EDIT: Requested on topic #32527, implemented as per forum #335739.

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I'm seeing an increasing number of people failing include a reason behind their tag alias or implication suggestions, with many of us having to remind them to do so.
I feel that it is counterproductive and serves only as spam, rather than giving a legitimate suggestion that everybody can discuss on.

I would suggest making it a requirement to have something in the "Reason" box so that you can't submit an empty proposal.
Consistently failing to do so would be grounds for Abuse of Site Tools and Spamming/Trolling.

kemonophonic said:
What's stopping someone from putting gibberish as the reason?

Nothing, but at that point it's willingly abuse/spamming rather than just thinking the box is optional.

kemonophonic said:
What's stopping someone from putting gibberish as the reason?

You can insert a single word (like "Similar.") as your reason, but you probably won't get much support for your suggestion/argument since everything needs to be voted on now.
On the other hand, inserting straight gibberish would be considered Spamming/Trolling.

thegreatwolfgang said:
I'm seeing an increasing number of people failing include a reason behind their tag alias or implication suggestions, with many of us having to remind them to do so.
I feel that it is counterproductive and serves only as spam, rather than giving a legitimate suggestion that everybody can discuss on.

I would suggest making it a requirement to have something in the "Reason" box so that you can't submit an empty proposal.
Consistently failing to do so would be grounds for Abuse of Site Tools and Spamming/Trolling.

I'm for this.

Maybe it'd be good to make it a hardcoded requirement, like the site will flash up an ERROR and won't accept it unless you put something.

Perhaps these implication/alias suggestions without reasons should be automatically rejected even when they're good. If you can't be bothered to fully fill out the form, we can't be bothered to consider the suggestion.

strikerman said:
Maybe it'd be good to make it a hardcoded requirement, like the site will flash up an ERROR and won't accept it unless you put something.

I think that was what OP was suggesting, although it could have been phrased better.

faucet said:
Nothing, but at that point it's willingly abuse/spamming rather than just thinking the box is optional.

This. Users have been given negative records over empty reasons, it's more obviously something bad if you put in a gibberish reason.

Until then, my standard "Give a reason or don't make the damn implication, and 'because obvious reasons' does not count" is going to be my recommended response to such things.

I like this idea. +1

Revisiting this from forum #319315, the following was typed there and then simply pasted here for stronger suggestion/support:
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I've seen people get records and even be banned for blank reasons, under the reason abuse of site tools. It should actually be put into the rules though.

Abuse of Site Tools
Suggested Suspension Length: 7 days
This category includes:

• Using any of the site tools, such as Flag for Deletion, ticket reporting system, takedowns, notes, or any other site tool in a fashion that can be construed as disruptive, spamming, or defamatory
• Putting gibberish in any of the description fields
• Repeatedly submitting invalid, incorrect, or unnecessary requests
• Repeatedly submitting username change requests
• Using any of the site tools to “backseat moderate”
• Reporting forum posts, threads, comments, blips, or any other site media that is older than 6 months
• Voting with multiple accounts on the same posts or comments

I suppose one of these three might be what it falls under, but having it spelled out would be nice to reduce some of these cases. Multiple requests in place of a BUR obviously enough counts as spamming, so that shouldn't need to be spelled out.

* Repeatedly submitting invalid, incorrect, unnecessary, or blank requests

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This could help even in the case that Wolfgang's request to have something in the field, in case they decide to make their something as simple as a period. Not everybody's going to read the rules, and some people try to find ways around the systems, but having it written so plainly means they have no excuse to complain.