Well, this isn’t the first time I’ve been reported and had a valid answer deleted. However, I’ve been able to appeal in the past with success after pointing out that the answer I gave was thought out, cited good sources, and honest. This, however, is a new twist on an old game by the mindless monkies that work behind the scene at Yahoo! Answers.
You have posted content to Yahoo! Answers in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. As a result, your content has been deleted. Community Guidelines help to keep Yahoo! Answers a safe and useful community, so we appreciate your consideration of its rules.
Users Question: Where can I buy a cheap iPod Touch?
Question Details: I just want a cheap new ipod touch. No bogus websites either please.
My Deleted Answer: New? It’s not going to be cheap.
Violation Reason: Community Guidelines and/or Terms Of Service Violation
If you feel this content was removed in error, please read the Community Guidelines and make sure that this content: 1. respects the question-answer format and is not chatty or personal communication; 2. does not contain non-relevant links to external sites or other questions and does not promote your own blog or website; 3. is respectful to other people and does not offend other community members. If you still believe this content has been removed in error, please contact Customer Care and tell us why.
Regards,
Yahoo! Customer Care
You’re damn right I felt it was in error, so I submitted an appeal.
What are you appealing?
—————————
Subject: Answer Deletion
Enter additional information here:
————————————–
My valid answer was deleted. I fail to see how my answer was in
violation. I was clearly advising the user that if they were looking
for a NEW iPod Touch, that it wasn’t going to come cheap. Honestly,
new or used; it wouldn’t be cheap no matter where they purchased it.
Question: Where can I buy a cheap iPod Touch?
Question Details: I just want a cheap new ipod touch. No bogus websites
either please.
Deleted Answer: New? It’s not going to be cheap.
Violation Reason: Community Guidelines and/or Terms Of Service Violation
So, being the mindless monkies that they are, here’s the response I received after the appeal.
Re: Answer Deletion (KMM96553272V96773L0KM)
Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:27 AM
Hello,Thank you for writing to Yahoo! Answers.
We have reviewed your appeal request. Upon review we found that your
content was indeed in violation of the Yahoo! Answers Community
Guidelines, Yahoo! Community Guidelines or the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
As a result, your content will remain removed from Yahoo! Answers.
Please note: Questions that do not receive any answers within the 4-day
open period will expire and be deleted automatically.
Additionally, when an abusive question is deleted all answers associated
with that question are removed. In this instance, no points are deducted
from deleted answers.
Use of Yahoo! Answers is subject to the Yahoo! Answers Community
Guidelines, Yahoo! Community Guidelines, and also the Yahoo! Terms of
Service. Members who have violated the Community Guidelines are at risk
for review and possible termination of their Answers accounts. In
extreme cases, members who have also violated the Yahoo! Terms of
Service risk losing their Yahoo! ID and access to other Yahoo! services.
Please review the Yahoo! Answers Community Guidelines here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/info/community_guidelines
Please review the Yahoo! Community Guidelines here:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/guidelines/community.html
Thank you again for contacting Yahoo! Answers. Your case number for this
issue is 64193343. Please reference it in all future communication about
this particular issue.
Regards,
Tanisha Adison
Yahoo! Customer Care
Of course I’m familiar with their TOS. But since when did they change it to say that they don’t want truthful answers from their users?
Update. I guess it’s painfully apparent now that they don’t want the word to get out on their own web site. That’s ok guys. Just keep doing your thing. I’ll document it here from now on.
Update #2. So after having my question deleted, I decided that just for S&G, I would appeal it. I think that this proves my point.
Just in case you want to answer the question, here’s a link to it.
I know, I know. It sounds like a scam. Some of you may even dismiss it as such; but if you pay attention, I’ll show you how it works, and why it’s not a scam.
