Please do let me know if this is a duplicate.

I've seen a lot of topics about how the filter bot isn't adequate or extremely buggy in Bugs and Glitches and Questions about Scratch. Most of these complaints are only 5-minute mutes on random words like “rickroll” or “shut”. Sure, the filter can be buggy sometimes, but it's only a small mute with no lasting effects. So here's where the suggestion comes in:

When someone gets a mute, the message about the comment being inappropriate will have a button that says something like, “If you believe this is a mistake, click here,” and a report of the report would be sent to the ST for review.

Now, of course, the ST doesn't have time to review all of these reports because everyone thinks they're innocent. So this button would be a decoy to offer some solace to the muted user or just make them feel better. Maybe it doesn't fix the root issue, but it would lessen the complaints about the filterbot and the ST if users think that it does something.

I think that this already exists. Once, I got muted and there was a place where you could appeal/complain (there was a button). I've seen those Bugs and Glitches and Questions about Scratch topics. The people that created the topic probably didn't see the button (even though it is obvious) and created a topic.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood your suggestion

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

I think that this already exists. Once, I got muted and there was a place where you could appeal/complain (there was a button). I've seen those Bugs and Glitches and Questions about Scratch topics. The people that created the topic probably didn't see the button (even though it is obvious) and created a topic.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood your suggestion

Not sure what you mean. Are you talking about the messages that show up in your inbox or next to the inappropriate comment?

rayli1123 wrote:

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

I think that this already exists. Once, I got muted and there was a place where you could appeal/complain (there was a button). I've seen those Bugs and Glitches and Questions about Scratch topics. The people that created the topic probably didn't see the button (even though it is obvious) and created a topic.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood your suggestion

Not sure what you mean. Are you talking about the messages that show up in your inbox or next to the inappropriate comment?

Sorry if I was unclear. The appeal button shows up in both the mute message and next to the inappropriate comment.

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

Sorry if I was unclear. The appeal button shows up in both the mute message and next to the inappropriate comment.

In this screenshot from 3 days ago where I tested the filter for a topic, there is no button to send a complaint.

rayli1123 wrote:

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

Sorry if I was unclear. The appeal button shows up in both the mute message and next to the inappropriate comment.

In this screenshot from 3 days ago where I tested the filter for a topic, there is no button to send a complaint.

Weird. The mute message looks nothing like how it did for me, and I'm almost sure there was an appeal button
In my memory, mine was a bit like a pop-up. When you try to comment again, the button shows up right over the area where you would normally comment. It also shows up in your messages.

Maybe it varies browser to browser (but I doubt it).

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

I think that this already exists. Once, I got muted and there was a place where you could appeal/complain (there was a button). I've seen those Bugs and Glitches and Questions about Scratch topics. The people that created the topic probably didn't see the button (even though it is obvious) and created a topic.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood your suggestion

Are you talking about project comments or the forum?

BloatedUnderpants3 wrote:

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

I think that this already exists. Once, I got muted and there was a place where you could appeal/complain (there was a button). I've seen those Bugs and Glitches and Questions about Scratch topics. The people that created the topic probably didn't see the button (even though it is obvious) and created a topic.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood your suggestion

Are you talking about project comments or the forum?

I'm talking about getting muted, and the only place you can get muted is comments.

I was browsing the wiki and I saw this. Apparently, this is how it looks like when you're muted:

So maybe I was wrong about this one. It's been a long time since I was muted.
But when you try to comment again, it shows this according to the wiki:


When you click “click here”, it shows the appeal page and you can appeal.

This isn't that relevant, but @cheddargirl* said:

cheddargirl wrote:
Mutes are auto-triggered when the robot word filter think you posted something bad. The robot filter then sends a message to the Scratch Team asking for the comment to be reviewed. The Scratch Team then either dismisses the robot filter's alert if it's a false positive, or sends a notification to the user if it's a true positive.

Making the appeal page more obvious would be helpful, because “click here” isn't very self-explanatory. Maybe something like, “appeal”. Also, it could also mention that the Scratch Team will take a look at it to provide some relief to the muted user.

Sorry for the misinformation!

EDIT: I found more images on the Scratch Wiki.
These images are the images you see when you click on “click here” :

Assuming a real or decoy button along these lines doesn't already exist as being discussed,

I don't really like this idea on the basis that ST would be lying to its own community and “giving them a voice” when they really aren't.

Xonder wrote:

I don't really like this idea on the basis that ST would be lying to its own community and “giving them a voice” when they really aren't.

They do actually see the mutes as mentioned by a Scratch Team member, cheddargirl:

cheddargirl wrote:
Mutes are auto-triggered when the robot word filter think you posted something bad. The robot filter then sends a message to the Scratch Team asking for the comment to be reviewed. The Scratch Team then either dismisses the robot filter's alert if it's a false positive, or sends a notification to the user if it's a true positive.

Ham19-01-2011 wrote:

Xonder wrote:

I don't really like this idea on the basis that ST would be lying to its own community and “giving them a voice” when they really aren't.

They do actually see the mutes as mentioned by a Scratch Team member, cheddargirl:

cheddargirl wrote:
Mutes are auto-triggered when the robot word filter think you posted something bad. The robot filter then sends a message to the Scratch Team asking for the comment to be reviewed. The Scratch Team then either dismisses the robot filter's alert if it's a false positive, or sends a notification to the user if it's a true positive.

It'd be something to reassure the user that the ST can see why they were muted.

Xonder wrote:

Assuming a real or decoy button along these lines doesn't already exist as being discussed,

I don't really like this idea on the basis that ST would be lying to its own community and “giving them a voice” when they really aren't.

A button does exist, but it is very hidden and not obvious.

The reason extra info (including a way to send feedback) is not showing up sometimes is because you were using a profile comments page, which is scratchr2-based and doesn't support the full popup message.

Alright, seems like I overlooked some details. I'll ask a mod to close this.

I believe the complaint option is already there - in some places. If you get muted on a new 3.0 page, you get the opportunity to send feedback to the Scratch Team. But if you get muted on one of the older pages, that option doesn't appear. As for it being a decoy, no, it really does get put into a place where we can review it.