Reporting/flagging posts

Notmything

So, there's an option to flag posts. If a post is flagged is there a notification sent to the mods or is it just left for them to notice it? Or rather than flagging a post should it continue to be reported.

Reason I'm asking is there is a poster trolling the "road to Tokyo" Olympics thread. I see their posts are being flagged but no action appears to have been taken.

Or is this another issue that's arisen since the migration?

Beasty

Yes - there is a "Flag" icon alongside "Quote! and "Like" in the bottom right hand corner of every post (desktop) or at the bottom of the post (mobile)

osarusan

When I see a post that has 1 flag for abuse, or a 2 flags for spam, or whatever...what does this mean? Am I seeing mod actions, or am I seeing what users have reported as abuse/spam?

If it's the latter, am I supposed to be seeing that or is it a bug?

Even on somebody's profile, I can see that they have, for example 100 green thumbs up and 1 red exclamation mark.

Notmything

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696950#Comment_117696950

But if I flag a post do moderators receive a notification or is it just a meaningless gesture?

Mickeroo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117697290#Comment_117697290

There's a spam queue and a moderation queue(for the abuse flags) where some posts show up. I think a post needs a certain amount of flags before it shows up there. There's a good chance only admins can see this at the moment (I wish I knew for sure but I don't) , I think you are better off reporting rather than flagging at the mo for abuse at least.

EmmetSpiceland

It would appear the “flagging of posts” system is being abused a fair bit, at the moment.

Looks like it and it's seriously putting me off using Boards. I assumed I had been given an infraction when it showed up on my profile.

It's like the system intends to publicly shame people with flags.

As if we don't have enough problems with flags in some parts of this island.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117697527#Comment_117697527

I have to agree, I had a flag attached to a post yesterday despite not a single abusive comment or critism of anything. My post was an observation, thoughts about an increasingly cashless society and how it will impact criminality, particularly Drug Trafficking.

There seems no right of reply albeit I do appreciate there may be a backlog on MODS reviewing these flagged posts. I further noticed I'm not alone on this particular thread, it seems the person who is somehow offended has flagged pretty much every single post, most perfectly reasonable observations.

And now to add insult to injury, 13 flags have just been added to previous posts I made on the live line thread, what is going on here? I find it hard to believe someone or persons had their morning coffee and decided to trawl through an entire thread to flag previous posts?????

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117697702#Comment_117697702

It's outrageous,

I'm monitoring this this morning, someone/person has literally gone through all my previous posts, some weeks old and added 13 flags in less that 10 minutes. How can this be permitted. Whilst I don't fully understand the points system, these flags wipe points achieved off posters profile.

At a minimum there should be a time limit for anyone to flag a post, a real turn off this carry-on and it seems quite personal and dare I say Childish.

More “abuse” notifications on my profile. Screw this. I’m gone. Most unwelcoming forum I’ve ever used.

Dempo1

So a quick update. I've now gone from Zero at 7am this morning to 39 a few minutes ago. Here's the Kicker.

Some of the flags go back to posts in early June? Some of the flags are for mundane subjects as Gardening, Saorview & Tree's and bizzarely for posts we're I'm actually thanking others for their help.

Either the new system as gone haywire or someone is just being quite Malicious.

This requires urgent attention

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696950#Comment_117696950

Good morning, I appreciate how busy you are but need to ask what is going on with this Flag issue, is it a systems issue?

I've gone from Zero Flags at 7am this morning and I'm up to nearly 70 now.

What is extraordinary is the fact these new flags are for posts as far back as April, some are for posts we're I'm actually thanking others or seeking advice. I initially thought someone was being Malicious but I find it hard to believe a user, sitting on their computer, trawling through 100"s of posts I've done and flagging them. Perhaps the new system has gone haywire but each of these flags needs reviewing, at this rate I'll have lost all points gained by the end of the day.

This is extremely concerning and somewhat disturbing.

Thank you.

HeidiHeidi

"Just watched Kellie Harrington's fight there..... when she was announced as the winner, straight over to her opponent to acknowledge her, then to the other corner to the trainers, before any celebration on her part. And what a lovely post- match interview. An absolute lady of a competitor"

I've just had the above post flagged as abuse!!

I'm leaning towards the system having a breakdown, tbh.

Can anyone explain the points system to me?? Should I care that I might be losing points due to these mad flags?? I didn't even realise I was until Dempo's post above....

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698247#Comment_117698247

I'm unsure what the points mean but I presume it will go towards increasing your level.

Yes, I agree, I think the system is having a melt down, I'm now up to 80 and bizzarely for posts dating back to 2012, we're I was thanking someone.

Just extraordinary

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698247#Comment_117698247

And now this one has been flagged for abuse!!

I give up 🙄

Baybay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698247#Comment_117698247

I doubt too many will be able to explain much as nothing about the new system seems to make much sense. Everything is all over the place, for me anyway. And I don’t even see what points I might have though I also haven’t looked too much. Nothing about Boards is fun at the moment, it’s just frustratingly hard to manipulate.

Dempo1

Just an example, I've been tracking this from 7am this morning, I'm now over 100, not a great example as alot are for appreciation, thank you"s etc

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698292#Comment_117698292

You've 2 posts, this your 2nd and advising me to relax, very helpful and welcome to Boards

sydthebeat

surely mods can see WHO is doing this serial flagging?

obviously its been done to disrupt their duties by having to check through so many spam flags

the fact they are going back and flagging legacy posts is extremely sad and pathetic

Mickeroo

I suspect it is a malicious user targeting people who are complaining about the flags in feedback for the most part, that's purely speculation on my part though as I have no way of seeing who flags posts.

I just found a setting in the admin dashboard to turn them off, I have no idea whether it will work or not.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698314#Comment_117698314

No thank you

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698315#Comment_117698315

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698315#Comment_117698315

Its definitely a systems meltdown , I just hope mods can find away to un flag

Signore Fancy Pants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698318#Comment_117698318

Looks like you fixed it, fair play @Mickeroo!

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698318#Comment_117698318

Morning, do you mean how to stop flagging, I didn't think this would be ever an option or are you referring to notifications? I don't get them as I switched that off along time ago because of a seperate issue

HeidiHeidi

The flag button now only has an option to report.

The spam and abuse flags are gone.

Well done @Mickeroo !

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698339#Comment_117698339

Wow, yes, looks like the Abuse button removed from my dashboard, Gosh, so it was a malicious attack, this is extraordinary. I wonder will they be able to return lost points?

Mickeroo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698342#Comment_117698342

It's a site wide option I found in the admin controls not something you can turn on and off yourself like the notifications. They should already be gone going by what a few others have said since I did it, they aren't visible on your profile anymore from what I can see there either.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698383#Comment_117698383

well done mick.... youre a one person whack-a-mole in here lately....

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698383#Comment_117698383

Thanks so much, I was beginning to think I'd lost the plot this morning 😂

I was editing profile and noticed a strange abuse report, logged out and back in and my god, it was like a home coming parade, the abuse clock went up and up and up.

Hopefully whatever has happened will be resolved 😊 and users profiles can be reset to where they were when this started.

Mickeroo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698401#Comment_117698401

In this case I basically found a big red button and pushed it, sure hope I haven't broken something somewhere else 🤦‍♂️

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698417#Comment_117698417

A brave person to press a mysterious Red Button 😊😉

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698383#Comment_117698383

Any idea as to what caused it? Site error or people abusing the flag function?

Mickeroo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698435#Comment_117698435

No but I am leaning towards people abusing it as it seemed to be more prevalent in targeting people posting a lot in feedback from what I can see.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698435#Comment_117698435

user on the previous page here admitted to it.

now banned

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698464#Comment_117698464

I noticed an abuse flag without being on the discussions section but yes, the minute I joined the feedback discussion the abuse flags literally starting waving, over a 100 within an hour

HildaOgdenx

Another here that was having posts flagged last night, mostly in the feedback thread. Tbh, I wouldn't have noticed it but another poster mentioned it.

Someone also went on a spree in a particular thread, apart from the feedback one, flagging older posts as abuse. Too much time on their hands, I guess. Heaven help the mods / admins if all the reports were going through, creating unnecessary nonsense for them to deal with. On top of everything else!

Mickeroo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698539#Comment_117698539

It would have gone by largely unnoticed by us if it hadn't been mentioned here. It only seems to trigger a notification if a post goes above a certain amount of flags from what I can see, so a post with only one or two flags wouldn't get spotted.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698552#Comment_117698552

And thanks for helping resolving it. Do you think Points will be reset, not the most pressing of things but this attack or whatever it was wiped lots of points off my account

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698552#Comment_117698552

Seems like a terrible system imo. Before, if someone thought a post warranted action they'd report it to bring it to the mods attention. But as you couldn't see if it had been reported by others, you might get multiple reports for the same post.

Now, if I saw someone flagged a post and I also felt it warranted action, I can see it's already been flagged so I wouldn't bother. But the flag doesn't generate a report for the mods or bring it to the mods attention unless numerous people have flagged it?

EmmetSpiceland

It’s great the, unfounded, reports are gone from our “profiles” but it’s a shame they still take away from the users “points” total.

Notmything

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698417#Comment_117698417

Tbh I don't think it could make things any worse.

We have someone in this thread openly admitting they were banned and re-regged

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698691#Comment_117698691

You need serious help, disgraceful and childish behaviour

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698614#Comment_117698614

Surely lost points as a result of this should be returned? I lost over a 100 😭😭😭😭

Allinall

Is there a "report" function as well?

I can only see the Flag icon.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698714#Comment_117698714

I'd say a report from you will certainly raise flags and red herrings, I don't take it personally but truely sympathise for you

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698716#Comment_117698716

The report function is under the flag button.

Why have one click when you have two??? 🙄

somespud

I use to enjoy boards now I find it hard to follow, I also had posts deleted as spam whereas someone posting something like LOL in a post and nothing else is okay?

TheChrisD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117698597#Comment_117698597

There was one other benefit of the flagging system: it (at least from our perspective) seemed anonymous. No worries about getting reprisal from the mods of the forum if you submitted a full report which they disagreed with. Although it also came with the nuisance that you couldn't flag a mod's post anywhere on the site (even outside their modded forums), even if their post deserved one...

As for number of flags, I believe a default Vanilla install only sends a notification to the mods at 5 flags, and removes a comment entirely for manual approval at 10.