Spurious reports with non-functioning appeal link?

Question

I've been using YA for about 7 years without breaking it's rules but have recently had a spate of 'violoation reports' for apparently spurious reasons, and with links for appealing which do not work. Am I being targeted by a hacker or a malicious reporter? How do I get through to make appeals?

One report followed me reponding to a technical question about using shotguns for hunting, which had somehow ended up under 'Transport - Rail', by advising the asker to re-post under 'Hunting' where he would be more likely to get a useful answer. Another was when someone asked if a child (no age stated)could safely make a train journey alone and I replied 'What age is the child?' In both, while I was not directly giving an answer I think these were sensible and constructive responses.

Ray · Answer

I know it's bureacratic, but as others say, those were correct reports.

The issue here is that Y!A's primary aim is not to help the individual asker, but to create a database of Q&As of useful knowledge.

While the intention's good and you're certainly guiding the asker toward an answer by asking for more information or directing them to a more appropriate section, those responses aren't directly providing answers for Y!A's database. Their rule is that you *must* attempt an answer.

? · Answer

There are obviously questions that cannot be answered without clarification.  However, the rules require that all answers actually address (means answer) the question.  So if you choose to answer a vague (unanswerable) question, then you have to include an answer.  For example, a while back, a member wanted someone to calculate her final grade in a class.  However, with the information she provided, a correct calculation was impossible.   So in order to make my answer report-proof, I wrote something like this: “Assuming that the final exam counted for 25 percent of your overall grade, then your final grade would be 78 percent.”  I then went on to explain what she needed to add in order to get an accurate answer.  Had I simply said, “No one can give you an answer unless you provide the weighting of the grade components,” then I would be vulnerable to a report for a “non-answer.”

? · Answer

The  chances  of  winning  on  appeal  are   not  good  as  non  answers    are   violations  and   are   legitimate  reports. It  doesn't   matter  that  your  intention  was  good   you   must  answer  the  question.
 Had  you  attempted  to  answer  and  then   given  advice  about  getting   better  answers  that  would  be  fine.

You  asked  here  " How do I get through to make appeals?"  
There  is  an  alternate   appeal  link  you  can  use   https://io.help.yahoo.com/contact/index?page=contact&locale=en_US&y=PROD_ANSW#
 For  #1  choose  Appeals.
  #2  Choose  question even  if  an  answer 
 On  #3  click  Email  and   where  it  asks .. Yahoo ID of the person you are reporting * ..enter  unknown. Enter  the  code and Create  Request.

Anonym · Answer

Both of the answers you cite were violations of the guidelines - so the reports were not spurious. The rule is simple - your reply must answer the question. Pointing out that the question is in the wrong category is not an answer: nor is asking for more information. You MUST answer the question, or you can be reported.

Spurious reports with non-functioning appeal link?

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