How about a hoax flagging system to balance stars and flags

I have had a few conversations with board members about hoax threads and the idea of some kind of system for us members to have some power in helping other members see that just because a certain thread is flagged and starred over a 100 times, it doesnt mean that OP is factual. There are so many threads that went to page 20 without being properly moved. Im sure you guys know some of the ones Im talking about recently.

IE www.abovetopsecret.com...

This is not to debate about the thread itself, but it was moved to the hoax thread. But it garnered 82 stars and almost 100 flags. It didnt get moved until page 24. Perhaps if ATS allowed us to click a hoax flag to counter the simple star and flag, it allows a member to enter a thread with a little context....

Sure it may be abused, but same can be said for the original star and flag system. This hoax flag wouldnt be the final say of course. That would still be left up to the mods. But we members have the power to give a thread the proper attention it deserves, perhaps its time for us to be able to give a thread the proper attention it deserves when discovering it is a hoax as well.

I agree with you 100%...far too many people take a thread as gospel simply because it has a large amount of stars and flags

Thanks for starting this thread bk.

Here is the post I made the explains the hoax flag as best as I could come up with at the time.
It's the second suggestion 3rd paragraph.

Hoax flag explained

It might add a nice counter point to the star and flag.
Have the hoax flags right next to the "Flags" where people can see 20 Flags to 21 Hoax or w/e.

Thanks again for starting the thread.

I think once a thread is entered into the HOAX forum it should no longer be eligible for stars/flags. That might cut down on the purposeful troll threads.

reply to post by Blackmarketeer


The hoax flags idea came about because we were talking about threads that haven't been marked a hoax yet and are still on the main boards.

Once they are in the Hoax area they generally die off fast, this was an idea to help balance threads that may or may not be hoaxes yet.

no.