Why are my posts being deleted?

[Pared]

This isn't the first case I've seen of this.

If you're going to delete posts, tell the person WHY the comment is being deleted. I've had three posts now deleted as if I never made them.

Is this common here? It has only been happening recently.

 

[atszyman]

The best course of action here if you think you've been wronged would be to PM a mod.

Starting this thread will probably lead to you're fourth deleted post.

Might want to check up on the forum rules and FAQ in order to see if you're violating some common rule that has led to the deletion of the previous posts.

 

[EricNau]

Posts are deleted for one reason, and only one reason: violating the Forum Rules.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Read the forum rules. This is a busy board; we don't have time to tell people why their posts were deleted but in almost all cases, posts were deleted for breaking forum rules. Relevant sections include:

If your post was removed, there was a reason for it; review these rules because one of them applies to your post or a previous post (because when a post is removed, posts that quote it or reply to it are often removed as well). If your post was edited, note the reason shown under the post; the moderators write these messages for your benefit.

When contacting us about moderation, please identify the posts or threads in question; the moderators deal with many every day. Posting questions/complaints about specific cases of moderation in the forums is frowned upon because they are not relevant to others and we can be more frank communicating in private.

 

[Pared]

Fine, I can understand that.

But what is the point of deleting the post as if it never happened? Then the person has no idea why it was deleted. They don't even know who deleted it.

There are plenty of boards that leave a trace as to why a post is deleted. I don't understand the secrecy being used here. Who do you even know who to PM if you have no idea who deleted it?

It's a bit of a ridiculous system, wouldn't you say?

Look... I'm not trying to cause trouble since I don't spend enough time here. I'm sure someone will use that against my point but regardless... You can say you don't have time to explain why it was deleted... why not just have a message left saying it was deleted? I don't see what's the problem with that.

How do you expect someone to know why their post was deleted if you don't give them anyway to figure it out?

 

[Blue Velvet]

There are plenty of boards that leave a trace as to why a post is deleted. I don't understand the secrecy being used here. Who do you even know who to PM if you have no idea who deleted it?

Although plenty of boards may do that, we do not and never have. This is an extremely busy and wide-ranging forum with only a limited number of volunteer moderators on at any time. You can contact any mod or use the contact us form linked at the bottom of each forum page. All mod actions are visible and reviewable by any other mod or admin.

why not just have a message left saying it was deleted? I don't see what's the problem with that.

When a post is deleted, there is no field left to provide a reason why the post was deleted... and we won't add another post in a thread to say why a post was deleted for reasons to do with dragging a thread off-topic and keeping forum member's infractions private. As I said before, we are too busy to send PMs to people for deleted posts; we delete hundreds each day for various reasons, all for breaking one forum rule or another.

 

[bartelby]

I don't understand why people get worked up about this enough to post these threads.

I've had posts deleted or edited by Mods. I just figured I'd over stepped the line and left it as that.

In fact I feel embarrassed I'd given the Mods extra work.

 

[jonbravo77]

As someone who has had posts deleted, and in conversing with a few Mods I understand why. I agree with the moderators. This forum is a huge place and it's just something that has to be done to keep topics from wildly going off into a place that no one wants it to go.

Believe me, I was upset at first as well. But I learned that it's just one of those things and I moved on..

Just my 2 cents

 

[twoodcc]

As someone who has had posts deleted, and in conversing with a few Mods I understand why. I agree with the moderators. This forum is a huge place and it's just something that has to be done to keep topics from wildly going off into a place that no one wants it to go.

Believe me, I was upset at first as well. But I learned that it's just one of those things and I moved on..

Just my 2 cents

i agree. i've had plenty of posts deleted, and still get some deleted every so often. i don't get upset about it, even though i was a little bit when it first happened. but i do know that this has to be the busiest board i know of, and i have talked with some mods, and even arn himself about why my posts were deleted.

now i just don't let it bother me and i just keep on keeping on

 

[Pared]

But that's really frustrating for someone if they have no idea if their post was even deleted.

And what is to stop them from making the same comments over and over again? They wouldn't know, and it just keeps contributing to the same thing you're trying to avoid. It's counter-productive to the whole situation.

I'm obviously fighting a losing battle here as even those that agree seem to just give way with little resistance on the entire subject. Either way, it's not like it's impossible to just have a "This message was deleted placeholder" unless you're using a very archaic, outdated message board setup here or just refuse to do it. And as a user, that's frustrating.

If you're the one deleting the messages you might not understand that.

I'm not "bragging" about having posts deleted. I could not care less about that. I just want some inkling left there that a post was made so I know it was deleted. I don't see why that's such a big deal. Especially when you give notification a post was edited...

 

[iJohnHenry]

I don't understand why people get worked up about this enough to post these threads.

I've had posts deleted or edited by Mods. I just figured I'd over stepped the line and left it as that.

In fact I feel embarrassed I'd given the Mods extra work.

The problem is you cannot institute remedial action in a vacuum.

I don't mean me. I have been warned in PMs, just speaking in general.

 

[iPhil]

But that's really frustrating for someone if they have no idea if their post was even deleted.

And what is to stop them from making the same comments over and over again? They wouldn't know, and it just keeps contributing to the same thing you're trying to avoid. It's counter-productive to the whole situation.

I'm obviously fighting a losing battle here as even those that agree seem to just give way with little resistance on the entire subject. Either way, it's not like it's impossible to just have a "This message was deleted placeholder" unless you're using a very archaic, outdated message board setup here or just refuse to do it. And as a user, that's frustrating.

If you're the one deleting the messages you might not understand that.

I'm not "bragging" about having posts deleted. I could not care less about that. I just want some inkling left there that a post was made so I know it was deleted. I don't see why that's such a big deal. Especially when you give notification a post was edited...

Read BV's posts and read the link that says Forum rules and you'll get all your anwers there....

Read the forum rules. This is a busy board; we don't have time to tell people why their posts were deleted but in almost all cases, posts were deleted for breaking forum rules. Relevant sections include:

Although plenty of boards may do that, we do not and never have. This is an extremely busy and wide-ranging forum with only a limited number of volunteer moderators on at any time. You can contact any mod or use the contact us form linked at the bottom of each forum page. All mod actions are visible and reviewable by any other mod or admin.




When a post is deleted, there is no field left to provide a reason why the post was deleted... and we won't add another post in a thread to say why a post was deleted for reasons to do with dragging a thread off-topic and keeping forum member's infractions private. As I said before, we are too busy to send PMs to people for deleted posts; we delete hundreds each day for various reasons, all for breaking one forum rule or another.

 

[mkrishnan]

Just to re-iterate, as suggested by the Forum Rules, you can always PM any moderator or administrator if you want feedback, and we would be happy to provide it for you.

 

[bassproguy07]

OP, be lucky your posts have just ben deleted. There is a thing called TIMEOUT which really really sucks. especially if your an addict ike myself. Just read the rules, and watch what you say in the forums, its pretty simple!

 

[Blue Velvet]

But that's really frustrating for someone if they have no idea if their post was even deleted.

And what is to stop them from making the same comments over and over again? They wouldn't know, and it just keeps contributing to the same thing you're trying to avoid. It's counter-productive to the whole situation.

I'm obviously fighting a losing battle here as even those that agree seem to just give way with little resistance on the entire subject. Either way, it's not like it's impossible to just have a "This message was deleted placeholder" unless you're using a very archaic, outdated message board setup here or just refuse to do it. And as a user, that's frustrating.

If we left post holders everywhere, that would diminish the quality of the forum experience for everyone and would highlight and publicise those who are breaking forum rules, something which we do not do. You'd be surprised at how much cleaning up goes on.

If they keep on making the same deleted posts over and over again, we have our way of handling it. Those who are repeatedly and egregiously breaking forum rules find out about it sooner or later.

If your post was removed, there was a reason for it; review these rules because one of them applies to your post or a previous post (because when a post is removed, posts that quote it or reply to it are often removed as well).

 

[MacDawg]

I've had posts deleted or edited by Mods. I just figured I'd over stepped the line and left it as that.

In fact I feel embarrassed I'd given the Mods extra work.

Yeah... me too
Had that happen just last night

Sorry BV

 

[.Andy]

I like to delete my own posts. I write long, thought out efforts which are full of information, preview them, and then close the browser window before posting them. It's very cathartic.

 

[Pared]

If we left post holders everywhere, that would diminish the quality of the forum experience for everyone and would highlight and publicise those who are breaking forum rules, something which we do not do. You'd be surprised at how much cleaning up goes on.

If they keep on making the same deleted posts over and over again, we have our way of handling it. Those who are repeatedly and egregiously breaking forum rules find out about it sooner or later.

Fair enough.

I simply spend time in the iPhone part of this site... and have been a "viewer" for many years. Signed up once another site went down (no need to specify) and just noticed this and figured I'd post.

If anyone appreciates feedback on the site, this is it. I don't know how many of you view other sites, but there are plenty that have a deleted message notification in place of the message. I don't see why this site would be any different but you obviously have your reasons. I still don't agree with them though.

 

[jonbravo77]

I like to delete my own posts. I write long, thought out efforts which are full of information, preview them, and then close the browser window before posting them. It's very cathartic.

That's funny, I do that to. I self moderate.. well, sometimes...

 

[Blue Velvet]

If anyone appreciates feedback on the site, this is it.

We do.

I don't see why this site would be any different but you obviously have your reasons. I still don't agree with them though.

We have our reasons, which I've outlined above, the most important of which is retaining some privacy in dealing with forum member's misdemeanors. If you hadn't posted a public thread and instead contacted us as requested in the forum rules, no-one here would have known about your rule-breaking tendencies.

I think if you spend some time here, you'll come to appreciate the way things work. You're welcome to PM me for a detailed response about your posts.

 

[plinden]

I like to delete my own posts. I write long, thought out efforts which are full of information, preview them, and then close the browser window before posting them. It's very cathartic.

Me too. That's why my average is 1.6 per day and falling. Except mine aren't full of information.

 

[atszyman]

I like to delete my own posts. I write long, thought out efforts which are full of information, preview them, and then close the browser window before posting them. It's very cathartic.

Glad to see I'm not the only one.

For some odd reason this happens mostly in the PRSI forum. Something will irk me, I'll write a longwinded reply, and then re-read it and figure out that it's not nearly as eloquent as it sounded in my head, and then delete it. Sometimes I do it 2 or 3 times to the same post if it irks me enough.

 

[Dejavu]

Your posts were deleted because you are a "nobody". Get used to it.

 

[mkrishnan]

Your posts were deleted because you are a "nobody". Get used to it.

This is really not true. While most of our seasoned members have stuck around and gotten used to our rules and do well with them, and this does mean their posts might get deleted less often, we make our best effort to evaluate posts based on content and not source.

FWIW, I'm a moderator now (albeit one of the more recently added to the team) and I've had plenty of my posts deleted too, in the day.

 

[Eric5h5]

None of the forums I read use "deleted post" placeholders. That would be pretty obnoxious to see, actually. I'm an occasional mod on another forum, and if I had to delete any posts I'd send a PM saying so (aside from the spammers who just get banned immediately), but it has much less traffic than this forum.

--Eric