"This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion."

[Hazuki-chan]

So, I'm noticing a massive crackdown on threads that existed before recent posts. I get that at some point, you have to start pruning old threads that are likely to contain outdated information and whatnot, keep things current, yada yada yada.

But this is happening regarding ongoing issues, as well. Case in point, one of the multiple threads all pointing out that we still cannot upload an image/icon for use as a group chat avatar got this treatment.

Just... this reeks of some kind of half-baked algorithm macromanagement system, i.e. "Why waste manpower manually doing things? Just auto-correct every instance of 'black' in the entire system to 'african-american' ", which is a cool idea until you start talking about black suits, black ops, black panthers and whatnot. (Yes, I stole that example from Spin City.) Sweeping adjustments miss context.

Context such as the above, unresolved issue, which people continue posting about in other threads on an almost daily basis (which is probably the only thing keeping them out of reach of this particular half-baked knee-jerk thought-policing measure).

[wesnef]

Originally posted by nullable:

Most of the time I see people necro-posting years old threads. They should be closed. Make a new topic, link to the old thread.

You may disagree, but apparently Valve/moderators feel different.

And this has been standard operating procedure on practically every company-operated forum I've used in the last 10+ years.

[Pierce Dalton]

Originally posted by nullable:

Most of the time I see people necro-posting years old threads. They should be closed. Make a new topic, link to the old thread.

You may disagree, but apparently Valve/moderators feel different. Guess whose opinion matters.

That was a rare thing until recently, though. I guess they changed their minds or whatever.

[Hazuki-chan]

Originally posted by nullable:

Most of the time I see people necro-posting years old threads. They should be closed. Make a new topic, link to the old thread.

You may disagree, but apparently Valve/moderators feel different. Guess whose opinion matters.

Problem: "There are too many threads"
Solution: "Close threads, tell people to make new threads linking to old closed threads, thereby reducing the number of threads"

Yeah, glad to see the power is in the right hands here!

[Tito Shivan]

Originally posted by nullable:

Most of the time I see people necro-posting years old threads. They should be closed. Make a new topic, link to the old thread.

You may disagree, but apparently Valve/moderators feel different. Guess whose opinion matters.

This is still on top of the forums:

Searching is key! Before you post a question, use the forum search feature to determine whether your topic has already been covered.

So people do as they're told by Steam, search for a former topic on the subject. They find it, post on it, and then the thread is closed by a Steam mod because "This thread was quite old before the recent post"

[KalGimpa]

the ones i am seeing the most of, recently, are i got scammed threads that people are posting in without reading

if they read it, the answer is in the thread already, and there would be no need to actually post

which would leave the psots where they are while helping a member

if it is an ongoing issue, however, i agree.

it should not only stay open, but have any threads made after moved/consolidated to the oldest one

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

They only act upon reported content. This means, someone is reporting tham.

[Pierce Dalton]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

Originally posted by nullable:

Most of the time I see people necro-posting years old threads. They should be closed. Make a new topic, link to the old thread.

You may disagree, but apparently Valve/moderators feel different. Guess whose opinion matters.

This is still on top of the forums:

Searching is key! Before you post a question, use the forum search feature to determine whether your topic has already been covered.

So people do as they're told by Steam, search for a former topic on the subject. They find it, post on it, and then the thread is closed by a Steam mod because "This thread was quite old before the recent post"

Heh, Steam being hilarious as usual.

[Judgmental Amaterasu]

The vast majority of necro'd threads are brought back from the dead by pointless posts that add nothing of note to the ancient thread.

[Thermal Lance]

Yeah, necroposting is CLEARLY the worst problem these forums have. So much so they require constant special attention.

[THE LORD]

Why can't they just auto lock a thread after it has been inactive for some time?

Or perhaps go back a few years and lock all the old threads?

Steam works in mysterious ways.

[Pierce Dalton]

Originally posted by Judgmental Amaterasu:

The vast majority of necro'd threads are brought back from the dead by pointless posts that add nothing of note to the ancient thread.

Apparently, though, it doesn't really matter if the new post is pointless or a great revelation to solve all issues of mankind. They'll lock it anyway.

[T9]

People cry "necro" in 4 weeks old threads.

This is getting out of hand and was never a general rule. Locking threads to "avoid confusion " god yeah ok but threads with content that is still up to date and meaningful locked up because Best Before reached. F it

[Tito Shivan]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

They only act upon reported content. This means, someone is reporting tham.

And someone is taking the reports without even looking at the context, empowering bad actors reporting in spite or to have threads closed. Which isn't surprising as it's been a habit for the paid mods.

[Tsubame ⭐]

Context matters - I have seen people necro threads about game features or wishlists that have long been implemented in the game, and are not relevant to the game anymore.

[Pscht]

Instead of an employee handbook the paid mods seem have been issued a copy of "Catch-22" each.