# Automatic Lock



## jgu1994 (Jan 18, 2010)

So I was thinking that there should be a function where if a certain amount of users report a topic, it automatically disappears to all users but moderators for further judging. This may be useful when there aren't any mods on and a spam bot strikes and it may take a bit off of the mods as well.

If there is a function like this already than just lock this thread.


----------



## Hatsu (Jan 18, 2010)

jgu1994 said:
			
		

> So I was thinking that there should be a function where if a certain amount of users report a topic, it automatically disappears to all users but moderators for further judging. This may be useful when there aren't any mods on and a spam bot strikes and it may take a bit off of the mods as well.
> 
> *If there is a function like this already than just lock this thread.*


Can't we just keep reporting this topic to get it closed? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





That means the same person could report any topic as many times as they want, and they could close it. Power abuse, btw.


----------



## The Catboy (Jan 18, 2010)

Hatsu said:
			
		

> jgu1994 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hatsu has a point there


----------



## Law (Jan 18, 2010)

A Gay Little Cat Boy said:
			
		

> Hatsu said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not unless either of you have a plethora of multiple accounts.


----------



## p1ngpong (Jan 19, 2010)

I suggested a similar thing in another thread, but with a few tweaks to only cater for spambots. 



			
				p1ngpong said:
			
		

> ProtoKun7 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Salax (Jan 19, 2010)

This would be extremely helpful. Then again, there would have to be strict rules on what can and can't be report-locked. If someone was globally hated, people could report all of their stupid threads just to get a lock.


----------



## Destructobot (Jan 19, 2010)

I think p1ngpong's version of this could work, provided it only applied to posts from users that have not yet established themselves as active members. There is too much potential for abuse in a system that would let unpopular people be silenced by their haters, and it would take too much of the moderating team's time to deal with people abusing this system in addition to deleting the spam and the regular moderating chores.

That said, any time spent on this would be better spent fixing the security so that there weren't so many spambots in the first place.


----------



## fedgerama (Jan 19, 2010)

Hatsu said:
			
		

> jgu1994 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not unless you change the report system so that a specific topic can only be reported once by a specific user. Unless that user has a slew of accounts to use, they wouldn't be able to lock it themselves. And to stop such a thing, don't allow new accounts based on IP for a certain time frame, ie 24 hours, a week, or even forever (though forever would discourage multi-user households). That would stop most abusers, at least those without proxies.


----------



## Destructobot (Jan 19, 2010)

There are pleny of jerkwads here that have a long history of getting IP banned from forums and using anonymous proxies to get back on and keep misbehaving.


----------



## Bladexdsl (Jan 19, 2010)

Destructobot said:
			
		

> There are pleny of jerkwads here that have a long history of getting IP banned from forums and using anonymous proxies to get back on and keep misbehaving.


are you 1 of them?


Spoiler



J/K!


----------



## Ace Gunman (Jan 19, 2010)

This is an interesting idea. It warrants staff discussion at a later date. I'll try and keep this in mind.


----------



## Dark Blade (Jan 19, 2010)

No way..only the mods make the right choice...Otherwise what would they do on the site?


----------



## Cyan (Jan 19, 2010)

this is not a good idea with the actual user report system, imagine the number of reports in big thread like usbloaderGX (or recently kingdom hearts PSP), etc.
if a lot of people gives links to copyrighted materials, how many reports would be needed to hide the hole (legal) thread to other users ?
That would be bad for all the other legit posts.

There should be a report thread instead of report user then. That way, yes it could work fine, being not abused.


----------



## Destructobot (Jan 19, 2010)

That's why I said p1ngpong's version of the idea might work:



			
				p1ngpong said:
			
		

> how about....
> 
> If a thread *from an unconfirmed member* that is *up to an hour old* gets five or more reports *in its OP*, it automatically becomes invisible to everyone apart from the mods.


----------



## dice (Jan 19, 2010)

This idea would be very good if members aren't (weren't) aware of it.


----------



## DeMoN (Jan 22, 2010)

Yeah, then we'd be just like GameFAQs though, and this could be abused easily. 
But I have faith in GBAtempers, so I'm all for this suggestion.  It will help greatly when the spambots attack while there are no mods online.


----------



## Hatsu (Jan 22, 2010)

DeMoN said:
			
		

> Yeah, then we'd be just like GameFAQs though, and this could be abused easily.
> But I have faith in GBAtempers, so I'm all for this suggestion.  *It will help greatly when the spambots attack while there are no mods online.*


Mods should be online 24/7!


----------

