The whirlpool forum is out of control. Its full of bullies and trollers with mods who protect the bullies.
I've been a member of that forum since 2002.
Has anyone else experience this?
Is the ozbargin forum a lot better?
Whirlpool forum is out of control
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Some of the characters on Whirlpool can be very entertaining.
This guy is a walking advertisement for his RSP of choice.
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/user/13478?days=120
This guy's (120 day) post count is phenomenal, he doesn't know much (only what he's read on Whirlpool) but he's happy to be an authority on most things even when it blows up in his face on a lot of occasions.
I'm honoured that you find me very entertaining. I never thought I would have that effect on people.
I got banned for calling out Balenciaga. RIP for humanity and common sense.
Many here have summed up whirlpool perfectly. The aesthetic is appealing particularly for those of us who have been on the site for a long time (its familiar), but if you have a view that even mildy differs from their mainstream leftist ideals, the moderators will target you and remove your posts with some made up reasons. If you question it, they will circle the wagons and support each other to ensure no user is ever allowed to "win" against a mod.
Think of whirlpool as Simon's playground. There is a reason he has never properly monetised the site, and that is because he enjoys the small amount of power he has on his corner of the internet. He selects mods who share his views and will worship him, but remember, as some here have pointed out, these people likely have no power in their own lives and they clasp onto the tiny bit of power that Simon has bestowed upon them. Whirlpool is their life. This is why they all tow the line and are scared to go against the grain, even if they know what they are seeing is wrong.
Its sad, whirlpool had the potential to be so much more, a unique aussie based place for genuine discussion. By all means they should moderate the general douchery, but allow the debate of ideas, free of censorship, just like Simon's hero is trying to do on twitter. Unfortunately the self described dictator doesn't have the backbone to release the reins and allow the site to be what it could be.
mainstream ideals
Yes they do tend to win out
leftist ideals
Um, no. Not even close
Simon Wright seems to have given up posting (at least under his own name), the number of users online at any one time is dropping significantly, now down to below 800 in peak times (sometimes only around 600), and the moderators are having a field day driving people away by trying to control the narrative in any thread that appears to be interesting and/or political.
Not sure that the moderators are particularly right or left (they seem to swing both directions) but what they all have in common is they are all very middle-class, all very reactionary and all reflecting the mainstream ideas in the popular press, so anyone who contradicts the views of the MSM will be removed because they find it too personally upsetting… trolling or off-topic is the catch-all for "we don't agree with your view and we have the power to censor your opinion".
The moderation on Whirlpool is excessive to say the least. It seems if any moderator doesn't like your post, it is gone. With so many moderators, it is difficult get anything on some of the topic pages. So much for encouraging discussion. What do they say? All power corrupts!
I seriously think they destroyed their userbase. Every time I go back there to help those guys out, the users usually call me out even though I am spouting the truth and only the truth.
I haven't been banned yet unlike others, but I generally try not to go onto social media too much. The result is I use password managers and I just delete it from my list after a few days; I cannot log back in again.
Literally the quality of their posts is decreasing month by month… No offence to anyone, but it's the truth.
I keep it simple only post if needed. Most times it’s ok .
stormcat is a dooouch
I have been put in the naughty boys corner that many times for expressing a view it isn’t funny.You try & take the ‘Nazi’ Mods to task & they just never see sense.It’s like a power trip.I have ‘won’ a couple of times, but finally got booted off,I know quite a few who get the same treatment.
I am really not a fan of Whirlpool. The people of North Korea have more freedom than whirlpool posters.
So many legitimate posts are trashed for being Off topic. Why have a forum if you can't discuss ideas and go off on a tangent here and there?
The user base also seem to suffer from little willy syndrome, where they go on about their lousy salaries and operate from an elitist position. A bunch of D grade employees who could never run a business or be an entrepreneur. I earn 70k, 80k, 120k. K. K. Kkk. Guess what nobody cares.
I find there is a lack of actual knowledge on Whirlpool. Apart from the people that are associated with the products. Most of the time it's newbie's just graduated lol.
Does anyone know how to delete your account?
I just got a 7 day time out for "trolling" for posting an expired deal from OzB to make my point.
You can't delete the account. Sign out and never login again.
There to keep for years 😂…what goes in WP stays in WP
I was binned 2 weeks ago and was told "we have had to moderate multiple posts by you so you are in the penalty box for 3 days" So I asked why and they told me that my posts were off topic. I had replied to other posts in relevance to the topic and because the mod decided to do a clean up on one day the amount of deletes I got was supposedly too many in one day (even though it was over the course of 3 weeks). Whatever….now they bin me again saying they believe I was an old user banned from some years ago. I just said "ok I don't really have a reply to that, you seem very wrapped up in your own importance to thanks but I'll pass on your silly little forum".
Such rude arrogant people who seem to have no life but to live on there and delete things they don't like. Very odd.
I’ve never been binned for yrs or deleted posts lucky
You must always share the view of a moderator then, it seems. Someone last year suggested it was a good source of information for all sorts. I found it somewhat helpful but I seemed to help more people that I got help. But I agree with others, seems full of know it all Nancys and hipsters.
I don’t post loads just when I offer or need help. Maybe I’m under the radar 🤡. What did you post? And I’ll tell you if seems worthy of binned.
@Koalabeer: Its all removals for "off topic" theres supposedly 9 ot 10 - but essentially as an example: in an automotive thread about Car Sales post covid….I replied to a comment about a car that could be purchased now and what to look out for. Supposedly that post about the purchase was not "on topic" and thus as I responded to that poster and quoted them, my post was also off topic and contained "deleted content". Multiply that x 9 or 10 times. I've given up on the whole forum. Then to acuse me of being someone who was banned already?!?! I've been active for neary 2 years on there and all of a sudden they think I had a banned account. Too hard. Good luck to them, I thought there were there to help people and vice versa.
Havent used Wp for 4 years due to constantly being censored for defending myself against hate speech that I got for being Pro farmer (Live export sub forum) - Decided to go back to check out the "VOICE" - One person stated how it was quite evident the the "NO" posters were heavily censored - only to be censored -> "Talk with a moderator" (TWAN) so that discussion was kept secret.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED
When asking why I was banned back in the day…..
Me: "I could justify that you are censoring my freedom of speech,"
MOD:This is a privately owned website, the only freedom you have here is to post within the stated rules, which you agreed to do when you signed up.
Damm - I was!
I thought I had already contributed to this thread, but can't find my other posts, but at least with Ozbargain you can post deals for businesses and they have properly monitized the site.
If Whingepool had allowed hosting providers to create their own threads promoting themselves years ago it would of been better. They don't have any consistency with modoration either its like they are all a bit NQR in the head, as a modorator can just decide to go and delete 500 posts in one day saying they are off topic.
I mean its meant to be a discussion forum. Also I've questioned the mods in the past and they have just gotton angrier and angrier to the point where the posts are hardly readable hence the NQR in the head comment. As no normal person would do that.
I mean I don't always like dealing with customers particularly some of the higher demanding ones, but I am still polite to them and if I can't assist some of them will tell them so and the reason why.
Some of the Whirlpool mods just fly off the wall at simple questioning.They don't have any consistency with modoration either its like they are all a bit NQR in the head, as a modorator can just decide to go and delete 500 posts in one day saying they are off topic.
The mass deletion of "off-topic" (according to the opinion of thr NQR mod of the day) posts on whirlpool is probably as bad or worse than deleting wrong opinions. You always see wastelands of pages of deleted posts just because they are very slightly off topic and it destroys all discussions.
I think the whirlpool mods are autistic or something. Newsflash: sometimes when 2 people chat, sometimes they talk about things that are different but related to the topic. That's how talking people in real life work.
Whirlpool mods: when's the last time you stepped outside your mom's basement? Your piss bottle needs replacing.
Morons this morning delted an account from a colleague he'd setup the day before to post up a response to some help someone was after. Tried to log back in yeserday to a "user had been deleted ghost/banned". Guy has never used the forums before. Speaking with someone else it seems they just blanket ban IP addresses when they ban someone. Nice way to run a forum. I thought it was a paid forum but it appears its all offerred free which is why the must run it like their own private soap box. Anyway goodluck to them. Certainly they do carry on a bit in there.
that is odd, normally ghost users are given to people who are posting from an organisation or an individual who has been banned before.
Using the IPs is a stupid way of doing things given CGNat its not the mid 90s anymore where we all have individual IPs.
They are shared all over the place.
I mean I have a static IP but that is because i've got a business connection.
In general its a stupid method though, particularly if someone is using a work connection to post as thousands of other staff could be using the same IP particularly in the case of places like universities where you have hundreds of staff and students using the same IPs.Yeah their moderators are shockingly bad. Motivated by perceived power. Outside the forums, they are powerless no bodies. The ironic part is that they're just being used by the sites owners. Moderators don't get paid anything there.
There is a page where the moderators are listed & some have details about themselves. You will find a range of occupations & ages within the moderation team. Most are professionals of some sort. There is at least one doctor among them, a few are retired, some have public service experience.
I have no doubt most of them are well intentioned people. I also believe most of them share a similar worldview. That worldview can be encapsulated in a belief that during the last 3 or so years, the government has done everything possible to mitigate the alleged pandemic & that they have the peoples best interests at heart. And I'll add the majority are firm believers in the slogans "Trust The Science", & the Pfizer's classic "Science Will Win."
The most educated, generally, are the easiest for the powers that be to brainwash.
There is only one definition for people that take a joy in moderating what other's say = Control Freaks
What they do for a living, education, cultural background or age has nothing to do with it - they are all control freaks
add "attention seekers" as an appendix to that definition
Yeah what they do outside their forum doesn't really matter.
What motivates someone to give up their free time to moderate for no money ? I don't believe it's coz of "good intentions". Yeah it's more likely that it's due to being control freaks or attention seekers or wanting a feeling of power or perhaps they're overcompensating for something being small.
Out of Control is an understatement.
Once a Whirlpool moderator puts you in the penalty box, there is no way to reason with them.
They basicaly want you to sulk & beg, something I am not willing to do (so I will stay in the penalty box forever).
.
If they want their forum to be a passive/submissive bunch of users, then they are definetely achieving their goals.They are basically a bunch of pricks that have discovered bully heaven.
What did you do?
I posted some usefull info in a response to another users query (I always do) - moderator removed it & banned me for 10 days.
When I asked why he said I was warned as I had another 2 posts removed in the past 2 months (so what - none of my posts were offensive to anyone - moderators thought I should post to more generic discussion forum - that was all). I tried to escalate but each moderator just keeps justifying each others action & telling me that I will be banned until I learn to be polite to them (it wil never happen). I was both insulted & felt 100% dissrespected & abused. I told them so - they don't care - they replied that I will stay in the penalty box until I demonstrate that I follow their rules. How am I gong to do that while I am in the penalty box indefinetely? Essentially they want me to say how sorry/wrong I was and sulk/beg. Not happening. I will not subjucate to a bunch of bullies.
Asta la vista Wirlpool - I will not be back -:)
I'd say the main issue is that the people involved aren't professionals. As such there's zero accountability to anyone. This leads to inconsistencies which I think is what frustrates people the most. And there's also no warnings. Action is just sudden with no heads up and no explanation. Off topic posts are deleted yet inaccurate posts remain visible lol. Posts with inaccurate claims or information are allowed as long as it's on topic. How is that a useful or helpful site to anyone ? Explains why less and less people visit the site nowadays. It hasn't grown or evolved. Much like a child who refuses to grow up.
or lack the basic intelligence to decipher what is usefull/relevant info or not.
I have been on this planet for far tool long and have experience most things that could be experienced, from divorce to financial disaster as well as family loss.
So when I see someone asking for advice I have no hesitation to offer it (based on experience) & also elaborate as necessary.When a WP Moderator with less than a monkeys brain see more than a 2 liner post, that cannot possibly comprehend, they immediately mark it as "off topic", "ranting" etc.
Enough said (also shame on Simon for letting WP dissintegrate to that extend in the hands of morons).
Woud be a nice experiment to ban all moderators for a month & see what happens -:)
I do dare Simon to do that (if he ever looks here)
I got 2 deleted other day thought odd.. be interesting this forum they visit to be snoopy lol. Idk I’ve had like 3 different accounts hahah but the website format is getting dated now …. Needs a social media layout .ozbargain is not as heavy handed. Not much info now I really get as I’m on Facebook so learn things there reddit also
In any case - I am happy to never make another useful/helpful post on WP (even though I do feel bad about it - time heals everything - apparently not on WP)
I would instead pass all the benefit to ozB - I am settling nicely here & feel good about being to help when I can.
If a chef lets a bunch of bad cooks run his kitched then he is as bad as them (literaly) - you never go back to a bad restaurant unlesss management changes their ways.
it is what it is
From what I can tell, the people on OzBargain are far more knowledgeable than people on WP. For the most part, they don't require nearly as much help.
I am so "off" WP - I had a look - did not logon & I see so many posts by the same users being removed time & time again - but none have been binned.
"Stormcat" removed one of my posts for the first time 2 weeks ago, he claimed that he binned me as "Paddles" also removed one of my posts about 2 months ago (therefore I was warned already !) & the rest is history. No point of crying "unfair" or "please explain why" or "reconsider". WP Moderators are a bunch of bullies that will hold onto their "extreme" moderating powers until they drop dead (that is probably what keeps them alive) (lol)How do you know stormcat is a male ?
But yes as numerous posters say, the WP rules are applied inconsistently. As I explained it's because it's a unprofessional website with no accountability. The moderatetors aren't being paid by the site owner. Pay peanuts, get monkeys. Pay nothing, get Whirlpool moderators.
re: "How do you know stormcat is a male ?"
you are right I don't - I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that females have better manners & common sence than a "gender unknown" moderator
Fair point
Wow. Stormcat quite the Neighbours fan haha. Seems a bit bitchy with some of their comments lol
@finbar: interesting find - I could not be bothered to snoop around,
so yeah a moderator with great interest in neighbours, is also an expert moderator in the banking/financial sector & removing any posts not deemed relevant -:)
Bring back neighbours if that is what it takes to liberate Whirlpool from moderators -:)
I hope you picked up I was carefully "gender agnostic" -:)
WP Moderators are a bunch of bullies.
There is no accountability so they have full power to do whatever pleases them to.
And you see someone here doesn't like your feedback so he/she keeps on negging your posts.@billadm: What I have found is that they delete comments that are relevant to the topic as "Off Topic" and any post posted in WP about modding is also deleted.
It must be how people in China experience their Internet - although they also get a knock on the door.
I used to be a member for many years then I decided that It's enough to surf the forum offline.
I had many issues with different internet providers and I felt that too many members were backing the providers (the same employees) and also moderators where backing these trolls and internet providers' representatives too up to definitely close the threads.My latest query to the WP Moderators (just checking)
"I was put in the penalty box for a few posts considered off-topic, for which I complained. Been in the penalty box for over 30 days. When I asked for how long will I stay there, I was referred to previous replies & decisions. So what next may I ask ?"
Reply from moderator after moderator (to which I can not reply as they close the thread straight away): "You've been advised by a Senior Moderator on what to do"
Here is their repeated advice (that I can not reply to or discuss) : "Until we have confidence in your ability to follow the sites rules and discuss things reasonably, you will remain in the penalty box"
I never actualy received any advice to beg for mercy before I am released from the penalty box.
I never broke any rules or have been unreasonable, just got on the bad side of the WP moderator gang (it's all for 1 & 1 for all - no room for appeal).Imagine if I was someone suffering from depression & mental health, being suicidal & isolated & public forums where my only lifeline.
They really do not think about the consequences of their actions that are purerely selfish & self serving (think of Robodebt).The whole idea of joining a public forum is to share & partticipate. Yes you will always get trolls & abusers. But you do not expect to be stalked & abused by the forum moderators. Things have really gone out of control at WP for sure.
I just said my final goodbye to Whirlpool as they insist on keeping me in the penalty box (I think what they are after is for me to beg them or something like that but they never spell it out), I copied the full content of that request below
"Please delete my account completely. I do not want to be that #1 added to your false 914,701 membership stat.
You probably have less than 1,000 active users at best. And the moderator behaviour is the main reason.This forum has repeatedly demonstrated that is run by a group of self-qualified moderators that take personal joy in excessively applying the power endowed on them.
Putting users into the penaly box with no proper warning & keeping them there until moderator demands and expectations are met are simply a forum environment that endorses unconditional punishmen, harrasment and outright bullying of their user base.
Bullying, exclusion, harrasment and all associated power driven behaviour of moderators on the Whirlpool forum is no longer acceptable. No decent person would want to be part of this regime, either as a member or a moderator.
If you persist to keep me as a member & also in the penalty box then I will seek legal advise & pursue that avenue until you comply with my request."
Last Update from me on Whirlpool (and a usefull trick)
they refused to delete my account with the simple reply "We do not do that"
As they do have my email address in their records & they refuse to delete it I used the quick solution of generating a 10 minute throwaway email address to update it.
This is very handy if you want to create an account for anything (and has a separate logon) but do not want to be spammed with emails after the initial joining.
I simply do not want anyone of Whirlpool forum to continue harrassing me or stalking me in anyway after I left.
They keep violating legal boundaries & privacy laws.
Yeah they refuse to delete accounts. I think the law might be getting changed with regards to people wanting online accounts deleted.
So I checked WP again today, still banned after 2 months
I was interested in anything usefull, like new saving accounts & term deposit offers.
Instead all I see in the financial section is constant repetive posts & ranting by mostly the same people (and nothing usefull)
as an example
- one user keeps posting about how many accounts he opened or closed for his mom & dad (lol)
- another user keeps going on about the St George term and conditions regarding how interest is calculated at the end of the month (and his insistence of transferring money at the end of the month on a weekend in ful knoweldge that it will result in interest loss)
is that of any use to anyone? No
do moderators remove such posts? Noso it is official - WP is run (moderated) by idiots (actualy mostly bullies or people with no life of their own)
Yeah the focus should be on things that are useful for the general customer. Unusual and very specific things aren't very useful. The way the forums are run makes things pretty useless because there's so much noise and shit posts mixed in with a few useful posts. It requires bit of an effort to sort through everything. The other issue is that there's also a fair bit of inaccurate stuff in there too which complicates things. In the end a person reading is required to double check some claims to avoid a costly decision. Sadly unhelpful inaccurate posts and personal conflicts and quirky unusual non relevant posts aren't removed. Makes sites like canstar and finder and mozo seem more useful despite ads.
The other thing is that there is lots of pointless whinging about particular banks. When somebody points out a better option which is helpful it's actually removed for being off topic lol. They might as well as just not have a finance forum lol.Turns out the person posting about their mum and dad's accounts has been fraudulent according to one poster lol. WP has allowed them to discuss this alleged elder abuse activity for months lol
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/91mxk2q6?p=7#r7332547…drama & comedy all mixed up on WP (I am in the penalty box for over 3 months now - it is more of a life imprisonment until I beg for mercy)
The forum is a joke. The moderator takes the AMP Saver thread off topic discussing general suspicious banking transactions without penalty lol
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/91mxk2q6?p=7#r7332854…@finbar: I think you have the right idea there.
WP actually is a joke, and people shouldn't take it too seriously. It is not possible to have a serious adult conversation about a meaningful topic.
Put a smile on your face and laugh before venturing near the site and expect that as soon as you post something meaningful on a subject - whoosh, one of the little people will make it all vanish.
@valuer: Yeah I get the feeling grown ups steer well clear of participating in the place lol. The place lacks any integrity. Can't be taken seriously on any issue lol.
There is no forum on internet where you would not find that sorta activity dude.
OzBargain better than WP tho. The plus and minus votes can assist when sorting through the comments.
Nah, ozbargain is also complicit in giving people false power via that rigged voting system, just bring out the negative voter and let people dealing with their consequence. Anyone protesting 'why did you neg me' should also get automatic 1 week bạn so they'll learn to get on with their lives.
My 2 cents, Whirlpool is the internet chat forum version of The Handsmaids Tale, and any members there are nothing more than Handmaids. Don’t let the bastards drag you down !!!!!
Merged from Whirlpool Forum Is Not What It Was
…
Every time I try whirlpool forum - the vicious crowd either abuse you outright and call you stupid or the over-eggoed moderator deletes you.
For me, it's a world of thousands of angry cranks and self-righteous boilers.I even got a question deleted because I asked it for my disabled son… wow - it was about scraping metals. I said my disabled son would like to know… and within 1 minute they deleted it. Lovely people…
The time before that I asked about diesel fuel in alpine weather (I'm from Qld) and the sheer abuse was tremedous because "I" didn't know.
Anyone else experience this outright hate?
Thanks all.
Addition:
Thanks to the nice people on here, but it seems some are challenged like WP
Just ask your future questions here. We are a kind mob and earn on average $100k less than whirlpool members.
came for the bargains….stayed for the life advice
Wow is the average here really $350k pa?
$250k+ to be exact.
I'm at $349K pa
It's actually $250k pa but with 40% interest pa from Boost profits.
Who earns more; whirlpool or r/ausfinance?
r/ausfinance by far. They are the 1% lol
@plasmoske: No way.
All the arts and sociology majors from r/Australia who earn about $35k p.a in a low level service role have invaded r/ausfinance.
@capslock janitor: High Earning Not Rich Yet.
You know the usual slang that came from the yanks, FIRE and its derivatives (FAT, Barista, Chubby, lean etc).
AusFinance is more grassroots focused as was evidenced by a running sentiment these days that making a 100k a year is "rich". There was another thread around Macquarie stopping cash transactions at the branches (3 in total around the country), and a whole bunch were all outraged and were advising others to vote with their feet when the reality is that Macquarie doesn't really cater to their demographic.
Mmmm, many on here are not - hence the mindless negging of perfectly benign and uncontroversial posts.
not sure if you were missing the /s warning?
We are a kind mob and earn on average $100k less than whirlpool members.
Sir, I believe you are forgetting all our high-yield investment vehicles.
Damn you, stole my thunder with the very first comment. I was going to say that if you make less than $450,000 annually on Whirlpool you are at the bottom of the food chain.
yes they are too strict.. cant say this that or people abuse you due to incorrect grammar
Your ever changing grammar is interesting
ok grammar karen!
I've never had a thread or a comment deleted, other than when I quoted another comment that was deleted. So either I pay off the mods or….there could be an issue with how you are presenting your comments. Or it could be the forums you visit and hitting a particular mod.
Same.
I'm a true ozbargainer so I mainly hang out on whirlpool's finance and real estate forums.
My issue with the finance forum is that it is a completely non-controversial forum but the nazi mods nevertheless rule it with an iron fist so half the posts get deleted for being "off topic." Recently fellow whirlies have been complaining about the deleted posts… before their posts get deleted too. It's basically reddit, just a bunch of deleted posts.
Do mods have any experience with communicating in real life? Sometimes talking about one thing leads to another topic about a related thing.
About censored topics, you got the usual things as you listed. But in real estate, you're not allowed to talk about wanting to avoid lower class high-crime suburbs even though that's what everyone trying to do, even the lower class themselves. Talking about ghettoes and the demographics of suburbs is also a no-no.