do you think that anyone at yahoo ever pays any attention to the reporting that is done?

Question

a few weeks ago I sent them an email about a 10 year old girl who was on the site..questioning methods of suicide in a little too much detail for a child...I sent it as a violation with a note attached asking if they had anyway of intervening...I mean this child was talking about being depressed and how many pills would kill someone and how to locate the veins and arteries in her arms...in a number of really adult orientated frightening questions...and way more than one question...you know how sometimes you just get a feeling that this person is in real trouble? Of course I never heard anything from Yahoo and there is no reason that I should have...but what did they do...they removed her question as a violation...doesn't that sound a little inane? ...or is it just me?

Answer 1

I think I've seen that girl before too. But really, they can't do much.

Thanks for the link btw. It's very lovely. It's funny though...isn't called a hyphen instead of a dash?

Answer 2

I wouldn't worry too much about the suicidal in question. It sounds like another frustrated pre-teen with a sick sense of humor. Anyone who is that depressed is too depressed to submit questions on Yahoo Q&A.

As far as responding to abuse reports, I've seen them remove SOME of the ones I have reported, but yahoo can't be making that much money on the advertising to support sufficient staff to monitor everything all the time.

For example, yahoo would remove rascist statements against blacks, or anti-semite statements against Jews, those are illegal. But when it comes to the Catholic Church, it's open season. And SOME of yahoo's staff don't seem to know what "adult content" means.

Answer 3

Yeah, I get what you're saying. I know they won't do it, but I would very much like for Yahoo! Answers to list their company policy on such matters. Like, I want them to tell us straight up if they will be notifying the police in matters of potential extreme emergency or if they will willingly forward information to the authorities about possible child abusers, etc. If they took a strong stance that they are willing to do this, at the very least it might deter some of the sick postings on here. As for those who post and need some kind of true help, I'm afraid the most we can do for them is to give a most sincere answer in a way that we hope we can touch them and get them to think rationally. Sometimes I have e-mailed the person I was worried about and tried to follow up with them to be sure they sought some appropriate help, since this is really not adequate for that.

Answer 4

I don't know how much they could or would do. B the time they got the question it would be hard to trace it. Plus there is always the possiility that the person isn't really 10 but some adult just looking for attention. But I do agree that it would be good if osme things were looked into like the number of teeesn soliciting for sex.

Answer 5

I have seen questions and posts removed and users suspended. I think the staff does a good job of monitoring and responding.

Answer 6

i dont think they have any way of locating such a child.... i think it was inane on their part, but what can they do?? go to her home, bust down the door and get her? I dont think yahoo is responsible for her, and it may have been an adult just pullin your chain.

Answer 7

i do know that yahoo answers takes reports of this nature very seriously and would of made contact with that user. i think you did the right thing by reporting her and hopefully yahoo were able to help her.

just because you didnt hear back from yahoo doesnt mean they ignored your request. good luck.

Answer 8

they sent her an email telling her that she has violated one of the community guidelines, and they vaguely list the reason that you wrote and the note attached too. I've been reported once , i know what they say