Are moderators held accountable for fitna on their forums??

[JJJ]

Assalam Alaykum,

I've been on quite alot of muslim forums, and i've noticed that alot of them have quite alot of fitna with people backbiting, slandering, being rude to another and in some cases, making tafkir on fellow muslims.

In some cases, i've noticed that the moderators do not shut down such fitna, not sure if that's because they are busy or because they kind of support what the people are saying on their forums. allahu alim.

but, what i want to know is, if i become a moderator on a muslim forum, would i be held accountable for any fitna that occurred on the forum?? given that:
a) i would provide a place for the fitna to occur, and
b) if fitna were to occur, i may or may not put a stop to it.

so, say in an extreme case, a member of a forum made tafkir on a fellow muslim.....and i didn't reprimand or moderate the person's post. would then on the day of judgement, would it be as if i was responsible for it??

note - i'm just talking about muslim forums in general, not necessarily this one.

[JJJ]

bump

[Dhul-Qarnayn]

I don't know about moderators but it's a safe bet that administrators and creators or owners of forums certainly hold accountability as to what happens on their sites. It's like owning a building, you're responsible for what you allow to happen in it.

[shaimaa]

I'm not sure that they would be. The internet is a tool and is used for good and bad. Most of the people here are of adult age and if they don't know how to deal with each other, they shouldn't be held responsible for their actions.

[Saeed M]

but, what i want to know is, if i become a moderator on a muslim forum, would i be held accountable for any fitna that occurred on the forum?? given that:
a) i would provide a place for the fitna to occur, and
b) if fitna were to occur, i may or may not put a stop to it.

Would you be responsible for backbiting and slander taking place in your house? How about if you owned a large hall, or rented a hall for a marriage ceremony and facilitated the meeting of many people, would you be responsible for their actions?

[mudkipz]

I really dont know the anwer... Care to tell us?

[Saeed M]

No you would not be responsible. A person is responsible for the actions they commit or encourage. You cannot be held responsible for all the actions that you could have stopped but didn't. However, that does not absolve us from the obligation of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.

[Intrepid]

Would you be responsible for backbiting and slander taking place in your house? How about if you owned a large hall, or rented a hall for a marriage ceremony and facilitated the meeting of many people, would you be responsible for their actions?

If you knew the large hall was going to be used in a non-Islamic manner then you would be held responsible.

[Intrepid]

In my opinion it's the responsibility of a moderator to moderate what he or she deems illicit content and if he or she is incapable of doing whats under his jurisdictional then why moderate? Whether he or she is responsible for any fitnah that may occur on the forum without his or her's knowledge is open to debate.

[Saeed M]

If you knew the large hall was going to be used in a non-Islamic manner then you would be held responsible.

The same as if you were moderating a forum for music, pornography or other evil purposes. This one however, isn't.

In my opinion it's the responsibility of a moderator to moderate what he or she deems illicit content and if he or she is incapable of doing whats under his jurisdictional then why moderate?

That's right. But it doesn't mean that moderators will always see something (I'm not a moderator by the way). Mods do this on a voluntary, part-time basis. It is also a user's responsibility to report a post (by clicking the little yellow flag in the bottom-left) if he/she thinks it is inappropriate. This way it will get flagged up with the moderators of the forum and they will deal with it.