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I don't think there should be a badge for flagging a post because it can encourage new users to flag just to get the badge.

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  • 2
    There is a badge for flagging? Since when?
    – Pekka
    Dec 13, 2010 at 17:44
  • @Pekka There is! I didn't know until I flagged this post, but there definitely is...
    – Tyler Carter
    Dec 13, 2010 at 17:44
  • @Tyler Really? Didn't know that. What's it named? (Off to flag some other post so this doesn't get deleted :)
    – Pekka
    Dec 13, 2010 at 17:45
  • @Tyler Chacha: You flagged my post? :'(
    – Linuxmint
    Dec 13, 2010 at 17:50
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    @Pekka Citizen Patrol.
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    Dec 13, 2010 at 17:51
  • @Grace yeah, I see now, cheers. @Linuxmint this is Meta, never mind, people like to play around here :)
    – Pekka
    Dec 13, 2010 at 17:53
  • @Linuxmint never mind that either. Downvotes have a different role on Meta than on SO: They are used as an expression of disagreement. Anybody disagreeing with your request would downvote
    – Pekka
    Dec 13, 2010 at 18:01
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    Also, complaining about being "voted down" is asking for more downvotes...
    – juan
    Dec 13, 2010 at 18:05
  • No more complaints! :P
    – Linuxmint
    Dec 13, 2010 at 18:06
  • I just noticed a "bug". I have gotten 2 upvotes on this post, and 2 downvotes. But the post shows up as "-1". Shouldn't it show up as "0"?
    – Linuxmint
    Dec 13, 2010 at 18:49
  • 2
    It's because you have a flag in addition to two downvotes. See here.
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    Dec 13, 2010 at 18:55
  • I'm guessing it's because you asked not to be flagged... see? you have to use reverse psychology here, except in the cases where you don't.
    – juan
    Dec 13, 2010 at 20:38
  • @Juan Manuel: So if I used reverse psychology then everyone would know that I did and It wouldn't effect them, So I would have to use reverse reverse psychology and that would be normal. But since I am saying this then you would know that I wouldn't use reverse psychology so I should use reverse psychololgy and so on...
    – Linuxmint
    Dec 14, 2010 at 0:34

3 Answers 3

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One potential problem with flagging badges is that they are awarded immediately. This can make flagging non anonymous in case you cast your first flag on a post and that flag causes a post to disappear.

This happened to me on Area51, a site with relatively low activity...

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6

But it could also encourage people to flag when necessary.

I do believe that people flagging just to get the badge get what they deserve (since a moderator will look at the post and see nothing wrong).

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    This is phrased in a way that may be misleading, so I will clarify -- Citizen Patrol is only awarded for flagging as spam or offensive. Flagging for moderator attention does not award the badge.
    – Jon Seigel
    Dec 13, 2010 at 18:43
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    A successful flag, or any flag? I think that it should only reward the flaggers that are being useful to moderators.
    – Zoot
    Dec 30, 2010 at 17:26
1

Any tool or rule can be misused. I don't think it make this badge useless.

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