The Student Room Update: Automatic Thread Closure
Another Student Room update that we wanted to make everyone aware of 
We are continuously trying to improve the way we get the right conversations at the right time in-front of our users. We regularly get feedback that old content is too visible to our users. This means users often land on content that isn’t relevant to them. It also causes issues for some of our newer users with old threads being bumped leading to moderators or volunteers having to take time to close and warn a user. This means that our newer users often have quite a negative experience as they are 'told off' for trying to engage on our site.
This is clearly not ideal and we want to continue to drive students to more recent and relevant content rather than older and deprecated content that we believe is significantly less valuable to our users.
Because of this we will soon begin to automatically close any threads that have hit certain criteria. The criteria will be:
1.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND has no replies AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close
2.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND the most recent reply is over 12 months old AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close.
This process will begin next week with a tester batch, with a group of threads that reach the criteria above being closed to monitor impact.
It's really important to note this content will still be visible, but will be closed. It's also worth noting that any auto close functionality could be undone if needed, as long as there was a valid reason.
If anyone has any questions then please do let us know.
EH
We are continuously trying to improve the way we get the right conversations at the right time in-front of our users. We regularly get feedback that old content is too visible to our users. This means users often land on content that isn’t relevant to them. It also causes issues for some of our newer users with old threads being bumped leading to moderators or volunteers having to take time to close and warn a user. This means that our newer users often have quite a negative experience as they are 'told off' for trying to engage on our site.
This is clearly not ideal and we want to continue to drive students to more recent and relevant content rather than older and deprecated content that we believe is significantly less valuable to our users.
Because of this we will soon begin to automatically close any threads that have hit certain criteria. The criteria will be:
1.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND has no replies AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close
2.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND the most recent reply is over 12 months old AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close.
This process will begin next week with a tester batch, with a group of threads that reach the criteria above being closed to monitor impact.
It's really important to note this content will still be visible, but will be closed. It's also worth noting that any auto close functionality could be undone if needed, as long as there was a valid reason.
If anyone has any questions then please do let us know.
EH
(edited 6 months ago)
Original post by Evil Homer
Another Student Room update that we wanted to make everyone aware of
We are continuously trying to improve the way we get the right conversations at the right time in-front of our users. We regularly get feedback that old content is too visible to our users. This means users often land on content that isn’t relevant to them. It also causes issues for some of our newer users with old threads being bumped leading to moderators or volunteers having to take time to close and warn a user. This means that our newer users often have quite a negative experience as they are 'told off' for trying to engage on our site.
This is clearly not ideal and we want to continue to drive students to more recent and relevant content rather than older and deprecated content that we believe is significantly less valuable to our users.
Because of this we will soon begin to automatically close any threads that have hit certain criteria. The criteria will be:
1.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND has no replies AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close
2.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND the most recent reply is over 12 months old AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close.
This process will begin next week with a tester batch, with a group of threads that reach the criteria above being closed to monitor impact.
It's really important to note this content will still be visible, but will be closed. It's also worth noting that any auto close functionality could be undone if needed, as long as there was a valid reason.
If anyone has any questions then please do let us know.
EH
We are continuously trying to improve the way we get the right conversations at the right time in-front of our users. We regularly get feedback that old content is too visible to our users. This means users often land on content that isn’t relevant to them. It also causes issues for some of our newer users with old threads being bumped leading to moderators or volunteers having to take time to close and warn a user. This means that our newer users often have quite a negative experience as they are 'told off' for trying to engage on our site.
This is clearly not ideal and we want to continue to drive students to more recent and relevant content rather than older and deprecated content that we believe is significantly less valuable to our users.
Because of this we will soon begin to automatically close any threads that have hit certain criteria. The criteria will be:
1.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND has no replies AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close
2.) IF thread was created over 6 months ago AND the most recent reply is over 12 months old AND isn’t stickied THEN auto close.
This process will begin next week with a tester batch, with a group of threads that reach the criteria above being closed to monitor impact.
It's really important to note this content will still be visible, but will be closed. It's also worth noting that any auto close functionality could be undone if needed, as long as there was a valid reason.
If anyone has any questions then please do let us know.
EH
Great! I suggested this a few years back - it will save me a lot of time reporting 'bumping old threads'
Good choice. Too many people bumping old threads which leads to VT+ having to close them.
My only issue is how this would affect forum game threads or megathreads that aren’t stickied but other than that, good move.
My only issue is how this would affect forum game threads or megathreads that aren’t stickied but other than that, good move.
Original post by Talkative Toad
Good choice. Too many people bumping old threads which leads to VT+ having to close them.
My only issue is how this would affect forum game threads or megathreads that aren’t stickied but other than that, good move.
My only issue is how this would affect forum game threads or megathreads that aren’t stickied but other than that, good move.
The megathreads/FG threads would have replies in the last 12 months, I assume? So shouldn't be impacted by this
Original post by RainbowLapras
The megathreads/FG threads would have replies in the last 12 months, I assume? So shouldn't be impacted by this
Some haven’t had replies in over a year.
Original post by Talkative Toad
Some haven’t had replies in over a year.
If they haven't had a reply in over a year then we believe they no longer need to be open and will close them.
Original post by Evil Homer
If they haven't had a reply in over a year then we believe they no longer need to be open and will close them.
Fair enough
Thank the heavens this has been implemented. No more people replying to someone that posted once 10 years ago asking for an update.
I agree that this makes sense.
I have seen very occasional cases where the original poster has subsequently come back and updated their thread with an outcome from whatever it was they initially posted about, and it would be a shame that they couldn't make that update. But that happens so infrequently compared to people bumping long-dormant threads that it probably doesn't matter.
I have seen very occasional cases where the original poster has subsequently come back and updated their thread with an outcome from whatever it was they initially posted about, and it would be a shame that they couldn't make that update. But that happens so infrequently compared to people bumping long-dormant threads that it probably doesn't matter.
I am still seeing the odd bump. Is there an ETA when the closure proces will be completed?
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