Sometimes an inappropriate post is triggering to many users. Even if it is hidden, we see many people unhide it and reply to it anyway. Before we know it we have 10 posts of heated discussion mixed in with the intended discussion, and we have to start deleting about 10 posts to finally get people back on topic. Deletion then further angers them, as they have already formed an opinion and feel it is getting censored.
One of two things which might help here is to add a warning when someone replies to or quotes from a hidden post “You are about to reply to a hidden post, do not engage in discussion about an inappropriate or off-topic remark otherwise your posts will get flagged too.” with the options “Continue” and “Never mind than”
The other option would be to disable the possibility of unhiding a post until it has been edited when a post has been flagged as inappropriate. I will request that in a separate topic.
it were a few cases, different people where the initiators of a lengthy off-topic discussion which was getting too personal. Posts were hidden, but users felt trigger when unhiding the posts and decided to reply to them anyway.
We did discuss it with them, and usually they would agree their post was out of line, however by that time the derailment was already well underway. The latest case was 29 posts found off-topic, all replies to each other, starting with a flagged inappropriate and off-topic post. they were posted in a period of 2 days, after which we locked the thread and split out all the off-topic posts.
I think maybe a simple warning would reduce the temptation of replying, while not making it impossible. thereby reducing or slowing derailment.
I feel like sometimes you just have to enforce “don’t feed the trolls” by deleting the baited posts, and/or the original bait. Perhaps ask your community if that’s a moderation policy change they would like.
It’s very though to draw a line between a regular inappropriate post and a near trolling or triggering post, and deleting can be seen as censoring (it is). We could start deleting posts, however I would love if we can first try something less drastic such as a warning prompt.