***Admin Post**** Reminder on abusive and malicious reporting.
By GoAskAlice
@GoAskAlice (5807)
December 6, 2017 2:46pm CST
A few recent occurrences have given me reason to pass on this reminder. Malicious reporting is something that will not be tolerated. Not only is it not nice, it makes our job more difficult. It means having to sort through pages of false reports and clear their reported tags, since the posts are likely not going to be removed if they aren't a genuine violation.
Reports are generally anonymous. This means that my moderators and I can't see who reports what. But, in cases of extreme abuse, we can have someone look at site logs and find the names of abusers. Abusive and malicious reporting is grounds for immediate termination of your account.
If you are unsure of what to report, refer to the community guidelines, and as always, I am more than glad to clarify something and take all the time needed to do it. But If you are reporting things just to be mean, you will be removed.
119 people like this
64 responses
@LadyDuck (457413)
• Switzerland
7 Dec 17
Some people think that every time they report a discussion is deleted and unfortunately they use this mean as personal revenge toward some members. I am glad if you can see who those users are. Personal Attacks are against the rules after all.
45 people like this
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@JudyEv (325348)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 17
@topffer This reminds me of the NZ prime minister who thought it was good that so many New Zealanders were going to Australia. He reckoned it would improve the IQ of both countries. Very clever comment but I have an idea I've told you that before. 
16 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74420)
• East Tawas, Michigan
7 Dec 17
If a member clashes with another personality, it's best to just avoid contact with them. We all have different thoughts and ideas, about a given subjects.
23 people like this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
7 Dec 17
@Bluedoll and @kobesbuddy I have learned over the years that some of the people who seem abrasive to me are not, really, but their intent is misunderstood due to cultural differences. I tend to avoid them if they really bug me. I do not think reporting would solve the problem. I also do not believe either one of you does either, I just was adding that in. Communicating is the key as @Bluedoll says.
12 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74420)
• East Tawas, Michigan
7 Dec 17
@GardenGerty We kid around and use harmless terms, that other cultures perceive as an insult or name calling! If they get their feelings hurt, what can be done about this?
8 people like this
boy am I glad to hear that.
I do my best to report only those kinds of discussions that are trying to promote their business, if I'm not mistaken that is not legal here, am I correct?@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
7 Dec 17
@LadyDuck Sometimes those milestone posts are imbedded into an actual discussion with more information. For instance I could post "To celebrate my birthday today, we went to such and such an attraction" . The reason this attraction is famous is blah, blah, blah, and I feel fortunate to have so much in my PayPal to use because I have met my myLot goals." I threw a couple of milestone things in there, but the discussion is mostly about the attraction. I think that guideline DOES need to be revised, as well as the "recipe" guideline. There really must be something to discuss in said posts.
9 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
6 Dec 17
That is really terrible that someone would abuse the system just to be mean, most people on here are so nice and caring. I take the report button very seriously and use it very, very sparingly.
19 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
7 Dec 17
Reporting just to be mean? That's awful. =(
8 people like this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
7 Dec 17
Thank you for letting me know about this discussion @LadyDuck . @GoAskAlice I am happy meanness will not be tolerated here, thank you for the reminder.
11 people like this
Nice to hear reporting's anonymous 
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
7 Dec 17
@JolietJake Report and delete, interesting combination.
3 people like this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
7 Dec 17
@JolietJake Reporting merely flags a post for Moderator attention. Deletion may or may not follow... As I understand it.
4 people like this
@sallypup (57723)
• Centralia, Washington
6 Dec 17
@owlwings I have tried to delete but never found the trash can. I did just change my settings. Thanks to you and @JolietJake. For sure I did not invite somebody from overseas to come to me with their hat out, begging for big cash.
8 people like this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
7 Dec 17
@hereandthere & @sallypup Specifically, it's on the opposite side to the avatar of the sender of the message. Messages from other people have the avatar on the right (so the trash can is on the left of the message), messages which you posted have the avatar on the left.
5 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
7 Dec 17
@sallypup the trash can is either on the upper left or upper right corner of the private message.
4 people like this
@TheHorse (205242)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Dec 17
@just4him I think Admin looks at posts that are reported, but doesn't delete them unless they violate a rule. I think I had one deleted because I used a picture of my ex- (and still a good friend) in which she was scantily clad, though no "naughty bits" were showing.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
7 Dec 17
@EddieHands but isn't it admin that deletes the posts?
5 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
7 Dec 17
out of the 9 or so years i have been here i have been here i may have done so only about 3 times with different people over time. i think you mean reporting someone that is not doing wrong? and we are just being mean?
7 people like this
@averygirl72 (37715)
• Philippines
7 Dec 17
That's really bad practice. We should only report as needed not to be mean to other members
7 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (51491)
• Philippines
7 Dec 17
Thats a bit dangerous isn't it? the person who reports it is anonymous? when did that happen? You have our account names here, right? unless it's some one outside mylot, if that's even possible.
7 people like this
@GoAskAlice (5807)
•
7 Dec 17
It's anonymous in that those of us directly working the board cannot see the name of who reported a post. But those who have "under the hood" access to the site can go in and view the source of the report if the need arises. We don't make it a standard practice of looking at who reported what unless a specific incident warrants it.
7 people like this
@GoAskAlice (5807)
•
10 Dec 17
@Letranknight2015 Yes, there have been a few cases of it. But with out me saying so, there is no way for anyone to know it was happening. the posts that were reported in error were not removed. Simply reporting a post does not get it automatically removed.
3 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (51491)
• Philippines
8 Dec 17
@GoAskAlice Well, people had been making false reports lately.
3 people like this
@WendySpickerman (983)
• United States
7 Dec 17
The guidelines are pretty clear. The only thing I've ever noticed was a few posts not in English. Are these targeted reports? Like someone turning in a specific member or members repeatedly?
7 people like this
@GoAskAlice (5807)
•
7 Dec 17
@WendySpickerman Generally it would mean the intentional false reporting of posts, usually targeting a specific person, simply for the purpose of trying to get their post deleted out of spite
5 people like this
@WendySpickerman (983)
• United States
7 Dec 17
@GoAskAlice That's a shame. I've never had any problems with any one here. Well, that I know of. Everyone is so nice.
4 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
I hope this can be fixed as one of the things I like about this site is how nice people are I so very much prefer happy happy.
6 people like this
@GoAskAlice (5807)
•
7 Dec 17
It's actually very rare that it happens and a member would never even know they are being targeted, because we review each post that is reported before deleting them. So if it isn't a violation, it isn't removed and the member never even notices the incident. But it does create a lot extra, unnecessary work for us and it's just generally mean spirited.
5 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Dec 17
@GoAskAlice Well I think you guys do a great job keeping inappropriate things off mylot. but i can understand the extra unnecessary work.
1 person likes this
