UK Chatterbox www.ukchatterbox.co.uk Review

“As so many people have already said, there are a lot...”

Written on: 06/06/2010

As so many people have already said, there are a lot of good people in ukcb. I have used the fifties room for about two years and still chat regularly (mostly on msn these days!) with a few people I met there.

I have found the moderation of the room I use extremely random though, depending on the personality of the moderator, and, therefore, can only raise my eyebrows in amazement when people describe them as well trained and professional.

If one transgresses, and even the nicest of chatters seem to upset the moderators at times, one is supposed to be either warned, and given a reason for the warning, or kicked out ...again with a reason that can be seen by the offender and room users alike. More serious offences can result in a ban of varying length (which seems to depend on the mood of the moderator rather than the seriousness of the offence!)but again the reason for the ban is stated to both the offender and to those in the room.

However, it concerns me that some moderators are indulging in the practice of "gagging" people they don't like. You can be chatting away in the room and recieve no response because nobody else can see what you are typing. There is no notice of this given to either you or the room. Eventually the penny drops when people you are friendly with seem to be ignoring you and when you contact them on msn you discover they can't actually see you typing into the chatroom. I have been on the receiving end of this practice from a moderator called nenebene in particular. I will leave you to form your own opinion of the type of moderator she is.

I rarely get into confrontations in the room, but if someone attacks me I do defend myself (quite ably!!). However, moderators do allow innocent chatters to be abused verbally on a regular basis, without calling a halt to it and some nice people are very upset by it. I think that is a shame. It may be impossible to keep the nasties out but it is possible to keep putting them out as soon as they start....if the will was there to do it.

The reason I have said I would recommend the room is because I believe that you won't really know if it suits you unless you try it for yourself. It is free after all and like I say, sometimes the chat is great .....as with all things in life, sometimes better than others and you have to take the rough with the smooth if you think the smooth is worth it.

I still go in now and then despite the sneaky and high handed tactics of some of the moderators.