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I saw an off-topic question and wanted to flag it (though that's largely moot since the question volume is so small I'm sure the moderators look at every one).

However, I can't flag it as off-topic: If I go to flag → should be closed → off-topic, then there are only two choices available: “…fails to specify the relevant locale.” and “This question belongs on another site”. The latter is technically true, but selecting it only gives me the standard Meta migration option.

There is currently no correct option for flagging-to-close a question which is simply not about amateur radio. (Since I don't have the rep to cast close votes I don't know if the same is true for regular closing.)

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  • $\begingroup$ As a side note - chat can be a good place to get people's attention for things that don't warrant full mod flags. $\endgroup$
    – Amber
    Dec 30, 2013 at 22:47

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Routine question problems are supposed to be closed by a vote of the community. If you feel a question should be closed, you should vote to close it. But flagging is not supposed to be used to request a moderator to cast their binding vote on your behalf. That is part of what an "exception handler" is supposed to do with their oversight abilities.

If you feel something has occurred that requires exceptional actions (something the community cannot handle through the normal processes), then sure; go ahead and 'flag' the question for moderator attention. If it isn't spam, or abusive, or hate speech, etc, there is an 'other' option to explain why the moderator needs to take immediate action. But simply being off topic isn't supposed to be one of those use cases.

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    $\begingroup$ I do not have the reputation to cast a close vote — my only option is to flag, therefore I use it. As far as I know, this is perfectly normal. From the help center: “When should I flag? If anything happens on our site that…clearly does not belong here, please flag it and bring it to our attention!” Various discussions on Meta (eg) also imply this is normal. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO Mod
    Dec 22, 2013 at 19:01
  • $\begingroup$ Also, this is not about flagging, but about the available selection of off-topic reasons. I would not have mentioned flagging except that I do not have the reputation to see the vote-to-close options and so I can only assume that they are the same. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO Mod
    Dec 22, 2013 at 19:02
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    $\begingroup$ If you do not have the ability to close, you should not use flagging to ask someone else to do it for you. That is not a valid use case for flagging a post. $\endgroup$
    – Robert Cartaino
    Dec 30, 2013 at 17:59
  • $\begingroup$ Then the language in the Help Center and answers on Meta should be clarified. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO Mod
    Dec 30, 2013 at 18:26
  • $\begingroup$ That should be raised on the overall StackExchange meta, since those help pages are network-wide. $\endgroup$
    – Amber
    Dec 30, 2013 at 22:47
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    $\begingroup$ I've thought about this answer some more and I'm more confused. If flags are for things that only moderators can do, then why is "should be closed" included in the flag dialog at all, since closing can be done by community votes? $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO Mod
    Dec 30, 2013 at 23:39

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