What does the "Report Post" button do?

[Starwhip]

There have been times where I've wanted to use this but don't know how it works or what it will do. Could someone shine some light on it? Is it a bad thing, does it just flag the post, what happens?

[Secuas]

It's a button to report a post to the moderators to signal them that the one who posted it might have broken the forum rules.

[Starwhip]

Well, yeah, but does it pop up a message window or does it just flag it for moderation?

I don't want to try it for fear of infracting a user by accident.

EDIT:

Wait, I can report myself?

Hmm. Something makes me think that it's not just for rule breaking.

[Secuas]

Now you got me curious aswell....

[Norpo]

I'm guessing it's solely for rule-breakers, if only because the button looks... How do I put this? official.

I imagine it alerts moderators, as opposed to when moderators stumble upon the post it says "THIS PERSON HAS BEEN REPORTED"

When I reported someone, I didn't see anything different about the post I reported, so it must be solely moderator side.

[r4pt0r]

I'd think the reason it takes so long after you click it is that you are sending a notification to every moderator. they get online, see a notification, see "post XXXXXXXXXwas reported" then can click that to view thread.

Thats my guess.

Seems just like when you get a rep notification, but it gets sent to every moderator(thus why it seems slow).

[technicalfool]

You click the report button, and boom; a fresh thread is made in a moderators-only forum called the Reported Post Repository, with your name as the OP, a title of "Reported post by (your name)", the reported post content quoted in the message body, and whatever message you gave as to why you reported it.

If other people report the same post, their reports start appearing as replies to the thread with "this item was also reported by..." tagged at the top.

Edit: Oh yeah, it pings us all via email too. I keep forgetting about that.

HTH.

Edited December 19, 2014 by technicalfool

[vexx32]

Tech, I find it amusing that you had that report ready to take a screenshot of. That's literally the only indisputably non-sensitive report in the Repository that's been there in months.

Anyway, on topic... the Report Post button also sends an auto-generated email to all moderators' inboxes. Since my phone is linked to my Gmail account, I get notifications just about instantly. Don't always have the time to look at it right away, but I do get notified right away.

You could think of it as a kind of "APPEAL TO SUMMON MODERATOR(S)" button. It's a bit of a jackpot with exactly which moderator deals with it, but it will get dealt with (and, as a general rule, discussed in our little private IRC room if possible).

[r4pt0r]

almost reported you because you bookmarked "14 amazingly raunch"

I googled that and the only results are "14 amazingly raunchy pickup lines for girls" naughty naughty indeed.

edit: what the devil is the "fault vault"?

Edited December 19, 2014 by r4pt0r

[technicalfool]

edit: what the devil is the "fault vault"?

You wonder where those posts full of nothing but insults disappear to?

Well, wonder no more. Think of it as a training camp for new moderators: "This, this right here, is what you're supposed to smack with a hammer."

It can make for some pretty gruesome reading.

[r4pt0r]

oh that sounds most delightful.

[Guest]

Bad thing, that report button is so near rep button, and they are not labeled except browser's command line tip.

I was always making pause for few seconds before giving someone a +rep, because was I afraid of mixing up buttons and auto-triggering some punitive response to good person.

May be they can be moved further apart and colored?

[technicalfool]

Tech, I find it amusing that you had that report ready to take a screenshot of. That's literally the only indisputably non-sensitive report in the Repository that's been there in months.

Fortuitous timing, dear chap!

Also saved having to report one of my own posts just to give an example.

Bad thing, that report button is so near rep button, and they are not labeled except browser's command line tip.

I was always making pause for few seconds before giving someone a +rep, because was I afraid of mixing up buttons and auto-triggering some punitive response to good person.

May be they can be moved further apart and colored?

Oh, the button actions are quite different, so you'll know if you hit the wrong one. The rep button pops up a little div and a textbox. The report post button takes you to a whole new page and makes it quite clear you're about to report someone's post.

Edited December 19, 2014 by vexx32
Double posting? Tsk, tsk. Let's tidy that up. :)

[Starwhip]

Right, thanks, Vexx and Technicalfool. Really clears a few things up for me.

So let's make sure I've got this right: All it does is alert moderators to a post? As in, it doesn't do anything detrimental to the user?

If so, it could be used for thread close requests?

almost reported you because you bookmarked "14 amazingly raunch"

I googled that and the only results are "14 amazingly raunchy pickup lines for girls" naughty naughty indeed.

Yes indeed.

[technicalfool]

If so, it could be used for thread close requests?

Or indeed, move requests! Either way works. See also this thread.

[Norpo]

You wonder where those posts full of nothing but insults disappear to?

Well, wonder no more. -snip-

It can make for some pretty gruesome reading.

Why does that sound like the best idea i've heard in a LONG time?

Heck, if someone made a bot that just took lines from there, and posted it to youtube comments, we would have

1. a bot that should be disabled ASAP

and 2. the highest human rate ever recorded for a Turing Test, as it would be indistinguishable from normal human postings.

Anyways, to all wondering, the report button doesn't automatically send something to mods the second you send it, at least I don't think it does. It brings you to a page that basically says "Why are you reporting this post?" And then you supply a reason (e.g "getting past the curse filter"), and then you send it.

Don't worry, you'll know if you pressed the wrong button if you're trying to rep a post.

EDIT: Hm, I didn't know it could also be used for lock/move requests. Good to know; I always thought it was solely for infractions. (Maybe a way to make it so there's a little toggle, "request" or "infraction"? That way infractions can get higher priority. Or would this be impossible with the forum structure?)

[vexx32]

Yeah, all it does is grab our attention. There's no way we'd put users in charge of handing out punishments of any kind.

And yes, it can be used for close requests, and is used for such often enough.

EDIT: Ninja'd.

[Red Iron Crown]

Heh, I've reported my own post before to ask for a closed thread to be reopened. I just think of it as an easy way to get the attention of whatever moderator is around at the time.

[briansun1]

So, a "notice me senpai" button?

[Guest]

...

Oh, the button actions are quite different, so you'll know if you hit the wrong one. The rep button pops up a little div and a textbox. The report post button takes you to a whole new page and makes it quite clear you're about to report someone's post.

Thanks. When you see a button, there is always a question attached: Will it ask first or it will mess things right away?

Also, some big companies use another scheme: 10 reports equals 1 automatic permaban.

[goldenpeach]

You wonder where those posts full of nothing but insults disappear to?

Well, wonder no more. Think of it as a training camp for new moderators: "This, this right here, is what you're supposed to smack with a hammer."

It can make for some pretty gruesome reading.

You just woke up my curiosity...

I guess there's no way for us to see that fault vault(except becoming moderators(or hackinkg the database but that's not a very good way to do it )?

[technicalfool]

You just woke up my curiosity...

I guess there's no way for us to see that fault vault(except becoming moderators(or hackinkg the database but that's not a very good way to do it )?

Oh there's no way that's happening I'm afraid. Not without being a moderator or admin, or unless your name is HarvesteR.

Although if you want a good guess as to the contents of that forum, close your eyes for a moment. Now imagine endless pages of posts that look like a cross between 4chan and the Youtube comments section, with the occasional one of the more amusing spammers thrown in for good measure.

Got that image in your head? Great. You're about halfway to imagining the horrors that abound in the Fault Vault.

[stupid_chris]

So, a "notice me senpai" button?

That's exactly what it is. 10/10, best summary I've seen.

Also guys... last time I checked, weren't supposed to talk freely of the fault vault It's been a few months, maybe it's just me though

[Red Iron Crown]

Also guys... last time I checked, weren't supposed to talk freely of the fault vault It's been a few months, maybe it's just me though

You should report those posts that mention it.

[diomedea]

Also, some big companies use another scheme: 10 reports equals 1 automatic permaban.

Not here. Permabans are pretty rare, each one is debated at length, and applied only if the forum lead is convinced there is no other choice left. Quite often takes more than 10 reports to arrive there, but we look at the seriousness of the offences, not only the number.