In August, we released a new feature, significant edits, that changed how posts enter the Reopen queue. As promised, we conducted a data analysis to determine whether or not users are abusing the new feature. We determined that abuse is minimal, so we won't be implementing additional measures to limit its use.
To summarize the Significant edit feature, it is a checkbox that appears when users are editing a closed question. It lets users indicate that their edits resolve the original close reason. When the significant edit box is checked, we send the question to the Reopen queue (sometimes by way of the Suggested Edit queue if the user hasn't earned the Edit privilege).
Users can use the significant edit feature to send a question to the Reopen queue multiple times, so our analysis centered around how often this is occurring.
Results of data analysis
We analyzed the period between Aug. 26 - Oct. 14, 2021.
Posts entering the Reopen queue due to significant edits: For Stack Overflow, we found that 69.9% of posts entering the Reopen queue were due to significant edits vs. users casting reopen votes. Across the entire Stack Exchange network (excluding Stack Overflow), 61.3% of posts were due to significant edits.
Posts re-entering the Reopen queue due to multiple significant edits: For Stack Overflow, we found that only 4.5% of posts with significant edits went on to subsequently re-enter the Reopen queue due to multiple significant edits. Across the entire Stack Exchange network (excluding Stack Overflow), 9.9% of significant edit posts re-entered the Reopen queue.
Average, median and maximum times that posts entered the Reopen queue due to significant edits: For Stack Overflow, we found that both the average and median number of times that a post entered the Reopen queue due to a significant edit was 1 time, with the maximum number of times being 4. Across the entire Stack Exchange network (excluding Stack Overflow), the average and median number of times that a post entered the Reopen queue due to a significant edit was also 1 time. The average maximum number of times across all sites was 3 times, and the maximum on any site was 5 times.
Original posters vs. other editors: For Stack Overflow, the original poster made 92.6% of the significant edits, while across the Stack Exchange network (excluding Stack Overflow), the median was 94.6%.
