Reporting Posts

lil_lisa

So, I report posts whenever I can, to try keep civilisation at peace here (usually for posts in the wrong place) but I just noticed today on the report post page that it should only be used for "reporting spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) posts, or signatures which breach the guidelines". Is it ok to keep reporting misplaced posts/threads this way? I wonder if other people are put off from reporting posts because it states this!

Just a thought..

Spear

lil_lisa wrote: »

So, I report posts whenever I can, to try keep civilisation at peace here (usually for posts in the wrong place) but I just noticed today on the report post page that it should only be used for "reporting spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) posts, or signatures which breach the guidelines". Is it ok to keep reporting misplaced posts/threads this way? I wonder if other people are put off from reporting posts because it states this!

Just a thought..

That's the default message though, reporting is fine for anything that may warrant mod attention, including moving etc.

Darragh

Yes please. As long as you're not reporting posts just for the craic, we really really appreciate it.

lil_lisa

Of course not! I'm just wondering if it turns anyone else off reporting misplaced posts? I would hope not.

Wolfe Tone

What sometimes puts me off reporting posts is a lack of feedback, I wish there was some sort of acknowledgement that a mod has taken a look at a post...

Steve

There was a discussion on the mod forum a while back about re-phrasing this message to "Please enter the reason that you need to bring this post to the attention of the mods" or something similar and less daunting than the current one. I think Gordy started it. The issue was how to make it more user friendly because the current message - as you pointed out - kinda puts people off reporting stuff.

It never got followed up on obviously but I think it's still a valid issue.

Steve

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

What sometimes puts me off reporting posts is a lack of feedback, I wish there was some sort of acknowledgement that a mod has taken a look at a post...

+1

It's unworkable for mods to - say - pm every reporter with the reasons that no action was required but I agree that if there was a mechanism whereby you got confirmation that a mod read your report then it would be good.

OPENROAD

I have never reported a post before, but times I would like to report a thread, is it possible to report a thread rather than a poster, is it a case of reporting the first post in a thread, when you report something, are you allowed to write a narrative as to why you are reporting.

Steve

When you hit the report post button, you are prompted to enter a message as to why you are reporting. You can write anything you like there.

If you wish to report a thread in general then just pick a post and write in the message that you're not reporting this post in particular but you have a concern with the whole thread. Similar if you want to report a user in general.

As long as you're clear in the message then the mods will figure it out, if they're not clear then they'll pm you.

Edit: you can try it out on any post just to see what it looks like, just don't hit 'submit'

looksee

lil_lisa wrote: »

So, I report posts whenever I can, to try keep civilisation at peace here (usually for posts in the wrong place) but I just noticed today on the report post page that it should only be used for "reporting spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) posts, or signatures which breach the guidelines". Is it ok to keep reporting misplaced posts/threads this way? I wonder if other people are put off from reporting posts because it states this!

Just a thought..

I had this exact same question some time ago, http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056096255
It was a bit surprising how many people said 'use the report button' which is obvious but I hadn't used it because of the message you quoted.
I am not sure but I think the final conclusion was that the message is ok and you should ignore the specific instructions

Steve

Looksee, there was a discussion in the mod forum when you first pointed it out but the thread sorta got lost somehow. I've just bumped it so maybe something will come of it.

Edit: It's here. (mods only)

Beruthiel

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

What sometimes puts me off reporting posts is a lack of feedback, I wish there was some sort of acknowledgement that a mod has taken a look at a post...

Normally, I tend to hit 'thanks' when a user goes to the trouble. I think a lot of Mods do.

Mr Magnolia

Beruthiel wrote: »

Normally, I tend to hit 'thanks' when a user goes to the trouble. I think a lot of Mods do.

I do too. As well as thanking the poster it lets my co-mods know that the report has been looked into and whatever action required (if any) has been taken.

looksee

Beruthiel wrote: »

Normally, I tend to hit 'thanks' when a user goes to the trouble. I think a lot of Mods do.

I think many people would not realise that a thanks that does not appear to belong to anything is actually a thanks from a mod! Baffled me till I enquired

If you report a message and not enter anything in the textbox provided, does it still go through? Can a mod let me know if it does?

Nope, just checked. You have to enter in a message.

Midnight_EG

Why not make the reported posts forum like the SIGPO forum?


Only you and the mods/admins see it, so you get a reply to it/thanks to it?

Insect Overlord

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Why not make the reported posts forum like the SIGPO forum?


Only you and the mods/admins see it, so you get a reply to it/thanks to it?

Setting up access permissions for 550 mods across 900 forums would probably be a coding nightmare. Apart from that, it's a pretty good idea you've got there.

Midnight_EG

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Setting up access permissions for 550 mods across 900 forums would probably be a coding nightmare. Apart from that, it's a pretty good idea you've got there.

They could be sub-forums of the Private mods forums for each category/forum such as Motors/AH/C&H etc.


It would probably be a hard thing to do, but it would most certainly pay off in the long-term, with the userbase being a lot happier knowing their reported posts are getting seen to! And gives a better one-on-one 'chat' with mods about the post in question.

pickarooney

Beruthiel wrote: »

Normally, I tend to hit 'thanks' when a user goes to the trouble. I think a lot of Mods do.

What do you thank exactly? It's a nice idea but if you thank a random post by the user who reported it (s)he's probably not going to know why.

-Chris-

Sometimes posts are reported when they don't need to be, or they're reported as some form of maliciousness (petty revenge etc.), or they're reported by someone who's plainly being oversensitive etc. etc.

Sometimes you read a reported post and decide the best course of action is to ignore it. As nice and transparent as Midnight EG's idea is, I'd think it'd cause as many issues as it solves as essentially you'd be forced to directly answer every reported post, no matter how much merit it has.

It would also remove the ability to fix things behind the scenes - for example deciding to PM a user and say "I'm getting reported posts, can you tone it down a bit before things escalate" rather than pulling them up on it on-thread.
Sometimes that's the more effective way to deal with things, but it wouldn't really be available any more.

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

Sometimes you read a reported post and decide the best course of action is to ignore it. As nice and transparent as Midnight EG's idea is, I'd think it'd cause as many issues as it solves as essentially you'd be forced to directly answer every reported post, no matter how much merit it has.

Not if you only thank the post, as is apparently done in the Reported Posts forum already?

If a certain mod likes to thank posts to acknowledge that the problem has been seen to, then the user will see that and be happy with it. So a reply isn't necessarily needed?

Wolfe Tone

-Chris- wrote: »

Sometimes posts are reported when they don't need to be, or they're reported as some form of maliciousness (petty revenge etc.), or they're reported by someone who's plainly being oversensitive etc. etc.

Sometimes you read a reported post and decide the best course of action is to ignore it. As nice and transparent as Midnight EG's idea is, I'd think it'd cause as many issues as it solves as essentially you'd be forced to directly answer every reported post, no matter how much merit it has.

It would also remove the ability to fix things behind the scenes - for example deciding to PM a user and say "I'm getting reported posts, can you tone it down a bit before things escalate" rather than pulling them up on it on-thread.
Sometimes that's the more effective way to deal with things, but it wouldn't really be available any more.

But if you do that the appearance is that nothing is done.

-Chris-

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Not if you only thank the post, as is apparently done in the Reported Posts forum already?

If a certain mod likes to thank posts to acknowledge that the problem has been seen to, then the user will see that and be happy with it. So a reply isn't necessarily needed?

The reported posts forum isn't viewable by general users, can you see if I thank your post in the Reported Posts forum?

I haven't been doing it because I presumed you wouldn't be able to see it.

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

But if you do that the appearance is that nothing is done.

I reported plenty of posts before I was a mod (and still do in the other forums).
Once I've flagged the issue I feel my work is done. If no change is made then I presume the mods are ok with the situation and don't agree with my reported post.

I don't need my hand held or a pat on the head for reporting a post. If it's acted on or ignored it's no skin off my nose, I was only trying to help.

Sometimes the reality is that nothing is done, and nothing needs to be done. Is that such a bad thing?

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

The reported posts forum isn't viewable by general users, can you see if I thank your post in the Reported Posts forum?

I haven't been doing it because I presumed you wouldn't be able to see it.

Beruthiel mentioned that she thanks posts to show that it's been acted on, so I can only assume thus far.

Seeing as you've said you don't thank posts...what other way can users know that it's been acted on?

-Chris-

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Beruthiel mentioned that she thanks posts to show that it's been acted on, so I can only assume thus far.

Seeing as you've said you don't thank posts...what other way can users know that it's been acted on?

If I said "presume I've seen it, and if it's not acted on, presume I'm ok with it", would you have an issue with that philosophy/system?

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

If I said "presume I've seen it, and if it's not acted on, presume I'm ok with it", would you have an issue with that philosophy/system?

It's not very nice to know that users are trying to help mods by reporting posts and then those posts, in essence, get ignored.


Eye for an eye 'n all that :rolleyes:

Steve

"Ignored" is an inappropriate term there, all reported posts get read.

"Not requiring any action" would be a better way of describing it.

Midnight_EG

Steve wrote: »

"Ignored" is an inappropriate term there, all reported posts get read.

"Not requiring any action" would be a better way of describing it.

Hence why I said 'in essence', I didn't mean ignored in it's complete sense, just in half a sense really.

-Chris-

Reporting it is helpful.

Mod discretion is essential to keeping the threads moving.

Sometimes you call a foul, sometimes you allow the game to continue.

I'd never ignore a report, but sometimes I'd decide not to act on as I don't think it's necessary.

Why isn't that ok?

-Chris-

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Not if you only thank the post, as is apparently done in the Reported Posts forum already?

I just thanked your most recent reported post (01-02-2011, 23:07). Can you let me know if you can see it in any way?

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

I just thanked your most recent reported post (01-02-2011, 23:07). Can you let me know if you can see it in any way?

Says I have a thanked post, but I can't see anything between my last thanked posts between those dates...so in this way I'd only assume it was a post thanked from maybe a year ago or some other time that I can't see.


No indication for me that it was a reported post that was thanked, so I can't assume it was acted on

-Chris-

Midnight_EG wrote: »

It's not very nice to know that users are trying to help mods by reporting posts and then those posts, in essence, get ignored.


Eye for an eye 'n all that :rolleyes:

I'm also curious about your eye for an eye reference. It seems out of place.

Can you elaborate?

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

I'm also curious about your eye for an eye reference. It seems out of place.

Can you elaborate?

Users help the mods out by reporting posts, it's only fair that that user gets some feedback on it to know they did good or helped something, you know?

I mean eye for an eye in the sense that you give and you receive, I just couldn't think of a better way of saying it until now

-Chris-

Cool, it sounded more ominous....

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

Cool, it sounded more ominous....

So you get what I mean about having a forum not unlike the SIGPO one then, would a mod agree with that?

-Chris-

Nope!

Midnight_EG

-Chris- wrote: »

Nope!

Damn, thought I was onto something




:P

Steve

Midnight_EG wrote: »

So you get what I mean about having a forum not unlike the SIGPO one then, would a mod agree with that?

From a users perspective it would be good but from a mod perspective no.

One reason is because the thread that the reported post creates is frequently used by the mods to discuss the best course of action over a particular post and that resource would no longer be available.

Second reason is that any subsequent reports about the same post are lumped into the same thread to avoid confusion - they would have to be split into individual threads per user and then the mod's workload would be multiplied by the number of reports to reply to.

Third is people have agendas and will report users posts because they are angry or whatever - if they get a reply that no action was required because a mod has looked impartially at a post then they could potentially take up a lot of time trying to argue their case that user x is a muppet and should be banned despite the rules and mods saying otherwise.

looksee

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Says I have a thanked post, but I can't see anything between my last thanked posts between those dates...so in this way I'd only assume it was a post thanked from maybe a year ago or some other time that I can't see.


No indication for me that it was a reported post that was thanked, so I can't assume it was acted on

Agree with this, this corresponds with the answer I was given when I queried why I occasionally got thanks that I could not 'account for'. Its not a big deal, just a bit pointless.

Bottle_of_Smoke

I've gotten PMs from mods after reporting posts before and very much appreciated the feedback. OTher times yo can tell a mod is responding to your report by what they say on the thread.

99% of the time it won't be neccesary though so I don't think there's much need for a systematic change. I would simply urge mods to send some feedback via PM if it looks like it might be neccesary/appreciated

seamus

Dragging this up from the other thread (Dammit Ber, I nearly lost a big post! )

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

But it can appear otherwise, and if some new poster reports 3 or 4 posts and as far as he sees they have been ignored he isnt gonna bother to report any more posts in the future.

Well you see there's a technical issue here more than anything else.

The question is how? If you report a post, how does boards tell you that the post has been read by a moderator? The moderator can't PM you directly for every reported post, that's not feasible.

Perhaps a "flag" appears on the post which is removed by the moderator when they read it (single click). But then you're flagging reported posts publically, which is not something we really want to do (though I just had an idea, give me a minute).

You can't do it in the form of a PM when a moderator reads the thread; there are multiple mods, and one may read it, but decide that it's not urgent enough to be sorted now (cos they're on mobile or something), and instead leave it for another mod to sort. In that case, you'll get an alert but it appears like nothing has been done.

Likewise, it can't be done on the basis of the reported posts thread; I get reported posts into my email. I usually click on the link in the email rather than look at the reported posts forum.

Right, so back to the idea I had, a proposal;

1. You report a post.
2. A little red flag appears on that post, which only you can see. The text behind the image is "You have reported this post".
3. When a moderator looks at the thread, he likewise sees a red flag on any posts which have been reported. Handy at first glance to see what has and hasn't been reported.
4. If/when the moderator takes action, they click on the little red flag, which turns it green. This tells the user (who reported the post) that it's been looked at, and it also tells other moderators that another mod has taken action.

When a flag is red, other users can still report the post and see the red flag.
When a flag is green, the user is told that the post has already been seen and dealt with by a moderator, but asks them to PM the moderator if they feel further action is necessary.

Thoughts? Yes, it's a little more work for mods. And there may be red flags unnecessarily all over the place. Personally I think the current system works, but there are communication issues, both between mods and between mods and users.

Beruthiel

Sorry Seamus.

People can take it for granted that a Mod reads all reported posts.
They automatically get an e-mail when something is reported in their forum.
CMods also get an e-mail.
Myself and other Admins read in the Reported Posts Forum regularly.
It would be a very unusual thing indeed for a reported post not to be read.

pickarooney wrote: »

What do you thank exactly? It's a nice idea but if you thank a random post by the user who reported it (s)he's probably not going to know why.

I thank their reported post.

You shouldn't make the reported posts forum visible by everyone, if anything I can see this drastically reducing the likelihood of people reporting posts - well, I would stop if I lost the anonymity of this.

pickarooney

Beruthiel wrote: »

Sorry Seamus.

People can take it for granted that a Mod reads all reported posts.
They automatically get an e-mail when something is reported in their forum.
CMods also get an e-mail.
Myself and other Admins read in the Reported Posts Forum regularly.
It would be a very unusual thing indeed for a reported post not to be read.



I thank their reported post.

But unless the person is a mod they won't know you've thanked it...

Beruthiel

pickarooney wrote: »

But unless the person is a mod they won't know you've thanked it...

Is that the end of the world?

seamus

Beruthiel wrote: »

Is that the end of the world?

Well you see it doesn't address the "has the report been seen" issue

LoLth

Deleted User wrote: »

You shouldn't make the reported posts forum visible by everyone, if anything I can see this drastically reducing the likelihood of people reporting posts - well, I would stop if I lost the anonymity of this.

on the one hand I understand what you are suggesting and I even agree with it to a degree. On the other though, if a shill post gets reported and 100 users see the report before the mod and those 100 users click to see the reported post and maybe some of them click to see whats being shilled then its just more of an incentive for people to shill.

same goes for insulting posts, political posts, opinion posts. they'll make them deliberately cross the line so they get reported and reach a wider audience than they probably would if just left until the mod sees it him/herself.

There would also be a lot more tit-for-tat reporting and mods would be drawn into sortign that out too hwich would drain mod-time and DRF resources (maybe not much but why keep adding straws?)

By making the reported posts mod only, this issue is removed while the simplicity of the system is maintained.

pickarooney

Beruthiel wrote: »

Is that the end of the world?

Hardly, but it seems completely pointless to thank a person for taking the trouble to report a post when they can't see the thanks

Like thanking an ATM

Beruthiel

seamus wrote: »

Well you see it doesn't address the "has the report been seen" issue

No. But I already addressed that.

pickarooney wrote:

Hardly, but it seems completely pointless to thank a person for taking the trouble to report a post when they can't see the thanks

I know they can't see it, but it does add to their thanks count. For some, that's very important!

LoLth

pickarooney wrote: »

Hardly, but it seems completely pointless to thank a person for taking the trouble to report a post when they can't see the thanks

Like thanking an ATM

Personally I thank a reported post to show that I've looked into it to save my co-mods starting to action it only to discover that there's no need. Its more a dual use of a system thats already there than anything else.

Midnight_EG

I haven't had any feedback on my SIGPO-a-like-idea from an Admin...can I get one?