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Why do some posts require approval, while others seem to go up instantaneously?

TheJeffers
TheJeffers Member Posts: 1,417 ✭✭✭✭✭
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I have no idea which forum is most appropriate for meta discussion about the Pokémon forums, or if such topics are even permitted. This is my best guess, so I apologise if this is the wrong place.

Why do some posts have to be held for approval? I have noticed that frequently my posts will be held for approval, which presumably requires a moderator to manually read through and approve the post, but others seemingly do not. It can make discussion quite awkward sometimes when one or more of my posts are held, while conversation continues in a thread with other users apparently posting immediately and unrestricted. It can be hours or days before my post actually goes through, by which time the conversation has moved on, the question I was answering has already long since been answered by multiple people already, or my post can become irrelevant or nonsensical in the later context of the thread.

Sometimes a post is never approved at all. I am not given any word as to what was wrong with it or if anyone even checked it. The post is just gone.

What prompts a post to be held for moderation? Is it the length of the post? I admit I am a tad verbose. My posts tend to be very long. Is it that shorter posts tend to be automatically approved while longer ones need to be subjected to greater scrutiny?

Is it the use of certain words? I do not swear or deliberately use any offensive language in my posts. Could I be accidentally using some words or phrasing that triggers some automated flagging system?

Quoting doesn't seem to be the problem. I sometimes appear to be able to quote people and post immediately without issue. I thought that they might be worried about bullying or targeted harassment, but that does not appear to be it either.

Is it posting or talking about certain topics or people that triggers the system? Does mentioning Nintendo, TPCi, Gamefreak or get your post held and checked for wrongthink?

What is going on? How does the system work? How can I avoid my posts being withheld in the future? If a moderator has to approve this post too, I would be most grateful if they could provide some insight.

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Answers

  • D-ManBlue
    D-ManBlue Member Posts: 383 ✭✭✭
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    I'm guessing that all posts require approval, but the length of the post affects how long it's going to take. Posts that are just a sentence or two are things a moderator could just glimpse and be done with, but longer ones are going to take more time to look through and make sure that everything conforms to the rules.

    As for what those rules are...I'm not sure exactly, but blatant misinformation and innappropriate content plaguing the forums are the main reason that posts are now being held for approval before going up.

    Frankly they should do what most forums do and post somewhere the general rules of what posts aren't allowed to be.

  • D-ManBlue
    D-ManBlue Member Posts: 383 ✭✭✭
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    @myself

    And just like that my guess was proven wrong- my post just went up immediately after I typed it.

  • TheJeffers
    TheJeffers Member Posts: 1,417 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Well, this topic required approval, meaning that someone involved with moderation must have looked at it. However, given that they didn't respond I can only assume that they either chose not to elaborate, or are not allowed to for some reason.

  • 10types
    10types Member Posts: 239 ✭✭✭
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  • 10types
    10types Member Posts: 239 ✭✭✭
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    its if you quote someone

  • TheJeffers
    TheJeffers Member Posts: 1,417 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That cannot be true, or at least not the only parameter. I have made posts where I do not quote or even mention anyone else I any capacity and I had to wait for approval.

  • Eremas
    Eremas Member Posts: 1,136 ✭✭✭
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    "Sometimes a post is never approved at all. I am not given any word as to what was wrong with it or if anyone even checked it."


    You can expect they go on your permanent record and they'll be watching your career with great interest.

  • Bolt_Boy25
    Bolt_Boy25 Member Posts: 137 ✭✭✭
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    It is because I am so hot that mine go up instantly. 🤣🤣🤣

  • UnovanZorua
    UnovanZorua Member Posts: 2,211 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I wonder if there's a certain time of day the mods are more active. I've noticed some times where I can just post something immediately and others where I'm guaranteed to wait 5 hours, make a similar but improved comment on the same place, and then they approve that instantly along with the near-identical copy.

    They could at least tell you the post wasn't approved or being approved so that doesn't happen.

  • TheJeffers
    TheJeffers Member Posts: 1,417 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I don't think literally every post needs approval. Rather than quick mods, I think it must be automated unless you do something to trigger the system and prompt it to withhold a post for approval.

    Using the quote button on a post seems to guarantee that a post will be held for approval, but @-ing does not. Longer posts also seem more likely to be held, but I do not know if that is actually related to character or word count, or simply the fact that you have more words in your post means that you are more likely to say something that triggers it.

    More transparency would help but I do not know if the mods or admins are allowed to give us the information. Do they ever respond or talk to anyone?