It has come to my attention that you used to be able to see "post removed" posts...

[Polybius]

I've been here a little over two years, and I like to search and read old posts, sometimes years old. I read somewhere someone talking about "being able to read removed posts now." To me, that sounds like paradise. This has never been an option since I've been here, unless I'm doing something wrong in my settings.

Is the option there, or is it not available anymore? We all get curious, so if it's there I'd click it every time. If it's not there anymore, why was it removed?

Long time members, has any other things changed over the years?

[Lochloosa]

1. You were able to at one time. Not anymore

[Polybius]

3. Ah ok, I figured that was the case

Was there any reason given as to why it was taken away?

[Ron Obvious]

2. I think you used to be able to see your own removed posts

Or possibly only if you had added them to your journal. I can't see them now, though. I would like the option as well. Possibly make it a star member benefit or only allow it for posters with more than 5,000 posts or something.

[Polybius]

4. That sounds like a fantastic idea

I'd pay money to have the option of seeing all deleted posts.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Posts used to be "hidden," not removed entirely, but not anymore

So if someone got a "hide," you could still read it. But even though we may still refer to "hidden" posts, they're now really gone.

[Polybius]

6. Was an explanation given as to the change?

Or did it just "happen" one day?

[Rhiannon12866]

7. It's been awhile, but I think allowing everyone to still read "hidden" posts

Caused unnecessary controversy. It was the same with juries. It used to be possible to add "comments" if you alerted or took part in a jury, but some of the jury comments were such that people would alert on them, so now it's just anonymous. And the admins did explain ahead of time that things were about to change - and why.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. I always wondered what the point was of hiding a post when you could still click...

on it and read it. Seemed like pointing it out.

And the last deleted post of mine I could still read. Seems like if it's my post, it's still my post even if it's hidden from view.

Jury comments I miss. Many of the comments were elucidating, and worth more than the original post or alert.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. I liked it when we could still read hidden posts if we wanted.

It helped make sense of the responses.

And I very much liked the jury comments. They really were helpful. Now, with no jury comments, just the post going away, strikes me as potentially open to abuse. I know how often I get asked to serve on a jury, and it's frankly shocking. Some people here must take offense at everything. Maybe the name of the member who alerted on a post, and why, ought to be public. Bring back the jury comments also.

[TreasonousBastard]

15. I liked it, too. I know some of it was just meddlesome curiosity, but it made the place...

a little more of a community. Wiping out all the posts of an obvious troll is no big deal, but a long-time member suddenly having a post removed for no specific reason is a little scary.

I don't know if it's calmed down much lately, but there was a real fear in some quarters about being negative about certain candidates or subjects. Some of us have had posts removed for no specific reason and the best you can do is appeal the removal and wait. And wait...

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

17. There are certain people you are simply not allowed to criticize.

And while you can supposedly appeal a post removal, the administrators never respond to such appeals.

[TreasonousBastard]

20. They did reverse one a while ago, but none of my (guess who) complaints were...

reversed. I suspect the population around here has changed a bit-- alerts probably haven't slowed down but hidings may have.

At any rate, I feel just a wee bit freer about my chances of not being shut down.

Strange thing to say on a liberal site.

[TreasonousBastard]

21. Well, in another thread I did have my anti-Bernie post removed...

so I suppose they are still out there.

Last time I complained about one being removed I had the complaint removed for "interfering with forum moderation"

[cwydro]

22. Yes, they do respond.

I’ve had my appeals granted in the past. Not often, but they do look at appeals.

[hlthe2b]

11. Jury comments were a double edged sword, but on the whole I thought they were useful.

Oh well.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I'm not sure what the point was either, think it was for "transparency"

But you know how things can get here - that's the same reason that the Meta Forum was shut down for good. I imagine it got to be a bit much dealing with jury "comments" that were as unacceptable as the "hidden" post.

And I'm guessing that you may be able to still read your own post even if it's been "removed." Fortunately, I haven't had that happen to me since DU.2 (2004) *knock on wood*

[hlthe2b]

9. Here is Skinner's post on some of those changes from 2013

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1013&pid=2863

Members who are abusive while performing jury service will lose the privilege of serving on juries.
The administrators are getting increasingly concerned about the small number of members who repeatedly post rude juror comments while serving on juries. The vast majority of jurors are doing the job in good faith, but unfortunately a small number of people are not. Some people seem to be using the juror comments as a "free" opportunity to make extremely abusive comments to people -- that's not ok. If any juror has a history of inappropriate comments, or if any juror makes a single comment that is way over the line, then we are going to exclude that individual from jury service. If we do take away any person's jury privileges, we will do so transparently and make a note of it on that person's profile page. (Look for the words "Eligible to serve on Juries?"

I get the impression some other changes may have been made since then but maybe admins chose not to post about it? We used to have an ATA (ask the administrators) forum where "live" public questions were posted and they would answer some of them. That is now limited to a few categories of inquiries and they are submitted without public posting.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Yes. Ask the Administrators used to be another good thing

that should not have gone away.

Another change is that people used to be tombstoned, and you could see that. Now someone's profile is simply under review, and apparently there is no appealing such a review. Tombstoning would be more honest.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. Appeals are still possible and we have seen people here reinstated

It doesn't happen often, but it has happened.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

18. I'm aware of people whose appeals were apparently never looked at.

Never responded to.

I am aware of only one reinstatement, and I don't think that person was actually banned, just had posted some things in anger and was allowed to apologize. Others never got that chance.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. I know people who had that experience too.

I'm sorry that Flagged for Review became the same as banned.

[cwydro]

23. I've seen people reinstated, so that's not true.

Just like with the post removed appeals; it does happen.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Thanks for posting that, I wasn't sure where to still find it.