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A user named "FeelingSick" posted an "answer" with some extremely unsuitable content at the question How do "proofs" work in mathematics, down to the basic level?. [Warning: the image might be disturbing to some people.]

It has 9 downvotes as I write; if I understand correctly it will be automatically deleted when it reaches 10, so I'm posting this to try to speed the process along. I also flagged for mod attention, but I think it's imperative that the answer be deleted ASAP. I've never before seen something like this on M.SE, and I hope not to again.

Needless to say, I also think the user should be banned permanently.

Update: OK, it's gone.

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    $\begingroup$ Please, do not downvote the original question! This person is trying to learn something. $\endgroup$ – Cuc Oct 24 '13 at 21:50
  • $\begingroup$ @Cuc: it already had one downvote (not from me) before I posted this; nowhere did I suggest there was anything wrong with the question. $\endgroup$ – user64687 Oct 24 '13 at 21:53
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    $\begingroup$ This should have been handled as a flag on the answer, rather than by a question on meta. $\endgroup$ – robjohn♦ Oct 24 '13 at 23:44
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    $\begingroup$ @robjohn: well, as I mentioned in the question, I did flag it. Normally I would leave it at that, but this seemed like an extraordinary case. I must admit I don't understand the dichotomy in your question, but I might be overlooking something. $\endgroup$ – user64687 Oct 25 '13 at 9:20
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    $\begingroup$ It’s not out of the question that the user is actually a cutter who has a problem with mathematics. If that’s the case, banning might not be the best choice. $\endgroup$ – Brian M. Scott Oct 25 '13 at 9:52
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    $\begingroup$ I haven't seen the answer in question, but if it was some sort of bad picture then why did noone edit it away? (Even a low-rep user doing this would be useful - sure the picture wouldn't dissapear immediately, rather a 3k user would have to review it, but then this user would so see the post and do their bit, etc.) $\endgroup$ – user1729 Oct 25 '13 at 10:48
  • $\begingroup$ How did the user post a top level answer if that was their only contribution? Isn't a certain number of reputation points necessary to do so? $\endgroup$ – Bennett Gardiner Oct 27 '13 at 5:35
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    $\begingroup$ What was the picture? $\endgroup$ – Spine Feast Oct 27 '13 at 15:20
  • $\begingroup$ @DepeHb Google cache still has it. It is rather tasteless though $\endgroup$ – Thomas Oct 27 '13 at 21:35
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry to necro, but I'm very curious about this photo. I couldn't find it on the wayback machine. $\endgroup$ – Alec Alameddine May 7 at 0:47
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Done. ${}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{{}}$

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    $\begingroup$ Thanks Mariano! $\endgroup$ – user64687 Oct 24 '13 at 21:34
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    $\begingroup$ I'm not sure why the user was suspended and not deleted; after all the user joined today and that is their only contribution. $\endgroup$ – Asaf Karagila♦ Oct 24 '13 at 22:00
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    $\begingroup$ @AsafKaragila: Once deleted, they might simply get a new account. We might possibly keep tabs this way. $\endgroup$ – robjohn♦ Oct 25 '13 at 11:33
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    $\begingroup$ @robjohn: Yeah, because it's so hard to circumvent a suspension just to post another photo like that (which would have gotten the posting user suspended/deleted again anyway). That's like saying that putting a door makes it hard to break into your house, which has no solid walls to begin with. :-) $\endgroup$ – Asaf Karagila♦ Oct 25 '13 at 11:35
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    $\begingroup$ @Asaf: You’re overlooking the possibility that the post was sincere. $\endgroup$ – Brian M. Scott Oct 25 '13 at 11:39
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People should flag such posts as offensive posts, and not downvote the answer at all. For two main reasons:

  1. Every such flag automatically downvotes the post.
  2. After six flags the post is deleted immediately.

If one feels that deletion is not enough, and some action needs to be taken against the posting user, one can flag the answer (or the question), or hope that 10k users will see the deleted answer and flag it for a moderator attention.

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    $\begingroup$ One can also go to chat and encourage people there to flag it as offensive. $\endgroup$ – Michael Greinecker♦ Oct 24 '13 at 21:58
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    $\begingroup$ @Asaf: I take your point. I guess the reason I tried to encourage a downvote was to make the answer invisible ASAP; one downvote seems easier to get than ? flags. (I had already flagged as inappropriate.) I know that's not good practice, but I felt this was rather worse than the typical case of an inappropriate answer. Maybe I overreacted; I'll leave that to others to decide. $\endgroup$ – user64687 Oct 24 '13 at 21:59
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    $\begingroup$ I understand and support your actions Asal! Having said that, how bad is it that now that the post is no longer viewable, my scuentific curiosity is beginning to get the better of me? I guess I'm just finding it hard to imagine the manner in which it was inappropriate (or tasteless?). $\endgroup$ – Doc Oct 27 '13 at 21:52

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