Thread Deletion
 

Just a suggestion here, but I think that it would be a really good idea if members who create threads could be allowed to delete them or render them private..
There are so many threads here that have been resolved or uncomfortable and every time a member wants one of their threads deleted they have to go to an Admin. Wouldn't it be easier to allow members to be given the option to delete their threads or at least make them private/invisible so that it can't be viewed via search engines like google?

Is that even possible?

I'm not sure admins have the ability to give that power to users.

Well I don't mean giving powers exactly..
More like, giving an option on the top bar of the thread for the creator of that thread to delete it.

It is fully possible to implement such a function - however, while I can see its usefulness I can also see how it can be abused. Thus, I'll have to bring it up with the rest of the staff - expect a reply here shortly with a decision. ;)

Thank you Eltu. Both your points are quite valid and I can see the reason behind them. Hopefully there is a way to lessen the risk of abuse. I was hoping only the member who created a thread can delete it, as well as the admins of course.

In case this method doesn't work out - know that you can always send me or any other admin a PM with a link to the thread and the reason for deletion - I am usually able to respond and act within minutes after recieving one, provided I'm not asleep. ;)

Thanks for trying Eltu. :) I know that everyone, including me can rely on you and the other admins to help out. You do have a very fast reply time. ;)

Personally, I would consider this open to abuse - the number of threads that their creators have requested be deleted, excluding a couple of duplicates, is in the single digits. Threads can always be deleted on request if there is a reason.

The problem with this is that it would allow you to delete other people's posts, not just your own. You've always been able to delete your own posts, but being able to delete entire threads is just too much.

Think of this example. A forum member gets annoyed/angry/hurt/whatever, and decides to leave (it's happened before). However, with this power, they could go and delete every thread they have started. Depending on their activity, this could delete potentially hundreds or thousands of OTHER people's posts. I just don't think that's right.

Or perhaps a debate doesn't go the way the poster wants. With this, they could just delete the thoughts of everyone else. Or maybe someone says something about Neytiri that the thread creator doesn't like... you get my point.

While it may sound harmless on the surface, and I'm sure you would not do anything improper with it... I don't think a forum member should ever be allowed to delete other member's posts, and this is what that would do. Also, as HNM said, this is something that is almost never asked of us, and it's no inconvenience when it is. We don't mind having to work occasionally, it's not as if moderation is something that is constantly needed here :)

Very true. However what if the thread was controversial?

Then a simple PM to a staff member would suffice. ;)

I think that is the best solution in the end - not all too complicated for either part, and leads to no extra troubles.

I suppose. It depends on what admin you ask though. If you have a disagreement with an admin on a thread that you want closed you'd have to ask another admin to close it down.
Seems everytime I bring up a particular religion there's always someone in particular to shoot down all the good I try to create..Anyway, I'll give you the link to the thread Eltu. I'm getting so tired of this to be honest.

It was obvious which thread you were thinking of when you made this one, honestly, and I would certainly not have any problem with it being deleted. On the other hand, giving everyone the ability to delete other people's posts is problematic.

Well said there.
Maybe there's a way to make certain threads unviewable via google?

Theoretically yes, as done with the community support forum, which is only viewable to registered users. There is no way to do it on a per-thread basis though.