# thread locking **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 12, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988 "2009-12-12T13:45:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/1 "2009-12-12T13:45:11Z")
Top 10 (or so) reasons that a thread might be locked, please. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/2 "2009-12-12T14:29:50Z")
Not in any particular order: (1) At the request of the OP, because a question has been asked and answered. (2) Because the thread has devolved into a name-calling spree (outside the Pit) and there seems no way to get it back on track. (3) Because some outside event has interfered – e.g., a thread speculating about some movie, and then the movie comes out. The speculation thread (especially if long) could be locked and a link to the new thread provided. (4) Because the thread is inappropriate – e.g., a thread about why blacks are inferior intellectualy. (5) Because the responses are inappropriate – e.g., a person says they are gay but afraid to come out and therefore is depressed, and there are responses like “You shouldn’t be gay, it’s a sin.” (6) Because there is some behind-the-scenes incident or request from the OP. (7) Because the thread has run its course and there’s just endless repetition. (8) Because there is a duplicate thread on the same topic. Sometimes, the two can be merged; other times, the nature of the posts/responses would cause considerable confusion if the threads were merged, so one is locked with a link to the other. Them’s a few that come to tmind. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/3 "2009-12-12T14:40:36Z")
1. Because a Mod is just in one of those inexplicable moods. 2. Because this particular poster is on a Mod’s shit-list. (Purely in the interest of completeness, **Dex**.) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/4 "2009-12-12T14:45:20Z")
thread locking time of the month ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/5 "2009-12-12T15:18:36Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > 1. Because a Mod is just in one of those inexplicable moods. > > 2. Because this particular poster is on a Mod’s shit-list. > > (Purely in the interest of completeness, **Dex**.) :rolleyes: Geez, does _everything_ in this forum have to turn into a whine-fest? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/6 "2009-12-12T15:23:05Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > :rolleyes: Geez, does _everything_ in this forum have to turn into a whine-fest? From this post, apparently yes. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/7 "2009-12-12T17:40:10Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > 1. Because a Mod is just in one of those inexplicable moods. > > 2. Because this particular poster is on a Mod’s shit-list. > > (Purely in the interest of completeness, **Dex**.) [moderator warning] You know better than this, **PRR**. If you wish to complain about specific moderator actions (including this one), open a thread of your own, don’t disrupt someone else’s. [/moderator warning] ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/8 "2009-12-12T17:57:22Z")
1. Zombie threads–ie, old threads bumped back to the front page in some forums 2. Spammers–but they usually get deleted. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/9 "2009-12-12T18:31:28Z")
1. Because the thread is too trivial. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/10 "2009-12-12T18:34:12Z")
1. Because the thread is asking for specific medical or legal advice that’s best left to professionals. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/11 "2009-12-12T21:35:56Z")
1. Because a thread is asking about something illegal (e.g., how do I grow pot in my basement) 2. Because a thread is asking how to circumvent employer/other restrictions (e.g., I want to surf from work but they have a firewall) 3. Because an unlocked thread shot my paw ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-locking/520988/12 "2009-12-13T02:12:44Z")
1. Some trollish threads, particularly when the OP seems to have walked away.