Why Does Quora Enforce Its Policies Inconsistently?

Many users experience varying degrees of frustration when dealing with the platform's enforcement of its policies. One user, frustrated with the inconsistent application of the policy, shares their experience of having their comments deleted while others remain untouched.

Quora employs a system where content violations are flagged by users. Once enough users report a post, the content is reviewed and action is taken. However, the process is not always immediate, and often it ishandled by automated systems rather than human moderators. This can sometimes result in subjective and inconsistent enforcement.

Policy Overview and Enforcement

The Baloney (BNBR) Not Before Reform (BNBR) policy is a set of guidelines that Quora enforces to maintain a civil and respectful community. It applies to all types of content, including questions, answers, and comments. The policy addresses issues such as harassment, impersonation, and insincerity. Despite the policy, enforcement can be inconsistent.

Automated Systems and Human Moderators

Automated systems play a significant role in maintaining the integrity of the platform. These systems can quickly identify and remove content that violates the BNBR policy, often without the need for human intervention. However, the overwork of moderators means that some content may still slip through the cracks, leading to inconsistencies in policy enforcement.

When reporting content, users can use the 'Report' feature. For more severe violations, downvoting can also be useful to signal to the community that the content is problematic. Occasionally, moderators, both human and automated, effectively deal with reported content swiftly.

Dealing with Trolling Behavior on Quora

One user experienced a situation where a troll repeatedly asked insulting questions. Quora’s system effectively dealt with these questions, often removing them before the user could even see them. This demonstrates the platform’s capability to handle some types of content violations.

However, the enforcement of the BNBR policy can be inconsistent. While some violations are swiftly dealt with, others may persist. For instance, condescending and disrespectful comments that do not include explicit profanity often go unchecked, while more serious violations, such as harassment, are swiftly addressed.

The inconsistency in enforcement leads to frustration among users. One user argues that the policy is a form of double standard, where users are punished for calling out others' rude behavior but can continue to be disrespectful themselves without facing consequences. This has led the user to question the efficacy of Quora’s moderation system and to consider ignoring the rules and facing potential bans.

The Future of Quora’s Moderation

The user predicts that Quora’s moderation system will struggle to maintain a civil and respectful community compared to historical efforts. The Catholic Church faced similar challenges during the Inquisition, where enforcement of respectful behavior was met with limited success. Similarly, Quora may not be able to achieve consistent enforcement of its policy due to the inherent complexity of moderating online communities.

The user concludes that the platform should aim to at least keep the “real” trolls at bay, a limited but achievable goal. This reflects a realistic and pragmatic approach to the challenges of online community management.