Suggestion for improving user experience when reporting posts

[GazetaBitcoin]

Recently (since a month or so), I started to get involved in reporting useless posts to moderators (spamming, shilling etc.). Given the fact that I reported a lot of posts lately (for example, I reported once ~1500 posts in less than 24h), I also encountered some difficulties, therefore I'm suggesting some improvements of this process, as it follows:

1. It would be nice to add a "Report" button in the page where all the posts / topics of an user are displayed

Why is that? Well, if you want to report multiple posts of a single user; then if you open the link "Latest posts of XXX"; then if you click on each post of the respective user to open the posts in different tabs, a bug and a problem may occur. When a post is opened in a new tab, it usually is the one from the top of the respective tab. However, this doesn't happen in all cases (this being the bug): sometimes, the new opened post / tab is not the one from the top, being instead displayed at the middle of the page or anywhere else. If such situation occurs, you may report the post from the top of the new tab, although this is not the post which should be reported. In some cases (if the post is good), then the report is bad. In other cases, the report can be bad for for other reason: for reporting a duplicate post (this being the problem, but also determined by the bug). How this can happen? Imagine that inside a topic an user has multiple posts and each one should be reported (e.g. continuous shilling of a site). In case multiple tabs are opened for each such post, if the mentioned bug occur and the posts opened in new tabs are not shown at the top part of the page, then you may select to report the post from the top of the new opened tab, but this post could be actually a post opened also in another tab. This situation (caused by the bug), may lead to have your report flagged as bad for being duplicate. So you report a shilling post (which should be reported); but you get in the situation of reporting it twice, although you didn't want this to happen.

Besides, this report button added to each posts / topics of any user would also make the reporting process more convenient, as it would be easier to directly click on a report button listed under each post / topic, compared to opening each post / topic in new tabs.

2. The reporting process is identified as posting and it follows the posting rules

When you open multiple posts in new tabs in order to report them all, you will be hindered by the time limit for consecutive reports. As I can understand, this message is the same for posting consecutive posts, and it is governed by the following rule:

Code:

waittime = 360;
if(activity >= 15)
        waittime = (int)(90 - activity);
if(activity >= 60)
        waittime=(int)(34.7586 - (0.0793103 * activity));
if(activity >= 100)
        waittime = max((int)(14-(activity/50)), 4);

However, this is a reporting process, not a posting process. Thus, if you are could be really fast at reporting multiple posts in a given time frame, you are stopped by the above mentioned code, which for some reason applies also during reporting posts, instead of being applied only for posting. Of course, the amount of time between consecutive reports gets higher, if the reporter's activity is low. In my case it is set at 8 seconds. And I received the respective error message many times, as I could make reports in a time lesser than 8 seconds. Now imagine how much would have to wait a member with 100 activity points or less. [/i]That member may have good intentions and help keeping the forum clean, but if he has to wait ages in order to report 100 posts he will not do it anymore.[/i]

In my case, to be more precise: for reporting all those 1500 posts in less than 24h, I needed 1500 (posts) x 8 (seconds between each report) = 12.000 seconds (200 minutes). Of course this was only the calculated time. In reality all becomes more slower due to various external aspects (change the message for a report / you close a tab accidentally then you have to reopen it etc.).

What I'm trying to say is that: if there was no time limit between consecutive reports, this entire process would be more convenient. Or, at least, if the restrictions would be decreased (e.g. 3 seconds between reports).

3. More mods are needed for analyzing the reported posts

As far as I could see, the mods can't keep the pace with the reporting process. I finished those ~1500 reports a few days ago but I still have almost 1000 unhandled reports. I believe there are too few mods inside the forum and they are overwhelmed with all their duties, which don't include only analyzing reports. This forum has over 2 millions of users, from which, if I remember well, more than 100.000 active. Even if all these users would make 1 (just one) report, the mods would be flooded with 100.000 reports. I'm not sure how many mods are there, but I think they are less than 30.

And, as I can see, they are too few for all their activities. For example, when I was in the frenzy of reporting, I was contacted by 3dOOM which kindly asked me to not report all the posts of each user, although all should be deleted, as I am opening too many reports.

That being said, I'd also suggest to increase the mods number.

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[Jawhead999]

You have discuss this problem here 1 and got answered by @o_e_l_e_o

[Rizzrack]

1. Use this https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5101823.0

2. Any website needs some limitations. It's just good practice besides any other benefit.

[GazetaBitcoin]

You have discuss this problem here

My suggestions are different than what I discussed / is discussed in the respective topic...read them again

1. Use this https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5101823.0

Wow, thank you! I had not any idea about the existence of this script! This is a great feature, thanks again!

[hosseinimr93]

In addition to cyrus script which suggested above by Rizzrack, you can use the script made by suchmoon. (Visit the link below.)
[HACK] One-click mod report, not for the faint of heart

Why is that? Well, if you want to report multiple posts of a single user; then if you open the link "Latest posts of XXX"; then if you click on each post of the respective user to open the posts in different tabs, a bug and a problem may occur.

There is no bug.
The post you open is shown at top of the page unless the post is located at bottom of the page(usually one of the last three posts of a page). It's impossible to scroll down, so such post shown at top of the page.

3. More mods are needed for analyzing the reported posts

My reports are usually handled in less than 24 hours. Sometimes they are handled in less than 1 hour. I am sure number of posts reported per day is much lower than your assumption.

[BIT-BENDER]

           Suggestion number 1

With that applied judging a bad or good post that need to be thrashed away by moderator can be inaccurate, before you report a Post or say it bad you should see the thread, see the OP and see what is being discussed, a post may be bad to you but good as to the thread.

[suchmoon]

3. What's the rush? They will handle those reports eventually. It probably wouldn't make much sense to hire more mods to deal with peak demand that may happen very rarely. However there have been some suggestions to make certain reports more urgent (e.g. malware) so that they don't get buried under a bunch of regular spam reports. That might be useful.

[Rizzrack]

Wow, thank you! I had not any idea about the existence of this script! This is a great feature, thanks again!

You're welcome. Use it wisely tho...
Most of the times context is essential and there is a clear lack of it just looking at the post history.

Also reporting a user's entire post history might not be the best course of action.
 - may conclude you are doing it just to improve your reports stats which "might" be considered spammish (IMHO at least)
 - you may find out later that the users are already banned or old posts buried somewhere.
 - a message "see user's post history" goes a long way.
 - there are threads where OP mentions / shills his website and the thread has 2-3-4 pages and some might leave it for the discussion's sake. But hey, that's just my 2 cents

[hosseinimr93]

3. What's the rush? They will handle those reports eventually. It probably wouldn't make much sense to hire more mods to deal with peak demand that may happen very rarely. However there have been some suggestions to make certain reports more urgent (e.g. malware) so that they don't get buried under a bunch of regular spam reports. That might be useful.

I'm not sure but I think some reports are handled very quickly and without any delay.
A few days ago, I visited a post offering credit card just after it was posted. I reported the post and it was deleted once I reported it.

I remember I visited two other topics offering credit card in the past few days. I visited both of them in less than 2-3 minutes after their creation and I tried to report them. I clicked on report button and I got an error saying the post does not exist. I think someone else reported them and they were handled quickly.

[Pmalek]

I like the first suggestion and it would be a useful addition.

I thought of something else. Why is it not possible to tick multiple posts in a thread and report them all for breaking the same rule?
For example, you find a thread with 3 off-topic replies. You tick all 3 and instead of opening a new tab for each report and writing 3 reports, you write only one report with links to those 3 off-topic replies.

[Rizzrack]

I like the first suggestion and it would be a useful addition.

I thought of something else. Why is it not possible to tick multiple posts in a thread and report them all for breaking the same rule?
For example, you find a thread with 3 off-topic replies. You tick all 3 and instead of opening a new tab for each report and writing 3 reports, you write only one report with links to those 3 off-topic replies.

Then use suchmoon's script as hoseinnimr93 said [HACK] One-click mod report, not for the faint of heart

It works as advertised: one click wonder :p

[Pmalek]

Snip

Is that how suchmoon's script works as well? I don't report that much. I think I have less than 400 reports to my name so I never tried the script. However I am not surprised that someone thought of the idea before me.

[Welsh]

I'm not sure but I think some reports are handled very quickly and without any delay.
A few days ago, I visited a post offering credit card just after it was posted. I reported the post and it was deleted once I reported it.

I remember I visited two other topics offering credit card in the past few days. I visited both of them in less than 2-3 minutes after their creation and I tried to report them. I clicked on report button and I got an error saying the post does not exist. I think someone else reported them and they were handled quickly.

Its situational, and not always how active the moderator normally is. For example, there's currently a situation which is going on outside Bitcointalk, and I imagine a lot of the moderators are effected by that. Work has either been non existent for a lot of people during the pandemic, but personally I've seen a huge increase due to being considered a key worker. So, I think its fair to say that a few moderators will be a little less responsive, and some reports will remain unhandled for a little longer than usual.

Of course, there's then other things that can come up in ones life which can reduced their activity for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, this can't be avoided in the majority of the cases, and if its temporary then an extra moderator might not be justified. 

I like the first suggestion and it would be a useful addition.

I thought of something else. Why is it not possible to tick multiple posts in a thread and report them all for breaking the same rule?
For example, you find a thread with 3 off-topic replies. You tick all 3 and instead of opening a new tab for each report and writing 3 reports, you write only one report with links to those 3 off-topic replies.

It is odd, because moderators can tick multiple posts, and delete them. We are operating on a older version of SMF, and although its been heavily modified its still missing a few quality to life things that you would probably expect in modern software.  

[suchmoon]

Is that how suchmoon's script works as well? I don't report that much. I think I have less than 400 reports to my name so I never tried the script. However I am not surprised that someone thought of the idea before me.

Sort of. There is no option to check multiple posts and report at once, but you can report each post with one click. It does the actual report submission in the background and throttles to 4 seconds (configurable) between reports. You just need to pre-configuure the report comment (e.g. "low value post") that gets submitted when you click the button.

[Upgrade00]

I thought of something else. Why is it not possible to tick multiple posts in a thread and report them all for breaking the same rule?

This would be anice addition and would improve the reporting experience. A workaround can be made using the report comment. If you wish to report multiple replies in a thread, you could past the link to those replies when reporting one of them. AFAIK, there is no limit to the amount of characters that can be used in a report comment.

This could also be used in the case of a user's post history if you are not comfortable using external scripts. You suggest the mod go through the post history, making it easier by pointing out the specific pages you think deserve attention.

[GazetaBitcoin]

In addition to cyrus script which suggested above by Rizzrack, you can use the script made by suchmoon. (Visit the link below.)
[HACK] One-click mod report, not for the faint of heart

Thank you, hosseinimr93, I didn't know about this script as well. I'll try it!

There is no bug.
The post you open is shown at top of the page unless the post is located at bottom of the page(usually one of the last three posts of a page). It's impossible to scroll down, so such post shown at top of the page.

Uhm...this may be what happened...but I am not sure though. I'll keep investigating it, but thanks for the tip.

You're welcome. Use it wisely tho...
Most of the times context is essential and there is a clear lack of it just looking at the post history.

Yes, I fully agree with that.

[actmyname]

In addition to cyrus script which suggested above by Rizzrack, you can use the script made by suchmoon. (Visit the link below.)
[HACK] One-click mod report, not for the faint of heart

Thank you, hosseinimr93, I didn't know about this script as well. I'll try it!

I recommend (re)hacking it to add in a few particulars that are missing from the original:

1) priority text within reports (e.g. [P1], [P2], etc. prefixes)

• I order it from 1 (malware) being maximum priority to 5 (2+ bumps/day) being minimum priority

2) page-wide report for spam


Hopefully you won't need to use change #2 often but odds are, it probably will come to that point if you decide to take a look at 98%+ of users' profiles and 99%+ of pages from spam megathreads. I know moderators probably get sick of my reports too, which is why I inserted my priority system for better filtering.

[Rikafip]

1) priority text within reports (e.g. [P1], [P2], etc. prefixes)

I know moderators probably get sick of my reports too, which is why I inserted my priority system for better filtering.

So this actually works, inserting prefixes so mods can prioritize reports? If yes, that's great!

Just one question, since I report posts on the regular basis and would like to include that when reporting: how do you grade those reports? I guess posts with malware links are top priority, and  general spam in altcoin section very low, but how about the others? (posts with referrals, consecutive posts etc)


Since OP suggested few changes, there is one I would like to see and might make reporting easier for those that are just starting - to remove that requirement of 300 good reports in order to get access to report history. If it's not matter of some tehnical reason why it's not available for everyone, why make such restriction?

[GazetaBitcoin]

I know moderators probably get sick of my reports too, which is why I inserted my priority system for better filtering.

I totally understand you lol. I think it is a great idea this prioritization.

Since OP suggested few changes, there is one I would like to see and might make reporting easier for those that are just starting - to remove that requirement of 300 good reports in order to get access to report history. If it's not matter of some tehnical reason why it's not available for everyone, why make such restriction?

I thought about that too, but, somehow, I forgot to add it in the OP. I also don't understand the 300 good reports "barrier".


Additionally, I remembered also another suggestion which I forgot to mention in the OP: maybe there should be more resolutions for the reports, not just "good" and "bad". For easier understanding of the bad reports, maybe these could be classified in more types: one of them could be "duplicate". Another status could be "will not handle" - this can be used for those reports which, for one reason will never be handled.

Besides, maybe the mod's username could be added for each solved report. Thus, in case of bad reports, the reporters could ask the mod why the respective report was considered as bad. This way, the reporters would also understand why some reports are considered as being bad.

For example, I reported several shilling of some members and all the reports were good. Then I reported the exact type of posts of other members and all were marked as bad. Thus, as a reporter, I'm wondering: why was post X considered good and post Y was considered bad, if both have the same pattern?

[o_e_l_e_o]

1) priority text within reports (e.g. [P1], [P2], etc. prefixes)

• I order it from 1 (malware) being maximum priority to 5 (2+ bumps/day) being minimum priority

Have you had any feedback from the moderators about this? Is this something that they find useful and pay attention to?

I am also cognizant that my reports for more serious offenses such as malware or selling illegal good/services are being buried in among lots of reports I make for straightforward spam. Given that almost all my spam reports have the exact same report comment, I figured it would be easy enough for the mods to see the more serious reports stand out, but I'd be happy to implement a priority system like that if it is useful for the mods. I have no idea which mod or mods most frequently handle my reports though.