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Just found an interesting string on translation DB:

A moderator has unsuspended this user for good behavior (or bribe)

This string appears on user history page visible to site moderators.

I'm merely curious about the latter part of that sentence. It looks like dev-humor or maybe there is a special secret way to get some small benefits from the suspended user just by wearing a diamond?

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    Hi mods, Slate here with a friendly reminder: Please don't take bribes. If you're offered a bribe and you're thinking about taking that bribe, consider not doing it instead. After all, what could anyone possibly offer you that is more valuable than a giant diamond? Thanks!
    – Slate StaffMod
    Commented May 31 at 20:40
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    Yeah, I've been taking in money ever since getting mine. You didn't know? It's very easy money!
    – Tinkeringbell Mod
    Commented May 31 at 20:42
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    Possibly this is a very old joke that was removed from the English pages but was forgotten to be removed from transifex/traducir.
    – Mast
    Commented May 31 at 20:58
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    I've taken the liberty to adjust the title since I think it paints the rest of the post in a much harsher light than intended. Feel free to revert if this doesn't fit your intent.
    – Spevacus
    Commented May 31 at 21:02
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    While the team is hard at work improving OverflowAI to reliably tell the difference between unsuspensions resulting from good behavior and those resulting from bribes, it's not yet reliable, so the string reflects that ambiguity.
    – Ryan M
    Commented May 31 at 21:11
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    @Slate but SCOOBY SNACKS
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented May 31 at 23:17
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    As a mere mortal, I'd like to know how a user can exhibit "good behaviour" when ALL observable user behaviour is suspended for an interval. Can someone please explain that seeming contradiction.
    – user1242880
    Commented Jun 1 at 3:31
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    Not attempting to bribe a mod to get a suspension lifted counts as good behaviour.
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented Jun 1 at 3:36
  • @JourneymanGeek So, if hypothetical suspended account holder 'A' does not attempt to bribe a mod before, say, Christmas (end of suspension period), then 'A' can be rewarded for that "good behaviour" with a "period reduction" and the account's suspension can be lifted next week. Let's hope 'A' is actually a Time Lord able to maximize the benefit of this benevolence received... Makes sense now... Thanks...
    – user1242880
    Commented Jun 1 at 7:17
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    @Fe2O3 I believe it comes down to the user's response to the mod message they're sent along with their suspension. If a mod is satisfied that the user understands what they did wrong and won't do it again, they may, at their discretion, lift the suspension early. I'm sure I've heard of this happening once or twice.
    – F1Krazy
    Commented Jun 1 at 7:46
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    Technically a time lord would be able to go back in time, and let a mod know they were not planning on bribing us, confusing us just enough that we might lift the Suspension. A particularly good one might change events so the suspension never happened. While we do not discuss suspensions, we've not suspended Dr Who so far. Or did/will we... or maybe we did.
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented Jun 1 at 9:21

1 Answer 1

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To be clear and have an actual answer: this is just a joke. Nothing more. No, bribery is not a common occurrence here. I don't think it has ever happened, and it would be really complicated anyway. I mean, what would a bribe even be? Money? Who would be willing to spend money to get unsuspended? Enough money to make it worthwhile for the mod to take action? And then what, they would use some sort of off-site tool, reveal each other's bank details and exchange the dough? I just can't see this happening.

In any case, to dispel any doubt, accepting a bribe of any sort in order to undo a valid moderation action would be dishonest and cause to, at the very least, be removed as a moderator. Please don't read any more into that string, it is nothing but a little joke and does not imply anything more than that at all.

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    I'd also add that there's situations where a suspension could be removed - if its a 'precautionary' suspension for some reason - like post destruction that's resolved, or an appeal that's held up, none of which involves bribery. It seems very much like the sort of humour that the SE devs had. It might even date back to an internal tool
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented Jun 1 at 13:34
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    Well it's also very hard to prove such a thing, either the mod or the one who gave the bribery would have to confess, or someone getting hold of their private conversation where they agreed on the amount of money and way how it would be transferred. ;)
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Jun 1 at 18:42
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    "No, bribery is not a common occurrence here." it's a common occurrence to joke with "bribery" back then, though :) (ref: MSE search, (mod-only) TL search)
    – Meta Andrew T.
    Commented Jun 2 at 5:04

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