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Misinformation Provided by Members

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Post by runawayhorses June 1st 2012, 1:30 pm

I've been noticing misinformation provided by members trying to help answer questions on the forums. When this happens it becomes anything but helpful to the person asking the question, and it complicates matters for a member that really does have the correct answer, because now they have to figure out a way to tell the topic starter to disregard the members wrong answer. This is difficult to do when you are just a member trying to help with no administrative power or staff influence.

I am just a member that likes to help people and in doing so help out the staff by helping answer questions on the forum, but I always try real hard to make sure I know what I'm talking about before I give an answer. If I'm not sure about the answer I do not answer it and leave it to someone else that does, or if I can only provide a possible suggestion or solution that may or may not work then I make it clear it is only suggestion and that it may or may not work. I also suggest if they want a definitive answer to wait for someone else that is certain to post an answer.

But I see this all to often members posting answers that are in no way correct in an attempt to be helpful, or worst-case scenario trying to impress people. When this happens it becomes anything but impressive or helpful, and is extremely aggravating to the person that has the correct answer and even more aggravating to the person asking the question, because now they have to decide who is correct and take a guess. I know I've been on both sides of the fence.

I don't have any solutions to stop this misinformation from happening other than asking members to stop helping if they are not assigned forumotion "Helpers" or part of the staff team. I could be shooting myself in the foot with this post as I am only a regular member that likes to help answer questions, but I would be willing to give that up if this was the only way to really stop misinformation from happening.

Although there could be other possible solutions to this that I haven't thought of yet, so I started this new topic in hopes of bringing awareness to other members and staff that this is happening and to hear other ideas of possible alternatives to stopping misinformation from happening by the members here.

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Post by Darren1 June 1st 2012, 1:42 pm

I agree with you, there has been alot of incorrect answers go around lately which infuriates me quite a fair bit.

Funny thing, notice how were correcting the incorrect members, and the mods aren't doing anything?
Lets refer to the rules, they should be stepping in, on many occasions.

I believe the issue is that the users aren't fluent in English, and are just trying to rack up a decent post number and posting the minimal. An example, which I have seen many times, so many, I can't count that high!
Please post your forum url for appearance issues
members don't need to state this. Sometimes we don't need to see the forum to correct an issue. Usually we do, so we simply ask them, these particular users just are rude about it.

*blood boils* Ill stop myself here before I let loose Razz

I think the staff need to look at the issue more seriously, and perhaps do something about it, considering that giving misleading, or incorrect information isn't allowed by the rules.
Is it time to hire more staff to look after the support section?
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Post by Base June 1st 2012, 2:11 pm

Hello,

There is a rule against giving 'erroneous' answers that are not at all relevant to the question at hand. If we see a member deliberately posting answers which do not help at all, then we will give them a reminder.

Of course, you must understand that all members giving answers are done in good faith. This means that they do intend on helping, even if their answer is not entirely correct.

People learn from mistakes, and any misinformation can and will most definitely be corrected. It is completely unfair to disallow members, who are perhaps less familiar with the system, to attempt to help.

That being said, this topic does not require further discussion and I will now lock this. Thank you for understanding.

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