Why are questions disappearing?

1. 67

   Sue Baileyposted 10 years ago

   Why are questions disappearing?
   
   Recently this has been happening a lot.  I get a notification that someone I am following has asked a new question so I click on it only to find that I get a message telling me the question has been removed.  Why?  Is there some new HubPages process whereby if a question isn't deemed appropriate or something it is removed?

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2. 87

   Don Bobbittposted 10 years ago

   Sue Bailey- I have had several of my questions removed and when I investigated it was because; I was inviting conversations and not answers, and conversations are for Forums. I didn't like it, but I can see where there is a line there someplace.

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      Thief12posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I had one of mine removed, and I think it was because of that too.

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   2. 60

      duffsmomposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      And I had several of mine removed because I asked simple questions and they referred to it as polling...like what kind of car would you buy?  But it is very inconsistent as to what they deem "ok" or not "ok,"

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3. 0

   Vickiwposted 10 years ago

   I can answer this first hand! I have written two questions lately. People started answering them with enthusiasm, and I promptly received a note from HP saying they had removed them because they encouraged discussion, and therefore they should be in the forums. I shook my head, because to this day I can't see that, and then I just left it. By the way, people had simply answered them - there was no discussion.
   So, I guess, I don't ask the right questions!!
   You'll probably get one regarding this one!

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   1. 67

      Sue Baileyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I know Vickiw. It was notifications about your questions and their subsequent disappearance that prompted me to ask. Any question has the potential to turn into a discussion.  People answer the question; others comment on the answers=discussion!

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4. 41

   Borsiaposted 10 years ago

   The problem with the questions vs forums is that I don't often visit forums, ok I've never visited, simply because there isn't a subject that I'm all that passionate about.
   I come to the questions because they are all over the "block" as far as subject matter. Forums usually bore me rather quickly then I detach and go do something else, never returning.
   The last few times I've been in forums, not here at Hubpages, they have broken down to senseless arguments about technicalities regarding the subject questions rather than any meaningful exchange of ideas.
   I don't waste my time delving into minutia about a question especially when the concepts have been predefined in the original question.
   But it does annoy me when a question is deleted when it seems like a valid question to me.

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   1. 0

      Lizam1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Me too.  I like the questions.  I have found, for the most part, forums rather direspectful.  So is this now a discussion?  We shall see!

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   2. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It is quite arbitrary really.  There are questions here which elicit discussion and THEY are NOT removed. It all depends upon the whims of the individual moderator.

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5. 65

   mackyiposted 10 years ago

   I have asked several valid questions only to find them been removed, so I guess I will just try to answer questions instead!

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   1. 67

      Sue Baileyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I would say that this question was a valid question that has now turned into a discussion.  Not my fault; it's all you people answering it that did that!  So it's probably going to disappear. It was good while it lasted.

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6. 0

   CalebSparksposted 10 years ago

   As these others have said, questions sometimes are removed because of encouraging a discussion but also because some are not even questions at all---some are promotional and/or nonsensical. I also believe the Hubpages staff remove some questions because they don't personally like the subject of the particular question. So it seems as though its all arbitrary.

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   1. 95

      sallybeaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I had a question removed for the same reason - because it encouraged discussion!!

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   2. 82

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      CalebSparks, I also agree with your statement that some questions removed by members of the HP staff because (they) don't personally like the question. Arbitrarily removing questions is a far cry from free speech. :-)

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   3. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Told  you, it depends upon the opinion of the said moderator.  If he/she feels that the question is offensive, it is REMOVED, pure and simple.  Another question can be the same and if liked, it STAYS. Go figure the minds of the mods!

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7. 84

   Marsha Musselman1posted 10 years ago

   I had one removed because they said it promoted discussions, but I find it easier to find questions to answer than hunting through the many forums available.
   
   I think the hubpages staff is hoping that someone, or maybe even many hubbers will reply by writing a hub of their own in answer to the question. If the questions inspire hubs, then maybe they are allowed to stick around longer than other ones.
   
   I've seen many questions that look like conversations to me that go on and on for many years, but maybe they've already had hubs answer that particular question so kept it there for that reason.
   
   I don't know as I haven't been here long enough yet.

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   1. 60

      duffsmomposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      And the forums are so full of nonsense. I have tried to find info there and there are so many trying to be cute or funny, the subject matter is lost.

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8. 79

   alancaster149posted 10 years ago

   Might be an idea to ask the HP editors for their yardsticks on what consitutes a question and what they think promotes discussion. Once you've got that 'in stone', then you can set your questions.

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9. 93

   jansharesposted 10 years ago

   I got that shocking email, too, Sue Bailey. I was confused and stunned, especially when I saw Q&As still up that didn't look that different in terms of the way the questions were asked or answered. Very strange things going on as HP tries to clean-up the site and enforce rules. My experience was similar to Vicki's. I read the rules but something about the way it's written isn't consistent and very confusing.

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   1. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Tell me about it!

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10. 93

    LongTimeMotherposted 10 years ago

    If a question becomes a discussion (and I'm not exactly certain what the definition of a discussion is in this case), instead of the question being removed, it would be helpful if the whole 'discussion' was moved to a forum ... with a link left at the original question site so we know where to follow the topic.
    
    Uh oh. I think I've just contributed to a discussion ... so maybe this question is about to disappear. 

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    1. 0

       Vickiwposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I think that's a brilliant idea! Then we would know what their idea of a discussion is, and where they think it belongs. Uh oh, this is beginning to sound like discussion to me!  The hammer will descend . . .

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    2. 93

       LongTimeMotherposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       In that case, I'd better not respond to your comment. lol.

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    3. 0

       Vickiwposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Good thinking! Shhhhh!...

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11. 92

    ChitrangadaSharanposted 10 years ago

    This has happened with me too. I had asked a question to which there were very enthusiastic responses. Nothing to hurt HP, but to clarify doubts about the recent changes. I got an email in the same way as others and my question has been removed.
    Like you said, even I have found the questions as well as hubs showing 'No longer published' sign, after getting the email notification for the same to have been published.

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    1. 93

       LongTimeMotherposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       That's disappointing, ChitrangadaSharan. I hope you had time to read some appropriate answers to your question before it was removed.

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    2. 92

       ChitrangadaSharanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I am scared to continue the 'discussion', but can't help it. My question was few  weeks old but  still new hubbers were responding and answering with the same enthusiasm and   I loved everyone's answer and that's why I felt bad about it.

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12. 82

    dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

    More often than not the asker removes questions if the vast majority of people do not share their opinion.
    In some instances HP removed them if they're flagged or are considered to be promoting discussions. In reality most questions lead to discussions  on some level. However HP would prefer you ask questions in the following vain: "What makes you happy?" as oppose to asking "Do you think the Zimmerman trial was fair? Why or Why not?"
    Now in reality if you search through "questions" on a regular basis you will find the vast majority of them are written to elicit opinions, especially those dealing with marriage equality, religion, current events, and politics! 
    If they were all removed there would be a lot less questions for sure!

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13. 94

    MarleneBposted 10 years ago

    I'm one of those people who, when I read or ask a question I seek an answer. I enjoy a good conversation, but somewhere in the discussion I would like to find the answer. I just want the facts so I can get on with other things.
    
    I think Q & A's should be limited to asking and answering questions and nothing more. For example, on one occasion I asked a question about the best way to clean something and I received a slew of answers, none of which answered the question - all discussion oriented feedback. I thought, if I wanted to read people's opinion about the subject, I would have posted it in the forums, sat down with a cup of coffee and read all of the responses. I think HubPages removes the questions that encourage people to "discuss" rather than "answer" the question - much like I'm doing here.
    
    A real question is something like, "What are the colors of the U.S. flag?" There is no invitation of discussion with this question. On the other hand, if a person asked, "Are red, white, and blue good colors for the U.S. flag?" That question invites discussion and really should be put in a forum and not Q & A.

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    1. 67

       Sue Baileyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       All well and good Marlene but you appear to be instrumental in creating a discussion right now - on Q&A!

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    2. 94

       MarleneBposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, Sue Bailey. I am aware of that, as I stated so in my original reply (see the last line of the second paragraph).

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    3. 60

       duffsmomposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       And if the moderators don't want discussion here, why on earth did they create a comment option underneath the answer section.  They make no sense.

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    4. 84

       Marsha Musselman1posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       That makes sense, Marlene B on the distinction between answers and discussions.
       
       SueB, she said she realized that she was discussion your question rather than giving a answer.

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14. 82

    peachpurpleposted 10 years ago

    yeah i had this problem too. 3 of my questions were removed on the next day. I didn't know that some questions are supposed to be in the forum section.

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15. 74

    chefmancaveposted 10 years ago

    Paul (HP CEO) wrote an article about trying to create a more Panda-friendly site. Some place along the line, he must have found out that Questions with many answers rank better as Forum topics not Questions. In the end, moving the questions to the forums enhances the Google reputation of HubPages, so it helps us all.

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16. 80

    epbooksposted 10 years ago

    I know some of the questions that I have asked have disappeared because they prompted a forum discussion, so hub pages removes them from questions. (They do notify the author of the actual questions first-My bad)!  Some questions may then be reposted in the forum if they are not here.

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