Flagged stories get that way because some number of readers "flagged" them, presumably because they felt the story did not meet the HN guidelines: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.
The ability to flag a story is given after reaching a certain karma level (I don't know the exact amount).
So the short answer: because the necessary number of readers clicked the 'flag' link. As to why they choose to do so, your guess is as good as any guess.
31 Karma and I believe it takes 4 people to flag a submission. If a user has 31 Karma they can also Vouch for a submission. [1] It can then get re-flagged.
There are some people who want to turn HN into Bluesky - a forum with no particular focus, just the same feed of outrage and spectacle as every other platform.
There are other people who see value in a forum like HN having a focus, knowing that readers who want to experience general outrage and spectacle already have plenty of options.
People in the latter group tend to flag stories posted by people in the former group when those stories plausibly violate community guidelines about politics and the type of general interest slop that is available everywhere.
People on the latter group curiously take issue mostly with stuff that makes administration look bad, but not really with pieces promoting conservative side. Those somehow do not get flagged.
Flagged stories get that way because some number of readers "flagged" them, presumably because they felt the story did not meet the HN guidelines: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.
The ability to flag a story is given after reaching a certain karma level (I don't know the exact amount).
So the short answer: because the necessary number of readers clicked the 'flag' link. As to why they choose to do so, your guess is as good as any guess.
I don't know the exact amount
31 Karma and I believe it takes 4 people to flag a submission. If a user has 31 Karma they can also Vouch for a submission. [1] It can then get re-flagged.
[1] - https://github.com/minimaxir/hacker-news-undocumented#flaggi...
They didn't like it.
I got my first ever comment flagged a day or two ago. I asked if the goalposts had moved about the economy.
Politics are not to be debated here, they're to be dictated.
There are some people who want to turn HN into Bluesky - a forum with no particular focus, just the same feed of outrage and spectacle as every other platform.
There are other people who see value in a forum like HN having a focus, knowing that readers who want to experience general outrage and spectacle already have plenty of options.
People in the latter group tend to flag stories posted by people in the former group when those stories plausibly violate community guidelines about politics and the type of general interest slop that is available everywhere.
People on the latter group curiously take issue mostly with stuff that makes administration look bad, but not really with pieces promoting conservative side. Those somehow do not get flagged.
Don't say that he's hypocritical
Say rather that he's apolitical
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department!" says Wernher von Braun