Help! - Someone Easily Pressing Just One Silent Flagging Button to Make Fellow Postcrossers Feel Small ?! :(

[clubpostcards]

@RalfH

Actually, BIG NO !

I did not know at all my post in the certain serious discussion thread was seriously considered as off-topic by someone.

I started that post of mine saying like this :

" I hope this is still on topic. "

And I wrote about my certain negative Postcrossing experience which I thought co-relates to the main topic somehow, to share my experience with the readers. So, no provokation of any sort intended for anyone.

So, all in all, I was shocked more or less when I saw this anonymous Postcrosser flagged that post of mine…

Anyway, to be a bit more clearer for you to understand, I added additional sentences by editing that post of mine and actually asked the anonymous Postcrosser who flagged it as off-topic to explain why via private message. I actually even mentioned in that post flagging it is so unfair to me…

I did not edit any of the words that I previously wrote in that post. I actually just added a little message to the anonymous Postcrosser who flagged it because I could not stand his or her action.

[xxxyyy]

Yes, those go to the category “illegal” in my head, not only off topic. (If I’m remembering correct what I once saw.)

But flagging when “off topic” is background information or still related to topic, I don’t see the need.
Like in another thread, there is off topic now.

And I think I sometimes write “this might be off topic”. It’s not to annoy, it’s to tell, I know this is not fully on topic, but I feel there’s a reason why I write it, but still let’s not turn the whole conversation to be about that only.

[RalfH]

@clubpostcards

I did not know at all my post in the certain serious discussion thread was seriously considered as off-topic by someone.

I started that post of mine saying like this :

" I hope this is still on topic. "

So you had a reason to be afraid, that your post could be regarded as off topic, for otherwise the “I hope …” sentence would have been superfluous.

I did not flag any of your postings lately (and I cannot remember to have ever flagged any of your postings at all).

[cindycrazycatlady]

Calling that a provocation is going a bit too far.
These kinds of comments are very unkind in my opinion.

[nisnoopy3]

There is a first for everything.

I would ignored the Flag notification just knowing that there is always people who do not share the same view point as me. Whatever reason behind their action, I simply ignored.

[Wolfsmondfee]

Not sure why flagging is perceived so negatively.
I see it as pretty much the same as for example reporting a profile or non-postcard - something I want to have the admins have a look at and take appropriate action if required. After all, my personal judgement could be off mark.
Actually the opposite of confronting someone with my subjective opinion - getting a more obejective perspective, which I hope the mods have.

If you read through a few threads carefully, you can observe that there are members who will respond not respond gratefully to remarks about their behaviour, but with lengthy justifications or “whataboutisms” (“member A did it too and you didn’t tell them they were off topic”). So I would prefer to have moderators handle it.

I have never reported a profile or flagged a post for being off topic, but this is my understanding and it’s how I would do it if the need occurred.

[xxxyyy]

Isn’t this like saying “just don’t care about it” to the one who is bullied? (The op already told it made them feel small, so not a nice feeling, not how one should feel here and this shouldn’t be overlooked just because someone else doesn’t care if their posts are flagged without a reason).

To me, flagging a post just because different view point is fully wrong, and flagging without good reason is trying to silent and block/isolate a member.

[clubpostcards]

@nisnoopy3

Alright, that is you yourself. I can understand your cool stance on this flagging matter.

But as for me, while I speak for myself, I also care about people more or less who were flagged, like me, hence I wrote, Fellow Postcrossers, in the subject heading.

Those Postcrossers who flag so easily and silently as anonymous, as I mentioned above, are breaking Postcrossing guidelines, to be friendly, polite and respectful.

If I may ask, what do you think about it ?

This is something that I cannot ignore at all…

[Wolfsmondfee]

@xxxyyy

To me, flagging a post just because different view point is fully wrong, and flagging without good reason is trying to silent and block/isolate a member.

If this is the case, I absolutely agree.

But I don’t think this is the most common case to be honest.

Because to the mods, your flag is not anonymous, so you put yourself on the radar too.
If the mods agree with the flag and action is taken, there was something justified about it I would say.
And if they don’t see the flag as justified, it doesn’t reflect negatively on the person who was flagged. But if it happens often, it reflects on the flagger. (I have moderated in a big forum for many years, and we even took the flagging option away from some troublemakers. If they really had a valid reason to complain, they needed to get in touch withe forum owner.)

[xxxyyy]

@Wolfsmondfee

Not sure why flagging is perceived so negatively.

I like your comparison with reporting a non-postcard.
But when you report the non postcard, it’s not public here. It’s handled “in silence”. If it’s thought it’s a postcard, it will get registered, maybe the card sender won’t know anything about this.

But now, when a message is flagged and hidden, it’s public.
Also, the message writer needs to “correct” it, or contact someone, that there is nothing wrong. So, it can happen that the one who does nothing wrong, suddenly the work is for them to do, and the flagger can stay anonymous and flag.

As a person who thinks I’m “innocent” until proven otherwise, this seems backwards, like yes, lets put those to jail, accuse of something, and they need to prove they didn’t do it. When in my head, if you accuse someone, you need to first have some prove, not just that you don’t like them, or they have different view point.

If the member feels really bad, even scared that they post is flagged, don’t know that they should edit, what to edit, and how/when, think it’s very severe (for example new), the post stayes flagged, and looks like it’s “wrong”.

I have few times written to the one whose post I flagged, and the reason, so they don’t feel some anonymous person does it to hurt them. Each post I have flagged I am ready to discuss it.

But I agree the part that moderators decide, it would be horror if members could just delete others posts

[Wolfsmondfee]

@xxxyyy

I have few times written to the one whose post I flagged, and the reason, so they don’t feel some anonymous person does it to hurt them. Each post I have flagged I am ready to discuss it.

I like this very much, and will be sure to do it this way if I need to flag a post where this fits. (So far I have only flagged stuff like advertisements or written side of postcards published).

[clubpostcards]

@Wolfsmondfee

One question from me for you now :

Have you yourself ever been flagged on the Postcrossing forum before ?

My guess now is never (unlike us above), but if yes, could you share your experience on it in this thread if you do not mind ?

Thank you.

[Izzy2018]

Flagging should be done if a post violates the site rules such as personally attacking another member etc, but not if one simply disagrees with the discussion or even if it’s slightly off topic (conversation generally returns to the main point). Sadly it’s become a tool for personal grievance

[RalfH]

In my opinion flagging as off topic does not necessarily mean that the post has to be deleted, it just means that the moderators are asked to have a look at it and then decide to either leave it as it is or move it to a thread, where it is on topic or delete the off topic part or - as last resort - delete the whole post.

[clubpostcards]

@RalfH

Please read my first post again before you comment, carefully, if possible.

I already mentioned that the post of mine was not offense at all to anyone.

So, what is the need to be checked by the very busy moderators ??

What I thought might be slightly off-topic in that post of mine, I also really thought it relates to the main point by the original poster in the serious discussion.

I just wanted to communicate in that thread by sharing my Postcrossing experience, but now I do know there are other Postcrossers who just want to delete some of my posts for whatever reason simply because they dislike them. Such Postcrossers just press the flag button and that is it.

[pcronn]

I think @RalfH was just speaking in general terms (correct me if I’m wrong!), since some members had been discussing the purpose of flagging, and when it should be used. I don’t think the comment was directed at your post, specifically.

@clubpostcards, did you intend the thread to discuss flagging in general, or just your specific situation? I can see how it could get confusing.

[clubpostcards]

@pcronn

Really ?
But he apparently has questions for me as in above.

[RalfH]

My post, that you refer to, does not refer to your first post, but to izzy2018’s post.

[clubpostcards]

@RalfH

I think your previous post refers to both mine and @Izzy2018 as we both are basically in the same boat, the same experience of being flagged suddenly. We share the “pain” more or less.

Anyway, thank you for trying to communicate with me, in English.

[RalfH]

No, it does not refer to any of your posts, for otherwise you would have got a notice that I replied to you.