PSA: flagging is NOT a downvote button

Community General Discussion
1

I made a thread a year ago about this and I’m going to reiterate it once again after everything I’m seeing today in the Torghast and loot threads:

My lovelies… this is getting out of hand again. So let me explain something very simply:

  • If you find a post is against the rules, you flag it.
  • If you dislike a post, just don’t give it a heart and then respond with your dislike.

Say it with me now…

Flagging is for reporting something that’s against the rules. Flagging is not for dislikes.

We all have a voice here and we all have an opinion. But false reporting is only going to get the people doing it in trouble-- not the people that are being wrongly accused.

Let’s just all get along, mkay? :blue_heart:

Please also remember that if you abuse the flagging system, you can get yourself a vacation! We don’t want that!

https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/73195680.jpg

These are some of the things that were discussed a while ago in a very constructive discussion about how we could change the options to make sure they cover all of the CoC, but sound more serious and not as nonchalant so that people will hopefully not abuse the system:

I think the icon needs changed to a little :warning: symbol called “report.” And the options should be as follows:

  • Language - extremely offensive language
  • Harassment - bullying
  • Code Violation - against CoC
  • Incorrect forum - needs moved to correct one

And at the bottom of that in bold, it should say:

Reporting is for code violations only and should not be used to disagree. Any misuse will result in disciplinary action.

That may help to clarify what we should be using it for and maybe more clearly define the reasons. It also still covers everything, but encourages people to read the CoC. These options are a bit closer to the old ones we had. Maybe it’ll help!

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2

I’ve yet to be banned for wrongly flagging something and at the very least I can claim to be offended so whatever. I’ve never seen anyone claiming they got banned for it either.

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3

They should just readd the downvote.

Makes no sense why they took it away

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4

Agreed too many times somebody makes a constructive feedback post and it is flagged if someone doesn’t agree with it. It’s like people are confused that forums are meant to be just that.

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I wouldn’t mind having dislikes back. A way to quietly express a disagreement with another user without having them falsely flagged. Even replying to that user can result in that user being falsely flagged as well.

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Maybe they shouldn’t have taken the dislike button away.

All they needed to do was remove the bury function.

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That’s still not an excuse to use flagging as one.

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Hmm I think it’s a pretty grey area. If it’s wrongly flagged then nothing happens anyway. At least I can try to get the person a vacation.

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I don’t agree with people using flag as a pseudo dislike but that’s just how people react i guess, they use what they can.

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Flagged because I disagree

Seriously though, voting on people’s opinions is kinda dumb imo.

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Why do people make posts pretending to be self appointed forum moderators? If a mod feels a flag is unwarranted, it will be reversed. If it was legitimate, they will remove the posts.

Simple.

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So you enjoy false flagging and abusing the system. Noted.

Indeed. Which is why things need to be changed on this Discourse system.

Please explain to me how a heads up and sharing information is being a moderator. I’ll wait.

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I think Blizz might get scared of the downvotes for their own posts. But, you’re right…if I disagree, I simply do not respond, move on…whatever.

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As soon as I saw the title I knew it would be flagged. The forums don’t disappoint!

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16

You know exactly what was implied there, it doesnt need to be spelled out for you.

You also forgot one of the major flaggable options: Trolling.

The full list of options you can flag for, for clarification:

It’s Inappropriate

This post contains content that a reasonable person would consider offensive, abusive, or a violation of our code of conduct.

It’s Trolling

This post is inflammatory, extraneous or upsetting.

It’s Spam

This post is an advertisement, or vandalism. It is not useful or relevant to the current topic.

It’s a Real Life Threat

This post is threatening to a user.

Author has an inappropriate name

This post’s author has an inappropriate username.

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lol and in true GD fashion, this was flagged already.

I had a comment removed earlier for “trolling” when I was absolutely not, and then immediately after they 404d the whole thread anyway. I don’t really get it.

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probably because it’s telling people what to do. People don’t like to be told what to do. For the record, I did not report it, but it’s kind of funny at least 3 people did.

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What did you think was gonna happen??

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so people did the very thing that is against the rules that your pointing out using blizzards own rules. so they /reported spamming your thread and now will be subject to the very thing your trying to explain to people we arnt allowed to do. fun when people dont read the full context before trying to force people down. gotta love cancel culture specially when it backfires.

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They should never have removed the dislike button, of if they wanted to promote discussion without just a click of a button, they should have removed the like and dislike at the same time. Removing one and not the other just creates a kinda false positive echo chamber where positivity can easily be “voiced” with a mouse click but you need to explain yourself if you want to disagree, it’s crap.

11 Likes