I have had this difficulty online before and here it is going again.

I made a post in a sub. A mod removed it and said it broke a rule. It makes no sense that they are saying it broke that rule. I honestly thought it was an auto mod mistake at first, but apparently it was not, and the person just completely misunderstands what I'm posting about. They also don't seem to be willing to try to understand.

The only way I can make sense of it is that they leapt to a conclusion when they saw it and misinterpreted it and just aren't willing or able to take a step back and rethink their assumptions. And why should they bother? They have all the power in the situation.

I've had this happen before where someone said I was spamming when I don't think I was...ultimately we had different definitions of spamming, and I didn't agree with theirs, but I agreed not to comment what they had a problem with anyway, even though I disagreed with their definition...but they still wouldn't let me continue to use the sub.

Edited to add: It was like at that point, saying I'd comply with their rules, even though I didn't think they were clear enough as posted, wasn't enough - the mod wanted to thought police me into saying I agreed with their definition. Like controlling my mind! Absolutely infuriating.

It sucks when trying to connect with people in this digital world and that connection being arbitrated by faceless invisible strangers who have no requirement to apply rules logically or consistently...there's no appeals process to make sure a mod is applying a rule fairly or that if there's a misunderstanding they won't just get to continue in their misunderstanding while the people being moderated are punished for rules being applied unevenly or unclearly.

I know that mods are volunteers and humans with their own limitations. But it still sucks when I'm trying to connect with people or get help and this happens. And I really don't like people putting words in my mouth and saying that I am saying a certain thing when I know I am not. It is triggering. And then I get mad about that and it's just a further excuse to not engage with me.