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Post reporting etiquette?

K

katie ta achoo

Blogger emeritus
Original poster
May 2, 2005
9,166
5
I know that reported posts are usually taken care of incredibly quickly (does jsw ever sleep??) but for the few minutes the offending post/thread is still on the forums, after reporting the post, is it OK to "bump" the post by replying "reported!" "have fun, spammer!" or some other line that is similar to what Vin Diesel would say before blowing up a spamming bad guy in a movie?

IMHO, it's completely not OK and this should be added to the FAQ/Rules.
I've noticed it before, but the fire under my bum finally got lit after tonight's "check out my..." thread. Incredibly explicit links were pushed to the top of the "new posts" and Digital Photography forum because of posts from members. There are young kids who shouldn't see that stuff and older members who would rather not be subjected to it. (anyone who saw the one from tonight could agree that was some freaky stuff.)
Even if it's spam not relating to pornography, constantly pushing the thread to the top of the page, just gets their site advertised a little more, their cell phone scam viewed several more times, a few more clicks to their iPod conga.

Should posts just silently be reported?
 
katie ta achoo said:
I know that reported posts are usually taken care of incredibly quickly (does jsw ever sleep??) but for the few minutes the offending post/thread is still on the forums, after reporting the post, is it OK to "bump" the post by replying "reported!" "have fun, spammer!" or some other line that is similar to what Vin Diesel would say before blowing up a spamming bad guy in a movie?

IMHO, it's completely not OK and this should be added to the FAQ/Rules.
I've noticed it before, but the fire under my bum finally got lit after tonight's "check out my..." thread. Incredibly explicit links were pushed to the top of the "new posts" and Digital Photography forum because of posts from members. There are young kids who shouldn't see that stuff and older members who would rather not be subjected to it. (anyone who saw the one from tonight could agree that was some freaky stuff.)
Even if it's spam not relating to pornography, constantly pushing the thread to the top of the page, just gets their site advertised a little more, their cell phone scam viewed several more times, a few more clicks to their iPod conga.

Should posts just silently be reported?
Click to expand...
I admit that I like to remind people that they're posts are against MR policy after I report them. Anyway, your idea is really good. I didn't see whatever it was in the digital photography forum, but based on your description, I'm glad I didn't!
 
katie ta achoo said:
Should posts just silently be reported?
Click to expand...
Yes, I believe so.

I also noticed the thread you mentioned and some of the of the posts in that thread and I was also annoyed. What is the point of posting anything, but especially, what is the point in posting ". . ."? :confused:



It would be great if Macrumors could implement a way to automatically suspend threads after x many of reports. From there a Mod could either reinstate or permanently delete the reported thread. This feature would just make sure threads like the one tonight would be out of public view faster.
 
Yes, we prefer them to be silently reported. Bumping them gives them more exposure, makes more work for the mods if the offending post was in an existing thread, and is no guarantee that the post actually was reported. Plus, we don't mind getting a few extra reports; we very rarely get more than 10 for a particular piece of spam, and other problematic posts are usually only reported once.
 
katie ta achoo said:
Should posts just silently be reported?
Click to expand...
I think so. Although I would like to blast someone for spamming I also don't want to push the thread back to the top so I just report the post and move on.
 
EricNau said:
It would be great if Macrumors could implement a way to automatically suspend threads after x many of reports. From there a Mod could either reinstate or permanently delete the reported thread. This feature would just make sure threads like the one tonight would be out of public view faster.
Click to expand...
Now, that would be neat, but open to abuse. Can't someone report the same post over and over again?
Eh.. they'd get banned anyway, what with all the time wasting and whatnot.

HexMonkey said:
Yes, we prefer them to be silently reported.
Click to expand...
Alright. Good to know an official stance. :D
 
katie ta achoo said:
I know that reported posts are usually taken care of incredibly quickly (does jsw ever sleep??) but for the few minutes the offending post/thread is still on the forums, after reporting the post, is it OK to "bump" the post by replying "reported!" "have fun, spammer!" or some other line that is similar to what Vin Diesel would say before blowing up a spamming bad guy in a movie?

IMHO, it's completely not OK and this should be added to the FAQ/Rules.
I've noticed it before, but the fire under my bum finally got lit after tonight's "check out my..." thread. Incredibly explicit links were pushed to the top of the "new posts" and Digital Photography forum because of posts from members. There are young kids who shouldn't see that stuff and older members who would rather not be subjected to it. (anyone who saw the one from tonight could agree that was some freaky stuff.)
Even if it's spam not relating to pornography, constantly pushing the thread to the top of the page, just gets their site advertised a little more, their cell phone scam viewed several more times, a few more clicks to their iPod conga.

Should posts just silently be reported?
Click to expand...

I normally post the lyrics to the "Spam Song" from Monty Python and then report the post.
 
Glad for this thread, as I've been on a "reporting kick" (by my standards!) over the last few days (I attribute this directly to not wanting to go back to work).

I do sometimes post a "reported" in spam threads, but it does seem sort of silly -- who in their right mind actually bumps spam?

See, I'm learning about myself while "thinking through" message board etiquette. MR rocks.
 
My preference would be for the first person to report any spam to say so in the thread, then everyone else knows it has already been reported and it can then just be left to fester until one of us swoops in and deletes it, like the super heros we are *whistles superman theme tune* :d :p
 
edesignuk said:
My preference would be for the first person to report any spam to say so in the thread, then everyone else knows it has already been reported and it can then just be left to fester until one of us swoops in and deletes it, like the super heros we are *whistles superman theme tune* :d :p
Click to expand...

I was thinking this too — spam/evil always get noticed by a member fairly quickly, so one "Reported" bump wouldn't make it go to the top too badly.

However, the not posting and just reporting works for me too. I just find it quite frustrating when I've reported something and people post "bite me spammer!" repeatedly underneath it, and I want to post "For fecks sake, I've reported it, now stop bumping the thread". But by doing that I'd be bumping the thread... <head explodes>

What if it was standard to post "Post reported — please don't bump this thread further by posting in it" or similar?

Anyway, either way works for me. :)
 
I've always wondered if the people that complain about a post, are the same kind of people that complain about TV shows? :p

Really... it's a notch above mildly amusing when people get their knickers in a twist about things like this.

MR really needs to find it's teeth again.
 
edesignuk said:
My preference would be for the first person to report any spam to say so in the thread, then everyone else knows it has already been reported and it can then just be left to fester until one of us swoops in and deletes it, like the super heros we are *whistles superman theme tune* :d :p
Click to expand...

See I prefer if people don't bump the spam for two reasons. First it bumps the spam. And secondly, if something is really bad we normally get several reports in quick succession. When I normally hear the reported post alarm I wait until I finish whatever I am doing, but if I hear a whole series of alarms then I drop what I am doing and check what is so bad. So multiple reports are a good way to gauge audibly just how quickly something might need my attention.
 
iGav said:
I've always wondered if the people that complain about a post, are the same kind of people that complain about TV shows? :p

Really... it's a notch above mildly amusing when people get their knickers in a twist about things like this.

MR really needs to find it's teeth again.
Click to expand...
So if we get any spam about Janet Jackson we are all set.:p
 
When I see a spam post and no one has posted after that ill report it, but if there are other mocking posts after it, I read them as ' It's already been reported' and no need for me to report it again.

Besides, I think the mocking posts afterwards are often humorous and entertaining, I love to read them. I don't really see what the big deal is.
 
Koodauw said:
When I see a spam post and no one has posted after that ill report it, but if there are other mocking posts after it, I read them as ' It's already been reported' and no need for me to report it again.
Click to expand...

I think that's the problem though — people assume that it's been reported, but more often than not it hasn't (according to what I vaguely remember the mods saying before). People post a comedy remark or say "MODS - clean up PLZ" or something, but don't actually report it.
 
Is there a "post has been reported" icon that can be shown so others are aware how many times a certain thread has been flagged?
 
MacNut said:
Is there a "post has been reported" icon that can be shown so others are aware how many times a certain thread has been flagged?
Click to expand...

Now that would be helpful.
 
Usually a reported thread is deleted, so they lose their own "have fun spammer" post anyway.;)

I really think the reporting system as well as it is. I reported twice, once a guy that was banned/warned, and another time where I over excaggarated.:D sorry...

Anyways, It'd be nice with an icon telling whether a post/thread has been repoted or not, but otherwise, I like the system as it is.
 
edesignuk said:
My preference would be for the first person to report any spam to say so in the thread, then everyone else knows it has already been reported and it can then just be left to fester until one of us swoops in and deletes it, like the super heros we are *whistles superman theme tune* :d :p
Click to expand...

Indeed...this is what I do to let the mods know its spam-tastic. I'm glad I missed that thread katie was talking about...sounds rather extreme porn-ish.

Spamming threads is the best time to get in a kick or two...if its in good taste of course....

Bless
 
AmbitiousLemon said:
When I normally hear the reported post alarm I wait until I finish whatever I am doing, but if I hear a whole series of alarms then I drop what I am doing and check what is so bad.
Click to expand...

Same here. Keep those reports coming, people!
 
Re: Post reporting etiquette?

People don't even read the FAQs about the avatar and titles, and you expect them to follow rules on post reporting?

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