Reporting

[Roarey Raccoon]

Greetings....Scum! Ahem, allo peeps, I'd like to have a bit of a discussion with you guys about reporting things to staff. I'll give everyone the benefit of the doubt that you're aware of the report function on the forum, using which you can alert staff to members who are breaking rules or topics that are getting out of control. You can find the report button below every post to the right-hand side and yaddayaddayouknowthisshit.

My concern is not that I believe you guys to be simply too stupid to use the report function, because I know that not to be the case, but rather I am concerned about any factors that make you decide against reporting issues to members of staff. I'd like to get some feedback from you in this topic but before that I'd like to make a few points.

Firstly, reports are very helpful for the staff, allowing them to find out about incidents that they could otherwise easily miss. By reporting something the staff come a-running to check that shit out, all thanks to you.

Only staff can see who reported something, so there's no risk of getting backlash from other members for reporting something, unless you like to post in topics telling people you have just reported something. In those cases I can only assume you want people to know?!

Reporting something does not make you a dick. You are helping not just the staff but the members too when you use the report feature; you are contributing to the SSMB being that little bit freer from garbage.

So with those few things said, feel free to let us staff know how you feel about reporting and why you choose or choose not to use it.

[Blue Blood]

I always wonder, what should a report actually contain? Normally I try to link to duplicate topics, but should we also say whether we just think a post is spam, trolling etc?

[-Robin-]

Last time I used the report function on another forum, I was ridiculed by the moderator the reports were going to in a public post, where she disclosed my name. While I maintained a "U mad sister?" mentality toward the mod and the ordeal, I refrained from using the report function to prevent that from happening again, choosing to let things go with the flow.

So yeah, while I do support a report function, past experience disallows me from exercising the function myself. It left a very distasteful impression on my 18 year old mind. :V

Blue Blood, when I made reports, I just outlined what rules the post violated, according to the rules of the forum or the subforum. Nothing more, nothing less.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Razor Wind

[Blue Blood]

Last time I used the report function on another forum, I was ridiculed by the moderator the reports were going to in a public post, where she disclosed my name. While I maintained a "U mad sister?" mentality toward the mod and the ordeal, I refrained from using the report function to prevent that from happening again, choosing to let things go with the flow.

So yeah, while I do support a report function, past experience disallows me from exercising the function myself. It left a very distasteful impression on my 17 year old mind. :V

[Badnik Mechanic]

I always wonder, what should a report actually contain? Normally I try to link to duplicate topics, but should we also say whether we just think a post is spam, trolling etc?

[Roarey Raccoon]

I always wonder, what should a report actually contain? Normally I try to link to duplicate topics, but should we also say whether we just think a post is spam, trolling etc?

[Eternal EX]

I appreciate having a report button. For a very long time I tried to avoid it and BS mod (which later I got chewed out by) or just leave the topic and go do something else. But as of lately I've been using it a lot more. It's like telling a GOOD cop that someone is doing something wrong and you might want to take a look at it. And well the results majority of the time turn out good.

Thanks SSMB staff for giving us the REPORT button.

[Flyboy Fox]

My advice for filing a report would be the simple age-old adage KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). You don't need to write an essay. If there's an issue with the post you've reported and you've included a keyword or two (spam, trolling, duplicate etc), a mod will be able to tell what's up. If you think the mods need more specific information pertinent to the issue you're reporting it, feel free to include it, but normally a long explanation isn't needed.

The main instance where additional information is helpful is when reporting a duplicate topic. I've had a few reports which say "duplicate topic" but then I can't find the original, so if you know a topic is duplicate, a link to the original topic is very useful and appreciated (:

[Eternal EX]

the simple age-old adage KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

[-Robin-]

Protip: The mods here aren't dicks and treat you with respect.

That will not happen here. Ever.

Hopefully so. That forum was the first one I ever signed on to, so I intended to leave a lasting positive impression (first time on the "actual" internet and all that) by following the guidelines. After the ordeal I got the impression that "Wow, mods in fact hate this report thing. Best to keep a note of that for later."

But then I discovered that the forum was filled to the brim with jackasses, so w/e.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Razor Wind

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

I'm very wary of contributing anything at all to this topic under the circumstances, but:

doesn't really matter what the report says

There's a very recent and very public incident that disproves this right off the bat, you might know which one I mean.

That incident was caused almost exclusively by the content of report messages over a prolonged period. Like any other medium, it is possible to abuse the system, so learn from what I learned the hard way and remember to keep a civil tongue in reports; don't use them as venting grounds for your frustrations because it begins to wear the staff down or worse it can be interpreted as a personal attack on the staff, and not only is that going to make a staffer's bad day even worse, it's completely counter-productive to what you wanted the make the report for in the first place. If you wouldn't post it, don't put it in a report either.

If you need to vent, vent off-board, and if you actually do have a problem with the staff, there are procedures in place for that already. Most importantly, you need to remember that even if you feel a certain member is literally taunting the staff in the face with a "haha! you can't punish me I'm being a dick but still technically following the rules haha!" attitude, it's not your judgement call to make; it's the staff's. It's a very good reason to go vent in private though, or even take a break for a day or two.

On my part, I went through the following procedure when making reports in the past. This procedure may actually be unhelpful so it is spoilered:

1) Has this post broken the rules? If so, a report is welcome.

2) Collectively when taken in context with the rest of this topic, is this post the exact moment where the thread becomes spammy, even if taken on its own the post is fine or only trivially infringing? If so, report this post and be clear in the note. Do not report the rest of the posters involved; this keeps report spam to a minimum.

3) Does the poster appear to be being deliberately aggravating and has been doing this for a while, preferably in the same thread without outright breaking a rule? Send a report, wait and see.

The logic behind this method was simple: if someone appears to be causing trouble rather than positively trying to contribute to the community, you probably want to warn the staff that something's up. Ironically it backfired pretty loudly on me because I became a problem myself completely by mistake. XD

Hopefully this procedure is actually fine, but I honestly can't tell anymore. However, a comment was made recently about my sending too many reports, so I would like some clarification on this too.

[Pelly <3's U]

Ehhh I'm weary about scaring people too much over being punished for reporting. I've always said there's been only 2 (actually maybe 3) members I've seen in my years of modding who have really abused the function.

Also I completely relate with you guys about not knowing what to type. I actually never made a report before I was staff because I was like 'I have no idea what to say and I'll look dum'. After becoming a mod, I realized how helpful reports can be and how little you really have to worry about what you say. Just saying 'spam' or 'this is bad' or something is fine. Explaining things further is fine too. It's just a matter of what you want. Say nothing if you really want! It's a free for all!

Just please......do not report the same post over and over again and do not report every consecutive post in a topic when the mod visiting that topic will have seen all of them anyways. That's almost the only problem I've ever had with reports.

Also if I go into a topic or see something bad on the forum, that I know clearly everyone has seen but no one has reported (especially if everyone is joining in/trying to mod it themselves) , it just makes me that much more frustrated and likely to more harshly punish people. It's just how it goes ~

[Raxz]

Also if I go into a topic or see something bad on the forum, that I know clearly everyone has seen but no one has reported (especially if everyone is joining in/trying to mod it themselves) , it just makes me that much more frustrated and likely to more harshly punish people. It's just how it goes ~

On that note I don't know how many people are willing to admit it, but part of the reason some topics like that don't get reported is because people think it's too lulzy to report and want to see how long it'll go on before it gets noticed.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Raxz

[Remy]

You don't even have to say anything if you want. We're moderators, we can usually judge what's wrong with a post, we just need to see it :L short and simple aye.

[Pelly <3's U]

On that note I don't know how many people are willing to admit it, but part of the reason some topics like that don't get reported is because people think it's too lulzy to report and want to see how long it'll go on before it gets noticed.

[Stacy]

I would use it more but to be honest I find hard to explain myself and sometimes I feel I am just wasting your time.

[mclaren6]

Reporting is a good feature, But I always hesitate from using it, I have no idea why,

I just noticed, there's a option to report myself lol

[Flyboy Fox]

I just noticed, there's a option to report myself lol

[mclaren6]

It might seem silly to want to report yourself, but it's useful for when you've accidentally double-posted or posted in the wrong topic and want it removed, or if you're requesting that your own topic be locked for whatever reason (:

[Marcello]

A question, the report window says this:

Please note: The moderator will be made aware of the link to the page you are reporting.

[Sean]

No we see the post that's being reported.

[Gaming Misfit]

The Report Feature is indeed a very helpful feature. I haven't ever used it for a post on the boards (at least I don't recall it) because often the moderators here are so up and at it. They actually interact with their community unlike other forums where moderator posts are simply "Locked" and "Back on topic, insignificant mortals"

However I have at one point used the Report button on a Personal/Private Message I recieved from someone who carried over a grudge from somewhere else. I was surprised at how fast the response was. Within about 30 minutes Diz was PM'ing me on the issue and later on Pelly, so it's definitely a helpful feature and I can confirm that the moderators do indeed pay attention to it. Had I not sent a report nothing would've happened and said user would still be bothering me.

[Eternal EX]

However I have at one point used the Report button on a Personal/Private Message I recieved from someone who carried over a grudge from somewhere else. I was surprised at how fast the response was. Within about 30 minutes Diz was PM'ing me on the issue and later on Pelly, so it's definitely a helpful feature and I can confirm that the moderators do indeed pay attention to it. Had I not sent a report nothing would've happened and said user would still be bothering me.

FACT. SSMB mods are here to help prevent Cyber bullying!

[Gaming Misfit]

FACT. SSMB mods are here to help prevent Cyber bullying!

Lol. True story, bro.