Disappearing Posts? Investigating Causes

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AI Thread Summary
Posts on the forum have been disappearing, with users noting instances where replies vanished shortly after being viewed. One user speculated that a reply might have been deleted by the original poster, while another mentioned the possibility of posts being trimmed for content reasons. It was clarified that spam posts are typically hard deleted, whereas other types are soft deleted for mentor review. Users expressed confusion over the lack of soft deleted posts in their history and the mechanics of post deletion. Overall, the discussion highlights concerns about post visibility and the deletion process on the forum.
Disconnected
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Howdy howdy, I've noticed posts kinda disappearing twice today.

The first was someone posting a reply to a post of mine. I check my PF and it poppoed up that a rpely had been made. I clicked on it and read it. about a minute later the thread re-appeared on my PF with me as the last poster. The post was gone. I assumed that it had been deleted (though I didn't understand why).

Then, a little while later I posted a reply to someone saying thanks for the help, and a minute or two later it was gone as well.

Just curious if it's an issue or if the first one was them deleting and the second one was the post getting trimmed for making a joke about religious crackpots.
 
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Disconnected said:
Just curious if it's an issue or if the first one was them deleting and the second one was the post getting trimmed for making a joke about religious crackpots.

I think you answered your own question.
 
JaredJames said:
I think you answered your own question.

It's a possibility, but it was pretty tame. I just mentioned that I chuckled at someone who called RFID tags "the real life mark of the beast".
 
This is strange. While spam posts are almost always hard deleted, other types of posts (especially those deleted as risky/dubious) are usually soft deleted, so that mentors can see them later if needed. You don't have any soft deleted posts in your history.

No idea about the other one (answer to your post). Post link to the thread.

Edit: it is always possible that post was deleted by the OP. I think that explains this case (unless it was in different thread than the one I found).
 
Borek said:
This is strange. While spam posts are almost always hard deleted, other types of posts (especially those deleted as risky/dubious) are usually soft deleted, so that mentors can see them later if needed. You don't have any soft deleted posts in your history.

No idea about the other one (answer to your post). Post link to the thread.

Edit: it is always possible that post was deleted by the OP. I think that explains this case (unless it was in different thread than the one I found).
The first one (that someone else posted) was here:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=496218

and my one was here:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=496449
 
No traces of any post in the second, OP deleted post in the first. Apparently he decided his answer was off/wrong/inadequate.
 
Huh. I would assume that I just didn't post it or something, but I swear I saw it in line with the other posts. I guess I'll just repost it. Thanks for the help!
 
I have occasionally accidentally hard deleted posts I intended to soft delete (not that one, though). It happens.
 
russ_watters said:
I have occasionally accidentally hard deleted posts I intended to soft delete (not that one, though). It happens.
If the thread exists, mentors can see who hard deleted and when, it says post "removed", so there is still a history we can see.
 
  • #10
I thought that only mentors could hard delete, and that normal users could only soft delete.
 
  • #11
FtlIsAwesome said:
I thought that only mentors could hard delete, and that normal users could only soft delete.
Yes, that was what I was referring to.
 
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