Notes

The System is a system of moderation which could be implemented that would check and balance moderators and help assure that the site is a place that works for the userbase as a whole and not a place for multiple smaller dictatorships which use the userbase at their will in their respective subverses. It will be a system by the Voaters, for the Voaters.

Similar to how nations have a system of law in hierarchy, we can have a hierarchy of moderation. It will have similarities to governmental systems but will not copy any one government exactly.

This is a general breakdown of how The System will work:

--------------------------------------------------------

Atko is the King. This is his land and he rules it as he sees fit. We will trust him to be a good king and rule it wisely.
Admins are similar to national supreme court justices here in the US. They don't get voted in or out. They are appointed and are in for life or until they resign. They have full control over how the site operates and have final say on all matters. The rest goes without saying as they are more or less employees of the website. We will also trust them.
We will develop a new subverse which will be similar to a supreme court, and this court's jurisdiction will be the entire website. This subverse will be in charge of checking the moderation team of other subverses. They have override abilities to the moderation team of a subverse, but only by an appeals system. They must not interfere with the goings on of a subverse unless addressed by users of Voat. Even in these cases, they will be called upon to decide appropriate courses of action based on 1) The general rules of Voat, 2) The general rules of the subverse, 3) What seems fair to them based on the rights of the users (after all, all rules need to be addressed occasionally to determine their continued effectiveness).
These will basically be the moderators of the moderation teams of subverses. Their responsibility will be to the userbase, not subordinate moderation teams. They will be voted on by the userbase as a whole on an interval which is yet to be determined. They will carry an UNLIMITED amount of term possibilities (This is important). The reason for this is because here on the internet, things move faster than real life. Changes are passed in a matter of days/weeks rather than years/decades. We only need the best moderators for this job, regardless of how long they've been doing the job. If we impose term caps on this position, changes can/may be made so quickly that it may distort the overall view and direction of Voat. We need moderators here who are effective at keeping and sustaining the core values of the site. To do this we may need a moderator who has been here for years. This moderation team will be checked/balanced by the userbase as a whole by voting. They will convene at an interval yet to be determined or at any time necessary between that interval. This moderation team will have a specified amount of moderators. Decisions will be passed based on a minimum amount of votes, and a majority system. Any moderators inactive for an undetermined period of time may be relieved of their position.
The moderators of this subverse will NOT be called for the following reasons:
Unbanning a user from a subverse (however a user may be unbanned as a result of related action)
Taking posts out of any spam filter
Implementing new rules/regulations to a subverse
Deciding an overall plan for a subverse and what type for content the subverse will contain
etc.
They WILL be called for the following:
Deciding whether current policies in a subverse are generally unfair to the userbase as a whole and repealing them if necessary
Deciding whether a specific moderator or moderation team is infringing on basic rights of the userbase
Deciding whether a specific moderator or moderation team is abusing their power and must be relieved of their position
etc.
Another idea would be to have this moderation team be responsible for multiple moderation teams under this one, but above the subverse moderators, who are responsible for a number of subverses based on the # of subscribers. These moderation teams would also have unlimited term caps and be voted on at an interval which is yet to be determined, and not necessarily the same as the moderation team above it. This reason is twofold:
Subverses with a larger amount of subscribers may operate differently than subverses with a smaller amount of subscribers
To alleviate the load of a huge amount of subverses all on one moderation team and to spread out the work
This idea can be implemented immediately or at a time in which the load of the website has grown and this system is needed.
The last group of moderators would be subverse specific. This group would function the same way it operates now. They will be chosen and kept as the subverse sees fit but will ultimately be responsible for the userbase as a whole and will answer to the moderation team directly superior to them.
This system will serve as a method to have subverses act independently but still be responsible for their actions. It will allow for a system of balance between the users and moderators.
Subverses will NOT fall into the jurisdiction of any moderation team below the admins if:
They have UNDER a specified amount of subscribers (amount yet to be determined)
They are operated by a single user for his/her own purposes (Ex: compiled works of that user). The subverse in question would have to be moderated BY the user in which it is about, however.
It is private (other limitations may apply)
This system can be modified before and after it is put in place. The intent and purpose of this system is NOT so that things will stay the same indefinitely. All things must change with the times. The intent and purpose for this system IS for consistency in fairness to the users.
There will also be a subverse which will act as a council to make changes to and oversee this system. The council will be in charge of adding/removing checking/balancing the moderation team directly below the admins, but will NOT have any jurisdiction over any decisions made regarding the oversight of subverses directly nor make any changes to any subverses. The council will SOLELY be in charge of modifying and upholding the system. The council will be in charge of making decisions based on any discrepancy of the system. The council will be voted in and will have an undetermined amount of term limits (an unlimited term cap is a possibility, however an alternative term cap may be imposed). The council may convene at an interval yet to be determined or at any time necessary between that interval. This council will have a specified amount of moderators. Decisions will be passed based on a minimum amount of votes, and a majority system. Any moderators inactive for an undetermined period of time may be relieved of their position.