who can take a joke.

I remember a few years ago on a forum, someone changed the members username pink (with animated sparkles) and the avatar to this:

Was a harmless prank by the admin, but the member flipped out and said he was leaving forever. He was restored to normal right after the rampage.

I would have thought it was funny if it happened to me, but I can take a joke.

 

[Duskpire]

Its usually amusing. As long as you're teasing someone who can take a joke.

I remember a few years ago on a forum, someone changed the members username pink (with animated sparkles) and the avatar to this:

Was a harmless prank by the admin, but the member flipped out and said he was leaving forever.  He was restored to normal right after the rampage.  

I would have thought it was funny if it happened to me, but I can take a joke.

LMAO. Thats hilarious. I would love to see that.

*looks over at barkerdude*

 

[#assassin]

Yeah, I've done that before. Of course, I knew the user whom I did it to and we're good friends.

 

[alakazam]

It happens sometime on my forum. Mostly my co-owner likes to mess around with some members' accounts... Eh, they usually have a sense of humor...

 

[Darth-Apple]

Someone changed my username and avatar to represent me as "gay as a diamond studded rainbow" on a forum a while back. I am straight, but I found it pretty funny. It is something I would never really consider doing myself as an administrator, however.

 

[#assassin]

Someone changed my username and avatar to represent me as "gay as a diamond studded rainbow" on a forum a while back. I am straight, but I found it pretty funny. It is something I would never really consider doing myself as an administrator, however.

Well, you could always do it to a friend or someone you know won't get mad if you do it.

 

[Darth-Apple]

Don't be giving me ideas. I have zero inhibitions!

 

[Hsin]

I tease my members but I also encourage them to do so back Long as it is not done maliciously and it is known it is kidding around, I don't mind it

 

[Wonko]

Sounds great as long as your victim is a willing one, never tried it but now you have mentioned it I might

 

[Hulk's iconHulk]

I've done it in the past. Most of the time to a friend to see their reaction.

I tend to usually change their rank to any of the below:

I Love Aaron!
*Worships Aaron*

 

[+paradox]

harmless teasing is okay with me, but i guess it depends on the people and how it's done...

 

[Jazzy]

Whether it be in RL or online, you need to know who can be teased and who cannot. What one person perceives as "harmless" another person wouldn't.

 

[cali]

I don't tease but I do make funny jokes and hope no one takes it seriously cuz I don't want to make anyone mad just laugh lol

 

[Felly]

As long as all parties involved are okay with it, I'm down for having a little fun. xD Just gotta make sure they can take the joke first, haha.

 

[Smiley]

If you were once a moderator or administrator than you have a really good idea what I'm getting at. Have you ever teased a member or messed with their profile settings?

No, never. While I'm always up for a good laugh, there are certain lines I never cross, like (ab)using my administrator tools to mess with someone's profile settings. I firmly believe such action would be disrespectful - if not even insulting - to the person on a receiving end of the stick.

Sure, I realize that some people find it humorous, but I simply don't. Someone could say "oh relax, it's just a profile page, you can easily change it back yourself", or something like that, but, as far as I'm concerned, each member has the right to do whatever they want with their profile pages, to put as much, or - equally - as little work in personalizing them as they want, so who am I to undo their work? Who am I to belittle and undermine their efforts?

The main problem here is the fact that lots of people still don't value virtual property as they value real life property. I wonder; if I were to come to someone's home, smash their computer with a sledge hammer, and simply say "oh relax, it's a just a computer, you can easily get a new one", what would that person do? Laugh or punch me in the face?

Whether it be in RL or online, you need to know who can be teased and who cannot. What one person perceives as "harmless" another person wouldn't.

As long as all parties involved are okay with it, I'm down for having a little fun. xD Just gotta make sure they can take the joke first, haha.

This. Don't assume anything. Get to know the person before taking any action the person may perceive as hostile, regardless of how you feel about it.