Is flagging used fairly on here?

Elektronauts Elektronauts Feedback
#1

I understand hiding content that has a political slant, and anything that attacks someone else, however I just had a music meme which had absolutely nothing offensive or political about it w/ quite a few likes just get flagged. This is not the first time and I’m not going to point fingers.

I’m clear this is not my forum but it is a community and I have provided a lot links to free sh!t as a service to others on here because I genuinely like most of you. But this is just getting a bit heavy handed with the flagging. thoughts?

8 Likes
#2

As with a post, it only takes one person to flag. The difference is that the flag is anonymous, as it should be. A flag is not an automatic veto; it brings things to the attention of a moderator, and I think our moderators are doing a good job. Sometimes the automatic hiding is appropriate, and sometimes it is not. I have been flagged, and while I feel an initial defensive reaction, after some thought, it mostly didn’t matter, even if I thought it was unjustified. Right now I think it is part of the system that makes this place as good as it is, and I am not willing to modify it just yet. Maybe if enough egregious cases arise, I will reconsider.

29 Likes
#3

This is not going to be a point on which any kind of agreement can be reached, I think that the only thing people can agree on is that we’re better off with a flag system than without. I speak from the perspective of someone who was flagged 3 times yesterday (also in the memes threads, as you were) for arguably less than your jeffrey dahmer meme.

17 Likes
#4

There is at least one thread for memes. I’ve found that when there is a thread dedicated to a specific topic it is almost always a much better idea to add to that thread than contribute that content elsewhere.

Ultimately, within the bounds of the Mods, this place is what we make of it.

1 Like
#5

It’s weird. A handful of my replies have been flagged for being inappropriate, when at the most they were just sarcastic and critical in general 100% without problematic language, violent profanity, personal attacks, 0 reliance on political agenda or rhetoric, or any other sort of antisocial behavior. Someone’s moral fragility is on high alert, or is being a Respect-Ma-Authoritah-Eric-Cartman (“with great power comes great irresponsibility”)

2 Likes
#6

In fact :point_up: is an example of the type of replies I’ve made that have gotten flagged; that’s a perfect example.

3 Likes
#7

I agree that the mods are doing a good job on here, but I will have to disagree that flags should be anonymous. Authority should be accompanied by responsibility and I think if you want the authority to hide someones post you should take responsibility. It doesn’t seem efficient to allow this. I wonder what would happen if the flagger had to take responsibility and not just the poster? There’d probably be more honest dialogue. I find a lot of time those who are preaching tolerance are the most intolerant themselves. Just a thought and not a personal attack on you.

5 Likes
#8

I mean, on Do you consider the ethics of synth manufacturers? I wrote:

LOL. I sense a shitstorm of posts with “I know better than you” tones…

because it was my way of agreeing with this post. That got flagged.

I admit that there is a bit of hint of trolling in my tone, and that what I wrote does not serve any direct purpose to the topic at hand, but shit dude, it’s like getting escorted out of a room for rolling your eyes at someone, lol.

6 Likes
#10

I have been the outspoken cantankerous bastard for most of my life. As people age they seem to turn this part of their personality up, but I have toned mine down, I believe. I know what reaction one gets when one dares to criticize, and while I believe in genuine accountability, I have also seen plenty of piling on, and I also believe in protection. Would it help me if I knew that the person who flagged me was @heretical_audio? Who even is that? My handle is the userid I have had since 1977, my initials and last name, which uniquely identifies me on the Internet. You can find out where I work and probably where I live. Why do you want to erase anonymity in flagging? What will you (or others) do with that information?

8 Likes
#11

Terrible idea, would increase animosity and confrontation in a big way. What are you looking to do with that info?

11 Likes
#12

What will I do with the information? Unlike most entities that already have our personal information, absolutely nothing. What’s to stop somebody from using my information on here? nothing and that’s fine.

My post is not about retribution or doing something nefarious with others information. I’m just saying that I support non-anonymous flagging just like I support anyone’s ability to flag on here…it goes both ways.

1 Like
#13

I stayed out of this thread, the morale club is nowadays everywhere. I think most people try their best to not be wasteful with their environment they are living in. To much nudgeing can have the opposite effect.

#14

If you’re not going to do anything with the information, then I don’t understand why you want it. Do you just want an option to flag non-anonymously?

3 Likes
#15

Again, I’m not looking to do anything w/ anyone’s info…all of our info is on here…it makes no difference. Shooting the messenger and accusing me of something I’ve never done is specious. I’m just opening up a dialogue about the topic. I’m interested in all of your opinions regardless if I agree.

#16

Seriously? I have no idea who you are, and I doubt I can find out from what you have available here.

1 Like
#17

I’ve made all the points I’m going to make, I would rather give other’s a chance to speak than get in a non-productive circular argument and derail this thread. cheers.

#18

As someone who does actually know better than someone else on that thread :wink: , let me return the favour and say the every few months “complain about flags and mods thread” is less fun than Miserable Git’s complaint thread.

PS—as always, big thanks to the mods for their work maintaining this place.

11 Likes
#19

I’ve never flagged anyone on here, partly because this forum is pretty well behaved and partly because it’s never occurred to me to be offended about something I read on the Internet. I’ve had posts get flagged and deleted. But usually while I’m writing those, I’m thinking I should probably just delete it. Usually it’s bickering or making an inappropriate joke. The first few times I got offended about getting flagged. Now I just laugh and shake my head.

I’ve found I have a much better experience in forums when I engage positively. Life is too short to spend it arguing on the Internet.

19 Likes
#21

I can’t speak to what others would do, but I would just block list them. I don’t want to argue but I also don’t want to engage or hang out (virtually or IRL) with someone that is not going to be a good fit. As far as doing anything other than that is flat out creepy and not at all what I was originally getting at. I’m a huge privacy advocate.

My main reason was not a witch hunt but to give a voice to others who maybe felt the same way or not. And also to suggest even transparency on both sides.

#23

I just move on and try to understand what bugged someone or log out and make music.

I would say that flagging has not gotten out of control because you had something flagged.

Shit happens.

Rightio.

7 Likes