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Reason for deleting post?

Started by JessyKa, June 29, 2022, 04:24:47 PM

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JessyKa

Hello Community,
I could not find an according question.

When deleting posts as an admin there is no way of informing the author about the deletion and the reasons.
This often leads to trouble when users think, theirs posts are deleted when still there but can not be found at the place the users think they should be. Or users are angry when posts are deleted and they don't know why.
In another forum (not based on smf) they have a transparent solution for this: every moderator action (deletion, changes and moving of posts) are documented. When a post is deleted the user is informed by pm about it. He then gets a copy of the original post and also the "reason why" and who deleted it. Therefore he has a possibility of discussing the action. Might not be wanted by any admin but at least it is transparent and reliable.

I wonder if there is a modification available acting similar? That is: informing users when there is a change done by moderator/admin.


Thanks!

Doug Heffernan

Quote from: JessyKa on June 29, 2022, 04:24:47 PMHello Community,
I could not find an according question.

When deleting posts as an admin there is no way of informing the author about the deletion and the reasons.
This often leads to trouble when users think, theirs posts are deleted when still there but can not be found at the place the users think they should be. Or users are angry when posts are deleted and they don't know why.
In another forum (not based on smf) they have a transparent solution for this: every moderator action (deletion, changes and moving of posts) are documented. When a post is deleted the user is informed by pm about it. He then gets a copy of the original post and also the "reason why" and who deleted it. Therefore he has a possibility of discussing the action. Might not be wanted by any admin but at least it is transparent and reliable.

I wonder if there is a modification available acting similar? That is: informing users when there is a change done by moderator/admin.


Thanks!

Personally I have not seeing such a mod myself. I have moved this to the Mod Request board where it will get more attention from coders and hopefully someone will pick it up and code it for you.

marcosbr

As an administrator, I put the topic in the trash and send a PM to the user explaining why!
It is "kept". If he convinces me I'm wrong, just restore!
I don't think a MOD would do this frank talk function!
Nothing in life is absolute. We are always learning... Did you know that?
https://amigosdaeletronica.com.br

Chief of Nothing

I think a better and probably easier way would be similar to how another forum I visit does it, there posts by genuine members are not usually deleted as far as I can tell but usually hidden, with a reason (from a defined list) given. So the post is still there but the content, besides the reason for a mod hiding it, is hidden. Kind of how SMF's ignore feature displays posts but without a way for non admin's / mods to view the post content.

This would provide a bit of moderation flexibility this way, infractions by members in an otherwise forum rules compliant thread can just be hidden, threads that are not compliant from the get go can be deleted or locked. Obvious spammers like we had here the other night can have their posts deleted along with their accounts.

SpacePhoenix

Another forum where I used to be a mod, all "deleted" posts/threads were moved to for lack of a better description a "Davy Jones's Locker" like forum

Steve

Quote from: marcosbr on June 29, 2022, 09:39:16 PMAs an administrator, I put the topic in the trash and send a PM to the user explaining why!
It is "kept". If he convinces me I'm wrong, just restore!
I agree. Why add yet another mod or change your forum's coding set-up when this does exactly what you want. It's not automated but easy enough to do.
DO NOT pm me for support!

JessyKa

@Doug Heffernan
thanks for moving the post to the right place!

@Steve @marcosbr
Yes, you can always communicate "by hand".
Yet if there are more than 1 moderators you have to rely on them doing things the same way. And if several posts have to be deleted then you have al lot of work in informing the authors one by one.

I do not request someone to make another mod. Just wanted to know if there is a mod yet. Maybe there are mods planned with additional functions according to moderation stuff. Would be nice.


Steve

I see your point and this is still the best place for this to be posted. Someone may know of a mod that can do what you want, or maybe easily modified to do so.

Like possibly this one: https://custom.simplemachines.org/index.php?mod=708
DO NOT pm me for support!

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