How can Yahoo deal with people who not only ask abusive questions but people who answer them?

Question

I've come across a lot of abusive questions lately. I don't validate these people by answering them, I just click on "Report abuse" under the question. Maybe people who answer these questions should lose points not gain them. Maybe we as a "community" could help the Yahoo Team out and find a solution to this problem. For the most part, I've found this site to be very informative and helpful. Perhaps if a question is found to be abusive, anybody who answered it should lose points and not gain 2? What do you think?

The reason this question is in the "pets' category is because a lot of the "abusive" questions I've come across have to do with the abuse of animals. Personally I don't care if you find this question abusive, go ahead and "report me". I don't believe that a question regarding animal abuse is a form of censorship nor do I find these questions funny. If you want to ask a "funny" question, go to the appropriate category. When you go to "report abuse" and don't have to type in an explanation don't you think the question is probably abusive?

Answer 1

I agree with you in part. I think anyone asking abusive questions should be handled by Yahoo Answers team ASAP. But for the people that answer, not all of them are bad people. Some of the people that answer back to the rude questions are people who are trying to explain a new point of view to someone. Ignorance isn't bliss, and there are people who want to inlighten others on here. There will always be the type of people who like to cause problems for fun, and there will also be the type of people who like to add fuel to the fire, but there are some good people here too! I try to give my honest points of view to people when they say they "hate" something or someone, in hopes that they will at least consider a new view of things.
Anyways, if a question gets enough flaggs it is deleted, along with all the answers to that question. As far as 2 points...big deal! It's just two points.

Answer 2

Sounds like a form of censorship, I disagree with censorship. In a public forum, the public should be allowed a freedom to speak and voice there opinions. If this was a pay as you play site, yeah, sure, lock it up and remove the ads. It is kinda like Pay to View TV, you can watch TV in some countries for FREE!
Galileo once asked if the Earth was the actual center of the known universe, he was placed under house arrest for asking that. He was correct in asking because we now assume that the Earth is not the Center of the Universe as a statement of fact.
I am opposed to any censorship of any pubic discussion regardless of the content or subject. I know, don't yell fire in a theater , but on a public message board supported by ads, I feel that the right to speak openly on any subject. Or as was said many years ago,
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
That's the first amendment .of the Constitution of the United States. It kinda says its ok to talk about or ask questions about pretty much anything,
That is why people have fought and died for Liberty and Freedom. That is what I think.
I think.

Answer 3

I totally agree with you. I also report abuse. And then I put the message: this person should be banned!
I was also fed up with these horrible posts, and sometimes replies, that we have to read, so I put a post on their forum and I also sent an e-mail to them.
They definitely COULD and SHOULD do something about that. They can ban certain user names, or they can even delete their accounts. Whatever they decide to do, they should start doing something immediately. Or normal people will stopping coming to Y! Answers.

Answer 4

Yahoo should develop a program for Yahoo Mind Police and implement it. The mind police will make sure that any questions or answers that you object to will never appear here because the mind police will have sucked the thoughts that offend you out of the brains of people who are different from you.

Answer 5

why do you think you have the right to say this is abusive and this is not
maybe the person does not have the vocabulary to explain themselves
not everyone is as educated as you we cant tell what is right and wrong
sorry i dont want to be any part of your "community" if that is what you are going to do
it is people like you that are elitist that try to get something the way they want it and not the way it is intended
and yes i expect to be reported by you because i do not agree with your view point and that is sad
it is what makes the world livable

Answer 6

i agree with you to some degree..if i do find a question to be abusive ro just plan cruel..i will not answer the question, giving in to what that person wants..i will give my opinion about how screwed up that person is, and needs to seek some type of therapy for the fuc* up way some people think..and maybe depending on the type of question i will report a abuse..

Answer 7

Well you do realize that you cannot dictate others as to what they can and cannot ask?
In any case, if you do not like the question, don't answer it.
Don't click on the report abuse button just because you don't like the question, FYI that's called trolling.
If the question clearly discriminates, or incites hatred or makes use of hatespeech, or in any way CLEARLY breaches the yahoo community guidelines, then by all means please report said individuals, but don't "report" someone just because you don't like the question.

On a Different, but related note. You cannot penalize somebody for answering a question. That's absurd, as most of the people who answer these questions rarely realize that the question is in violation.

PS:To prove my point, I am now going to report your question, as it offends me.

Answer 8

Yahoo does have ways of dealing with things like this. You can report anyone that you think is abusive or insulting for one. That takes points away. Also you can always give the thumbs down on the answers which takes a point away.

Answer 9

Your question involves nothing less than asking "what can the authorites (Yahoo), do to censor someone if they pose a question that I or some group of people feel disagrees with my PERSONAL PREFERANCES."

And though Yahoo has somewhat outlined their "policies" as to what they consider "abusive" (to which you must agree before using this service), it still boils down to Yahoo and others wanting to impose their "personal preferances" on others (often only offending the minority of users in this forum, of course).

For Yahoo to bend further to the "personal preferances" of the more voicetrous users (even if in the majority), will only further condem this forum to the dark, slippery slope of dictatorial censorship.

Answer 10

It's hard to determine exactly what an "abusive" question is. I don't feel that people who answer questions in good faith (regardless of the content in those questions) should be penalized for doing so.