Do you think people cheat on Yahoo Answers?

Question

I was wondering if people used 2 ids...one to ask the question and one to answer. Then they always pick their answer.
Does Yahoo Answers track IP add. to make sure this doesn't happen or maybe notice it.

Answer 1

There have been people who have been identified as doing this. Most of the time participants find these people themselves by looking at someone's best answers list and the seeing many awarded by the same asker. After a quick email to [e-mail] the team looked into these cases and suspended all the accounts of those who were selecting their own answers as best just to gain points.

It's sad because although Yahoo! Answers points are fun to earn, they're no replacement for the new people you can meet and interesting new things you can learn through real participation.

Answer 2

I thought of that and I have actually used that as an answer to somebody else's question, and the question was "what is the best way to get to level 7?" Please feel free to click on my user name and look at that particular answer.

To further extend my answer, whenever your answer is rated (the question is resolved already), you get one point. And when the question is a undecided question and if the voters choose your answer as the best answer, you get 10 points. However, here is the kicker, certain questions do not get votes too often and the questions are only open for voting for a limited amount of time, if you open a different account and vote all your answers as the best answers. When voting period is done, even if only 1 vote has been cast, as long as no other answers were voted as the best answer, your answers will be considered as the best answer and you get 10 points.

But at the same time, you lose points by asking questions. You lose 5 points per question. You get 3 points for choosing a best answer. So, altogether, you are losing 2 points per question. When a new user signs up, he gets 100 points, which can allow him/her to ask 20 questions, which will generate 200 points (20 x 10). After that, the asker ID only has 60 points left, which only allow him/her to ask 12 questions. As you can see, the more questions you ask, the more points you lose. Just imagine how many accounts you have to open just to get points, it is going to be a big headache just to upkeep with every account.

So, my conclusion is, whoever that actually bothers to do stuff like that, he/she has too much time on his/her hands.

And you know what, this may be the reason why Yahoo takes your points away if you ask questions. This, in a way, can prevent people with multiple accounts to jack up their points.

Answer 3

Thats called Game Pointing and I have been accused of that several times. I do not see the point of wasting time doing that, but yes, it is possible for people to do that. Yahoo will not do anything about it because I think they realize it would be pathetic for someone to actually do that so they give people benefit of doubt since this is a "Help" Site.

You are also allowed to vote in your own questions that you have answered that is up for voting. People say thats cheating, others say its not.

I do not see what the point is of doing that when I am usually on this site to help people out. Either my answers work or do not work. I dont normally answer opinionated questions, but questions like these, I would answer from experience.

If your friends pick your answer, is that considered cheating too? There are a lot of opened questions regarding cheating on this site, but I dont let it get to me. You know the truth so dont let it spoil your fun on this site. I have a lot of references who have used my answers and chose me as best. Some featured users have mentioned my name because I have helped them out. Hence, I never let those accusers get to me.....I think its jealousy.

Answer 4

Wow, I guess it's possible, but that would be such a huge pain in the butt! I know Yahoo! has a policy against people using two IDs, but I'm not sure how far they go to enforce that. Great question; I hadn't thought about that a lot.

Answer 5

That's a lot of unnecessary work. I don't think too many people would do that. Besides, I've only been a part of this for 4 days at most and I already have 2 best answers!

Answer 6

I never thought about that, but since I have been answering questions I've been picked for best answer twice, and I have yet to come up with a good question to ask. So it is safe to say I have never done it.

Answer 7

I don't see how that would save time. You can answer anybody's question, and you can only answer one once. I think it'd be a waste of time and energy. If one wanted to cheat, they'd just give random responses to questions. I've seen people do this. I don't.

Answer 8

I don't think yahoo really cares that much. But I'm sure there are some people who do

Answer 9

Its a good thing that having the most points means something. Oh wait, nevermind

Answer 10

m'mmm you brought nice concept... but i don't think. yahoo does this... recording Ip of all answerers... if they had then i think.. They'd informed use... as like in yahoo Chat room!