Hey, we're trying hard to turn over a lot of control over craigslist to the community. That's proving to be a very democratic, effective, and fast way to run things.
When it comes to our classifieds, we have a mechanism where you can flag a posting for removal. If enough people agree with you, it gets removed. You can only flag a posting once, since we don't want one person to be able to remove ads.
This works really well, but it can be abused, but for sure I don't want to discuss how.
One problem is that this doesn't work always well in abuse cases, since only the target might know that a posting is abusive. That is, people are really good a sniffing out pranking and harassment, but some still get through. In such cases, people email us at abuse@craigslist.org... but that's not real time, and our coverage (that's Jim and me) isn't 24x7. We're working on that.
We are working on making this more effective, since we need better quality control in many categories. That would include making sure roommate ads aren't posted in apartment available ads, and that broker fee apartments aren't posted in broker no-fee sections.
We can use specific feedback on this. The system works, but over time, needs to get better.
We're also improving the way we do this with our discussion boards. A registered user can flag a posting for our review. (By "our", I mean "my".) You can also rate a posting positively or negatively. That's a precursor to a reputation system, which won't happen anytime soon.
What happens is that I look at flagged forum posts, and decide what to do, based on the postings, the history of the poster (if possible). Sometimes this is easy, but sometime it's really hard, since we see feuding in the forums, or sometimes it's really easy to misinterpret humor. For that matter, I just screw up sometimes.
We're thinking about a system where we don't review posts with just one flag. Maybe we only look at posts with one flag and a negative rating or something like that. I'd sure like that, since it means much less work for me.
However, this introduces the deficiency we see in the classified ads flagging system... where it takes too long to fix a problem, since we won't know about it until someone emails us. Of course, we're not 24x7 on forum flag monitoring anyway.
Anyway, you see that this is difficult to figure... but unless we hear problems, I'm going to suggest to Jim that we don't review forum posts unless we hear from you the there are problems with this.
Specifically, if a flag has only one flag, and a cumulative rating great than negative two, then we don't check it out. (That number can be discussed.)
What do you think?
thanks!
Allen, thanks! and please email me the specifics, craig at craigslist.org Thanks!
Craig
Posted by: Craig Newmark | July 15, 2010 at 10:55 AM
room ad has been flaged 2 times in last 2 days , same ad that i have used for last several months , i have recieved harassment e-mails and phone calls in the last 3 months , someone needs to stop this guy .
Posted by: allen ziegler | July 15, 2010 at 10:50 AM
I cannot believe this problem has been around for SIX YEARS and nothing is being done to curb it. I posted one ad in w4m CE and I actually took time to make it interesting and easy to read, and it got flagged in an hour. I'm not going to sit here and post over and over and over again.
Yet all of the illiterate one-line ads stay put. Well actually, there's only ONE SINGLE ad in my location (Detroit) right now, so what the heck is going on?! The m4w section has about 2 pages of ads per day. This is pathetic and it makes me sick to think that Craig thinks his site is so "democratic" and "progressive". WRONG. Maybe it WOULD be if you would actually listen to what the community has to say.
Posted by: Elizabeth | July 06, 2010 at 08:40 AM
I have stopped using CL because flagging is out of control and is being used for repression of dissent and opinion.
Posted by: not bob | October 05, 2009 at 07:34 PM
There's also a lot of discussion back and forth about CA Underdogs and Lisa's Passion for Pets. It never ends. People ask the discussions to be moved elsewhere, and they're attacked. There's only so much flagging that can be done, but it seems the pets section is overrun with cursing, arguments, and backyard breeders. Nothing is being done, and the same spammers and illegal posters return day after day.
RE,RE BLAH,BLAH,BLAH,BLAH (north beach / telegraph hill)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 9:08PM PDT
OH YOU SAY YOU WANT TO FIGHT?IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING OLD MAN? JUST RE WHERE YOU WANT TO MEET ME IN PERSON. I WILL GO BY MY SELF AND WE WILL GET BUSY MANO TO MANO. THIS E-MAIL SHIT IS FOR SISSY'S,SO LIKE I SAID, RE WHERE YOU WANT TO MEET AND I WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD RUN FOR YOUR MONEY 'BUDDY' AND I WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR FACE ALL JACKED UP AND I WILL PUT IT ON C.L SO EVERY ONE CAN SEE HOW AND WHERE YOU TALKING YOUR SHIT GOT YOU.. TRY ME??????
PostingID: 1187335259
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KEEP BREEDING BULLIES ,MAKE MONEY HOW EVER YOU COULD,THANKS PRES BUSH (excelsior / outer mission)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 8:38PM PDT
EVERY ONE OUT THERE KEEP BREEDING THE HELL OUT OF YOUR DOGS AND MAKE MONEY HOW EVER YOU COULD TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND IF THESE BULLIES END UP IN THE WRONG HANDS OR IN THE POUND,WHO IS TO BLAME PRESIDENT BUSH FOR SENDING OUR JOBS OVER SEAS AND NOW THE ECONOMY IS ALL FUCKED UP AND EVERY ONE IS PAYING EVEN OUR KIDS. SO IF MORE PIT BULLS END UP IN THE POUND LET THE GOVERMENT CLEAN THE MESS UP AND LET THEM HIRE MORE EMPLOYS AT THE POUND TO CARRY THEM OUT.KEEP BREEDING YOUR DOGS AND BUY YOUR KIDS WHAT THEY WANT AND FEED THEM BIG FAT STEAKS THEY WILL DO IT FOR US ONE DAY WHEN WE ARE OLD AND CAN NOT TAKE CARE OF OUR SELVES. THESE ANTI PIT BULL BYB PEOPLE WONT BE THERE FOR YOU,SO MORE POWER TO YOU.. BREEDING IS NOT A CRIME..... SENDING OUR JOBS TO A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY IS.....
PostingID: 1187310597
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RE,RE,RE,RE I FLAG EVERY ONE (bayview)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 8:06PM PDT
DAAANNNNGGGGGG,YOU DO FEED YOUR KIDS TOP RAMEN 'MEAL' AND YOUR DOGS EAT BISON AND ELK MEAL.WELL WHEN YOUR IN HELL I HOPE THEY FEED YOU TOP RAMEN WITH CORN ON THE HOT GRILL WITH SATAN....I THINK I HIT YOUR 'G' SPOT...
PostingID: 1187280570
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PIT BULL BREEDERS KEEP POSTING I GOT YOUR BACKS (marina / cow hollow)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 7:56PM PDT
AS THOSE PURINA DOG LOVERS AND PIT BULL HATERS KEEP FLAGGING YOUR PIT BULL PUPPY POST, I KEEP FLAGGING ALL THOSE OTHER BREEDS AND THERE ANTI PIT BULL POST,I FLAG EVERY ONE FUCK IT,THEY WANT TO BE HATERS AND PLAY STUPID. I AND MY 4 LAP TOPS AND MY BOYS WILL TO,GOOD LUCK PIT BULL BREEDERS...............I FLAG ALL ADDS ,BUT NOT BULLY BREEDERS.......HEEE HAAAWWWW...
PostingID: 1187273551
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RE,RE KEWL you just reposted my add for me on your post'STUPID'thanks (castro / upper market)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 7:49PM PDT
THANKS DUMMY SO WHEN THEY FLAG MY ADD PEOPLE CAN STILL READ MY POST ON YOUR STUPID POST,LIKE I SAID THANKS DUMMY........
PostingID: 1187267293
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RE,RE,RE I FLAG EVERY ONE (haight ashbury)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 7:33PM PDT
I WAS RIGHT THOUGH YOU DO FEED YOUR KIDS CORN,BUT NOT YOUR STUPID DOGS BECAUSE YOU STUPID PEOPLE BELIEVE YOUR DOG IS GOING TO GROW A WHOLE CORN OUT OF IT'S ASS. I BET YOU SIT THERE WHEN YOU DOG TAKES A BIG FAT TERD AND YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE PICK AT IT WITH YOU FINGERS LIKE MY STUPID NEIGHBORS DO. DO YOU LOOK AT YOUR KIDS CRAP TO SEE IF IT IS FIRM AND TO SEE IF YOU SEE CORN ON THE COB???????? I BET YOUR KIDS EAT TOP RAMEN 'MEAL' AND YOU DOG EATS $50 BAGS OF DOG FOOD WHICH SAY'S CHICKEN MEAL LAMB MEAL FISH MEAL BISON MEAL AND ELK MEAL,I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU KIDS.
PostingID: 1187252131
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RE,RE I FLAG EVERY ONE?? (financial district)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 7:23PM PDT
WELL YOU JUST FED ME STUPID ASS,YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE PURINA DOG LOVER,HAHAHAHAH
PostingID: 1187242454
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I FLAG EVERY ONES POST OF BULL SHIT EXCEPT PIT BULL BREEDERS.. (laurel hts / presidio)
Reply to:see below
Date: 2009-05-24, 6:53PM PDT
I SIT ON MY ASS ALL DAY FROM 4 DIFFERENT COMPUTERS FLAGGING ALL YOUR BULL SHIT POST YOU FREAK'N DOG LOVERS GO TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS THE WAY YOU DO YOUR DOGS. YOU FEED YOUR KIDS CORN BUT NOT YOUR DOGS,STUPID ASS PEOPLE. I WILL KEEP FLAGGING ALL BREEDS AND LONG BULL SHIT POST BUT NOT PIT BULL BREEDERS. KEEP BREEDING PIT BULLS AND MORE POWER TO YOU BULLY BREEDERS.
PostingID: 1187211678
Posted by: Concerned Reader | May 24, 2009 at 09:55 PM
Non-supporters of Animal Rescues and Shelters make it near impossible to keep posts active. The harassment, vulgarities, defamation and flagging is out of control. Isn't there a way Craigslist can have a separate section for legitimate licensed non-profit organizations that can post their information without being flagged for removal?
Posted by: KS | May 19, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Flaggers gang up and target people who sell multiple items. Not only that but they also post ads with physical threats. This is escalated because YOU allow it.
I emailed abuse, clint, craig and noting happened to address this issue.
Posted by: GOP | April 20, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Only thing wrong with the flagging is the threshold is too high. My ad stays on the front page about 5 minutes before the auto posters shove it off the first 100.
Site is being taken over by spammers.
Posted by: Smiling Bob | April 15, 2009 at 03:30 PM
DOS attacks are a serious federal crime.
IF the site operator had an interest in stopping it...
Posted by: Markus Ruhl | January 10, 2009 at 03:12 PM
I think flagging is a beautiful thing, The only suggestion I have is to create a seperate section for no pay gigs. As many other developers would agree it's a pain to weed through all of these peoples ads that want something for nothing. I can understand posting a simple question regarding a small issue or asking for advice for no pay, however the nerve of some people expecting to get hardcore database dynamic programming or thier website done for free, Amazes me.
Posted by: Trey | December 20, 2008 at 12:38 PM