I am just curious who keeps reporting my answers because I attach a link to my blog.
1. I do not receive any form of benefit from people visiting it. There is nothing on it that someone can purchase, which means that I am not providing the link in an attempt to sell something.
2. Investing is very complex and requires knowledge and experience. A lot of people post answers telling people not to listen to other people as they cannot know their credentials or motives. In posting the link to my blog, anyone has access to my credentials, which I personally believe is a benefit for all, as they will have the power to decide whether my response is credible or not.
3. When people ask about individual stocks, it is much easier to refer them to my blog for them to read than to re-write everything time after time, given it is a very popular question.
Feel free to e-mail me with your reasoning at nycigllc@yahoo.com given all three that have been asker-selected best answers. Thanks. Jeff B- Given I've been doing it for like a month now, and I've been reported only 3 times in the past 24 hours, it leads me to believe it is one person. The odds of being reported 3 times in 24 hours by three different people, when I have not been reported in the past, seem a bit low to me. It was not me i rarely come in this section. it was the trolls that done it
ayfr I'm sure it's more then one person,don't be so full of yourself. some people feel it's "Spam" and not something beneficial. try to cut and paste or quote your blog and then as just a mention, insert a link to your blog and say that you have more info available so that they can check it out on their own or email you for more info. yeah, if it's that soon and that many times, you ticked off someone. review the community guidelines to check and see if what they are doing is illegal by harassing you. It is unclear what is happening at Yahoo answers, but lately they seem to be flagging people for "soliciting" if they attach the same link to their answers to many times. I had a standard answer for people who asked "How should I invest?" The powers that be did not like this answer and cancelled my account. This kind of irritated me because I was up to ~14,000 points. I wrote to them multiple times but got no answer. I am currently using a second account, and they have been flagging many of my posts that have multiple links.
My guess is you have a lot of overworked people at Yahoo that are very quickly making decisions on what to ban, and they often make wrong decisions.
Lately I have been marking my answers with "This is not solicitation," and am having some temporary success with this method.
I would suggest not getting too upset if some of your answers get flagged. Just except it and move on.
P.S. Seven days after being banned, they finally re-established my first account. I know what you are talking about. I leave website links to other sites that are not mine and I get reported. And the sites I send people to do not sell anything.
It was really frustrating, as all I was doing was offering advice.
I started putting my website suggestions in the source and the reporting of my messages has lowered a lot.
My suggestion is, stop leaving your links in the message. Put them in the source box. And, if you are telling people it is your blog, stop doing that. Just list it in the source box.
I still get reported, but not as much. I think I might be of some help here. I posted this same question about one month ago, because I was absolutely sure a single person was reporting me, regardless of how hard I tried to follow guidelines.
First off, stop assuming it is just one person. There are many people on here that just love to report people. I had 2 people tell me they reported me and here is why they did.
This should help.
1. They told me to stop putting web links into the body of my message, even if it was not my website.
2. And you should pay close attention to this one.....LOL....as I see you have done it in your question. Stop putting your Email address into your answer. I did not know it, but that is against community guidelines, unless an individual asks for your Email.
3. I am not sure I have seen any of your replies, as I usually just answer a question and leave. But if you are telling people to visit your blog and then listing it in the source, you will probably get people who will report it.
I just started listing everything in the source box and made no references to any website in the message, unless they ask for it in the question.
I hope this helps. I think most people who stay in the forums long enough will experience this problem.
I used to get reported all the time for leaving website addresses in my message. People considered it soliciting.
I also got reported several times for offering my personal email.
I was very fortunate I did not get my account shut down. I know I could just open another one, but people get used to seeing your answers, and some actually appreciate your assistance.
I am not going to read all the other suggestions, so forgive me if I repeat something that has already been recommended.
1. Keep everything very general. For example, "ETF's are a great investment because they are inexpensive." I found if you continue on and start recommending a specific ETF company, you will be suspected of soliciting.
2. Do not leave links to other websites. Especially if they have something to sell. If the individual asks for websites, then It is a different story.
3. Do not list your email address in the message, unless it is asked for in the question. I have been reported for this several times.
4. Place all of your website sources in the source box. It should not matter what website you list, if it is in the source box.
5. You must let the person who is asking the question make the decision if they want to go to your sources. If it appears that you are pushing them to your site, it is likely to get reported.
I used to have trouble with every one of the reasons I have listed. Now I just make my recommendation, put my source in the source box, and let the individual decide if they want to go there or not.
If you have been on here long enough, you are probably aware that mutual fund salesmen and financial planners leave answers all the time trying to get people to use their particular services. So the complaints aren't always unwarranted.
Good Luck I was going to fall in line here and give my support to you, as I to have been reported many times. Often, I don't really know why.
But then I read your profile.
You are a hedge fund manager. Or that is what it says in your profile.
Do you think that maybe, just possibly, that is why people get suspicious when you try to push them to your blog and leave your personal email, phone number etc.......????
If you truly have no ulterior motives, then don't worry about this situation. It is the people who will miss out on your good advice.
If you keep trying to push people to your website or try to get them to contact you, then yes, I think you are trying to solicit your hedge fund. Thanks for using your real name [at least it seems so to me].
To respond or answer your Qs, I'll do it in the same order you posted.
1] Suggestion: Whenever I insert a link I KNOW or believe might be suspected of being SPAM - AND I KNOW it isn't,
I ALWAYS put at the very top of the answer in caps:
THIS IS NOT SPAM followed by a brief explanation.
Since the middle of July '07, its worked.
2] If you'll look at 90%+ of my answers, you'll discover I always give Sources. THis might also be a deterrent/
3] Since I'm not a broker AND there reall isn't enough information provided by those asking, II prefer stating: "No Buy, sell or hold recommendations. I WILL tell you what the stock is doing."
I DON'T & won't go into full Technical Analysis. Then its up to the person asking the Q to make his or her own decision.
I do refer them to yahoo finance.\ & investopedia - both "Featured Knowledge Partners" of Y! A.
Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it!
VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name! yea i get this too obviously from haters that have no life! |
