Reporting answers to a question

1. 93

   melbelposted 6 years ago

   There is no "report" button when viewing answers in the Q&A section.
   
   There are two patterns of behavior I've run into in the answers section that I feel are highly reportable:
   
   1) Spam
   2) Duplicate content
   
   A few years back I asked the question, "Did you know that answering questions using content from elsewhere on the Internet is copyright infringement" to see the community's view on the question and to see how pervasive the problem is.
   
   To my disbelief, some hubbers stuck strongly to a platform of "if it's an answer on Yahoo answers, it's public information and thus okay to use on HubPages." Thus the Q&A section on HubPages, as I've found, is rife with duplicate answers from Yahoo Answers as well as content from other websites.
   
   I had one of my hubs stolen by a user on Yahoo answers as an answer. I reported it to Yahoo and Yahoo was fabulous about taking it down. However, they shared my email address (par for the course) with the offending user and I received hate mail because my hub was "public information." I think we owe it, as writers, to not partake in duplicating content. However, there is a reputation that "it's okay" in the answers section.
   
   Duplicate content taken from other sites hurts HubPages. When our hubs are stolen, it hurts US. I think HubPages should be a good model in original content and therefore should not allow content to be stolen by hubbers in order to answer questions (and earn badges.)
   
   What I'm asking is for a report button next to individual answers and better policing of the Q&A section. I know the latter is difficult with the age and the sheer number of questions and answers, but do feel it would do a world of good in better solidifying Hubpages' reputation for original, quality content. It would also be nice to have a PSA specifically in the answers section that duplicated content is not tolerated.

   replyreport
   1. 94

      sallybeaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Not only do they earn badges they earn money from the questions and answers section.

      replyreport
   2. 85

      TIMETRAVELER2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree.  I also feel that if someone is so ignorant that he doesn't know enough to be able to produce an original answer to a question or so immoral that he uses someone else's answer, he doesn't belong on this site.

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   3. 94

      Marketing Meritposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Totally agree.
      I also noticed an increasing number of 'spam/low quality' questions being asked by new users. This is a tactic that is often used to test the spam filters. It's not always easy to flag these posts, although the facility exists, as the questions appear rather innocuous at times. Nonetheless, they're easy to spot as the user (or bot) typically posts within minutes of joining. It only serves to clog the section with utter garbage.

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      1. 94

         sallybeaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         I thought I read somewhere a while back that staff were thinking of getting rid of the questions and answers section.  If anyone wants to ask a question it could easily be answered in the forum section.

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         1. 94

            Marketing Meritposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Again, I agree. I can't help wondering if the philosophy behind Q&A was to create a platform similar to Yahoo Answers. Nonetheless, I see little benefit for it existing, especially as the forum section has multiple sections where questions can be posed. Abuse is more likely to get flagged here also.

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            1. 94

               sallybeaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               I think it was created in order for people to explore ideas for creating hubs but I could be wrong.  If it was I don't think it has worked like that.  Perhaps staff will see this and shed some light on it.

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2. 93

   melbelposted 6 years ago

   I'd been using the Q&A section to ask questions on topics that I know little about, but have done keyword research on. Thus the question could become popular in search. However, I get some really rude and stupid answers like:
   
   "Google it"
   
   "You ask too many questions"
   
   "Do your own work."
   
   "I don't know."
   
   I think the answers section could be really nice if users were more clear on what the purpose was.

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3. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 6 years ago

   On a related note, I have a separate email I use for spam reports, entering contests and other activities that will probably generate tedious replies.  Then I don't have to worry about accidentally hitting a nasty-gram when reading my email from friends and family.

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