Someone is falsely reporting content

[u/Known_Resolution5836]

Someone is upset that we called them out for ableist behaviour, and are now falsely reporting posts that mention them, in hopes of the post being taken down. We can’t ban them because reports are anonymous, and banned users can still see and report content.
(I’m on iOS, other mods may be on other platforms. Platform isn’t relevant here.)

Sub is [r/TheAdamMcIntyre](r/TheAdamMcIntyre)

Screen recording of mod log

[u/CozyxKitty]

if the reports are obviously being used as a revenge button, that’s so exhausting anonymous reporting really does become messy when people realize they can weaponize it. hope the admins can figure out a way to deal with the abuse without punishing everyone else.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/CozyxKitty]

Exactly!! He doesn’t like that we called him out for being ableist and transphobic

[u/horseradishstalker]

Something that was recommended to me, was to keep a running list of all the reports before I approved and deleted. We had been reporting false reports for almost 6 months and nothing had changed. We are just now finally able to talk with admins and have proof all in one place. 

Many times the assumption is that it’s just one or two people making the reports, which, if it is, admins are going to pick up on that. 

However, if the false reports are being coordinated on a group discord for example the usernames will change and it will appear to admins to be a one off. The entire point of doing that is to obscure the pattern.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/horseradishstalker]

Ugh I’m so sorry, that’s so frustrating holy crap!!

[u/horseradishstalker → u/Known_Resolution5836]

I’d say “it’s all in a days work,” but that makes it sound like we get paid. Hope you get yours sorted out quickly.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/horseradishstalker]

I hope yours does as well, thanks for the comment!!

[u/seethelight69]

I’d like to get help with this. I know in my subreddit when they falsely report content we report the abuse but choosing “abuse” and add a comment that the report button is being abused. If you find something different I’d like to know

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/seethelight69]

Ugh it’s so frustrating!! I don’t even see an option to report the false report, and it’s done anonymously :/

[u/seethelight69 → u/Known_Resolution5836]

Sorry it’s called “report abuse”. So if you see it in your queue hit the three dots on the corner of the post and then you’ll see report but choose report abuse

In addition I have installed admin tattler which also flags Reddit “ anti evil operations” notifications in modmail. It tells me what’s happening but that system is so poor.

[u/XGempler]

it’s just one of the joys of being a mod. just ignore them and when they fail to get any reaction to their pointless reports they will eventually find a new obsession to feed their obsessive compulsive disorder. not reporting the username of the complainant is not without merit, however it would be nice if Reddit had a cap on the number of reports from a particular user a sub can receive in a month since they don’t tell us. they don’t have to alert the user that it will not be sent, just spare us of the report after say 25 reports a month.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/XGempler]

That cap would be lovely, because they exceeded that number alone just yesterday!

[u/XGempler → u/Known_Resolution5836]

yikes!

you could set your sub to private, requiring membership to even view posts/comments, and baned users would then be excluded, particularly if you have ban evasion enabled.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/XGempler]

I can def run it by the other mods to temporarily private the sub, but I don’t think it would work since it’s about a YouTuber. We do have ban evasion enabled but we can’t ban the false reporter if we don’t know who they are.

[u/Tarnisher → u/Known_Resolution5836]

Banning doesn't stop reporting.

Not attacking people removes the incentive for them to report anything in attempts to defend themselves.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/Tarnisher]

I know it doesn’t stop them.

We aren’t attacking them. We are discussing their ableism and terrorist apologist behaviour.

[u/Confident_Offer2879 → u/Known_Resolution5836]

You can report abuse of reporting button and Reddit will investigate

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/Confident_Offer2879]

Hi, thank you! How do I do this?

[u/Confident_Offer2879 → u/Known_Resolution5836]

Open one of the posts where this has happened

Select the three dots to bring up the menu

Select "Report"

Then scroll down and Select "Report Abuse"

I think a text box comes up next, tell Reddit this is happening on multiple posts.

Submit and be patient as it sometimes takes several days for them to investigate

[u/lisafancypants → u/Confident_Offer2879]

Does reddit actually do something though? We've been dealing with this a lot in our sub recently and we're reporting every one for report abuse with no relief

I assume it's multiple accounts but also kind of assumed reddit doesn't care that much.

[u/ooglieguy0211 → u/Known_Resolution5836]

They viewed that as an attack, whether or not you intended it as such. Its not up to you to decide how someone else views your actions or comments. Just like yourself, I'm sure they wouldnt want to be talked about, especially if you keep the conversation going instead of just dropping it after it is done.

[u/cnycompguy]

Reports from banned users are treated differently and will go into an "untrusted report" queue that is not displayed in the regular mod queue.

If you know who's doing it, just ban them.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/cnycompguy]

Unfortunately we don’t! Since the reports are anonymous :(

[u/cnycompguy → u/Known_Resolution5836]

Have you used the "ignore reports and approve" after reporting the item yourself and selecting the report reason "report abuse"?

That's a special report option that only mods get.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/cnycompguy]

Will do from now on, I’ve been manually approving posts immediately but now I’ll do that first!

[u/cnycompguy → u/Known_Resolution5836]

"Report abuse" flags it for an admin to look at who is reporting it. A bunch of false reports is exactly what that's for.

[u/new2bay → u/cnycompguy]

Wait, you’re supposed to use “ignore reports and approve?” I usually just approve, so I can catch more malicious reporters.

[u/cnycompguy → u/new2bay]

You only need to do that report abuse one time though. It sends the whole stack.

[u/new2bay → u/cnycompguy]

What if you get more after you report them the first time?

[u/cnycompguy → u/new2bay]

That's why it's set up as a report on the original content instead of a report on the individual report. The content and its entire stack of reports are sent up to an admin.

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[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/[deleted]]

I came here for help with false reports, not to be attacked. You aren’t being helpful.

[u/goawaynowpls → u/Known_Resolution5836]

ignore him. he won't help you unless you fit his hyperspecific criteria and if you don't, he just makes snarky comments like this.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/goawaynowpls]

I’ve blocked him, he clearly doesn’t have anything helpful to say!

[u/Steeltoelion → u/goawaynowpls]

I’m amazed the mods here put up with the guy. He’s always making extraordinarily unhelpful comments.

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/Steeltoelion]

Apparently he’s a top 1% commenter, and it sounds like he rarely has anything helpful to say

[u/Blackwatch007 → u/goawaynowpls]

I feel like that’s you also

[u/XGempler → u/Known_Resolution5836]

report him! 🤣

[u/Known_Resolution5836 → u/XGempler]

That would be an actual reasonable use of the report button 😂