Make blocks "nuclear"; add user-run blocklists

[Minneyar]

Currently, "blocking" another user basically just collapses their posts and replies so you can't see them without clicking on them, and it makes it where they can't message you. That's about it. This is incredibly unuseful because their posts still clutter up the topic list, it's tempting to click on them, and they can still follow you and reply to your posts, which makes it easy for them to instigate harassment.

I would suggest instead making blocking another user "nuclear", where you and the other account now cannot see or interact with each other in any way. You should not be able to see any of their posts or even view their profile, and likewise, they should not be able to see yours.

Adding on to this, it would be very useful if individual users could create and maintain blocklists of known bad actors so that, for example, they could create lists of trolls, harassers, and others who post in bad faith; then people could subscribe to the blocklist in order to automatically block all of those people.

As an example, Bluesky has taken this approach to allow users to moderate what they see, which has resulted in their userbase growing massively over the last few months, and it has produced a much more pleasant environment where bad actors simply cannot find anybody who's willing to interact with them.

[mldb88]

Originally posted by Minneyar:

Currently, "blocking" another user basically just collapses their posts and replies so you can't see them without clicking on them, and it makes it where they can't message you. That's about it. This is incredibly unuseful because their posts still clutter up the topic list, it's tempting to click on them, and they can still follow you and reply to your posts, which makes it easy for them to instigate harassment.

I would suggest instead making blocking another user "nuclear", where you and the other account now cannot see or interact with each other in any way. You should not be able to see any of their posts or even view their profile, and likewise, they should not be able to see yours.

Adding on to this, it would be very useful if individual users could create and maintain blocklists of known bad actors so that, for example, they could create lists of trolls, harassers, and others who post in bad faith; then people could subscribe to the blocklist in order to automatically block all of those people.

As an example, Bluesky has taken this approach to allow users to moderate what they see, which has resulted in their userbase growing massively over the last few months, and it has produced a much more pleasant environment where bad actors simply cannot find anybody who's willing to interact with them.

I'm all for having the block feature fully hide posts of the blocked user from you (lord knows there's plenty of people who suffer from the chronic need to click 'show' and reply to posts from people they've blocked) but blocking another user should NOT hide your posts from them on the discussion boards. If you don't want to interact with them, that's fine, but blocking should NEVER impact how others are able to access PUBLIC boards without their consent.

[yankees992007]

I fully support OP, , full blocking figure is the best way to go. Not only collapse the comment however make it that the blocked user cannot respond to any comments you made to other users besides the blocked user.

[King of Games]

i like the idea, Valve is pretty behind the curve when it comes to the social aspects of steam

[yankees992007]

Originally posted by mldb88:

Originally posted by yankees992007:

I fully support OP, , full blocking figure is the best way to go. Not only collapse the comment however make it that the blocked user cannot respond to any comments you made to other users besides the blocked user.

Never going to happen. Scammers and other bad actors will have a field day blocking the ones that usually report scam links and the like and then prey on gullible users. If you have an issue with clicking that show button that’s a you problem.

Thank you for affirming the OP's point. For example you were blocked and you replied to my comment that isn't directed to you.

[Gwarsbane]

Originally posted by Minneyar:

Currently, "blocking" another user basically just collapses their posts and replies so you can't see them without clicking on them, and it makes it where they can't message you. That's about it. This is incredibly unuseful because their posts still clutter up the topic list, it's tempting to click on them, and they can still follow you and reply to your posts, which makes it easy for them to instigate harassment.

I would suggest instead making blocking another user "nuclear", where you and the other account now cannot see or interact with each other in any way. You should not be able to see any of their posts or even view their profile, and likewise, they should not be able to see yours.

Adding on to this, it would be very useful if individual users could create and maintain blocklists of known bad actors so that, for example, they could create lists of trolls, harassers, and others who post in bad faith; then people could subscribe to the blocklist in order to automatically block all of those people.

As an example, Bluesky has taken this approach to allow users to moderate what they see, which has resulted in their userbase growing massively over the last few months, and it has produced a much more pleasant environment where bad actors simply cannot find anybody who's willing to interact with them.

This sounds like a great idea for trolls to start huge block lists and people start blocking everyone so no one sees anything... great way to kill off the forums....

You seem to ignore trolls blocking people because they don't like the answers they give in a post even though its correct.

We've seen trolls post their anti-moderation junk here, claiming other uses are "under cover" moderators trying to get them banned by making them post stuff that is against the rules... which is one of the worst arguments out there because no one is forcing them to break the rules. They do it on their own, and there is no need for "under cover" moderation because if the mods wanted to, they could ban any one they want for any reason.


Your suggestion does nothing to stop people from using other accounts to see all the posts. An account that does nothing but look and no one knows about. Then they use that account to copy the url of the post and load it up on the other account bypassing not being able to see it. Same goes for just not logging in or viewing in a private window.


And no, thats not why blusky is having a bunch of users show up there... they are joining it and many other social networks because they are not what titter has become which is a cesspool (and really thats just insulting to cesspool, at least they are useful for stuff).


No what needs to be done is for Valve to tell their moderation teams to go back to the old way of perma banning people who kept breaking rules and kept getting banned, time after time after time. They need to ban obvious award farming and not just ban them but take away all their awards, all the awards they have given and take back all the points given out with those farmed awards, if this means people go into the negative for Steam points... well too bad. Heck just fully remove awards fully from every section of Steam that they put them in. They also need to ban political and religious posts again. Thats what will help clean up the forums.

[Tito Shivan]

The problem with Bluesky block feature (It even nukes out of existence, even from your own timeline any reply you've made to the blocked user in the past) is they must be used with caution.
Since you're not curating that list yourself you're at the mercy of whoever runs that list adding the right people. And since BS block works the way it does you may not even notice you're blocking people you may not want to.

Second is these are forums, not a timeline feed. You'd still be bound to see posts from blocked users quoted by others, see the replies to their posts. The way of communicate in a forum is different than from a timeline feed. It's bound to not yield the same exact results.

Lastly, these forums are public and open. All people have to do is browse them logged out or from an incognito window to see your posts again (Again the mechanics of a forum are different than of a timeline)

[yankees992007]

Originally posted by Gwarsbane:

Originally posted by Minneyar:

Currently, "blocking" another user basically just collapses their posts and replies so you can't see them without clicking on them, and it makes it where they can't message you. That's about it. This is incredibly unuseful because their posts still clutter up the topic list, it's tempting to click on them, and they can still follow you and reply to your posts, which makes it easy for them to instigate harassment.

I would suggest instead making blocking another user "nuclear", where you and the other account now cannot see or interact with each other in any way. You should not be able to see any of their posts or even view their profile, and likewise, they should not be able to see yours.

Adding on to this, it would be very useful if individual users could create and maintain blocklists of known bad actors so that, for example, they could create lists of trolls, harassers, and others who post in bad faith; then people could subscribe to the blocklist in order to automatically block all of those people.

As an example, Bluesky has taken this approach to allow users to moderate what they see, which has resulted in their userbase growing massively over the last few months, and it has produced a much more pleasant environment where bad actors simply cannot find anybody who's willing to interact with them.

This sounds like a great idea for trolls to start huge block lists and people start blocking everyone so no one sees anything... great way to kill off the forums....

You seem to ignore trolls blocking people because they don't like the answers they give in a post even though its correct.

We've seen trolls post their anti-moderation junk here, claiming other uses are "under cover" moderators trying to get them banned by making them post stuff that is against the rules... which is one of the worst arguments out there because no one is forcing them to break the rules. They do it on their own, and there is no need for "under cover" moderation because if the mods wanted to, they could ban any one they want for any reason.


Your suggestion does nothing to stop people from using other accounts to see all the posts. An account that does nothing but look and no one knows about. Then they use that account to copy the url of the post and load it up on the other account bypassing not being able to see it. Same goes for just not logging in or viewing in a private window.


And no, thats not why blusky is having a bunch of users show up there... they are joining it and many other social networks because they are not what titter has become which is a cesspool (and really thats just insulting to cesspool, at least they are useful for stuff).


No what needs to be done is for Valve to tell their moderation teams to go back to the old way of perma banning people who kept breaking rules and kept getting banned, time after time after time. They need to ban obvious award farming and not just ban them but take away all their awards, all the awards they have given and take back all the points given out with those farmed awards, if this means people go into the negative for Steam points... well too bad. Heck just fully remove awards fully from every section of Steam that they put them in. They also need to ban political and religious posts again. Thats what will help clean up the forums.

Actually it's the other way around. Trolls ignore blocks and still contact you even when blocked.

[Malfunctioning Robot]

If you can't cope with other people seeing your posts. stop posting on a PUBLIC forum

[76561199628031747]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

The problem with Bluesky block feature (It even nukes out of existence, even from your own timeline any reply you've made to the blocked user in the past) is they must be used with caution.
Since you're not curating that list yourself you're at the mercy of whoever runs that list adding the right people. And since BS block works the way it does you may not even notice you're blocking people you may not want to.

well nobody ever said Jack Dorsey was a competent web developer or even a good idea guy, he stole tge idea for twitter from one of his colleagues.
But now that he gets to do his own thing we get to see how badly he miffs it up

[yankees992007]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

The problem with Bluesky block feature (It even nukes out of existence, even from your own timeline any reply you've made to the blocked user in the past) is they must be used with caution.
Since you're not curating that list yourself you're at the mercy of whoever runs that list adding the right people. And since BS block works the way it does you may not even notice you're blocking people you may not want to.

Second is these are forums, not a timeline feed. You'd still be bound to see posts from blocked users quoted by others, see the replies to their posts. The way of communicate in a forum is different than from a timeline feed. It's bound to not yield the same exact results.

Lastly, these forums are public and open. All people have to do is browse them logged out or from an incognito window to see your posts again (Again the mechanics of a forum are different than of a timeline)

That's was OP's point is that the blocked user is unable to respond to the user that blocked them. The blocked user may see the comments but unable to respond. That's would be a great idea.

[yankees992007]

Originally posted by Malfunctioning Robot:

If you can't cope with other people seeing your posts. stop posting on a PUBLIC forum

Umm that's kinda defeats the purpose of making a thread. What we should be doing is punishing trolls which is detrimental to good order of the community. The block idea is what keeps trolls from contacting the user that blocked them.

[AmsterdamHeavy]

Ah yes, blocklists. No surer sign of a weak mind than wanting and using blocklists.

All of these type of threads amount to is "I have no self control and click show to see posts Ive blocked."

You have no right to control who posts here. Stay off in your safe Bluesky, Facebook social media echo chamber ecosystems.

[yankees992007]

Originally posted by AmsterdamHeavy:

Ah yes, blocklists. No surer sign of a weak mind than wanting and using blocklists.

All of these type of threads amount to is "I have no self control and click show to see posts Ive blocked."

You have no right to control who posts here. Stay off in your safe Bluesky, Facebook social media echo chamber ecosystems.

I see that your entire statement is to blame the other side of what you're doing. Trolling is a major problem at steam and surely you know that. The only viable defense against trolls is not allow them to respond to the user comments that isn't directed to the blocked user.

[AmsterdamHeavy]

Originally posted by yankees992007:

Originally posted by AmsterdamHeavy:

Ah yes, blocklists. No surer sign of a weak mind than wanting and using blocklists.

All of these type of threads amount to is "I have no self control and click show to see posts Ive blocked."

You have no right to control who posts here. Stay off in your safe Bluesky, Facebook social media echo chamber ecosystems.

I see that your entire statement is to blame the other side of what you're doing. Trolling is a major problem at steam and surely you know that. The only viable defense against trolls is not allow them to respond to the user comments that isn't directed to the blocked user.

Im not blaming anyone. Im stating an opinion.

Could the block function use some improvement? Yes, especially in how blocked people can comment on screenshots, as one example.

IN NO CASE EVER should users be able to stop other users from posting on a traditional forum like this. This format predates the internet by 2 decades. If you want that, go somewhere else and create your echo chamber where its encouraged.

[💀⁧⁧Sneakydude555]

i want this. Steam is genuinely not really safe for a valid reason blocking others. I've been getting some harassments on my steam profile a lot recently. They should improve how Steam players interact by sending friend requests and blocking players for a Valid reason.