about:unapproved posts
Unapproved Posts
If you're reading this, odds are that you've encountered a post that was unapproved, and want to know:
- what unapproving a post means
- why the post was unapproved
- what you can do about it
Before reading this page, a basic familiarity with the concept of the moderation queue is highly recommended. Understanding every little detail isn't necessary, but if you're unsure of what the mod queue is altogether, please read about:mod_queue before reading this page.
What does unapproval do?
Users of Privileged level and above have the ability to unapprove, or flag, posts which they believe fall short of Danbooru's quality standard. Unapproved posts are not automatically deleted. Instead, they are returned to the mod queue, where Danbooru's approvers can decide whether or not they belong on Danbooru.
Why would someone unapprove a post?
- Accidental/mistaken uploads. In the event that a Contributor+ user makes a mistake while uploading, such as uploading a low-resolution copy of a post when a higher resolution is available or selecting the wrong file while uploading, unapproving that post ensures that it is brought to the approvers' attention and removed from Danbooru.
- Review of Contributor+ uploads. While Danbooru's Contributor+ users are carefully chosen for posting high quality art, anyone can have a temporary lapse of judgement. Because posts made by Contributor+ users bypass the mod queue, unapproval is the only way to allow Danbooru's approvers to decide whether a post by a Contributor+ user is appropriate for Danbooru or not.
- Review of approved posts. Likewise, even an approver can make a mistake. For that reason, posts which have already been through the mod queue once can be unapproved to send them through a second time.
What can you do about it?
If you believe that an unapproved post does meet Danbooru's quality standard and should not be deleted, you do have options to make your viewpoint known which may result in the post remaining on Danbooru. Posting a comment complaining about a post's unapproval, the unapproval reason, the unapprover themselves, or the mod queue is not one of those options. Comments on posts play no role in determining whether that post will be approved or not, and repeated posting of such comments may result in negative records, temporary, or permanent bans.
So, what can you do?
- Wait for the post to be reapproved. Remember that a flagged post is not guaranteed to be deleted. If one of Danbooru's approvers believes that the post is appropriate for Danbooru, it will probably be reapproved within the three-day time limit.
- Appeal the post's deletion. If it is not reapproved, however, it is no different from any other post that did not make it through the mod queue, and the approvers' decision can be appealed. Read help:deletion_appeals to find out how to appeal post deletions.
- Find out why the post wasn't reapproved. If the post is not reapproved after your appeal, it is almost certainly not appropriate for Danbooru. If you would like to understand why this is, you can post in forum #45532, the upload feedback thread, to get more detailed information about approvers' feelings about a deleted post.
"Why was this post unapproved when there are worse posts than it still here?"
This is, by far, the single most common complaint made in the comments of unapproved posts. While, as mentioned above, making such comments has no impact on the fate of an unapproved post, it is a valid question which requires some knowledge about the history and practices of Danbooru to answer.
In short, the reason is that somebody noticed this post first. With Danbooru currently serving more than two million posts and growing, posts that do not pass through the mod queue are not always viewed by those with the power to delete posts. Furthermore, because Danbooru's standard of quality has increased over the years, many posts which are no longer appropriate for Danbooru are several years old and rarely viewed by anyone. These posts can only be addressed on a case-to-case basis as they are found by Privileged+ users.
Lastly, as discussed in about:mod_queue, the moderation process on Danbooru is inherently subjective, and whether a post stays or goes is dependent in no small part on the approvers' opinions. If you find yourself disagreeing with those opinions on a regular basis, Danbooru may simply not be the site for you. There are other sites, such as Gelbooru, which have a much more permissive attitude and may be more to your liking.