Moderating COVID remains an issue.   Our previous fix was to limit COVID discussion to the new Current Events section (introduced in this post) and to PPDs.    That, of course, led to a complication: owner of PPD moderating out opposing views from the own COVID thread in their PPD.  Which presents a situation where potentially lethal medical misinformation re: a global pandemic could stand unopposed.   I've chewed over several solutions, as well as some obvious perspective that bares re-statement: this is not a medical research site and we are not trained infectious disease specialists; TDBs is an internal arts discussion board.  Previous to all this I thought about the worst thing that'd happen here was a threat of violence over the internet between strangers who don't even know each other's real names, much less locations.  Now, with COVID, we have plausible consequences of serious illness or death due to medical misinformation.   So, here's a 3 option plan and - for now at least - I'm implementing #1.   #1. If you have a COVID related thread in your PPD, you can not moderate out opposing COVID prevention & treatment views from that COVID related thread (nor “ban” any member from such a thread).  If you'd rather have that thread moved to the Current Events section (you can keep a hidden original version within your PPD), staff would be happy to.  If you do moderate out opposing treatment views in such a thread, you'll be given a warning and asked to reverse your action.  Repeated offenses escalate to warning, suspension, worst case the thread gets locked & hidden in your own PPD (still with an option to have it copied to the Current Events section).   Though it's not a rule at this point... Please consider, as a matter of courtesy, posting controversial Current Events topics (non- internal arts) in the Current Events section.  It's less distracting for the rest of the community.   ... if COVID treatment discussion continues to be a problematic issue here at TDBs, then ...   #2. COVID prevention & treatment discussion will be entirely restricted to the Current Events section.  Any such threads in PPDs will be locked in position (or copied/moved to Current Events at the member's request).   .. or ..   #3. Ban the COVID prevention & treatment subject from TDBs entirely.   My personal knee-jerk reaction is that I'd rather shut the entire site down for the duration of COVID rather than to contribute to the serious illness / death of a single person.  ... but I realize that the situation is a bit more nuanced than that, lol.  #3 would be a nice clean solution.  This is a serious enough issue that I reserve the right to enact #2 or #3 at any time for any reason (or for no further reason other than the already situation).   Anyway, just #1 for now. Community feedback welcome.   - Trunk, admin   p.s. (edit of 1/29/2022) The mildest solution is the best.  Situation solved.  Struck through the un-necessaries. In summary, 1. Covid discussion in Current Events section.  Ask if you want permissions to see / unsee it. 2. If there's Covid discussion in PPD's, don't moderate out opposing views (that are respectfully stated, don't violate other TDBs rules).  Any violations would take the normal course of warning etc etc.  Your PPD thread would never be moved from your PPD (unless by your request).