Based on the quantitative analyses, send a short message to relevant parties. Example note: “I confirmed that 12 of your comments were downvoted by Username123 on August 17th, which feels a bit much. I analyzed the voting logs, and I didn’t find enough evidence in Username123′s voting patterns to convince me they they are going after you personally. That doesn’t mean that Username123 is not going after you personally, but the evidence I see does not meet the high bar required for me to do anything moderatory about it. If you want I can send a private message Username123 that the 12 votes downvotes on August 17th seem a bit excessive.”
If the aggrieved party does not feel that their grievances have been addressed, try to talk it out. You are under no obligation to make sure they leave happy. Some of your decisions will have to be unfair and arbitrary, and that is life.
If Username123 is acting unacceptably, message them repeatedly and more and more explicitly. After a few messages, tell them that if they continue this behavior they will be banned. If they continue, ban them.
Keep the criteria for what constitutes abusive behavior consistent and quantitive, but opaque. The criteria are neither based on your arbitrary whims nor transparent enough to be gamed or become a rathole of debate. Anyone approaching the line will have received enough warning messages to know and turn away.
Strawman moderation process:
Get a complaint about vindictive downvoting
Do quantitative analysis on the downvoting
Based on the quantitative analyses, send a short message to relevant parties. Example note: “I confirmed that 12 of your comments were downvoted by Username123 on August 17th, which feels a bit much. I analyzed the voting logs, and I didn’t find enough evidence in Username123′s voting patterns to convince me they they are going after you personally. That doesn’t mean that Username123 is not going after you personally, but the evidence I see does not meet the high bar required for me to do anything moderatory about it. If you want I can send a private message Username123 that the 12 votes downvotes on August 17th seem a bit excessive.”
If the aggrieved party does not feel that their grievances have been addressed, try to talk it out. You are under no obligation to make sure they leave happy. Some of your decisions will have to be unfair and arbitrary, and that is life.
If Username123 is acting unacceptably, message them repeatedly and more and more explicitly. After a few messages, tell them that if they continue this behavior they will be banned. If they continue, ban them.
Keep the criteria for what constitutes abusive behavior consistent and quantitive, but opaque. The criteria are neither based on your arbitrary whims nor transparent enough to be gamed or become a rathole of debate. Anyone approaching the line will have received enough warning messages to know and turn away.