Canreef policy issues?

[dsaundry]

So without getting into major specifics I have an issue with Canreef and the freedom they allow their sponsors. I recently posted a response to a fellow member who had asked a question about purchasing a product. I actually used a Canreef sponsor in my answer to this member. I was shocked and ****ed off when revisited the posting and saw that my answer had been changed and was referring to another sponsor entirely. When I questioned this I was informed by the Canreef sponsor that the other sponsor was not an official supplier of this product and they had edited them out of my answer. They apologized but my query is how can one member{sponsor} have the authority to make changes to an answer posted on the forum? I can understand if they close the thread, delete the thread but to change my answer is in my opinion very wrong! Changing a fellow members answer should not be allowed..delete it and contact the member as to why it is deleted is fine with me, but to change my answer and edit it with another answer is plain and simple ...wrong. If Canreef staff are going to adhere to this policy then when somebody asks for a product and gets a response for a non vendor like King Ed Pets etc I guess that won't be allowed. So if someone asks where is the best place to buy a Red Sea Max I guess I better not see anybody respond with an answer that doesn't point directly to a Canreef sponsor or I hope that is going to be omitted{not changed} as well. If I get my posting privileges suspended for this rant ..so be it...

[marie]

I have to agree with you on this one. Vendors should not have the power to edit others posts......... delete yes but not edit it

[The Grizz]

I agree as well but I don't think that sponsors should have the right to delete a post either. Its a public forum with some good rules & regs but there should be an explanation or request post from the sponsor to the OP. Not all of use know what every single sponsor carries so if some one is asking about a product that is carried by a sponsor & a non-sponsor as residents of a free society should have all the info & the right to chose where to buy. If I can find something I am looking for somewhere other then a sponsor at a better price, where do you think I am going to go, that is unless the sponsor is going to buck up to offer a better deal.

[christyf5]

Currently, vendors have the ability to edit posts in their own forum. Usually this is just to delete threads and posts. I dont think we have ever had an issue like this before with a vendor "putting words in someones mouth" as is what seems to have happened here. I, for one dont believe this should be allowed either and we are discussing what should be done about this.

[dsaundry]

Perhaps you can clarify something for me. What is considered a member/sponsor's forum? The post was put out by another member, or is all of Canreef a member/sponsors forum? I wouldn't have minded so much but this in my opinion crossed a very dangerous boundary. If I was to put a link {which I have seen a number of times} to a seller of a product either overseas or in the United States and the Canadian supplier didn't like it, apparently he can go in and edit my answer. If Canreef clarifies this position I will totally adhere to the decision rendered, but as I have stated before what happened here is my answer wasn't deleted or the post closed for comments ...my answer was changed. So in a nutshell so to speak, if a member ask's where to get something and a sponsor doesn't like my answer he has the ability to enter my reply and change it to what he wanted to see. That is my biggest concern. That would mean that Canreef would have to adjust their policies so that no link other than to a sponsor could be posted in a post. I am not trying to be overly anal about this but I think all members should be aware about the regulations regarding this.

[Chin_Lee]

This issue is being discussed by moderators. Please be patient as we scrutinize various moderator abilities in the sub-forums but do expect quick action. I have read the post in question and I have strong concerns how the thread was reworded.

[christyf5]

The forum that the post was made in is the Bubble Magnus Club forum which is a subforum of Aqua Digital. He has several sub forums for each" of those forums. He has "control" of those forums as he is the representative vendor. This means he has the ability to edit and delete posts as he sees fit. The editing and deleting of posts is usually just housekeeping items or perhaps the occasional deleting of delinquent posters (?). Anyway, those forums that aren't in the vendor grouping on the main page do not belong to vendors they belong to members. If the post had been made in the main reef forum or perhaps the skimmer specific forum, your post would not have been able to be edited in that manner (unless a canreef moderator chose to and we do not edit posts to reflect other information, we only edit posts to delete inappropriate comments or delete the post altogether and send the poster a PM).

Basically, at this point, if you are wanting to give someone advice about a particular product, look to the top of the page and see what forum its in. if it doesn't say "vendor forums" as a sub heading, you're good to go. If it happens to be in Aqua Digitals forum its likely he'll change it.

[George]

IMO, Regardless what forum or subforum a post is being posted in, the wordings of that post shouldn't be altered in any way by anyone. People can have permissions to delete the post, to lock the thread, but absolutely no altering permissions. It's just plain wrong.

[titus]

Hello,

Here's what happened in summary. dsaundry made a post. Michael from Aqua Digital edited the post by changing the words referring to a different vendor. dsaundry posted in the thread asking why, reported the post to Canreef, and Michael replied in e-mail (I was CC and just saw the message) explaining why.

Essentially Christy has explained it. Sponsors do sponsor Canreef by paying to have their own forum. You can think of it like the mall analogy I always make.
Canreef = Shopping mall
Sponsor forums on Canreef = Stores in shopping mall
Moderation done by sponsors = Security hired by stores in shopping mall
Non sponsor forums on Canreef = General areas in shopping mall
Overall operation on Canreef = Management company running the shopping mall

In this case, I don't think dsaundry has said anything out of line in his post. What could have done better is Michael deleting dsaundry's post and messaging dsaundry the reason why.

The moderation permission granted to sponsors was never meant for them to put words in other members' mouth. As discussed this is the first time this have happened. I'll message Michael about this and explained the alternatives.

Titus

[dsaundry]

What could have done better is Michael deleting dsaundry's post and messaging dsaundry the reason why.

Thank you. That was my basic point with a few side issues which Christy has explained.