Suggested Change to the "Report A Post" Function

mathepac

I've already been shot down, twice I think, on my suggestion for mods to reply to "Report A Post" messages (some do, some don't)

There is a different suggestion I'd like to make.

How difficult would it be to send a copy of the "Report A Post" message to the initiator? Once typed these ephemeral little beggars exist only in the initiators' minds and the only copy is with the mods.

Orim

I would imagine it'd be very difficult as the reports go into a forum. And I can't see them giving access to the reports forum.

mathepac

OK, but in order to assemble a PM to, me for example, all the data needed exist.

For the duration on my session on boards.ie my user-name is known, the content I have just typed into "Report A Post" is known and the PM function is known. Fire those two variables at the PM function with a with a third variable as the title, concat "Reported Post" & "Thread Title" - done.

There's a first stab at design and when implemented it gives me a copy of any posts I report as a PM or as an email as my email address is also known.

Orim

Fair enough but in that case would it not be pretty much the same as copying your report and PMing it to yourself?

Zaph

I'm probably missing something obvious, but if you've reported it I really don't see what function it would serve notifying you that you've reported a post.

mathepac

Orim wrote: »

Fair enough but in that case would it not be pretty much the same as copying your report and PMing it to yourself?

If you neglect to go through the multi-step process of PMing yourself before clicking <SUBMIT> it's all gone.

Zaph wrote: »

... but if you've reported it I really don't see what function it would serve notifying you that you've reported a post.

To keep a record, a little tickle-list, to see what happens with my (or any users) post reports

OldGoat

mathepac wrote: »

If you neglect to go through the multi-step process of PMing yourself before clicking <SUBMIT> it's all gone.
To keep a record, a little tickle-list, to see what happens with my (or any users) post reports

As has been pointed out in other threads similar to this one you won't necessarly see any actions taken on your reported post. Some actions taken by mods are not going to be visible. Hence your record of report/action taken would never be complete.

The Hill Billy

mathepac wrote: »

...to see what happens with my (or any users) post reports

You would not necessarily see what happens though. Some (maybe most) moderator actions are not actually taken on-thread.




Edit: Snap, OG!

Ken.

Would a read report like what you have for most emails be possible. Say I reported Oldgoat's post above me. Then when Lolth or Trojan see that report theirs a little read button that they tick. I get a pm saying a mod has seen my post.
If after receiving it nothing happens I can either bump it up to cmod/admin or take it the mod didn't feel it needed to be actioned and leave it be.

At least i'd know it was seen. This could also be useful for fora where maybe the mods aren't active that much. If you see you've reported a few posts and they aren't even read then you can let the cmod's/admins know.

MugMugs

mathepac wrote: »

To keep a record, a little tickle-list, to see what happens with my (or any users) post reports

Why? What's it got to do with you what happens? You've raised your concern your interest ends there.

Gambler

ken wrote: »

Would a read report like what you have for most emails be possible. Say I reported Oldgoat's post above me. Then when Lolth or Trojan see that report theirs a little read button that they tick. I get a pm saying a mod has seen my post.
If after receiving it nothing happens I can either bump it up to cmod/admin or take it the mod didn't feel it needed to be actioned and leave it be.

At least i'd know it was seen. This could also be useful for fora where maybe the mods aren't active that much. If you see you've reported a few posts and they aren't even read then you can let the cmod's/admins know.

I can say that this won't always work - for example when I get a reported post notification email I click the link in the email and go directly to the reported post. I then do whatever needs doing and may not necessarily go to the reported post thread at all unless it's something I need to discuss further with co-mods or that I need to run up the line to a CMod or Admin..

P. Breathnach

MugMugs wrote: »

Why? What's it got to do with you what happens? You've raised your concern your interest ends there.

I disagree.

Mods don't always get things right, and I sometimes follow up on reported posts when I think that a mod has not acted on a report. Stage 1: use the report post button a second time; stage 2: write to Cmods.

It would be a great deal more convenient for me if I had a record of my report(s).

muffler

mathepac wrote: »

To keep a record, a little tickle-list, to see what happens with my (or any users) post reports

Here ya go

Dades

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Mods don't always get things right, and I sometimes follow up on reported posts when I think that a mod has not acted on a report. Stage 1: use the report post button a second time; stage 2: write to Cmods.

It would be a great deal more convenient for me if I had a record of my report(s).

The stages you describe are the way to go if you think appropriate action has not been taken. But don't forget the report goes to several mods as well as CMods, so if nothing happens, then it's not just one person who has decided this. And when a mod deals with something privately, you aren't going to know about it.

Furthermore, I think the vast majority of posters/reporters aren't going to want their reports clogging up their inbox, so adding this option to record is a lot of work without any real benefit to the community.

Lastly, it stands to reason that most posts that warrant reporting are reasonably self-explanatory and there's rarely need for anything more than a cursory one-liner, i.e. something that requires a record. A suggestion to you might be, if the offending post requires verbose explanation on your part, PM the mods instead to keep a record.

ken wrote: »

Would a read report like what you have for most emails be possible. Say I reported Oldgoat's post above me. Then when Lolth or Trojan see that report theirs a little read button that they tick. I get a pm saying a mod has seen my post.

I rarely click into the reported post thread, the email notification has a link the (potentially) offending post and the text of the report itself.

MugMugs

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I disagree.

Mods don't always get things right, and I sometimes follow up on reported posts when I think that a mod has not acted on a report. Stage 1: use the report post button a second time; stage 2: write to Cmods.

It would be a great deal more convenient for me if I had a record of my report(s).

Point here is that you don't know what action has been taken and nor do you need to know.

smash

how about a quick report option for spam?

P. Breathnach

MugMugs wrote: »

Point here is that you don't know what action has been taken and nor do you need to know.

There has been an effort over the past couple of years to make boards more open and accountable to its users. I have tried to contribute to that process.

While I accept that I should not be privy to every mod action, it sometimes appears to me that mods are inactive in certain forums, and my report is simply not being dealt with - and I don't mean that a mod has considered it and made a call, but that it has not even been considered.

Myrddin

P. Breathnach wrote: »

While I accept that I should not be privy to every mod action, it sometimes appears to me that mods are inactive in certain forums, and my report is simply not being dealt with - and I don't mean that a mod has considered it and made a call, but that it has not even been considered.

As was mentioned, a reported post message is sent to every mod in the particular forum, along with all the Cmods of the category the forum resides in. If no action seems to be taken, then its not that one mod hasn't bothered reading/actioning the reported post, its probably more likely either the matter was dealt with privately, or else the post didn't warrant action.

Tombi!

By the by, over what P. Breathnach just said: do Cmods/Admins get notified if a post is reported or do they have to go manually hunting through the forum?

Why can't you just PM one of the mods if you think nothing's been done about it?

Unless it's something that really should be removed, like spam or porn... does it matter? I mean once you report it, that's it. Unless you're getting into an argument with someone and deciding to report all their posts you think are against the rules... who cares?

I'm not saying your sole reason is because you want to see the post infracted or something but that's what it's coming across as.

OldGoat

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

By the by, over what P. Breathnach just said: do Cmods/Admins get notified if a post is reported or do they have to go manually hunting through the forum?

We CMods get Email notification of every reported post in the catergory. We tend to leave the reports to the forum mods unless there is a clear reason to step in. Spam, porn etc I'll jump on straight away. Reports that have been left and there is no sign of a mod online I'll take a look at too. Reports requiring policy decisions are left to the forum mods, we try not interfer.

P. Breathnach

EnterNow wrote: »

As was mentioned, a reported post message is sent to every mod in the particular forum, along with all the Cmods of the category the forum resides in. If no action seems to be taken, then its not that one mod hasn't bothered reading/actioning the reported post, its probably more likely either the matter was dealt with privately, or else the post didn't warrant action.

I expect that Cmods generally do not see a need to check on whether a reported post is dealt with by the forum mod(s). So if a mod is inactive or makes a bad call, there is no mechanism for fixing it unless the person reporting the post is persistent.

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

...
I'm not saying your sole reason is because you want to see the post infracted or something but that's what it's coming across as.

You misread me.

Myrddin

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I expect that Cmods generally do not see a need to check on whether a reported post is dealt with by the forum mod(s). So if a mod is inactive or makes a bad call, there is no mechanism for fixing it unless the person reporting the post is persistent.

The fact that the local mod team, & the category mod team get a reported post message is usually more than enough to make sure there is enough attention thrown the way of reported posts. If there's no action taken after all the eyes that see it, its likely been dealt with privately or else wasn't really an offending post.

Users, I would think, are also usually free to pm the local mods to query any apparent misunderstanding about a reported post. It seems to me, there's plenty of avenue here to address a potential issue?

P. Breathnach

EnterNow wrote: »

The fact that the local mod team, & the category mod team get a reported post message is usually more than enough to make sure there is enough attention thrown the way of reported posts. If there's no action taken after all the eyes that see it, its likely been dealt with privately or else wasn't really an offending post.

OldGoat has told us that Cmods tend not to interfere. So my point about mod(s) being inactive or making a bad call stands.

Users, I would think, are also usually free to pm the local mods to query any apparent misunderstanding about a reported post. It seems to me, there's plenty of avenue here to address a potential issue?

Pretty well what I said: the person reporting the post needs to be persistent.

Myrddin

P. Breathnach wrote: »

OldGoat has told us that Cmods tend not to interfere. So my point about mod(s) being inactive or making a bad call stands.

We don't tend to interfere where local mods are active & we leave the local modding to the local mods. That doesn't mean we don't take note of reported posts though, and as Old Goat mentioned, spam & porn etc all get dealt with on sight. Reports of abuse/bullying/trolling are always looked at by Cmods. Mods will give their relevant Cmods an afk notice if they're going to be unable to carry out modding, & in that case the Cmods will pay extra attention to that forum. There's also a procedure in place where Cmods & Admins can address a mod thats been inactive for a prolonged duration.

So again, just because you can't see any action taken from a reported post...it doesn't mean there hasn't been or won't be. Not every report warrants action either.

The Hill Billy

P. Breathnach wrote: »

OldGoat has told us that Cmods tend not to interfere. So my point about mod(s) being inactive or making a bad call stands.

If you have a genuine concern there is nobody actively moderating a forum over a period of time or that there has been inappropriate moderation - you can always PM the CMods.

But again, we will thank you - but that may all that you will hear about it. Any CMod action taken will probably be in the background.

P. Breathnach

The Hill Billy wrote: »

If you have a genuine concern there is nobody actively moderating a forum over a period of time or that there has been inappropriate moderation - you can always PM the CMods.

But again, we will thank you - but that may all that you will hear about it. Any CMod action taken will probably be in the background.

Been-there-done-that in relation to a forum's sole mod being inactive. Wasn't thanked (I'm not too bothered about that). No result.

The mod responses in this thread are made on the presumption that everything is done properly. Systems that involve people do not always work as well as they are intended to.

Dades

P. Breathnach wrote: »

The mod responses in this thread are made on the presumption that everything is done properly. Systems that involve people do not always work as well as they are intended to.

And an automated personal reminder of what posts you've reported is going to solve what, exactly?

P. Breathnach

Dades wrote: »

And an automated personal reminder of what posts you've reported is going to solve what, exactly?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=84586640&postcount=12

Dades

Effectively you're saying you can't trust the mods/CMods to act on reports and therefore must keep a personal log of reported posts to follow up on.

Solving your paper trail records with a custom feature isn't going to solve your trust/confidence issues which I suspect is the real problem here.

P. Breathnach

Dades wrote: »

Effectively you're saying you can't trust the mods/CMods to act on reports and therefore must keep a personal log of reported posts to follow up on.

Solving your paper trail records with a custom feature isn't going to solve your trust/confidence issues which I suspect is the real problem here.

Would you care to tell me more about my personal defects?

hullaballoo

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Would you care to tell me more about my personal defects?

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!


Also, you can just switch on track PMs. That will tell you whether you PM has been read by whomever. If it has and nothing happens, I mean, nothing actually happens, then it's likely the person didn't think anything needed to be done.