Should a user purposely post something in their AskMe thread, with the idea that they can get it or the thread deleted or made anonymous later?
posted by Brandon Blatcher on Apr 19, 2009 - 151 comments

From whatever mod deleted it, I just wondered why my repsonse to this post was deleted, and what exactly is so offensive about it that it needed to be removed. A Mefi mail is fine, but if you want it public that's OK too. Thank you. Truly, I don't care about the deletion, but am truly interested about the policy/ethics involved.
posted by timsteil on Jun 10, 2008 - 36 comments

Temporary commenting lockout for bad behavior in AskMe? Details and thoughts inside. [more inside]
posted by baphomet on Mar 19, 2008 - 130 comments

What's the rationale for deletion here of Planet F's comment? [more inside]
posted by Phanx on Mar 18, 2008 - 56 comments

Answer the question or don't already, 1. [more inside]
posted by loquacious on Mar 6, 2008 - 361 comments

Matt, cortex, jessamyn: did my comment get deleted from the flapjax thread? [more inside]
posted by hadjiboy on Oct 2, 2007 - 4 comments

I think the moderators should please actually READ the question before deleting it. I asked a valid question about dinner table conversation, and the moderator deletes it on reading the word "troll". I cry unfair!
posted by markovich on Jul 5, 2007 - 80 comments

This is a great freakin question. I'd just like to use it to once more point out that we really should be able to reopen this discussion for a more full, rounded finalization.
posted by allkindsoftime on Jul 2, 2007 - 33 comments

The poster of this question has clearly stated, "I'm not trying to solve their problems, I'm looking for specific recommendations for a marriage counselor. You know, like a name. If I wanted advice about 'how do I deal with my friends' psychotic marriage problems,' that's the question I'd have asked." I've flagged the responses that judged the poster rather than answering the question, and several of those comments were deleted, but many of them remain. I'm curious about where that line was drawn. Also, if people really feel the need to question the poster's judgment, hopefully they can do it here and leave the thread with less noise.
posted by vytae on Jul 2, 2007 - 59 comments

Just curious why yet another Ask Metafilter answer was immediately deleted with no email explanation. Thanks.
posted by four panels on Jun 29, 2007 - 95 comments

Should questions like this be deleted?
posted by matthewr on Jan 22, 2007 - 72 comments

I'm guessing the chances are pretty slim, but I would like to see about getting one of my questions on ask. un-deleted.
I posted This question last night, and woke up this morning to see it was deleted. For this reason "doesn't sound like any problem to be solved, rather some idle 'what if' curiosity"
I've never had one deleted, and I feel it does not violate any of the things mentioned in the FAQ. To quote the FAQ:
Put another way "...if your motivation for asking the question is 'I would like to participate in a discussion about X,' then you shouldn't be doing it in AskMe. If your motivation is 'I would like others to explain X to me,' then you're probably OK."

I was simply interested in how the physics of it worked, and what would happen. I only posted once in my own thread, and that was to answer a question about thresholds.
posted by JonnyRotten on Jan 10, 2007 - 121 comments

ChatFilter
posted by Stynxno on Dec 27, 2006 - 52 comments

Edumacate me. Why are AskMe questions deleted in two distinct ways? For example, why is this one still visible but not this one?
posted by mds35 on Dec 18, 2006 - 24 comments

Again with the quick hook on a chatfilter judgment call?
posted by frogan on Dec 14, 2006 - 50 comments

After much careful consideration, I don't think Lucy's question should have been deleted.
posted by Baby_Balrog on Dec 11, 2006 - 34 comments

You can run, but you can't hide.
posted by JekPorkins on Nov 15, 2006 - 29 comments

why? I was looking forward to reading this one and had marked it as a favorite (as had others). Do we have to explain why we ask each and every question now?
posted by lemonfridge on Oct 3, 2006 - 112 comments

A few weeks ago, I left an answer on this post. I went back to look at it again, and it's gone. It wasn't rude, it wasn't abusive, it didn't contain foul language or untruths.

It was a criticism of previous advice, but it was, I believe, a legitimate criticism. Frankly, I think it should still be there - no one else has made a similar point, and someone needed to.

I know that people will turn around and say 'this is Matt's site, we shouldn't complain...' - but I don't buy it. This site would be nothing without the community. And this sort of arbitrary moderation makes me much more reluctant to contribute to that community.

I'm not the most prolific member, I may not be a loss, but if it can happen to me...
posted by ascullion on Aug 18, 2006 - 92 comments

Boo, my Askme question was deleted. I'm disappointed, because I did mean the question seriously-- I was actually hoping to get some scientific information/insight into radioactive half-lives, heavy-metal contamination, global warming, etc. Was the tone too flippant? Could I have phrased it better?
posted by jokeefe on Aug 9, 2006 - 62 comments

This AskMe has been moderated? And yet remains?
posted by mzurer on Jul 3, 2006 - 24 comments

AskMe deletions, again. I know it's annoying to hear us all complain about deletions constantly, but it seems like a lot of innocuous comments are getting axed. I understand not insulting the poster, or making just "wisecracks" (which in my mind are by definition at the expense of the poster) but does every bit of human interaction that doesn't quite solve the question -- but does engage with the poster in a respectful way -- need to go?
posted by occhiblu on Jun 28, 2006 - 60 comments

My AskMefi question was deleted. How do I discover why? Is there a deleted AskMefi graveyard?
posted by joe lisboa on Jun 12, 2006 - 72 comments

This thread was deleted, but I have to admit, I don't understand why. "Ask MeFi isn't for silly hypotheticals," sez Matt, but hasn't it been before? And if not, exactly how practical must Ask MeFi questions be? I've seen plenty of hypotheticals on Ask MeFi before, and this struck me as an interesting thought exercise.
posted by WCityMike on Apr 26, 2006 - 59 comments

I'm sure this invites a pile-on, but I thought this question in askme was thought provoking and was looking forward to discussion and comment, but it got deleted as "chatfilter." How much more worthy were this or this?
posted by Pressed Rat on Apr 4, 2006 - 46 comments

I assume this question was deleted for being chatty, but what if it had been: "Can you name some scenes in film that feature popular songs where the on-screen characters actually sing along or otherwise interact with the music? I'm putting them together for a project etc etc....". Is everything on AskMe a "problem" looking for a solution?
posted by Orange Goblin on Mar 16, 2006 - 41 comments

I posted a thread to AskMeFi, but it's disappeared - what's going on?
posted by Happy Dave on Mar 11, 2006 - 33 comments

Why is an answer in AskMe deleted when it contains an informative comment, followed by some humor?

This seems a tad unfair, since lots of comments are not deleted which contain exactly the same mix of a comment, followed by humor.

I'd link to my answer, but I don't know where it is.....Here's the question.

How do I know who's deleted my comment? Appeals? How does one gain such Godlike powers?
Also: is there a place to find deleted comments on AskMe so at least I can save my late night ramblings
posted by lalochezia on Jan 26, 2006 - 41 comments

http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/22288. Deleted. Boo.

I want to know why. This was by far one of the Best Ask questions I've ever seen (over pet peeves.) I even flagged it as such. It was insightful, illuminating, and gave me great insight on others, as a writer, as a human being. Did it have a single answer? No. Was it a valuable question? Hell yes. Look at how many responses in such as short period of time.

Makes me want not to come here anymore. Close it instead. Deleting it robbed me of the perspectives of others. At least in closing it (Rather than deleting it) I'd have a chance to archive what I wrote (which is my copyright, isn't it?) and what others wrote.
posted by filmgeek on Aug 8, 2005 - 153 comments

Ask.mefi just ate my question. I know it went through because I can't post another question this week, but it hasn't appeared on the front page.
posted by selfnoise on Jun 23, 2005 - 5 comments

Can we use this waste of valuable front page AskMe space as the definitive example of what AskMe is not for?
posted by sic on Apr 26, 2005 - 49 comments

Would it be possible to get a deletion explanation for the top of axed AxMe threads? I'm stumped for a reason why someone's "Can anyone tell me what Van Morrison's song Madame George is about?" question got killed.
posted by yerfatma on Mar 21, 2005 - 28 comments

Did we really have to delete the Quarter-Life Crisis question?

I know that in one way it looked like a survey question, but in another way, it was "I am freaking out about this. How did you deal with it?" As such, it was no different from half the advice questions out there. Even though it may not have been the best-worded question AskMe has ever seen, it would have been really helpful to have. Also, if a question is borderline, can we let it stay a little to see if it gets good advice-type answers despite poll-ish wording instead of killing it before it has a chance? That would be totally rad.
posted by dame on Mar 2, 2005 - 63 comments

YA plea for editorial discretion/benevolent neglect. [greater within]
posted by kenko on Feb 19, 2005 - 90 comments

Why was my comment in this thread deleted? My comment was "How much do you make?" and I was serious. Is that somehow not appropriate? Does jessamyn or Matt get to decide what might be an appropriate conversation starter?
posted by fixedgear on Feb 16, 2005 - 14 comments

This is NOT what AskMe is for. The poster even acknowledges it in defiance.
posted by Civil_Disobedient on Jan 1, 2005 - 36 comments

This doesn't belong in the green, but it's something interesting to read.
posted by FunkyHelix on Dec 8, 2004 - 69 comments

Matt, did you delete weston's Why/Something/Nothing AskMe thread? Sure, it had some problems, as it was a vaguely-worded question that resulted in initial snarking, but I believe weston meant it as a sincere philosophical question, and it resulted in a number of good philosophy/religion links, as well as some unique personal perspectives. Maybe you didn't notice that it ended up as a very good thread?
posted by Shane on Sep 30, 2004 - 44 comments

This filth is just too much. These posts are not questions, do not help anyone, and aren't funny; they cheapen, devalue and irritate our dearly beloved Ask Metafilter. Can we please not crap all over it? If you want to just hang out, go to the mefi irc channel. Or somewhere, just away. Please? Please?
posted by ac on Jul 10, 2004 - 145 comments

Since botching policy on a recent post (asking about why people smoke) and being promptly deleted, I'm left scratching my head about why this post went unquestioned. I'm not complaining, and I don't think the thread should be deleted, I'm just trying to understand the distinction so I don't get my own posts deleted again in the future.
posted by oissubke on Dec 22, 2003 - 46 comments