Tried a zero-tolerance warning system and lost half my active users in a month

Ngl, I thought cracking down hard on rule breakers would clean up my forum. I started issuing instant warnings for any minor infraction, no exceptions. After about 3 weeks, I noticed my daily active users dropped from 200 to around 90. Turns out a bunch of my regulars who just made the occasional dumb joke got scared off. Now I'm trying a three strike system instead. Has anyone else had a harsh policy backfire on them like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

quinnbailey1d ago

Yikes, sounds like you went from zero enforcement straight to maximum overdrive. Maybe the real issue is that people weren't breaking rules on purpose, they just didn't know where the line was because nobody drew it before.

alice8082d ago

Honestly I kinda disagree with you here. Your zero tolerance system probably wasn't the real problem - sounds more like you went from nothing to everything overnight without warning people first. Three strikes is fine but you might still lose folks if you don't tell them the rules are changing before you enforce them. Regulars who make dumb jokes usually just need a gentle reminder, not a strike at all. Maybe focus on warning people privately first instead of hitting them with bans right away. That way your active users know you're not out to get them, just trying to keep things clean.