On persistent social toxicity in this forum

[sanahtlig]

This discussion branches off from here.

I've noticed over the past few weeks that name-calling, disrespect, and social aggression have creeped into discussions on this forum, both from registered and unregistered users. This board is mostly unmoderated, and without an arbitrator these disputes have continued to grow in frequency and severity.

My goals for this discussion are the following:
Characterize the problem
Identify the scope of the problem: How severe/prevalent is the problem?
Determine the urgency of the problem: How quickly and aggressively do we need to act?
Identify coping mechanisms to mitigate the problem: i.e., providing guidelines and counseling individuals who have been involved in these disputes
Identify long-term solutions: This may require technical and organizational changes like disabling posting by unregistered users. Technical limitations with the forum software or settings could make a long-term solution difficult or impossible without aggressive measures such as shifting the community elsewhere.

That should get the discussion started. I'll update this post as necessary based on feedback.