Flagging issues on craigslist

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!

Comments

[Lady Seraphina Spankhard]

I've found that in the past few months on Calgary Craigslist ads, even legitimate Erotic Services postings are being flagged. For instance, I'm a dominatrix. My work is strictly non-sexual, the posts I place indicate that, do not discuss rates, and do not show explicit photos, yet my ads are flagged within 12 hours. No, I'm not the only one. Virtually all posts in Erotic Services by females are being targeted the same way. I don't know what the deal is, but it's frustrating, as we are advertising properly, for legal services we are licensed to offer.

-Lady Seraphina

[TS Jennifer]

Hello Craig
My name is Jennifer Oxley and first of all I am a very big fan of your website cgaigslist.org.
I am a Male to Female Transsexual escort in the Inland Empire erotic services t4m section. I have been using your web site for the past three years all over
Southern California as I traveled for my work. I have posted in almost every city in Southern California many times
over the past three years and have always followed the craigslist TOU
rules you have provided for us. I also go by the law in California and
NEVER ask for $ for sex. and I always keep the details of my services off the craigslist web site as you have requested of us to do. I
always say ~
( Please call or e-mail me for more info and to set up a time.)
I have Ben tested by the vice police many times at the rooms where I do my shows and have never Ben arrested for prostitution. I am very good about going by the law and going by the rules that you provide for us.
I want to bring to your atn please the problem us t4m girls in the Inland Empire are dealing with on an every day and night bases now, Being flagged down.
We ar flagged off in just minutes every time we t4m girls post an add here.
Oure postings are all totally legal and have nothing wrong with them at all.
I believe it is being done by about fore or five people in the Inland Empire community.
A very small # of people that hate Transsexuals.
If you look at the Inland Empire site and see there are no or very few t4m postings up ever, usually no postings and you look at w4m section
there are hundreds of postings up most of which are bluntly illegal and selling sex. Nothing has Ben done to stop the people who are flagging our t4m
postings and it is really hurting our business badly.
No other city in Southern California have this flagging problem with
t4m flagging just the Inland Empire. I have a craigslist account with over 400 of my last postings on it from the last 2 1/2 years of posting.
Please take a look at it and see just how bad this discrimination has
gotten here.
Craig can you please do something about this problem I need your site to survive and these people ore almost putting me on the street and it
is not fare at all.
Also look at the inl flag help forum and search (t4m) and you will see
my ongoing fight with the people flagging us. I am jennideeoxley69 in the flag help forum.Also please take a look at my craigslist account page and see what is going on here. I am coming directly to you Craig for help because nobody seams to be helping us at all and this is our best account and brings over 90% of our income at least mine the past three years. If someone was doing this to you and costing you almost all of your income you would do something about the problem right, So pleas help us stop the t4m flagging here so I can make it through another year OK.
Please call or E-mail me if you have any question or for any reason OK.

By:TS Jennifer

E-mail:
jenniferoxley69@yahoo.com

[TS Jennifer]

Note: even before this was posted, I had asked Jennifer for some clear info on this. that's what I need.

Remember, if you ever want a hand, email me, but it needs to be clear and coherent.

Thanks!

Craig

Subject: Re: Inland Empire Transsexual abuse and personal harassment.

Come on Craig Why don't you
do something about this?

TS Jennifer wrote to Craig and abuse staff:

Please look at the links below and tell me there is not something wrong here staff!
I have sent you emails and no response at all.

"Until now"
Craig I read your blog response, Thanks.

Now this abuse and personal harassment is going on.
Why do you have this email to send you reports when you do not do any thing to stop it? Please do something about this OK staff it is clearly a very serous case of sexual discrimination on craigslist and for you to do nothing about it will look very bad when it all comes out publicly across the USA.
Please respond back to me and let me know you are doing something about this.

BY:TS Jennifer

#1 hate post ~ http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/ers/409040704.html

#2 hate post ~ http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/ers/405748468.html

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

# 1 hate post
Tranny with a beard
Tranny with a beard - 45
Reply to: pers-409040704@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-08-29, 10:31AM PDT

This is the WORST tranny in socal. It's basically a dude tiny manboobs, 5 o'clock shadow and a small wanger. If you like gaysex with men then you can get better for less. This ts is LAME

* Location: TS
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 409040704

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

# 2 hate post

email this posting to a friend inland empire craigslist > erotic services
please flag with care:

miscategorized
prohibited
spam/overpost
best of craigslist
"TS Jenifer" is just some dude wearing makeup. - m4w
Reply to: pers-405748468@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-08-25, 9:54AM PDT

He doesn't even bother to shave.

* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 405748468

Copyright © 2007 craigslist, inc. terms of use privacy policy feedback forum

[TS Jennifer]

Here is yet another hate post just in Craig!

HOW MUCH LONGER?????

Jennifer Dee Oxley
to abuse & Craig

show details
12:30 pm (0 minutes ago)
Methinks the tranny doth protest too much

email this posting to a friend inland empire craigslist > erotic services
please flag with care:

miscategorized
prohibited
spam/overpost
best of craigslist
Methinks the tranny doth protest too much - 69
Reply to: pers-409119196@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-08-29, 11:54AM PDT

whatever "dude". Your the worst tranny in the IE. You would not do any business in OC or LA. Here you are the only trick in town. You don't even have nice lingerie or ass

* Location: stubbletown
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 409119196

[Jennifer]

Hello again Craig.
I am sorry to bug you like this again but I have not had any response from you about my last email to you.
I relay need your help Craig with this flagging issue here in the Inland Empire erotic services t4m postings.
Please do something to help my postings stay up for a while.
There is no reason at all that every single one of my postings should be flagged down in minutes every time I post here. I follow your rules and guidelines and the local laws 100%. I am asking you if you from the kindness of your heart will do something here to help me out.
I need the income badly and these flaggers are relay hurting my income here and I know you can do something to help my postings stay up longer.
Come on Craig I know you must have a heart and if someone was costing you almost all of your income you would do something to stop the problem.
Please help me out here Craig
Here is the last couple of days postings that I have been trying to keep posted but they only stay listed for just minutes.
If there is a problem with my postings please contact me asap and let me know.

Thank you
BY:TS Jennifer

**********************************************************************************************
**********************************************************************************************

TS Jennifer's flagged postings

Newest flagged post:
*************************

Posted to erotic services on inland empire craigslist

How about an in-call special for you T-Girl lovers in San Bernardino!

Erotic and fun Transsexual Jennifer is hosting an in-call for you today.

Who would like to come enjoy a nice erotic start to your day?

Call me, Lets set it up now.

Call:TS Jennifer

(951)203-4785

* Location: San Bernardino ( in-call special )
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

yesterdays flagged posts:
*******************************

421063460 Sep 12 07 inl erotic services inland empire in call special for all you sexy ie guys!
421030218 Sep 12 07 inl erotic services Experience fun mixed with erotic pleasure in a whole new way! - t4m
420500290 Sep 12 07 inl erotic services Come have an erotic and fun experience today in San Bernardino! - w4m
420490014 Sep 12 07 inl erotic services Come have an erotic ts experience to ay in San Bernardino. - t4m
418286395 Sep 09 07 inl erotic services Come play with erotic TS Jennifer in San Bernardino today! - t4m
418036881 Sep 09 07 inl erotic services Inland Empire erotic in call special today! - w4m
418029391 Sep 09 07 inl erotic services Come play with erotic TS Jennifer in San Bernardino today! - t4m

[J.]

Hi Craig. Ill make this short. I would work for you for free o stopping the problems with flagging, and spamming. Did you ever think of making a network of people who stop spamming by immediately removing the posts?

[TS Jennifer]

Hi Craig

This is TS Jennifer from the Inland Empire.
I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with this flagging issue and the hat posting issue. I have done quite a lot of research on you and your site and know what kind of "public drama" ~and ~ "government bull shit" you have had to deal with about your erotic services section and t4m.
I want to thank you for steeping up to the plate and fighting for those people on your site that you know are not breaking the law or breaking your TOC rules.
You could have just as easily wrought me off and or even have just band me from your site because of the drama that I was bringing your way over these issues.
But no, You totally went out of you way to help me fight back few times now.
And for that Craig, You are a true honest and caring person and someone I admire very much. And someone I know I can look to for help when I relay need it.

" THANK YOU Craig Newmark"

Love:TS Jennifer

[TS Jennifer]

Hi Craig

This is TS Jennifer from the Inland Empire.
I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with this flagging issue and the hat posting issue. I have done quite a lot of research on you and your site and know what kind of "public drama" ~and ~ "government bull shit" you have had to deal with about your erotic services section and t4m.
I want to thank you for steeping up to the plate and fighting for those people on your site that you know are not breaking the law or breaking your TOC rules.
You could have just as easily wrought me off and or even have just band me from your site because of the drama that I was bringing your way over these issues.
But no, You totally went out of you way to help me fight back few times now.
And for that Craig, You are a true honest and caring person and someone I admire very much. And someone I know I can look to for help when I relay need it.

" THANK YOU Craig Newmark"

Love:TS Jennifer

[TS Jennifer]

Hi Craig

This is TS Jennifer from the Inland Empire.
I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with this flagging issue and the hat posting issue. I have done quite a lot of research on you and your site and know what kind of "public drama" ~and ~ "government bull shit" you have had to deal with about your erotic services section and t4m.
I want to thank you for steeping up to the plate and fighting for those people on your site that you know are not breaking the law or breaking your TOC rules.
You could have just as easily wrought me off and or even have just band me from your site because of the drama that I was bringing your way over these issues.
But no, You totally went out of you way to help me fight back few times now.
And for that Craig, You are a true honest and caring person and someone I admire very much. And someone I know I can look to for help when I relay need it.

" THANK YOU Craig Newmark"

Love:TS Jennifer

[carol]

can you please do something or tell me if it is the same person who is flagging me everytime. i post to pets and with in 30 minutes im being flagged for no reason. please let me know.

[carol]

can you please do something or tell me if it is the same person who is flagging me everytime. i post to pets and with in 30 minutes im being flagged for no reason. please let me know.

[TS Jennifer]

Well it seams that the flagging issue is not resolved at all. It is very clearly discrimination against Transsexuals here in the Inland Empire. I cant figure out why every one of my postings get flagged down and the w4m adds are all still up when most of them are clearly not legal. Just look at my flag help feed back and you will see how the flaggers think it is a joke.
*******************************
*******************************
URL:
http://forums.inlandempire.craigslist.org/?SQ=ts&act=RSR&searchAID=104&forumID=3

********************************************************************************

Inland Empire TS Flaggers 09/26 21:44 -2
: . . Same song another day. 09/26 21:47 +2
: . . is this a flagged post? 09/26 21:51
: . . : . . jennie's a regular. she'll sleep it off. § 09/26 22:01
: . . Yeah! A GAL from a gal! § 09/26 22:02
: . . : . . No, I'M a gal, 09/26 22:10
: . . : . . : . . Disagree. TS gals are gals, too. § 09/26 22:23 -5
: . . (hh) § 09/26 22:18
: . . If I ever post from the "Inland Empire," 09/26 22:28 -1

********************************
********************************

I just hope Craig Newmark will do something about this problem.
BY:TS Jennifer

[Bill Needam]

Hi Craig,
I am one of your success stories. I am a retired motorcycle mechanic (retired due to injury)that wanted to retool my skills to do something that I was able to do and that is to teach. I started posting almost 2 years ago through CL and met some wonderful people that wanted to be self sufficient and learn how to evaluate used bikes as a prelude to purchase. I always received kudo's from many of my students that took the course. A couple of months ago I started to get repeatedly flagged by the "community" and then I would repost. I think that this drew the ire of your bot because after that I started getting flagged by the editor. I found out later from other people who post that there were some trolls in the LA motorcycle section that would flag all non-motorcycle ads and I was also being hounded by a mechanic who didn't approve of what I was doing (he posted his services on CL-motorcycles).I don't know what is wrong I have tried to follow the netiquette and TOS. I have emailed the help desk but have never received a "democratic" why I am being flagged by staff. Sadly this may be my last year that I will be teaching this class as small entrepreneurs like myself cannot afford big media. Even more unfortunate is that schools have phased out this type of instruction so that any type of shop course will only be discussed in the Smithsonian for historical purposes.

[TS Jennifer]

Craig
why are you doing this to me? I am sorry but I just can not understand why you are allowing this to happen to me. I go by the law and go by the rules to the tee and provide a totally legal TS adult show. And you have the erotic service section just for that purpose for those who go by the law and provide a legal adult service like mine. But because I am a Transsexual adult entertainer you will not let me post in the Inland Empire area at all not even one posting, you have them flag me off right away every single time 24/7.
I know you can set up my craigslist account for flagging protection Craig I have read the hidden feed back about protection against flagging and also feed back of you telling your flagging staff and volunteers to lay off certain people.
I know you have the power and ability to help me and stop this discrimination and abuse from happening to me, "But you don't" ~ "WHY?"

* Craig can you please set my account up for flagging protection and tell your flag staff and volunteers to lay off of me?

* And if I am doing something wrong please tell me what it is so I can correct it don't just abuse me.

And one more question:
If you and the craigslist community do not want Transsexuals on your site here in the Inland Empire why do you have the t4m sections on your site? Is it just to allow the flag staff and volunteers to abuse them? And then you just ignore the Transsexual people when they come to you for help and guidance over it?
I respect you a lot Craig and am very sorry for always emailing and bugging you but this is BULL SHIT Craig and you know it! All I have ever asked you for is to help me, because I do what is right, follow your rules and go by the law every single time I post an add.

Thank you
BY:TS Jennifer

[Mark Evans]

Craig,
I can appreciate the need to flag a lot of postings but the system can be awful unfair sometimes. Today, I posted 32 classifieds for writers in cities around the world. While the text for these positions is the same, they are distinct jobs so I'm puzzled that with the exception of one listing, they were all flagged.

cheers, Mark

[TS Jennifer]

Advertising illegal services ~ ~ what Craig?

OK Craig first of all here is the email that I send to people that send for info and I tell every single caller the rules the same as what I email to them. I sure as hell would not be coming to you for help if I was breaking the law!
And you have Sean my account page with over 600 postings on it, If you can find just ONE posting out of 600 that I posted that suggests sex for $ in any way let me know. And that still dose not explain why every single t4m post is flagged off as soon as in is posted in the Inland Empire and every other city in Southern California has hundreds of t4m postings.
It is clear discrimination against Transsexuals here in the inland Empire and you are not helping us at all here. And I think that is wrong Craig come on.
Here is my rules I follow to the "T" I have nothing to hide form anyone.

* CRAIG: Please can you set up my craigslist account for flag protection?

MY RULES FOR MY ADULT SERVICES:

Hi I do not charge hourly. I charge a one time flat rate of $150 for a 15-30 min Transsexual adult strip teas show. This is a 15-30 min NON SEXUAL show with no sexual touching or playing of any kind during the show. If I do ask you to stay and play for a wile after the show and you accept then there will be "NO CHARGES OR FEES" for that time at all.
( $150 flat rate ) for the NON SEXUAL TS adult show and of course I
do accept tips for good service at your discretion.

Call me if you want to set up a time.

BY:TS Jennifer
(951)203-4785

[donna]

CRAIG-I just came across this-I hope I am not out of line writing in here-I have had a terrible experience using your sight-because of one competitor that I have begged for help from the abuse department-this person knows how to flag me off by himself-he has somehow set this up-I understand about bad and or abusive post-but mine is within the guidelines-I run a tree service and this other person does as well-he has went to crazy lengths to make it impossible for me to advertise my business-for the simple fact he wants to be the only one advertising tree services on here-he flags my add off every single time I post it-he has written defaming lies about my company over and over-he even went as far as to describe me "inside" my own home to everyone on craigslist-I called the police and they wrote to abuse-never received a response-he calls my home cussing me-goes around town telling all potential customers - lies about company and not to use us-only because I am a competitor and refused to let him bully me off craigslist like the other tree services did-I tried to hide my ad in other catagories-as when I try and put in skilled trade-it sets him off writing terrible things on craigs about me-well craigs blocked me for this-I could not believe it-I emailed the post he put on telling everyone to come by my home and look at it-and describing me inside-and they removed it and said to inform police-but they refuse to block this creep for the the outright abuse and harassment I have received from him-I understand you need the flagging system-however what about people who do this to others just out of spite because they do not want any competition-It is not right or fair in any shape or form-he left me alone for a short while after the police had a talk with him-but because a customer of mine told him they were going to use us instead of him for a job-he has started again-I will give you the posting number of his last post-he was posting everyday in several categories-however he knows i am writing to craigs and has pulled some of his recent adds-Can you please check his history-and see maybe if he needs to be blocked-Stalking-is a crime-and this crazy man is stalking and harassing me to no end because of trying to advertise on your site-can you help?-his posting number is #522984978-Im praying for a little justice here as he managed to get me blocked twice-just trying to keep one advertisement on here .
He really is scary-i will be glad to send you the posting numbers of his describing me inside my home-CREEPY-thank you

[donna]

thank you so much craig for responding-i sent an email back to you-i hope you receive it-short version is
he-is harassing me again on here and i would like some justice from you for what he has put me through-everything he has done is against your guidelines/Tou-and he is also
doing the very things I got blocked for-(ie:see his post in wrong section #524499796)--but i just want him to leave me alone and let me use craigslist like everyone else....I have never met him-just a competitor--although he has called and cussed me--and peeped in my windows-he flags my add nonstop-Just Please-check him out/warn him/block him-make him leave me alone on craigslist--thank you so much
***********
His company name is
L&D TREE/LAST 2 POSTINGS ARE 524499796--522984978---
ALTHOUGH HE WAS POSTING EVERY SINGLE DAY-HE HAS DELETED MOST OF THEM-HE KNOWS I AM ON THE VERGE OF CONTACTING YOU AND THE POLICE OR COURTS AGAIN-CHECK HIS HISTORY-PLEASE/THANKS-DONNA

[donna]

craig read below-this is just a small example of the things he has put on craigs list about me-(I know this was in Nov-but he is starting all over again)he has embarrassed me and my company to no end on here-and still harasses our customers-if it were not for craigslist-he would not have any business-and this I feel is why he will stop at nothing to get rid of me --we have endured all the abuse from this person we can take--can you help from the craigslist end -PLEASE-
****************************HE WROTE THESE!!

e: The little Shit Tree Service for 150.00
Reply to: pers-467663306@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-11-03, 9:26AM EDT

OK...SO LETS GET THIS STRAIGHT. YOU HAVE BEEN HERE A MONTH, CLAIM TO
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 40 YRS (YOU JUST CAME BACK FROM GEORGIA). YOU CLAIM
TO BE PROFESSIONALS (YOU HAVE A LITTLE SHIT TRUCK WITH A LADDER
STRAPPED TO IT) YOU CLAIM TO BE FULLY INSURED (YOU HAVE LOST MORE JOBS
BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF IT) YOU CLAIM TO HAVE ALL THIS EQUIPMENT (YOU
HAVE NOTHING BUT A LADDER, AND A TRAILER ) AND TO TOP IT ALL YOU HAVE
THE NERVE TO TALK SHIT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE ON HERE. YOU ARE WHITE
TRASH LIVING IN A BROKEN DOWN TRAILER. YOU DONT EVEN HAVE YOUR OWN
PHONE NUMBER (DUE A REVERSE PHONE CHECK ON THESE IDIOTS AND IT COMES
UP TO SOMEONE ELSE) YOU COMPLAIN YOU GET NO CALLS, AND THAT YOUR
COMPETITORS ARE TAKING YOUR WORK (PUT MORE MINUTES ON YOUR PRE-PAID
CELL PHONE) YOU CAN GET THE ADDRESS OFF "WHITE PAGES" WERE YOU LIVE OF
YOUR PHONE NUMBER (DRIVE BY THIS PLACE OF BUSINESS...HOW
PROFFESSIONAL) YOU ARE WHITE TRASH, FIX UP THOSE BROKE AS CARS IN YOUR
YARD TO STAY BUSY (PATHETIC)

* Location: SHIT TALKING TRASH
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other
commercial interests

PostingID: 467663306
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Reply to: pers-467753270@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-11-03, 11:38AM EDT

YUP... Printer? You is trailer trash gurl. The Sophisticated computer
literate user, utilizes state of the art copy and save technique.
Printers are obsolete as is your ragged out mantality along with your
body. I can picture you sitting in front of your big old round monitor
waiting for the page to load on your dial up, with that printer paper
with the holes on the side. Smoking that cigarette trying to find a
place to sit it in the ashtray that is overflowing. You are probabally
uncomfortable because you cant get your lets under the table were your
computer is, too stacked up with crap. Now your upset because you read
this, as the smoke lifts into the air past your wrinkled face into
your 80's style bleached out hair cut with yellow ends, no....I am not
behind the curtain watching you.

[louis]

Jacksonville Florida~Skilled Trades posts continuosly getting flagged by someone trying to cut out the competition. These posts have no offensive materials or misconduct in them. Is there anything we can do to remedy this?

[euser]

I find it somewhat comical that this posting was made so long ago, and how little progress has been made to fix CL's flagging abuse problems.

Why not simply allow users to view content based on their own preferences? For example, a person could set a threshold for how many flags an ad receives before it becomes invisible to them. They could change the threshold at any time. This way, nothing is ever truly 'removed'. Abuse can still be reported and the CL admins could still deal with those as needed.

The biggest problem with flagging is it has become a majority rules nightmare. people are even searching out ways to remove ads using scripts. It's hard to keep using CL when your ads get removed and they aren't in violation.

[Leatherman Tourist Guide]

The Houston erotic Services Bot is crazy. They repeatedly clear out all the ads. Yes many are spam or illegal but the legal ads should be not be cleared in just minutes.

Why? do you have a erotic section if no one can post legal ads?

I offer leather club tours of Houston. It is a companion service and I do not offer sex customers. Just a tour guide to some pretty erotic legal gay oriented services. Unable to keep an ad up on-line because flagging and bot auto deletes.

I had too repost 17x YESTERDAY.Each one was re-posted & re-edited as per the rules on my registered account.

The Houston discussion forum on flagging are the rudest mean spirited people I have ever met-even being called a fag and a HO when inquiring on what was wrong with the ad.

It placed is in the correct section, does not ask for money for sex, does not have lewd photos. This is the second weekend of this bs. I tried just basic very short ad and was still deleted. I tried copying another ad that had been left unmolested. I used my descr. and never post a Ph#.

Not just me but E V E R Y post is being flagged in just minutes. Most were legal I read them as they posted and were deleted in minutes. Why play these games?

H E L P I'm starving here and need some tours booked.

[Flag Target]

Congratulations, you have now made it entirely possible for serial flaggers to abuse the system so easily that I am no longer able to keep a single ad online.

I am a masseur and not an escort. My ads are not against any content rules, in fact they are rather tame compared to the ads that stay up on the board, yet they are CONSTANTLY hit by serial flaggers, for competition, or just spite. It doesn't matter what I post, even my tame hookup posts are flagged off regularly.

Flagging is a serious problem, you know people are routinely automating the process so they can take ads down by themselves, yet you repeatedly refuse to even admit there is a problem.

People ARE abusing the flag system, as a result, I am no longer able to get work, while many who are actually selling sex are still up.

If the content I post is not against the TOU, I should have the same right to keep a post online as anyone else, but you have not only allowed, but enabled, and encouraged abusers to take that right away from me.

Goodbye, freedom of Speech, Craig is letting the outlaws rule Craigslist. Fairness is not a priority here.

[Helsa]

Hello,
I would recommend correcting the problem of 'flagging to eliminate competition'. It's really a bad system. I would suggest, as someone did above, that flagged ads only become invisible to the flagger, and that the creators of those ads might be able to see the reasons for their flags - and correct them accordingly, if they have violated the Terms.
This is happening to other Tantric Massage providers and Intimacy Coaches here in Asheville - on ERS (except for one, of course...) while escorts are left alone. I have been ignored thus far - and would love to see a resolution to this problem. Please create a fair system.
Thanks,
Helsa

[Spherion]

I think the worst "feature" of Craig's List is flagging. It's entirely abused and causes more issues than it actually resolves. There ARE such things in this decade that have evolved to help protect against spam (i.e. CAPTCHA). I think people would rather skim over spam than invest an hour or more on a RANTS AND RAVES post only to have a malicious user flag the post with multiple accounts just to make things difficult. In our city, half the posts are scorning the "flagger". it's ridiculous and a mindless and impracticle "feature". If you notice, nobody else does it--not because Craig's List is so "unique" because it's a devestating feature.

Oh, and the 15 minute wait for a post to show up? Huh? Craig's List should move from the Commodore 64 mentality to present times.