alt.hn

7/29/2026 at 3:48:13 PM

Ask/Tell HN: use the flag button instead of complaining about AI slop articles

by rglullis

7/29/2026 at 4:59:28 PM

The problem isn't that people complain instead of flagging. The problem is that flagging provides no visible reason or feedback loop. That's what my own experience tells me.

by gysakai

7/29/2026 at 5:32:53 PM

I share that thought, but wonder if is the flagger who needs the comment more than the admins. Like the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Harrison Ford just shoots the man with the big sword, I find just down voting or flagging feels like an act of boredom.

by beardyw

7/29/2026 at 6:26:04 PM

The Raiders reference made me laugh. That was way too accurate.

The sheer volume may be part of the problem too. With that much low-quality content around, you end up thinking, "Am I really supposed to stop and work out exactly what's wrong with every single one?" Still, I do think some visible feedback would be nice.

by gysakai

7/29/2026 at 3:52:07 PM

I ignore them. The problem is that there is more AI slop than content with substance anymore.

If everyone is like me it means communities like this fail. So please keep reporting!

by gitbit-org

7/29/2026 at 3:52:21 PM

How many flags does it take to knock an article off front page?

by paulpauper

7/29/2026 at 4:03:26 PM

I don't know if there is a specific number. But I noticed that after I flagged that article it was removed from the front page.

by rglullis

7/29/2026 at 5:02:59 PM

HN is designed so that it takes very few flags to have an effect. I would be surprised if the limit was more than two or three.

by krapp