New OT flag

[Guest]

A post of mine was just flagged as OT despite being directly on topic to the thread. The user who flagged it has made no posts, and it confirms my fears about the potential for abuse of the flagging system. I've already been the victim of spiteful flagging, at least 10 of my 13 "spam" flags and both my "abuse" flags were vindictive and unwarranted, as confirmed by a moderator. The fact that there are now three negative flags that can be used by any user without validation, relying solely on goodwill, is concerning. Is there no way to screen posts that are flagged to check that the flagging is warranted before applying to the post and the reputation of the one being flagged? 

[Orion]

The thing is, this is a big forum and mods have a lot on their hands. So they cannot read through many posts to see if something was warranted or not. This is an organizational flaw and a problem with the lack of clear guidelines for mods. They basically have to use their own better judgement and sometimes just approve of things without looking into them too much.

My own post that got flagged as spam was simply referring to the date of birth of the actor, which earlier on had been on-topic, since the series production the thread was about held a series-themed birthday party for him. So to know the post was on a topic-related issue, the mod would have had to ask or go find that first discussion I referred to. While I do find my flagging unfair and based on a very flawed method, that method is all mods can go by at this point.

I think creating this reaction is a good idea, since many people tend to treat threads like a chat and go badly off-topic at times. And we cannot mark it all as spam or abuse, since abuse refers to personal attacks, not abuse of the forums. The thing is, Soompi does have many an immature and idiotic user. But if they cater to those users by halting their progress, they are building this place around said idiots, taking all the lovely users here with them. As long as they punish those who abuse any new function, said people will eventually learn. But the mods need something better to work with to be able to handle all of these responsibilities.

As for the button as it stands now, I do think it should go next to 'Flag', on the left-hand side. I almost flagged people as off-topic today, thinking it was 'Insightful'. Let's keep the "punishing" reactions on a separate side, so that we can interact with posts in peace and without fear of accidentally unleashing Hell on some innocent friend of ours.

[kdramafan469]

@Orion I gotta agree that the OT button itself should be moved to the left-hand side. Placing where it is now is definitely going to lead to many accidental flaggings. That being said, these moderators are just a joke if you ask me. In the last 2wks I have several post removed and spam and my spam count has gone from 0-40. I feel the removal of the post were unwarranted and just petty. It seems our forum had a new Moderator and many of the posters were all of a sudden getting spam increases and post removed for stupid things like being asked a direct question from another user and answering something like, "yes I saw that too". The reply was on topic but the moderator didn't read the original question so the post was removed as spam and off topic when it was neither. 
So I guess my point is they need to actually train the moderators in the proper procedure for the removal of post flagge as OT or Spam. Right now the only qualifications that are needed to be a mod is that you spend a lot of time here on Soompi. 

[Orion]

kdramafan469 said: @Orion I gotta agree that the OT button itself should be moved to the left-hand side. Placing where it is now is definitely going to lead to many accidental flaggings. That being said, these moderators are just a joke if you ask me. In the last 2wks I have several post removed and spam and my spam count has gone from 0-40. I feel the removal of the post were unwarranted and just petty. It seems our forum had a new Moderator and many of the posters were all of a sudden getting spam increases and post removed for stupid things like being asked a direct question from another user and answering something like, "yes I saw that too". The reply was on topic but the moderator didn't read the original question so the post was removed as spam and off topic when it was neither. 
So I guess my point is they need to actually train the moderators in the proper procedure for the removal of post flagge as OT or Spam. Right now the only qualifications that are needed to be a mod is that you spend a lot of time here on Soompi. 

[Guest knockblock]

I pose a question. What do you define as off-topic? Everyone might have a different definition of what is.

Something I want to see be addressed in the distant future; the posting of jokes. Threads have potential and they can be ruined by what posters do to or in the topic. In the past there were so much threads where users kill threads with joke posts. People often act sarcastic or try to be witty. This got old a long time ago. They give joke answers to questions or make joke responses/replies. Making things become a who can have the funniest comment, encouraging buffoonery. That's called off-topic banter.

Concurred about the rules. Soompi needs to build more rules to give the forum a chance to have quality threads and posts. We live in a time where the world is ruled with Smartphones and Tablets now. Every moment on the forum is more vital. There's the one particular rule on the Soompi main forum rules guideline that orders that content being posted is worth members' time to read. That applies heavily now.

[-jade-]

I think the off-topic button needs another rethink. I have seen many cases of mis-clicked in cases where soompiers are surfing the threads via their cell phones. I have a OT'd a few times in error, and I also OT a couple of posts in error because of the small screen of an iphone, for eg, vs a PC or ipad.
But in some other cases, posters do not understand or do not care to understand the 'meaning'/'comical' sense of the post and simply clicked OT. Then I see other posters having to 'beg' OT clickers to remove or rectify their OTs. And in the process, some feathers are ruffled.
Just goes against the grain of the general well-being of a free-discussion forum (within set rules) that soompi strives to be. 
Some suggestions:On the other hand, how about an IN-AWE button for insightful and awesome posts? a LOL-AWE button for being really awesome and funny at the same time? a CRY button and a SAD button as well?
Just IMO. Peace2all! 
PS: While having moved OT button to the left-hand-side was somewhat of a solution at that time, it proves to still be a problem.

[Sunset]

Many of my friends who use the mobile click on OT accidentally. They aren't even aware of it. 

Most of them gladly and politely remove them after I have messaged them. 

Others never check the message? Never responds to my messages? Or maybe is inactive and it never gets changed...

There should be a confirmation window=> Do you really wanna OT this post? ... that might warn people who are clicking the wrong button accidentally.