Feature Request: "Report Post"

[SamsaraTAS]

Over the past year, we've had a number of high-profile forum bans and particularly major scenes of drama, and as a result I've heard from a good few people that the site isn't really being moderated as effectively as it should be. Having the ability to report forum posts would be a godsend here: The moderation process would be streamlined, it would actually give people who only stick to the forums a method of reporting posts, and it would bring back the people who may have lost trust in the community over what they perceived to be ineffective moderation. It might even dissuade drama itself by giving people an outlet to express their concern over a storm brewing without feeling forced to contribute to it directly.

[adelikat]

I love this idea

[Masterjun3]

This could technically be implemented by assigning a certain "Reported Posts" topic in the staff forum, and then whenever someone reports a post TVA would make a reply in there. Other ways are possible, it depends on how staff wants to receive reports.

[ThunderAxe31]

I also support this idea. I'd like to just suggest to give the ability to report only for people that have at least made some posts.

[adelikat]

I like the idea of it being a thread and TVA making posts. I would suggest that the TVA post include the contents of the post at the time it was reported, in addition to a link (in case it had been changed since).

But it would be nice to know if a post had been addressed (either by modding, deleting, or deciding it was okay). If I'm browsing the thread, I'd like to know what posts still need some action taken. Any ideas on how we would want to do that?

[vadosnaprimer]

Have some kind of "Resolved" button and show who hit it.

[adelikat]

So, if we leverage TVA and special forums, then at the very least we just need a new column on posts, that indicates it's "mod status" that can be reported or resolved (maybe other statuses in the future). TVA could use a special topic for reported posts and a special one for resolved.

[adelikat]

Here's my current thinking: -ForumPosts table has a flagged field column added. For brevity, it is a string field with a reason -Provide a Report button on posts for only logged in users (need logged in user to know who it was and prevent it being a bot) -Report button takes the user to a UI with a dropdown with common reasons, and an other with free form text field, the result goes to the flagged field -Forum page will have a Reported button with a badge if there are reported posts, for users with permissions to edit forum posts -Reported button will take them directly to the post -Editing a forum post will have the flagged reason shown, a mod should clear this field as part of moderating the post

Sound like a plan?

@SamsaraTAS @MemoryTAS @vadosnaprimer @Masterjun3

[vadosnaprimer]

Sounds good, just want to add it should be displayed who resolved it.

[adelikat]

Ah good point. That would require an additional column.

[Masterjun3]

ForumPosts table has a flagged field column added. For brevity, it is a string field with a reason

Does that mean a post can only have a single report? And either the first report wins, or people's reports keep overwriting each other?

[adelikat]

That's a good point and wrecks my whole idea, dang

[YoshiRulz]

Another simpler implementation would be to have the Report button open the PM page pre-populated with a moderator and the post's ID/link.

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See also #95 re: reporting pubs (that's more for corrections).