Should users be allowed to remove the "Possible Duplicate" links on closed questions?

Question

I've noticed the following happen a few times:

1. A user posts a question.
2. The question is closed as a duplicate and the usual "Possible Duplicate" links are added at the top.
3. The user promptly removes the duplicate links, even though the question is still closed as a duplicate.
4. (excessive use of list items =P)

Now, I could understand this behavior if there was some dispute about whether or not the question was a duplicate, and the OP were to remove the links and post reasons why they disagree with the closing. However, I've noticed this happening without any attempt to defend the question (such as here).

In my opinion, no one should be allowed to remove the "Possible Duplicate" links as long as the question is still closed as a duplicate. The links should remain for the benefit of the community, so they can navigate to the duplicate questions and either post answers there or read them over and judge if the closing was actually fair. Once/if the question is reopened the links could be edited out if one so chooses.

I guess this is part discussion, part feature request:

Could the "Possible Duplicate" links remain un-editable for as long as the question is still closed?

Answer 1

This has now been implemented as part of the changes described here.

Instead of being edited into the question body, the banner is now generated as-needed and displayed separately above the question (in a fashion that appears more or less the same as the edit would've). If the question is reopened, it's removed. As a bonus, this displays the target's answer count, and is automatically updated if the linked target's title is edited. This is also generated for the author as soon as someone votes or flags to close, along with a button to immediately close the question, so the author can know right away that there's an existing solution to be found and close it themselves.

Since this can't be unilaterally rolled back by the asker, they must instead edit to explain why the question is not a duplicate. At least, that's the theory, and the guidance that is provided in the notices.

Answer 2

I don't feel like this feature is necessary. If you ever see a user engaging in this behaviour, you should just reinstate the link. If the user then rolls back your change, flag for moderator attention.

I don't feel like the effort required to implement the feature is warranted considering that it does not seem to be all that prevalent, and we can easily roll back any abuses we see.

Answer 3

It should be obvious from the close reason that the question was closed as a duplicate, and anyone can go into the revision history to see which questions were dupes if the OP wants to throw a tantrum.

I don't think it happens often enough to warrant special code to protect that markup. Not every irrational behavior that humans can display needs to be addressed in the implementation.

Answer 4

EDIT: Per discussion below, I favor adding the "stop sign" to a question if it is done after the question is closed. The question gets marked "Closed as Exact Duplicate," when it is closed (making it crystal clear to everyone what happened), so if you really want a permanent link you can put it in the comments where the OP cannot delete it, or flag it for moderator attention so they can roll the question back and lock it.

To the downvoters: You might want to read the discussion below first before you pull the trigger. I didn't realize that the system now inserts the stop sign automatically, after the question is closed.

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The "possible duplicates" edit is rude enough without making it uneditable. It's only purpose is to get the question closed faster for those who feel the urgent need to get it closed. I've thought all along that it is an abuse of the system, and that comments are far more suitable, but the community disagrees, so I acquiesced.

Leave it alone; it's good enough.

Answer 5

There are also cases where someone else comes along and edits it so that it doesn't seem like a duplicate anymore.

I edited the question: How do I differentiate between beta versions and normal versions? to make the question seem less like a duplicate of How to do version numbers?.

I should note that they are very similar, but the first person to vote-to-close, was also the last person to vote-to-open.

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I would also like to point out that when a question gets reopened, those links do not get automatically removed. So I, or someone else, would have to come along and remove them. They would also have to do so, before someone sees it, because they might decide to vote-to-close, again. ( Which sort-of happened on that question, Ólafur forgot to remove a comment he added. ^{_{It has since been removed}} )

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Something you may not have realized, that became a feature, after users had already started editing-in duplicate links. Basically that feature was added to reduce the manual work for closing a question as a duplicate.