Beware of Flags!

I like to share all the new things that I learn about here on Steemit and have an open discussion about them. This time I would like to share my thoughts about a rather touchy subject: Flags

The Flag

On the right hand side of every post there is this little flag. It looks quite innocent but pressing it has a lot of impact. When browsing Steemit on my phone I accidentally pressed it a few times to to see a warning pop up informing me about what I was about to do. Luckily I never accidentally flagged someone (yet).
With the flag you can downvote a post, diminishing the payout of a post for the author. Like with the upvote, the power of the downvote is determined by your Steem Power, the larger your Steem Power, the larger the impact of the downvote or flagging has.

Using the flag has a couple of consequences you should take into account:

- The author of the flagged post will lose money
Yes, you can actually lose some of the potential payout on your post. If someone decides to flag you then you can lose part or all of the money given to you through upvotes.

- The reputation level of the flagged author will decrease
You know that number behind your username? That's your reputation (or REP if you are cool). After receiving a good flagging your reputation will become low. So you might think, so what? Well, the thing is that other Steemians will not be able to see your posts if your reputation is too low.

- The flagged Post/Comment will be hidden
Maybe you have already seen one, a comment or post hidden "due low ratings", well that post or comment has been flagged.

- Your own voting power will decrease
Yup, using the flag will also hurt you (in more ways than one). Every time you use the flag your voting power will decrease and even more than upvoting.

Action is Reaction

If you ever decide to flag someone be prepared for some kind of reaction from the author. It could be that the author will politely (or impolitely) ask for the reason why you downvoted him or it could be that this author decides to start flagging your posts. Remember anyone can use the flag option, the thing is the more power the flagger has the more it will hurt you. So think very carefully before you decide to flag someone.

Flag Wars

Flag Wars are when two or more Steemians decide to downvote each others posts. The best thing is to stay clear of these wars especially if you are a minnow like me. No good ever comes from these Flag Wars and the only thing that can happen is that you get hurt in the long run.

A good reason to Flag

To be honest I can't really think of a good reason. If someone annoys you just mute him/her. This way you will not be able to see their comments.
If someone flags you for no reason, report it so that someone with more Steem power can talk some sense into them. If you flag back, you might be drawn into a flag war, even if you have more Steem Power than the person flagging you it is best to take the high ground.

Spamming, plagiarism, identity theft, scamming all seem like legitimate reasons to flag someone. But again, I feel it is better to report to @steemcleaners for example than to take it on yourself and start flagging.

There will always be toxic people who want nothing more than to get a rise out of you. Don't feed the trolls and keep your dignity by not falling into their trap. Remember that everything you do or say will remain on the blockchain for as long as there is a blockchain (hopefully for a very long time).

Wiping the slate clean

You can always remove a flag. If for some reason you flagged someone either by accident or on purpose and the reason for the flag has been resolved clicking on the flag will effectively remove the flag. The question is if by removing the flag you have also repaired the damage. You will not gain friends or followers by flagging them.

Why?

So that raises the question "why is there is an option to flag someone?". Well, in the hands of a Whale, a flag is like a nuclear bomb. It can completely destroy someone's reputation and payouts.

I believe that the flag should be treated just like a nuclear bomb, as a deterrent. If someone was acting inappropriately, it would be better to point out to that person that his behavior is not acceptable. If the person continues to misbehave, point out the effect the flag will have on them and let him/her know that if they continue that behavior that it will eventually result in a flag.

There are always exceptions

I know what a lot of you will say in the comment section. And yes there are exceptions but it is best to let those with the big guns take care of it.

Avoiding Flags

If you want to avoid flags, learn about Steemit etiquette and behave accordingly. Here is a great post about Steemit etiquette with nice illustrations, credits to @thecryptofiend.

Also avoid the obvious don'ts. Don't steal other people's work and pass it off as your own, don't impersonate other people, don't insult other people, don't scam (you get the gist).

The Takeaway

If you are a minnow stay clear of flags, no good will come of it and also stay clear of flag wars. Familiarize yourself with the people who deal with misbehavior on Steemit and report the misdeed instead of flagging the post.
Muting is a good way of dealing with annoying trolls, just use that mute button to drown out the noise.

"Check yourself before you wreck yourself" as my man Ice Cube likes to say