Recently, a moderator, Rubén ♦, locked several of my answers to meta posts (three were permanently locked) as “There are disputes about this answer’s content being resolved at this time.” Those answers are to meta posts made by Laurel and Franck Dernoncourt. This prevents the community from voting on my answers to those meta posts. It also prevents commenting, editing, and flagging on the answers.
Two of the answers were initially on a 7-day lock, but one was permanently locked on 2023-08-24 and the other on 2023-08-26. Another was initially on a 7-day lock but was re-locked for another 7-day lock on 2023-08-24.
Those answers are:
- Reopen "What do the red dashed lines mean in Google Maps?" - Permanently locked. This was an answer to a question by Laurel about a question in the main site that was also closed and locked by Rubén ♦.
- Why was this question on setting up automatic alerts for new YouTube videos matching keywords closed by one moderator? (duplicate) - Permanently locked. This was an answer to a question by Franck Dernoncourt (meta discussion also closed without an answer by Rubén ♦, who also closed the question in the main site)
- Why was my question on how to disable "small caps" in one's text in PowerPoint 365 closed as "esoteric" by a mod? (closed) (meta discussion also closed; locked 2023-08-17 until 2023-08-31)
- Do the moderators plan to close most questions on this site? - (Permanently locked. The question that I had answered was locked for some reason, which also affected my answer.)
AFAICS, no one has engaged in edit wars (I’m the only one editing), nor were there extended bickering in comments, which are reasons to lock posts as per the Help Center on locked posts:
When should a post be locked?
As a general rule, temporary locks should be used whenever modifications to a post are causing serious problems on the site. For example:
- Edit wars
- Extended bickering in comments (but see: a guide to moderating comments)
- A controversial post that is under discussion on meta
(The third item doesn’t apply since those are child meta posts and not a post on the main site that is under discussion on meta. I also don't see how those answers are controversial.)
Also as per the Help Center on locked posts:
Permanent locks should almost never be used, with the exception of those imposed by the system itself. There are some exceptions:
- An extremely popular question which is now considered inappropriate for the site may be locked for "Historical significance": this alters the appearance of the question, automatically locks all answers as well, and disables flagging completely. This lock should be reserved for cases where a cherished cultural artifact would otherwise be deleted; do not use it for any other purpose.
- A "wiki" is a question whose answers can be edited by low-reputation users, attributed to multiple authors, and do not grant reputation to the original author. They're occasionally useful in cases where information must be compiled by multiple authors (for example, a list of resources or documentation for the site itself); in these cases, locking the question both prevents it from being closed and prevents further answers from being added.
- An official policy may sometimes be locked with a special, staff-only lock to prevent editing, closure, and deletion. Moderators can not add or remove this lock, and are also subject to its restrictions.
My answers fit none of those criteria for locking — temporary or permanent.
I would like to understand how my recent answers meet any of those criteria for permanent locking. What should I do to get them unlocked? How do these answers violate the SE policy that justifies locking them? How are "modifications to [those posts] causing serious problems on the site"? What are the disputes about these answers’ content?
The appropriate way to dispute meta answer posts is by voting and writing a separate answer from your own perspective, not by locking the answer you're disputing.
I am concerned that the moderators are attempting to stifle community discussion about their moderation actions by locking posts and closing questions.
I would appreciate it if someone could explain or clarify this concerning situation.
(Note: I tried to ask about this on chat first, but I didn’t receive any reply, so I am posting here on the meta site. Please don't close and lock this post, like the previous ones. Thank you.)
