Tag Abuse in MacRumors

[Huntn]

Tags aren't just for search. Presumably you should be able to click on a tag and bring up all posts that have that tag. If I saw a funny tag like the ones you call out I'd be interested in see the other threads that have those tags. That's a legitimate value IMO.

I don't want to fight about this, but no one I know is going to use clown shoes to search for a thread about a specific political topic. In essence a tag like this posted at the top of each page of a thread is a means of applying an anonymous critical or sarcastic comment. As the author of a few thread at MRs, I would not like these kinds of tags applied to my threads by other members who want to belittle or demean the topic or the subject of the thread without taking ownership of those comments.

 

[keysofanxiety]

When I stumbled across this thread @Huntn, I nearly exited once I saw it was talking about abuse & tags in PRSI. Boy, do I hate the PRSI forum.

I'm glad I stayed for the journey though. I've been thoroughly entertained by these comments. Thanks to all for making my afternoon at work a little cheerier, and to the mods/admins for your work to close down this loophole.

 

[997440]

I don't want to fight about this, but no one I know is going to use clown shoes to search for a thread about a specific political topic.

I'm so sorry for my weakness here. I shouldn't but ... Abe Lincoln was known to suffer many a stubbed toe.

Every president since 1850 has owned a pair of shoes made by the company Dudley started. And the company as a whole has learned a lot about the feet and footwear choice of the Presidents of the United States.

The largest foot belonged, logically enough, to the tallest president. Abraham Lincoln stood 6’4” and wore a staggering size 14 shoe. Imagine that in a stove-pipe hat! Honest Abe teased about his homely face, telling the shamed-faced wife of a senator who’d been overheard calling him ‘two-faced’ that if he had another face, he wouldn’t be wearing that one. About feet, he advised, “”Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” That applies, one would suppose, to any size foot.

http://www.uncomfortablefoot.com/the-presidents-shoes/

In essence a tag like this posted at the top of each page of a thread is a means of applying an anonymous critical or sarcastic comment. As the author of a few thread at MRs, I would not like these kinds of tags applied to my threads by other members who want to belittle or demean the topic or the subject of the thread without taking ownership of those comments.

But in seriousness, your ownership thought and earlier "thread starter only" suggestion are spot on.

 

[Robisan]

I don't want to fight about this, but no one I know is going to use clown shoes to search for a thread about a specific political topic. In essence a tag like this posted at the top of each page of a thread is a means of applying an anonymous critical or sarcastic comment. As the author of a few thread at MRs, I would not like these kinds of tags applied to my threads by other members who want to belittle or demean the topic or the subject of the thread without taking ownership of those comments.

It's not a "fight," it's a discussion. Respectfully, your comments above miss two points:

1) As I (and others) have agreed upthread, ability to tag should be limited to the thread starter. IMO nobody should be able to place unwanted tags on your started threads. Period.

2) Tags are not for "searching." There's a search function for searching, which enables people to search thread titles and body contents for words/phrases. Tags are for labeling threads that have a common theme. Clicking on a tag will show you all threads that have been tagged for that theme/content. Importantly, a theme isn't something that's easily searchable, which is why tags are needed and useful.

Finally, as the person who placed the tag clown shoes I want to defend both its merit and my right to use it in the future on my started threads. The tag represents a theme of people/groups making fools of (beclowning) themselves. It's IMO a funny way to denote that theme in two words. Actual examples could run the gamut of people, places and actions, which would render a search function useless to find those themed threads. Hence, a tag that will take readers to all threads thus tagged. Perhaps others would find the tag useful and use it on their own started threads. Respectfully, I hope you agree that you don't have the right to tell me what tags I can place on my started threads. That is something I would fight for.

 

[Huntn]

It's not a "fight," it's a discussion. Respectfully, your comments above miss two points:

1) As I (and others) have agreed upthread, ability to tag should be limited to the thread starter. IMO nobody should be able to place unwanted tags on your started threads. Period.

2) Tags are not for "searching." There's a search function for searching, which enables people to search thread titles and body contents for words/phrases. Tags are for labeling threads that have a common theme. Clicking on a tag will show you all threads that have been tagged for that theme/content. Importantly, a theme isn't something that's easily searchable, which is why tags are needed and useful.

Finally, as the person who placed the tag clown shoes I want to defend both its merit and my right to use it in the future on my started threads. The tag represents a theme of people/groups making fools of (beclowning) themselves. It's IMO a funny way to denote that theme in two words. Actual examples could run the gamut of people, places and actions, which would render a search function useless to find those themed threads. Hence, a tag that will take readers to all threads thus tagged. Perhaps others would find the tag useful and use it on their own started threads. Respectfully, I hope you agree that you don't have the right to tell me what tags I can place on my started threads. That is something I would fight for.

We are in agreement!

 

[lowendlinux]

The ones I've seen have generally been funny, PRSI needs to lighten up a bit "why so serious "

 

[LoveMyMacPro]

I've experienced this abuse on my thread here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/livid.1996985/

I was just venting about my UPS guy not bothering to ring my doorbell and then changing my tracking to no one home, and the rude way I was treated when I called UPS. Not a big deal. But not only was I attacked and called names in the replies, multiple tags were added with no purpose other than to insult me-unless any one can prove to me that people would find the tags "DICK" "STUPID" and "LIAR" useful for searching? Very unhappy with the maturity level of some people.

 

[OllyW]

I've experienced this abuse on my thread here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/livid.1996985/

The abusive tags have been removed.

 

[grahamperrin]

can't tell who is adding the tags

Is the feature integral, or an add-on?

If it's an add-on: is it provided by XenForo?

I see https://xenforo.com/community/posts/1058229 but that's not the most recent post about tags.

 

[LoveMyMacPro]

The abusive tags have been removed.

Thank you!!

 

[OllyW]

Is the feature integral, or an add-on?

If it's an add-on: is it provided by XenForo?

I see https://xenforo.com/community/posts/1058229 but that's not the most recent post about tags.

You would need to ask @arn about that.

 

[grahamperrin]

Thanks. I do hope that the feature will continue.

Search tags will be devalued if people are prevented from adding tags.

 

[annk]

Unfortunately, there have been instances of tags being misused as a way to get around the rules and insult other users. For this reason, only thread starters will be able to tag threads at this point.

Tag content is subject to the forum rules.

I don't know when or if they will be turned completely back on, but we'll post if there's any news.

 

[chown33]

I still like turtles.

 

[Weaselboy]

I still like turtles.

It is turtles all the way down...

 

[redheeler]

Unfortunately, there have been instances of tags being misused as a way to get around the rules and insult other users. For this reason, only thread starters will be able to tag threads at this point.

Tag content is subject to the forum rules.

I don't know when or if they will be turned completely back on, but we'll post if there's any news.

That's too bad, I have constructively added tags to threads before. For example, https://forums.macrumors.com/tags/power-mac-g4-cube/ is a collection of recent threads relating to the Power Mac G4 Cube. Trolls in PRSI shouldn't ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[stridemat]

That's too bad, I have constructively added tags to threads before. For example, https://forums.macrumors.com/tags/power-mac-g4-cube/ is a collection of recent threads relating to the Power Mac G4 Cube. Trolls in PRSI shouldn't ruin it for the rest of us.

If you feel some threads need tags then report the original post making a note of the tags you want. We can the review and if deem suitable add to the thread.

 

[LoveMyMacPro]

That's too bad, I have constructively added tags to threads before. For example, https://forums.macrumors.com/tags/power-mac-g4-cube/ is a collection of recent threads relating to the Power Mac G4 Cube. Trolls in PRSI shouldn't ruin it for the rest of us.

It's not just PRSI. See my post in this thread. I posted in the iPhone section and abusive tags were added to my post with no other purpose than to insult me.

 

[redheeler]

It's not just PRSI. See my post in this thread. I posted in the iPhone section and abusive tags were added to my post with no other purpose than to insult me.

It's sad that even MacRumors is not safe from trolls. But that doesn't mean the feature should be removed completely, when there is plenty of opportunity to add tags constructively.

I would be satisfied to see the people who are abusing tags banned from the adding tags & editing Wikis privilege, or at least receive a warning from the moderators. And I would certainly report a post with inappropriate tags to bring it to the moderators' attention.

 

[OllyW]

It's sad that even MacRumors is not safe from trolls. But that doesn't mean the feature should be removed completely, when there is plenty of opportunity to add tags constructively.

I would be satisfied to see the people who are abusing tags banned from the adding tags & editing Wikis privilege, or at least receive a warning from the moderators. And I would certainly report a post with inappropriate tags to bring it to the moderators' attention.

We can't tell who has posted the tags which is why it is open to abuse.

 

[chown33]

We can't tell who has posted the tags which is why it is open to abuse.

The system itself exhibits an "ownership" property (or did before the recent change), so it almost certainly certainly knows who added each tag.

Some implications of ownership are that you can only edit tags you've added, and you can't delete or modify other people's tags. Without some kind of underlying ownership property bound to a tag, I don't see how it would be possible for the system to manage adding, deleting, and modifying in this way. Yet that is exactly how tags worked before; it's one of the things I experimented with.

If the underlying system exhibits tag ownership, then it should be technically possible to display that ownership on web pages. For example, if hovering over a tag shows a tooltip of who added it, then anonymity is lost, and I can no longer hide behind those likable turtles.

I realize that displaying tooltips adds complexity, and it's probably simpler to prohibit tags except by the thread-starter. Still, the information about who owns the tag on each thread does seem to be part of the underlying system.

 

[OllyW]

The system itself exhibits an "ownership" property (or did before the recent change), so it almost certainly certainly knows who added each tag.

Some implications of ownership are that you can only edit tags you've added, and you can't delete or modify other people's tags. Without some kind of underlying ownership property bound to a tag, I don't see how it would be possible for the system to manage adding, deleting, and modifying in this way. Yet that is exactly how tags worked before; it's one of the things I experimented with.

If the underlying system exhibits tag ownership, then it should be technically possible to display that ownership on web pages. For example, if hovering over a tag shows a tooltip of who added it, then anonymity is lost, and I can no longer hide behind those likable turtles.

I realize that displaying tooltips adds complexity, and it's probably simpler to prohibit tags except by the thread-starter. Still, the information about who owns the tag on each thread does seem to be part of the underlying system.

A system administrator such as @arn might have the ability to see who has added the tags but there are currently no tools in the moderator's arsenal that allow us to see that information.

 

[Huntn]

It's not just PRSI. See my post in this thread. I posted in the iPhone section and abusive tags were added to my post with no other purpose than to insult me.

Restricting tag assignment to the thread author seems like an easy solution. For some reason, that's how I assumed it always was, and recently critized an individual for all the ridiculous tags on his thread. I apologized later.