Is anyone else frustrated with the reporting reporting system?

Question

I received a violation notice on an answer I gave. Two members of this community have affirmed that the answer was well-written and caring. I lost my first appeal and my request for clarification was ignored. They just told me to read the rules. My Appeal on the board has been there two days without a Yahoo staff member even acknowledging the post. A member of the community wrote a kind request that my answer be reinstated, today that post is gone. So my question is others have reported violations. Are your experiences the same and are our R & S members growing frustrated by this?

As a side note to my contacts and friends, I no longer feel that I can post safely. So I will take at least a month off to pray and consider my decision. Thanks for all your support.

Pastor John

Sentinel, the answer was long so I didn't include it or I would have exceeded the allowed answers. I wasn't really asking about the fairness of my answer, but if you would like to see it, my violations board request is at:

http://messages.answers.yahoo.com/Answers/threadview?m=tm&bn=SEA-ViolationsNotice&tid=15696&mid=15696&tof=23&frt=2

The Great Gazoo (sorry I don't know how to do it upside down),

The Great Gazoo, apparently you can't edit a comment. So I will start again. The answer was a theological and Biblical response. I'm sorry if I appear too wrapped up in one violation.

My problem is that my answers tend to come from the ministry as a pastor. I am simply concerned that because Yahoo won't answer what I said that was wrong, that it involves theology. If I can't be comfortable sharing my Biblical insight as a pastor, I don't know what I have to share.

So-crates of R & S, I hope I am not playing the victim. My question really centers on the new reporting system. I now that many besides myself have been reported. I wonder if their experience is the same and how the community here feels about these frequent reports.

As for leaving, as I said to The Great Gazoo, I am concerned that the answer reflected Biblical thinking on homosexuality. With Yahoo only giving general thoughts like read the community rules, I really don't know what was wrong with my answer. But I now have been very selective in answers - I'm just concerned that a Biblical answer from a pastor is apparently offensive to some. That has made me wary of answering any more questions. By nature and ministry I am not combative.

I do apologize for the Christian who sent you the letter. It saddens me when my brothers and sisters do things like this. Derogatory remarks and racist comments are always inappropriate. So I am sorry that was done to you.

Answer 1

Sorry that you got reported, it's sad that people on all sides of issues are so petty as to need to have other people's voices silenced. What a sad life they lead.

Answer 2

I got a violation for no apparent reason on something that I tried, but failed, to find some offense in. I sent yahoo an email saying I don't agree, then I forgot it. Same thing happened maybe twice more and I forgot both of those after I emailed yahoo.

Bottom line: dude, it's only a silly internet question/answer site, get over it. But if you feel you need to take a month to pray over something as trivial as this, you have much bigger problems and should redirect your praying at why you are so up tight!

Answer 3

Yes!
I have had it happen about 5 times now and am beginning to learn who to block and ignore because of it. There are times I seek to mail a person the answer i feel God has led me to give, instead of on an open forum because of this very thing. I think it was just yesterday I deleted a question because I was threatened to be turned in because they said it was outside the guidelines. All you can do is be angry or pray for these who need our Savior. My question was asking if I could pray for my contacts the prayer Paul prayed for the Ephesians in chapter 1.

And the war rages on. Blessings and Comfort

Answer 4

Pastor john; please don;t take it badly as for the last month or so people are reporting anyone and everyone for what reason i have no answer,My 10yr son had been reported and deleted for asking i love blue how could i make it lighter with golden streaks.And another about his cat.I see people just like yourself getting abused like this ; and it really is us fair,Keep the faith that it will change as this way is not the way too go,They changed lots of things o yahoo; but some need to get changed; espasall y people reporting people to feel they have some power; but they got nothing; but i too pray it will get better as it can;t get much worse,,,

Answer 5

Oh, it takes a lot of them to lose your account. You are way to wrapped up in a single one.

I've had some in the computer section that were honest answers trying to help the person out. I am a network admin and I would charge $99 an hour to go on site and give them the same advice. Go figure. I rarely even bother to appeal anymore although I have won several. I've just decided that it is pretty random and shrug it off. You got your say anyhow.

Answer 6

My personal thought is that Yahoo might be finally coming to the realization that they're culpable and vulnerable from a public relations perspective because of what goes on daily on YQA RS.

The fact that any person can sign on anytime and see nothing but personal attacks, attacks on every variety of faith, ridicule, absurdity, rhetorical questions, preaching, and every other violation of their standards is an indictment of them.

They have a formal set of standards and they aren't enforcing them.

A hungry crusading televangelist, a hungry journalist, or just one of the numerous mailing lists going all over the web could get them a place on Sunday national Christian television, or on the afternoon national news.

Frankly, I'm surprised they haven't eliminated the Religion and Spirituality Section if they can't make it comply with their stated intents.

Just my thoughts.

I've posted the same comment in the YQA Suggestions page

Answer 7

I am aware of users who have had the same experience. It seems like there is an awful lot of discrimination afoot when it comes to which appeals are heard and which are dismissed without even being heard.

The thing is, this isn't a democracy. This computer system is the property of Yahoo! and they can do whatever they want.

Answer 8

John,

Please do not take offense: you need to stop playing victim here, man. This happens to EVERYONE on this site... NO one is out to get you or anything. Ive gotten numerous violation notices and Im still here...

Monday I received an email from a person calling me a ****er and making several other disparaging remarks about black people (as well as telling me I was destined for hell...go figure, huh?) I wrote/forwarded the email to Yahoo and told them that the email was completely inappropriate and that the person sending them deserved to have their account deleted.

I received back a response from Yahoo indicating that 1) they couldnt do much without me first reporting the question, and that 2) its my fault for allowing others the opportunity to contact me via email. I wrote back and explained that it wasnt a question I was complaining about, it was a racist email. They again wrote me and said that it was my fault becuase I allow email.

Some compassion I got for receiving racist emails, huh?

Answer 9

The system of "community moderation" is nothing short of mob rule and a method of getting Yahoo staff off the hook for being responsible for their own service. I have never received a real response from any human at Yahoo, just robotic replies.

Answer 10

Sorry about the violation but it is not possible to decide the fairness or harshness of yahoo`s decision without knowing the answer you posted.
I too am fed up with the way things are going here so I am considering leaving this site for good.

Answer 11

I've been given a violation twice since the new system, both were ridiculous as I answered the question. Yahoo has not gotten back to me on either of them. Violations don't bother me as long as I keep my account active. Making a new one would bite.