Another problem with the flagging system

[madfilkentist]

A recent entry on lj_policy shows that not only is the flagging system prone to abuse, its design makes it difficult to report legitimate problems. The post states: "We'd like to reiterate that there's no effect at all from a single user flagging another user's content. After multiple flags, the content will be reviewed."
Recently someone I know was subject

Comments

[lied_ohne_worte]

The flagging system refers to the content of entries, not to comments. It is not intended to function in such cases, which is why you can only flag entries, not comments. Instead, the offended user can open an Abuse request with the appropriate links, and it will be investigated. She will not need additional people to back up her complaint. If your friend hasn't done so yet, you may wish to point her to this link http://www.livejournal.com/abuse/report.bml - as you can see, it contains a category that appears to be what her problem is about (i.e. a comment in her journal).

The rule that entries have to be flagged by several users in order to be reviewed is necessary, I suppose - otherwise, a troll could sit down for an hour, flag several hundred posts and force the APT to investigate them all.

To sum it up - while I understand that you are concerned for your friend, your perception of the flagging system isn't entirely correct.

[mementomei]

How hard is it to make a few (or 100) sockpuppets from several different fake email accounts, then flag away from all of them? The LJ flagging system is woefully flawed. Someone with an axe to grind could shut a legitimate user right down. I believe that certain categories of flags get the account suspended automatically. (I thought I read that--not sure.)

[lied_ohne_worte]

I believe that certain categories of flags get the account suspended automatically. (I thought I read that--not sure.)

They won't suspend anyone without investigating the reports they received; also, users can be suspended for the same stuff for which they could already be suspended before. Also, users reported others to Abuse out of grudge before the flagging system was implemented.

I'm not saying that the flagging system is perfect; what I wanted to point out was that the OP had some misconceptions about how it works and what it's supposed to do. There are so many rumours and half-truths around already that I think especially in this comm, which tries to be something like a voice of reason, we should try not to spread paranoia and misinformation.

[qfemale]

Accounts need to be older than 1 month before they can flag anything. So even if somebody does bother to make 100 accounts with fake email addresses (and you still need to verify your email at some point before you can use your journal to 100%...) you'd still have to wait a month before you can flag anything.

[matgb]

How hard is it to make a few (or 100) sockpuppets from several different fake email accounts

Unless they know how to deal with the LJunique cookie, and have a dynamic IP that they change each time, it'll get caught by the investigators as one person.

Flagging merely prompts an investigation, and flase flags can get you marked under 'ignore' anyway.

I don't like that it's needed, but it is needed. It's new, it'll take time to bed in and for people to get used to-other platforms have had this for years (Blogger, for example), so it's not without precedent, and Blogger has a much looser abuse policy and will do a lot less to help users out regardless.