Have you ever used the "alert" button here at DU? I have twice and felt

[patricia92243]

so guilty - like I was being a tattle tale - that I will probably not do it again.

Does anybody else feel that way?

[Nite Owl]

1. I did a couple of times

but the poster was very definitely a freeper. No guilt, they are only here to disrupt.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Never on anyone who didn't deserve it.

[patricia92243]

8. Oh they definately deserved it. But I still felt torn between "Should I

or Shouldn't I.

I know that it is absolutely necessary for the mods to know what is going on - I just want somebody else to do it. Shame on me.
:(

[frictionlessO]

3. never guilty, always provide a caveat and explain yourself and why

you alerted, finish off with hoping whoever sees it is having a nice day and hope you aren't wasting their time.

[sui generis]

4. sometimes things get out of control

and then DU as a whole ends up looking bad. It's not tattling - it's letting the host know there's a disruption going on at the party so he can smooth things out or kick things out.

[Skittles]

5. used it several times and no I don't feel guilty one bit

it's either a f***ing troll or a regular member saying something completely out of line - breaking the rules. We are just assisting the mods with doing their jobs more quickly.

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. Twice and no twinges...

the posts were way over theline.

[SOteric]

7. Oh don't feel that way at all.

There are certainly some who've abused the 'Alert' button, but for the most part, it's a valuable tool for the moderators. I was a mod for a while, and I really appreciated how much help the posters can be in bringing odd/suspicious/or patently misbehaving posts to our attention. We really can't be everywhere, all the time, reading every post, -but the regulars certainly can.

The moderators don't just delete anything that anyone alerts on. They have a very fair process they go through. Sometimes it's nice just to get an idea of what people's relationships/issues/patterns are.

[patricia92243]

9. And the mods don't look with disdain at the alerters? I guess that was my

problem - I thought the mods think that people who alert are nuts or something like that.

[SOteric]

10. No way.

Sure, sure, there's been a person or two over all the years of DU who sent in alerts every time the wind switched directions, but they're the rare exception. And maybe there are a few souls who feel it necessary to be impolite when alerting; that's unnecessary.

Mods actually appreciate getting most alerts.

[Kingofalldems]

11. I only hit alert on people I think are

freepers, and I've been right most of the time. Other than that I believe in free speech---say whatever you want.

[tammywammy]

12. Only once

someone posted a home address of someone in the news. Though you could look on the internet and get the address yourself, I just thought it was inappropriate.

[BamaLefty]

13. Don't Feel Bad

do your part to weed them out.

[MrScorpio]

14. More times than you will ever know

Goddamn freepers are everywhere.

EVERYWHERE, I tell ya!

[tjdee]

15. I have a hard time coming up with a reason.

Like 'freeper' or 'he called me a bad name and now I :cry: '...

That's when I feel like a tattle.

[KittyWampus]

16. Yes, I Have & Do. No, I Never Feel Guilty