This is the kind of response that all organisations dealing with complaints should take notes from.

CCNet, or the Christian Chat Network, is well known in many circles as being very strict regarding rules and enforcements. For a long time, one could expect that even for writing this, I would be banned for a month, no questions asked.

Allow me to outline the complaint I had.

Here are my (edited outside chatter) logs from earlier today.

Jul 31 12:21:59 <Guest26178> this site is ok, but it is bare bones.
Jul 31 12:22:05 <PurpleHighlights> it’s been almost a year now I think since I’ve been on Second Life
Jul 31 12:22:12 <Kathe> whats second life?
Jul 31 12:22:18 <BrianB> it’s an online virtual world
Jul 31 12:22:23 <BrianB> i created an account and never used it
Jul 31 12:22:32 <Guest26178> they have come out with a new browser for it.
Jul 31 12:22:39 <Guest26178> it is free for basic membership
Jul 31 12:22:40 <Kathe> well i’m sorry you don’t like the set up here Guest26178
Jul 31 12:22:43 <Guest26178> but you can’t own land.
Jul 31 12:22:51 <Guest26178> it is ok
Jul 31 12:22:51 <PurpleHighlights> though for the other membership you pay, the basic is free
Jul 31 12:22:55 <Guest26178> for what it does
Jul 31 12:23:02 <BrianB> secondlife isn’t exactly moderated either
Jul 31 12:23:11 <BrianB> in fact there have been law suits over people’s, uh, “actions” in the game…
Jul 31 12:23:12 <PurpleHighlights> I’ve payed for imvu, I got hooked on imvu & bought my avatar, now a vip member have a access pass
Jul 31 12:23:17 <Guest26178> well Brian, you can get banned in SL. So it is moderated.
Jul 31 12:23:29 <BrianB> it isn’t moderated like this place
Jul 31 12:23:36 <PurpleHighlights> yes ppl can also get banned from imvu if they’re not careful
Jul 31 12:23:40 * Kathe things ccnet has enough ‘characters’ for her
Jul 31 12:23:45 <Guest26178> to use second life you need to download their browser.
Jul 31 12:24:01 <BrianB> well i was on IMVU last night and about fell over when i saw the first chatter’s nickname that i ran into, very ugly
Jul 31 12:24:04 <PurpleHighlights> I’ve had a friend banned from imvu, I don’t know what she did or said, but she went against the imvu tos
Jul 31 12:24:17 <BrianB> that’s why i chat here, it is safer 🙂
Jul 31 12:25:08 <Guest26178> here is an example of what you can do in SL.
Jul 31 12:25:27 <All_TGB_to_God_[Deut_18_13]> and btw….
Jul 31 12:25:32 <Guest26178> I went there one Sat. night and there was a Christian concert going on.
Jul 31 12:25:35 <All_TGB_to_God_[Deut_18_13]> i think ShoutLife is much better….
Jul 31 12:25:41 <BrianB> well
Jul 31 12:25:45 <All_TGB_to_God_[Deut_18_13]> even though i have never been to SecondLife, though…
Jul 31 12:25:46 <All_TGB_to_God_[Deut_18_13]> BUT..
Jul 31 12:25:51 <Guest26178> you sat in an ampitheater and watched it on a big screen.
Jul 31 12:25:53 <BrianB> the problem is waht else gose on around you….
Jul 31 12:25:55 <All_TGB_to_God_[Deut_18_13]> i really do like it HERE, though !! 🙂
Jul 31 12:25:59 <BrianB> that’s why we keep a clean environment

So, here are these two channel operators, Kathe and BrianB, advocating the chat as being a safe, clean, well moderated environment at 12:25pm, Jul 31 2008, Eastern.

At 1:37pm, Jul 31 2008, Eastern, a guest arrives and immediately starts causing problems.

Jul 31 13:37:37 * Guest54227 (JavaUser@adsl-*.asm.bellsouth.net) has joined #lobby
Jul 31 13:38:12 <Guest54227> Has anyone visited that site ExChristian dot net???
Jul 31 13:38:24 <TemplesofSyrinx> pffft nope
Jul 31 13:38:28 <TemplesofSyrinx> why?
Jul 31 13:38:52 <Guest54227> ExChristian dot Net is loaded with ‘testamonials’ from former ‘christians’
Jul 31 13:39:12 <TemplesofSyrinx> it sounds dumb
Jul 31 13:39:14 <TemplesofSyrinx> n/o
Jul 31 13:39:23 <TemplesofSyrinx> but i dont think ill go on there
Jul 31 13:39:35 <Guest54227> what’s dumb about ExChristian dot Net??
Jul 31 13:40:07 <Guest54227> Being intollerant, homophobic & pious is even dumber, in my opinion
Jul 31 13:40:10 <TemplesofSyrinx> well what u said
Jul 31 13:40:27 <TemplesofSyrinx> it sounds like testimonies by atheists
Jul 31 13:40:41 <Guest54227> A mind is like a parachute; they only work when opened.
Jul 31 13:41:05 <TemplesofSyrinx> uhh riiiight
Jul 31 13:41:24 <TemplesofSyrinx> i have know idea what ur up to
Jul 31 13:41:48 <Guest54227> Dude, the site is called ‘EX christian dot Net; how could it be atheists if it’s ‘EX christians’?>??
Jul 31 13:42:06 <TemplesofSyrinx> THATS exactly what i mean
Jul 31 13:42:21 <TemplesofSyrinx> EX-christian
Jul 31 13:42:30 * zEkE prods BrianB and Kathe

Well! That’s not exactly my idea of a well moderated Christian chatting environment.

At 13:50, we get a series of misquoted bible passages, and short pieces about how we don’t live biblically enough anyway. At 13:53, the president is brought into the conversation, about how he is a Christian and causing large amounts of world damage. At 13:57 it returns to how we’re all closed-minded. At 14:00 it is suggested that “According to a world renouned zoologist, gays are at the PINNACLE OF EVOLUTION.” and that breeding is not required from them. During this time, the name has changed from a Guest..

Jul 31 14:01:56 <starfish> why isnt anyone putting a stop to this?
Jul 31 14:02:02 <AL|EN> no they’re out on lunch or something
Jul 31 14:02:15 <eXXXotica> Dont mind me; im HERE, im QUEER & i CROSSDRESS.
Jul 31 14:02:17 <starfish> maybe if we say kathe’s name long enough she’ll wake up LOL
Jul 31 14:02:29 <zEkE> starfish, i tried it already 😛
Jul 31 14:02:30 <AL|EN> are you wanting some sort of affirmation that your “lifestyle” is approved?
Jul 31 14:02:59 <eXXXotica> May ya’ll be blessed with gay, lesbian, bi & transgendred kids & grand kids; may you so be blessed

The question is raised as to why there are no ops around. Recalling this has been going for 20 minutes at this point. We’ve tried using /notice, /msg, and using names in the channel and in others, with no response. This continues for a little longer, all the while the heckling goes on.

14:06 we’re back to the closed-minded discussion, before a mentioning a 60 year old gay room-mate who committed suicide not so long ago. Really, it’s just repetitive after this, and it was about 14:20ish when I filled in the “Contact Us” form on the CCNet website.

OK, time now is 2:21PM, Thursday 31 July.

Earlier today there was a discussion involving both Kathe and BrianB and
some chatters where they promoted CCNet as being a safe and clean chatting
environment that was well moderated.

For the last 40 minutes a particular user (eXXXotica, previously a guest)
has been promoting Homosexuality, crossdressing, and other inappropriate
topics within the #lobby, and despite ignores and so on by users, he has
continued to speak. Several users – AL|EN and myself included, have tried to
get the attention of both Kathe and BrianB who are still in the room, but
there is no response.

During the day, I feel CCNet needs to have more staff active in the channel,
or stop promoting the clean environment.

* Guest54227 (JavaUser@adsl-211-174-83.asm.bellsouth.net) has joined #lobby
<Guest54227> Has anyone visited that site ExChristian dot net???
<TemplesofSyrinx> pffft nope
<TemplesofSyrinx> why?
<Guest54227> ExChristian dot Net is loaded with ‘testamonials’ from former
‘christians’
<TemplesofSyrinx> it sounds dumb
<TemplesofSyrinx> n/o
<TemplesofSyrinx> but i dont think ill go on there
<Guest54227> what’s dumb about ExChristian dot Net??
<Guest54227> Being intollerant, homophobic & pious is even dumber, in my
opinion
<TemplesofSyrinx> well what u said
<TemplesofSyrinx> it sounds like testimonies by atheists
<Guest54227> A mind is like a parachute; they only work when opened.

Some more staff during the day would be a good thing.. Perhaps there are
some users outside North America where it would be more appropriate for them
to be in during their evening?

Now, this is where I was deeply surprised. Typically these forms gain reply’s that look like the person didn’t read the complaint to begin with, just quoting rules, or otherwise that they are not at fault.

This is the response:

Hello and thank you for your email.

This is a problem that we are well aware of. As you know it is very difficult to find monitors who are volunteers who are able to commit their time to assist. This is something we have struggled with for years due to the time requirements. I do thank you for brining this to our attention, and we absolutely appreciate the feedback.

Compared to what I was expecting, this was amazing. All props, kudos, blessings, happiness to CCNet.