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One of my flags declined (which I understand after reading this). But now, when I try to flag something else, it says

Your last flag was declined - please review it before flagging this post!

and the word "review" links to my flagging history. I am currently unable to raise new flags on other questions and answers (comment flags seem fine).

This is all well and good, but I can't figure out how to Review the bad flag. When I go to my flagging history, I can look at the reason for declining, but there doesn't seem to be anything else to do. There's also no option to review my own flags in the review queue. When I go to the answer, there's no way to retract my old flag.

Am I just supposed to look at the declined flag and then sit in the corner and think about what I did, or is there some other review process? If it's the first, when (if ever) do I get my flagging privileges back? I vaguely recall having read something to this effect in the help center, but now I can't find it anymore.

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  • Do I get flagging privileges back?
    – MissMonicaE
    Mar 15, 2017 at 20:18
  • Yup, they're currently gone. I guess I didn't make that clear, oops
    – MissMonicaE
    Mar 15, 2017 at 20:21
  • 1
    I had two bans in a row last month - from a couple of declined comment flags. The first ban was like an hour, don't remember the second. Just don't sweat it and try to understand why your flags were declined - by asking here, for instance.
    – Gallifreyan
    Mar 15, 2017 at 20:29
  • Can you post a screenshot of the flag dialog as you see it? Try to flag a post on main as "in need of moderator attention" (e.g. one of my posts) -- I'll watch the review queue and mark it helpful if you are successful in flagging it.
    – Null Mod
    Mar 15, 2017 at 20:33
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    On your flag history page the system tells me that you are "Not banned from flagging" but "Warned when flagging" so you should be able to flag a post.
    – Null Mod
    Mar 15, 2017 at 20:54
  • The issue is that you don't have many flags to use in the first place. Give it a while, your flags will build up as you make better and better ones. I sometimes get the same warning but can pretty much ignore it since I have like 20 flags to use per day.
    – Möoz
    Mar 15, 2017 at 23:24
  • @Gallifreyan Comment flags don't contribute to flag bans.
    – Rand al'Thor Mod
    Mar 15, 2017 at 23:44
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    @MissMonicaE I think the way it works is that whenever you're flag-banned, you regain flagging privileges after at most a week. It's all described in detail in the main meta post Null linked to.
    – Rand al'Thor Mod
    Mar 15, 2017 at 23:45

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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This warning is described on Meta.SE. It's a recommendation that you look at the reason why your flag was declined so that you can avoid the same mistake in the future. The declining moderator can use a standard decline reason or provide a custom response:

decline flag dialog

Checking the decline reason in your flagging history is the only way for you to see the moderator's response, which might be especially useful if he used a custom response (I commonly link to the relevant meta policy in these custom decline reasons).

The warning is not telling you to "Review" it in the sense of a Review queue (First Posts, Late Answers, etc.); there is no such review queue. You don't need to retract it, either, since the flag has already been processed (though you can retract a flag that has not yet been processed).

The warning is not meant to chastise you, but to hopefully

help less prolific flaggers learn to use the system correctly without repeatedly wasting their time and that of the site moderators.

from the same Meta.SE post linked above

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  • Thank you! If I was banned before, I don't seem to be anymore.
    – MissMonicaE
    Mar 16, 2017 at 1:11

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