The CL flag wars continue

A recent topic on a local group, the constant flagging that is taking place on our local Craigslist was discussed at length. Having been a CL poster, I have learned what gets your ads flagged down:

Any website or even a partial website
Any kind of business name
More than one horse (sometimes)
Posting more often than the "flag nazis'" think you should
Anything else the nazi's think violates the TOU

In other areas, CL ads just stay up unless they are really long, nasty, or are big time spammers. We have a couple spammers here too, notably the people posting the tractors for sale-I mean, come on, everyone knows you cannot purchase a year or two old medium sized tractor here for under six grand, lol That's the only thing I flag on CL, in the hopes they will try to peddle whatever it is they are really selling, some other place.

A CL ad also makes you a target for anyone who doesn't like you. Or, you can become a target and be presumed guilty of flagging, even if you haven't! It's a no win situation here, even if you have hay that people are needing. I really feel for all the local farmers and hay dealers-as soon as an ad gets posted, it's flagged-sometimes in just a few minutes. I highly doubt the flagging down hay ads is coming from a local hay grower...just think about it: Who would have the time? And this year, who has hay they can't sell??

This same mentality is proven as horse for sale ads get flagged down at lightspeed. It doesn't seem to matter who the seller is, it can be down in just a few minutes. Most of these are obviously the result of someone who doesn't like the seller....or, folks think they are spamming by reposting their ad over and over again. Which of course they do because they get flagegd down so quickly, lol!

Actually, it's all very overblown. I have a hunch some of the nazi's are feeling pretty secure in their ability to get rid of ads-people whose ads are from competitors, ads from people they have an axe to grind with, people who are adversaries. And then of course a lot of ads get caught up in the crossfire, entirely by accident. The anonymity that CL provides might give the flagger a little thrill....a "see there, take that!" giggle as they click the upper right hand link(s) for flagging. Never thinking through the consequences of their actions.

Of course, the whole CL phenomena (the self regulated, free ads) is a wonderful tool for Alaskans. I know I have found some deals on CL, and sold a few items I didn't need myself. But I learned in a hurry-don't bother posting an ad for hay for sale. It doesn't matter how it is phrased, it will be flagged off in a hurry. And any discussion on there, is rightly flagged as those belong in either the forums, or R&R. But truthfully, R&R is a cesspool, the forums have their nazi's too, but it surely makes it to Farm and Garden pretty regular. Here's a typical snipe:

WANTED TO BUY HAY - $1 (MAT-SU)
Reply to: sale-882313096@craigslist.org [?]Date: 2008-10-16, 7:05PM AKDT
AFTER WATCHING ALL THE HAY FOR SALE ADS FLAGGED, AND ALL THE ADS SAYING ALASKA HAY IS INFERIOR, MAYBE..... THE PERSONS TRYING SO HARD TO DISCREDIT ALASKA HAY IS SOMEONE WHO HAS OUTSIDE HAY ARRIVING NEXT WEEK AT $545 OR MORE PER TON???????? THINK ABOUT IT...... LOCAL GROWER COME ON GIRLS KNOCK IT OFF, GO TAKE YOUR PMS PILLS,.....FLAG, FLAG, FLAG
Location: MAT-SU
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interestsPostingID: 882313096

Now the above is a fairly typical little rant. I don't even need to explain the obvious I would hope, most of the readers here are locals who do visit the Craigslist F&G, and already know what happens there. Nope, I have no idea who is "trying so hard to discredit Alaska hay" because it surely isn't me. Most of these folks have no clue what I have in my barn, but it does include hay from three local, Alaska sources. I have no idea who has hay arriving next week...and all imported is going to be over $545 a ton, that's a fact based on freight rates and the going price down south.

But what I do see, is a pattern here. The assumption of guilt that comes from these flaggers. The assumption that a particular ad is from a specific person-without proof. The assumption that any one person, or group of people, is responsible for the rampant flagging.

If it takes more than one person to flag down an ad, then it's impossible for one person to be at fault for all this, period.

It's a shame that CL is being abused this way, it's a shame that people can't sell their horses, it's a shame that people can't buy hay. It's a shame that people can't sell hay too. On the other hand, they could pony up the bucks and place an ad with the Alaska Horse Journal, the Frontiersman, the Anchorage Daily News. They could make up flyers and schlep them around to the local feed stores-where they will again be taken down by those who feel they are righteous in their actions.

It's a no win situation, for everyone, and it's small and petty at that. Grow up and get a life is what I would tell these flag nazi's.