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Teknevra @lemm.ee

Feature Request: Enhanced Handling of Deleted Posts in Summit User Dashboard

I would like to propose an enhancement to the user dashboard on Summit for Lemmy to improve the handling and presentation of deleted posts.

Currently, when a user deletes a post, it remains in their dashboard’s list of posts with a small red dustbin icon, and tapping on the post displays a deletion notice at the bottom.

While this feature provides transparency, it can lead to clutter and confusion for users managing their content.

Below is a detailed request for improvement.

Current Issues:

  1. Deleted Posts Still Visible in Dashboard:
    • Deleted posts remain listed alongside active posts in the "Posts" section of the user dashboard, creating unnecessary clutter.
    • The red dustbin icon indicates deletion, but the post remains interactable and visually indistinguishable from active content.
  2. Federation-Specific Challenges:
    • Due to Lemmy's federated architecture, deleted posts may still appear across federated instances, but the local dashboard behavior can be optimized for clarity.

Proposed Enhancements:

  1. Remove Deleted Posts from the Main "Posts" Section:
    • Once a post is deleted, it should no longer appear in the main list of posts on the user dashboard. This will improve the user's ability to manage and view existing content.
  2. Add a Separate "Deleted Posts" Section:
    • Introduce a new tab or section in the user dashboard labeled "Deleted" (or something similar) alongside the existing "Posts," "Comments," and "About" sections. This section could:
      • Display all deleted posts in one place.
      • Provide transparency for users to review their deleted content if needed.
      • Allow users to access and potentially manage metadata about these deleted posts.
  3. Ensure Clear Visibility of Deletion Status:
    • Within the "Deleted" section, posts can retain a deletion indicator (e.g., the dustbin icon) along with a clear notice explaining the federated nature of Lemmy and why the post may still appear elsewhere.

Benefits of Implementation:

  1. Improved User Experience:
    • Users will have an organized and decluttered dashboard, making it easier to manage active content without deleted posts interfering.
  2. Enhanced Transparency:
    • The dedicated "Deleted" section provides users with a clear overview of their deleted content while reinforcing Lemmy’s federated limitations on complete deletion.
  3. Alignment with Federated Principles:
    • Acknowledging the challenges of deletion across federated instances, this solution balances clarity with technical feasibility.

Suggested Implementation Notes:

  • The "Deleted" section should emphasize that while posts are marked as deleted locally, content might persist in federated instances due to the limitations of the ActivityPub protocol.
  • Consider providing an additional warning during deletion to ensure users understand this federation-specific behavior.

Thank you for considering this feature request.

I personally believe that these changes will SIGNIFICANTLY enhance the usability of the user dashboard while addressing user concerns about managing deleted posts.

2 comments

  • I think this issue is tricky and there are a lot of ways to handle this. I don't think I'm in agreement with the proposed way here since I think it's too convoluted. I think as a user I either want to see the deleted post or not and that's about it. Maybe a 3rd option where I can see like a little blurb about there being a deleted post just so I know it's there but not really much else.

    What's more is I recall talking with a moderator once about this and IIRC they prefer to be able to see deleted posts for moderation purposes. So there might need to be two separate settings. One setting for when you are a regular user of a community and one setting for when you are a moderator of a community.

    I can also add a "learn more" or something to that effect to the deletion notice at the bottom so people know it might not be deleted completely. I think I need to think about this more when the time comes to look into this. For now I'll just note this on the roadmap.