# Auto-closed Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 30, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605 "2022-08-30T13:49:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/1 "2022-08-30T13:49:41Z")
A thread in the Pit seems to have been closed by the SDMB itself “due to a large number of community flags” for at least four hours. That thread is far off the rails and surely could get closed, but I’m not sure I’ve seen this happen before. I imagine the function is there for spammers and obscene or adult material? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/2 "2022-08-30T13:54:03Z")
I believe it is there for when the mods are not currently active, e.g. overnight or early morning. Though I’m surprised it didn’t just hide the offending post, which is what it normally does. (Hide in this case meaning you have to click through to read it.) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/3 "2022-08-30T13:55:00Z")
It’s a Discourse feature to allow the thread to be assessed by mods before it gets any worse. It also (theoretically) allows participants to cool off, assuming (as always) that the participants were involved in good faith and just got carried away. Mods here are usually quick to intervene before threads get that contested, and I have to assume it’s a rare thread here that gets reported so much it goes into auto lockdown. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/4 "2022-08-30T13:59:14Z")
I wonder how many flags were generated for that thread. One from me for sure. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/5 "2022-08-30T14:02:13Z")
The pit is the forum most likely for this to occur in. As several post have got flagged and some many times, it tripped the rarely seen safety. It is waiting on @Miller to sort it out. No rush or need for any other Mod to intervene. * * * ETA: It appears to have 7 flags, to answer the above question. But I might have miscounted as I’m on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/6 "2022-08-30T14:12:24Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > It appears to have 7 flags That is way fewer than I would have expected to trigger the auto-close! Anyway, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/7 "2022-08-30T16:03:23Z")
I’ve handled the problematic posts and re-opened the thread. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-closed-thread/970605/8 "2022-08-30T16:13:01Z")
Don’t forget to wash your hands!