# Disappearing topics
**URL:** https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475
**Category:** Site discussion
**Tags:** discourse, moderation
**Created:** [April 4, 2022, 11:15am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475 "2022-04-04T11:15:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Freso](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Freso)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2022, 11:15am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/1 "2022-04-04T11:15:43Z")
Continuing the discussion from [Proof of editing sources](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/proof-of-editing-sources/579126/25):
> [@Proof of editing sources](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/proof-of-editing-sources/579126/25):
>
> In case it was indeed deleted, that wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen an entire topic disappear (and I don’t mean spam)…
> Even negative feedback can be useful
I don’t recall any disappeared non-spam topics. Do you remember what they were about? Maybe it got merged into another topic? Maybe the topic author deleted it themselves?
I generally only close/delete/hide posts if there are targeted attacks/hostility or any bigotries. Negative feedback (which does not include outright hostility etc.) is left as-is. I (and we/MeB) agree that negative feedback can be (and often is) useful.
---
### Author:  [@chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/chaban)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/2 "2022-04-06T12:57:59Z")
> [@Freso](#):
>
> Maybe the topic author deleted it themselves?
I doubt that. The particular topic had several replies and it seems [not possible for normal users to delete their own OP](https://meta.discourse.org/t/user-cannot-delete-own-topics-once-they-have-replies/86853) in such cases:
> You don’t have permission to delete this topic. If you really want it to be deleted, submit a flag for moderator attention together with reasoning.
The first one was in German. A user complained that Picard had deleted their files(?).
(They were throwing a tantrum, swearing in the topic title etc. and, as you implied, it might’ve appeared hostile.)
I assume the files were just moved to an unexpected directory.
Later when I went to check on the topic once again I was no longer able to view it.
@outsidecontext might also remember that topic.
* * *
In the topic about cover art @yindesu mentioned OP was demanding something along the lines that editors should upload full scans when adding releases.
Quite a lot of people replied in defense of the MB community. E.g. that not everyone has the time and/or equipment to provide scans, some are hesitant to upload booklet pages consisting of copyrighted text only, etc.
If I remember correctly the original post was flagged at some time and since I know Discourse has self-moderation features I suspect it was [automatically deleted](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-deleted-when-first-post-is-flagged-and-hidden-for-30-days/192719).
[People get worried](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/some-explanation-and-transparency-on-hidden-posts-please/540923/24) when things are automatically deleted while no one seems to be looking.
---
### Author:  [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/3 "2022-04-06T14:55:48Z")
> [@chaban](#):
>
> OP was demanding something along the lines that editors should upload full scans when adding releases.
It’s not [this one?](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/my-whish-add-covers/347425)
---
### Author:  [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/4 "2022-04-06T15:53:43Z")
I don’t remember the disappearing files topic, but given your description it’s likely I just ignored and forgot about it after initial replies 🙂
But I remember the cover art Scans topic well. It was rather aggressively requesting everyone to provide scans, because the OP had cool scanning hardware that allowed them to scan entire booklets in seconds.
It definitely was not a nice topic, but I also don’t remember a real reason to remove it. As far as I remember it was a hefty argument, but not insulting or something. But I’m also not very thin-skinned in this regard, so others maybe saw this different.
> [@jesus2099](#):
>
> It’s not [this one?](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/my-whish-add-covers/347425)
No, it was a different one
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### Author:  [@chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/chaban)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/5 "2022-06-22T13:09:24Z")
There goes another one:
> [@Can admin please delete the page "Prince Oak Oakleyski"](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/can-admin-please-delete-the-page-prince-oak-oakleyski/589528):
>
> I’m an official source. He’s not a musical artist as some people contributed to joke at him. vv Here’s the link. Admin must remove this inaccurate page vv [https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0bfab1be-8fa1-4e61-9998-66148306e628](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0bfab1be-8fa1-4e61-9998-66148306e628)
Related discussions:
- [Edit #90484862 - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/90484862)
- [Edit #90484861 - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/90484861)
- [Edit #90526401 - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/90526401)
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### Author:  [@Comrade\_Mike](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Comrade_Mike)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/6 "2022-06-22T14:09:23Z")
That one said it had been temporarily locked due to a large number of flagged posts or somesuch when I last saw it a few hours ago.
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### Author:  [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/7 "2022-06-22T14:12:53Z")
@Freso closed it with some comment directing the relevant users to MetaBrainz contact page. I guess he completely hid the topic afterwards. As this escalated with insults, harassing of editors by private message and legal threats I’m more than happy to see it gone.
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### Author:  [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/8 "2022-06-22T15:35:32Z")
Yes not bad, but it did contain some true [Golden quotes 🏆](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/golden-quotes/561717) in there.
Something like:
> _I am a very famous celebrity, I know the handsome royal person but you, punks editing the cyberspace, you don’t know._
🤣
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### Author:  [@Freso](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Freso)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2022, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/9 "2022-06-27T12:39:53Z")
It disappeared because I hid/deleted the first post of the topic. It had several sockpuppet accounts in the topic itself and just a lot of personal insults and accusations, as @outsidecontext noted, and I also posted a note at the end to redirect the “prince” where to go if they wanted to escalate further.
Nothing automated going on here.
> [@Can admin please delete the page "Prince Oak Oakleyski"](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/can-admin-please-delete-the-page-prince-oak-oakleyski/589528/21):
>
> For @munkao/@Real_AkimRakhimov/@maprangmimi/@Eurasia-royallordteam: This thread is obviously going nowhere. I assume you have already read [MusicBrainz’s Data Removal Policy](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Data_Removal_Policy) as @UltimateRiff already linked it earlier in thread, right? If you still feel that there is data in MusicBrainz that should be removed due to infringing on something or other, please refer to our [“contact us” page](https://metabrainz.org/contact) for how to get in touch with MetaBrainz, including for any legal inquiries. I’ll close this thread again now.
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### Author:  [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2022, 12:51pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/10 "2022-06-27T12:51:10Z")
@Freso Maybe there is part of the issue: You posted a link to the last reply on this topic, but probably only you can see it. Everyone else (or at least every non-admin) sees the “Oops! That page doesn’t exist or is private.” message. So nobody can actually see why this was hidden, unless they happened to read this reply before you hid the entire post.
Maybe if there would be a way to have direct links to topics still work in cases like this would be better. Not sure if that’s possible with Discourse.
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### Author:  [@Freso](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Freso)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/11 "2022-06-27T12:58:54Z")
Oh, I see. 🤔 Yeah, I don’t know if that’s possible. I thought direct links still worked.
Edit: Unhid the topic in question. Is it viewable by others now?
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### Author:  [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2022, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/12 "2022-06-27T13:00:44Z")
Nope, that link still shows “Oops!”
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### Author:  [@Freso](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Freso)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2022, 1:02pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/13 "2022-06-27T13:02:49Z")
Okay, I think I’ve undeleted but unlisted it. So if I have it right the topic will not show up in the overview pages, but the direct link _should_ work now. :x
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### Author:  [@outsidecontext](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/outsidecontext)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2022, 1:44pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/14 "2022-06-27T13:44:58Z")
Yes, I think this worked. Direct link is available, but the topic shows the crossed eye icon with a tooltip explaining that the topic is hidden and not visible in any overview. 👍
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### Author:  [@chaban](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/chaban)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2023, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/disappearing-topics/579475/16 "2023-08-25T16:22:16Z")
Another non-spam topic disappeared recently. It was flagged at least twice priorly.