An option to report inappropriate messages on WordPress.org support forums

[Daedalon]

WordPress.org support forums should have an option for reporting suspicious posts.

For example ​http://wordpress.org/support/topic/mysql-supported-only?replies=2#post-4109765 is a review that gives the plugin only 1 star based on the fact that its code seems MySQL specific, which is what all WordPress plugins do as required by core.

There should be a two-click option for reporting suspicious messages: one click to report and the second one to answer a verification dialog. The verification dialog should also ask for the reason for reporting.

[SergeyBiryukov]

According to the ​discussion on wp-forums, reviews are currently only deleted if they violate the forum rules.

[DrewAPicture]

@SergeyBiryukov is correct about the policy for deleting posts/reviews.

And there is already a mechanism in place for reporting posts to moderators. If you add the modlook tag to a post, it will show up in the moderation queue. ​More information in the Codex.

[Daedalon]

Thanks for the info and the link, DrewAPicture. That mechanism is not the most user-friendly. As a result it likely keeps the amount of requests lower, saving precious moderation time. In the long run there should be a GUI implementation that doesn't require delving into a manual. Right now I see this as an understandable compromise while there are more important ​WordPress.org tickets pending.

Thanks, for the info and the link, Sergey. Quote from the discussion: "The ONLY grounds for a review to be deleted are if it contains threats, vulgarity, insults or if someones personal safety is at risk." That list is missing spam and other inappropriate forum messages. To me it seems that rating a plugin up or down based on something that is not part of the plugin (in this case, a feature of WP core) is inappropriate. If the same core-specific issue was raised in a plugin's support forum, wouldn't the moderators move it to a more appropriate forum area?

I've added the tag to this review to have a moderator take a look at whether this violates the ​forum rules, eg. B 3: "Posts which are destructive in nature. To put it basically, if you cannot say anything positive or helpful, or provide pointers that can assist..."

[SergeyBiryukov]

Replying to Daedalon:

Quote from the discussion: "The ONLY grounds for a review to be deleted are if it contains threats, vulgarity, insults or if someones personal safety is at risk." That list is missing spam and other inappropriate forum messages.

Well, the discussion was specifically about reviews. Spam and other inappropriate messages are moderated as usual.

To me it seems that rating a plugin up or down based on something that is not part of the plugin (in this case, a feature of WP core) is inappropriate.

It is, but I guess the "positive or helpful" rule is there for replies rather than original posts or reviews. It just happens, a single unfair review won't have a noticeable effect in the long run.

I've posted a link to this ticket on wp-forums to see if anyone wants to chime in.

[esmi]

To me it seems that rating a plugin up or down based on something that is not part of the plugin (in this case, a feature of WP core) is inappropriate.

That's not grounds for asking for moderation. It's really up to the plugin developer to deal with these - although if one of the forum regulars spots such a review, they might also weigh in. If a plugin or theme is contravening the relevant guidelines , then we usually ask people to contact the relevant email address/mailing list with all of the necessary details. But a poster is simply being unreasonable or mean in a review, then it's definitely outside of of our remit. Right now, I see no reason to extend the current mechanism for reporting posts to moderators

[Daedalon]

Ok, thanks for the input, Sergey and Esmi!

[samuelsidler]

Replying to esmi:

That's not grounds for asking for moderation. It's really up to the plugin developer to deal with these...

Agreed. This is wontfix.

Note that we can do a better job at encouraging users to not leave those types of reviews, but that's not this ticket.

[Daedalon]

Samuel, the part you quote as the reason for wontfix isn't relevant to the original suggestion. It's an answer only to the particular example used.

The suggestion is to bring the user interface of reporting forward from the 90s-style modlook-tagging, the instruction to which is found in ​one of the last places one would think of looking when wanting to highlight a post for removal.

Most of the sites I've used in the last ten years have had a mechanism for reporting posts that is immediately apparent to the end-users. WordPress.org is one of the only ones that doesn't.

[samuelsidler]

@Daedalon: The example you gave in comment 0 is the one addressed in comments here. Those are not "suspicious" messages, as you say.

In other comments mechanisms are listed for how WordPress.org deals with various types of post, including (as you say): those that "[contain] threats, vulgarity, insults or if someones personal safety is at risk." As @SergeyBiryukov notes in comment 4, spam and other abuse are handled as well. WordPress.org has chosen a different mechanism than other sites, but it has done so explicitly.

[esmi]

@Daedalon: to borrow from my final response in ​http://wordpress.org/support/topic/mysql-supported-only :

"I have to say, where such a report button is available on every forum that I've managed, they've been nothing but a source of abuse and irritation."

There are ways to report truly suspicious or problematic topics. See ​http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum_Welcome#Reporting_Threads Plugin authors can also (and have) highlighted problem reviews via the forum's mailing list. In cases where there has indeed a problem (eg one individual/group falsely inflating a plugin's rating by giving 5 star reviews from multiple accounts), these have been investigated and dealt with very quickly. In short, the current reporting system seems to very work well, is rarely abused and is widely accepted.

[Daedalon]

Thank you for the replies.