Kinja Flags - What are they and how to use them

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
11/03/2014 at 14:18 • Filed to: Rules of the Road

If there is one thing we can count on with Gawker media its change. They LOVE to change things, sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better. On the issues of the latter, the tech boffins rowing quietly and confidently in the bowels of the great ship have given us another tool to help keep our little world over here neat and tidy.

FLAGS

You may have noticed a new option in your drop down menu for comments

WHAT IT DOES

Flagging a comment notifies the moderators of the blog (and only that blog)

As moderators then have 3 options

Dismiss - Same thing your dismiss button does

Block - Removes and blocks that username from THE BLOG IN QUESTION (note, Oppo moderators can't help you anywhere but Oppo)

Clear - Removes the flag and restores the comment to normal

WHAT ARE FLAGS FOR:

Dealing with spam. Engaging it is pointless and dismissing it leaves the username in tact to do it again. Flag and then dismiss.

Reporting violations of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Rules violations are ugly and no one likes them; flagging is a clean and hassle free way of reporting it when it does happen.

WHAT FLAGS AREN'T FOR:

Dismissing a comment you just don't like that was not replied to you personally. This is the internet, and you are going to disagree with people, we trust you are mature enough to handle that.

Singling out a user you don't like that isn't breaking the rules.

It goes without saying that abusing the tools (like flags) also carries its own consequences, so don't do it.

On the topic of consequences: Moderation issues happen and they happen to people we have strong feelings about and the decisions to act on these issues brings strong feelings also and we understand that. The worst and most long lasting effect of these issues, however, seems to be the ripple effect that it has on the community. One thing that I think we can all agree on is that the drama that can occur during and after an incident involving the rules is no good for anyone and a drag on Oppo as a whole. Quietly flagging an issue, in addition to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for timely matters is the best way to deal with these issues. Dramoppositelock is the last sub blog we need.

On that note I would also like to issue a general plea at this time that when things do go down, that we refrain from filling Oppo up with confessions, rants, defenses and detraction as well as the "whats going on? what happened?" posts and the "move along" posts. If you must you must, but lets try not to, also if you must, bear in mind that we have rules against shit stirring and calling out Oppo so be careful in that moment of passion.

We reiterate that we want you to be able to self govern Oppo to be civil and interesting without going all high school drama all over it and that we trust you to do it. With that being said, we ask you to consider the following set of questions in regard to your use of this power upon meeting a disagreeable comment.

Can you ignore it? Then do so.

Is it irrelevant and it bothers you? Dismiss it.

Is it irrelevant and/or harassing? Flag and then Dismiss it.

Is it requiring immediate attention from the mods? Flag, Dismiss and email/notify.

I can't emphasis enough how important the first 2 are. It's my opinion that part of what makes Oppo great is that we can trust each other to do the right thing.

DISCUSSION (33)

ACESandEIGHTS > HammerheadFistpunch
11/03/2014 at 14:23

Neat post. Have they gotten rid of the gray yet?

HammerheadFistpunch > ACESandEIGHTS
11/03/2014 at 14:25

As far as I know its still a thing.

Leadbull > HammerheadFistpunch
11/03/2014 at 14:32

Can I flag myself?

Edit: yes. Carry on.

ttyymmnn > Leadbull
11/03/2014 at 14:45

Only in the privacy of your bunk, please.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > HammerheadFistpunch
11/03/2014 at 14:46

Thank you. The last few paragraphs of this were especially needed.

jariten1781 > HammerheadFistpunch
11/03/2014 at 14:49

So if you want the final word in an argument you can flag your own post and no one can reply until the mods clear it?

New ways to win.

Leadbull > ttyymmnn
11/03/2014 at 14:51

Ok, I'll try to keep it at half staff when I'm out in public.

HammerheadFistpunch > jariten1781
11/03/2014 at 14:52

1. we are still looking into how it affects the post, it may have changed since I drafted this

2. You realize if you flag your own comment its easier for a mod to take corrective action on you right?

3. I realize you might be joking. I hope you are joking.

jariten1781 > HammerheadFistpunch
11/03/2014 at 14:56

Of course I'm joking...I wouldn't be surprised, if it's implemented as described, with people abusing it in that way though.

If I were serious I'd have just made a burner to abusively flag my own 'final word' posts with and not told anyone :P

HammerheadFistpunch > jariten1781
11/03/2014 at 14:58

Turns out it doesn't work that way, possibly for the reasons you brought up. It only blocks YOU the flagger from commenting. I will update the post.

ttyymmnn > Leadbull
11/03/2014 at 15:31

No waving, please.

Leadbull > ttyymmnn
11/03/2014 at 15:39

But what if it's breezy?

BKosher84 > ACESandEIGHTS
11/03/2014 at 16:22

Still a thing unfortunately.. I think this and The Vane are the only two "blogs" I'm not in the greys for.. Which means all the other sites, where my insightful (Most of the time) comments are never seen.. Blah!

jkm7680 > HammerheadFistpunch
11/04/2014 at 10:08

So NSFW in comments is acceptable to flag?

HammerheadFistpunch > jkm7680
11/04/2014 at 10:58

yeah, I think so. Unless its a NSFW thread and its encouraged and welcome, NSFW should not be in a comment. Worse case we see it and decide its not bad and nothing happens.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > HammerheadFistpunch
11/18/2014 at 12:46

Kinja'd!!!

Maldonado on track. Red flags!

scoob > HammerheadFistpunch
11/18/2014 at 12:49

But if you dismiss a flagged comment, won't it disappear?

HammerheadFistpunch > scoob
11/18/2014 at 12:52

yes, but still shows up in the flagged que. Don't flag and dismiss unless they require moderator attention. if they are just out to harass, then yeah, flag and dismiss and we will check it out, but I've seen a lot of stuff that's was just "I don't like your point of view....Flagged".

scoob > HammerheadFistpunch
11/18/2014 at 12:53

Understood, thanks!

GhostZ > ACESandEIGHTS
11/18/2014 at 13:07

Ugh, the graaaay.

Bandit > HammerheadFistpunch
01/29/2015 at 10:42

Good to know, thanks!

505Turbeaux > Bandit
01/29/2015 at 10:44

btw I totally didnt repost this as a knock on you, just thought it was a good time to remind people!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HammerheadFistpunch
01/29/2015 at 10:45

Kinja'd!!!

Mandatory ignore-topic-of-post-ERMAHGERD WERGERNS reply

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > HammerheadFistpunch
01/29/2015 at 10:46

Whatever you do, do it in moderation.

Wait, what?

505Turbeaux > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
01/29/2015 at 10:51

I love this pic because it is the same EXACT invicta I have

TheHondaBro > HammerheadFistpunch
01/29/2015 at 10:53

BUT I started working at the Google and made $420blazeitfaggot a month! My neighbor already bought a brand new Ford GT! Come register at

www.google.com

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch
01/29/2015 at 10:58

You're a God among men. Did you ever figure out what Sly was driving on that album cover?

As Du Volant > HammerheadFistpunch
01/29/2015 at 11:16

Joke's on you, I'm about to be rolling in cash from my new career with Google.

DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars. > HammerheadFistpunch
01/26/2017 at 13:24

OK so recently I’ve had a couple comments “instantly” flagged and I’m not spamming or anything, and not even being particularly annoying ;-) Any ideas what could cause that?

DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars. > HammerheadFistpunch
01/26/2017 at 13:26

the gray just mens you’ve never commented on that particular group before Kina/OP, etc and have to be approved which I don’t think is a bad thing as it keeps some sense of making sure people are using the comments section rightly (i.e. not spam, etc).

DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars. > As Du Volant
01/26/2017 at 13:26

if this wasn’t funny, and most of us get sarcasm, I feel it would have been tagged. ;-)

HammerheadFistpunch > DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars.
01/26/2017 at 13:30

I went and looked at the flags and didn’t find any of your comments, was it here on or Jalopnik?

DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars. > HammerheadFistpunch
01/26/2017 at 14:24

Thanks for checking, I think it was a fluke, because when I went back I saw every comment flagged- a 3rd refresh fixed it. The other 1 that showed a bold flagged next to it from yesterday magically got the flag removed. :)