by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: January 16, 2009

Many members new to a site like Helium have no idea what flagging means. When the idea is introduced to them, they often feel like they shouldn't be doing it, although there are hundreds of reasons why flagging is needed, and why your help as a member is essential to making the site you love run smoothly. This guide to flagging is written in an attempt to clarify what flagging is all about and how to use the tools provided to you by Helium. This is a site with very high member participation and it is up to us to decide on the standard of content which meets the guidelines, and those which cross the line.

*Swearing and inappropriate language.
*Adult content unsuitable for younger readers.
*Incorrect information.
*Copied articles.
*Self promotional articles.
*Articles which talk about other members.
*Off topic articles.
*Other.

Swearing.

Although some see it as acceptable to swear in an article, the site guidelines state that bad language is against the site guidelines. Let's face it, we are a site filled with writers, and given that we are supposed to be able to use the English language, surely there are better ways of expressing ourselves than resorting to swear words. If you see swear words which are obviously unacceptable, and these are the strong words we teach our children not to use, flag the article. Some people, to get around this, use abbreviations putting a * in the middle of the naughty word. This is acceptable.

Adult content unsuitable for younger readers.

If you wouldn't want a 13 year old girl reading something because it is too graphic in description and adult in nature, then this should be flagged. Membership on Helium is open to anyone above the age of 13 and it is hardly fair on our younger members to have to be subjected to this kind of content. Be kind to them. They are young, impressionable minds and it is our duty to flag.

Incorrect information.

Helium is tightening up on factually incorrect articles. If you read something and know it not to be true, flag it and back up your flag with fact.

Copied articles.

Do you want someone to pinch your work and pass it off as their own? This is what copiers or plagiarizers do. They take portions or the whole of their article from another website and effectively steal the work of another writer, in an attempt to profit from it. Out of respect for writers in general, it is wise to report any case of copying you find. You can always google a phrase and see what comes up, in helping you to make your decision. If possible,

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