A Topic Feature Were Only TL4 Users Could View The Comment History, But Users Could Still Comment (Kind of)

Feature
1

Hello! I am a moderator on the Hopscotch Forum. The moderator team for our forum wants to know if a feature could be developed/has already been developed but we don’t know about it. We want to know if it would be possible to have a topic where only a Trust Level 4 user could view the entire search history, and anyone below that could only comment, not view. However, with a little twist. If the TL4 user directly replies to the user that commented, than the <TL4 user could still see it.

Here is what we would use it for:
If a user suspects suspicious activity but doesn’t have a specific reason to flag yet, they could reply to this topic with a link to the comment so the mod team could look over the conversation. They would want to tag the team on the topic to prevent users from being suspicious that the mod team would be looking over them. Then a mod would reply with a quick thank you. Nobody else on the forum would be able to see the report.

Here are some limitations:
-We don’t want to use PMs because we might get spammed with them
-We also only want the user to see the posts he/she had been replied to
-The mod team would automatically be tagged in the topic (although I am pretty sure we could do this by just setting the topic to watching)

Again, I do apologize if something like this already exists, we just don’t know about it. We don’t have admin permissions, like the admins (kinda duh) but we do have all TL4 abilities.

2

Isn’t this just flags with extra steps?

If you aren’t sure of a flag reason, just use the Something Else option, and write down the reasons.

4 Likes
3

As moderators we can’t see flags (like we don’t get notified). The admins only have that ability. So this would be a way for us to know of suspicious activity. Also it’s kind of just a “watch out!” not a “oh you need to be here right now!” kind of thing.

4

Moderators can see flags and act on then. Some may say that their most important job.

5 Likes
5

Not us, the admins have modified what things we can see. We don’t get notified if a post gets flagged, of course we can see if a post gets flagged, but only if we are on that topic and we know where to look. I hope this makes sense? IDK the situation with what permissions we have is kind of weird, I can further explain if you need me to.

6

So that seems like a self-inflicted problem.

We are working in a lot of improvements to the flag review queue, but everything wraps around the concept of user flagging and moderators handling those flags.

4 Likes
7

Either

  • Reply in public that the mods should take a look at this topic, and @username mention them, if that’s appropriate

or

  • Cast a “something else” flag and describe the issue privately
3 Likes