FEATURE: auto-close topics based on community flags

app/models/post_action.rb

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require_dependency 'rate_limiter'
 require_dependency 'system_message'
+require_dependency 'maximum_flow'
 
 class PostAction < ActiveRecord::Base
   class AlreadyActed < StandardError; end
@@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ class PostAction < ActiveRecord::Base
     else
       post_action = PostAction.where(where_attrs).first
 
-      # after_commit is not called on an `update_all` so do the notify ourselves
+      # after_commit is not called on an 'update_all' so do the notify ourselves
       post_action.notify_subscribers
     end
 
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ class PostAction < ActiveRecord::Base
       # Voting also changes the sort_order
       Post.where(id: post_id).update_all ["vote_count = :count, sort_order = :max - :count", count: count, max: Topic.max_sort_order]
     when :like
-      # `like_score` is weighted higher for staff accounts
+      # 'like_score' is weighted higher for staff accounts
       score = PostAction.joins(:user)
                         .where(post_id: post_id)
                         .sum("CASE WHEN users.moderator OR users.admin THEN #{SiteSetting.staff_like_weight} ELSE 1 END")
@@ -370,6 +371,7 @@ class PostAction < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   def enforce_rules
     post = Post.with_deleted.where(id: post_id).first
+    PostAction.auto_close_if_treshold_reached(post.topic)
     PostAction.auto_hide_if_needed(user, post, post_action_type_key)
     SpamRulesEnforcer.enforce!(post.user) if post_action_type_key == :spam
   end
@@ -380,6 +382,79 @@ class PostAction < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
+  MAXIMUM_FLAGS_PER_POST = 3
+
+  def self.auto_close_if_treshold_reached(topic)
+    return if topic.closed?
+
+    # 1) retrieve a list of pairs (user_id, post_id) representing active flags
+    flags = PostAction.active
+                      .flags
+                      .joins(:post)
+                      .where("posts.topic_id = ?", topic.id)
+                      .where.not(user_id: Discourse::SYSTEM_USER_ID)
+                      .pluck(:user_id, :post_id)
+
+    # check we have enough flags
+    return if flags.count < SiteSetting.num_flags_to_close_topic
+
+    # 2) build sets of unique user_ids and post_ids
+    user_ids = Set.new
+    post_ids = Set.new
+
+    flags.each do |f|
+      user_ids << f[0]
+      post_ids << f[1]
+    end
+
+    # check we have enough flaggers
+    return if user_ids.count < SiteSetting.num_flaggers_to_close_topic
+    # check we have enough posts flagged
+    min_post_required = SiteSetting.num_flags_to_close_topic / MAXIMUM_FLAGS_PER_POST
+    return if post_ids.count < min_post_required
+
+    # 3) now we have a maximum flow problem...
+    # the network will have
+    #  - edges from the 'source' to each flaggers with a capacity of '# of flags casted by that user'
+    #  - edges for each flags with a capacity of 1
+    #  - edges from each posts to the 'sink' with a capacity of MAXIMUM_FLAGS_PER_POST
+
+    # first, we need to count the # of flags casted by each users
+    flags_casted_by_user = {}
+    flags.each { |flag| flags_casted_by_user[flag[0]] = flags.count { |f| f[0] == flag[0] } }
+
+    # then, we need to build a list of all the vertices
+    # ('source' being the first and 'sink" being the last)
+    index_of_user_id = {}
+    index_of_post_id = {}
+
+    user_ids.each_with_index { |user_id, index| index_of_user_id[user_id] = 1 + index }
+    post_ids.each_with_index { |post_id, index| index_of_post_id[post_id] = 1 + index + user_ids.count }
+
+    source = 0
+    sink = user_ids.count + post_ids.count + 1
+    n = sink + 1
+
+    # then, we need to build a map of all the edges (with their respective capacity)
+    # initially, everything is 0 (ie. no edge)
+    capacities = Array.new(n) { Array.new(n, 0) }
+
+    # from the 'source' -> all user_ids with a capacity of '# of flags casted by that user'
+    user_ids.each { |user_id| capacities[source][index_of_user_id[user_id]] = flags_casted_by_user[user_id] }
+    # for each pair (user_id, post_id) with a capacity of 1
+    flags.each { |f| capacities[index_of_user_id[f[0]]][index_of_post_id[f[1]]] = 1 }
+    # from each post_ids -> sink with a capacity of MAXIMUM_FLAGS_PER_POST
+    index_of_post_id.values.each { |i| capacities[i][sink] = MAXIMUM_FLAGS_PER_POST }
+
+    # finally, we use the 'relabel to front' algorithm to solve the maximum flow problem
+    maximum_flow = MaximumFlow.new.relabel_to_front(capacities, source, sink)
+    return if maximum_flow < SiteSetting.num_flags_to_close_topic
+
+    # 4) the threshold has been reached, we will close the topic waiting for intervention
+    message = I18n.t("temporarily_closed_due_to_flags")
+    topic.update_status("closed", true, Discourse.system_user, message)
+  end
+
   def self.auto_hide_if_needed(acting_user, post, post_action_type)
     return if post.hidden
 

app/models/topic.rb

@@ -397,8 +397,8 @@ class Topic < ActiveRecord::Base
     similar
   end
 
-  def update_status(status, enabled, user)
+  def update_status(status, enabled, user, message=nil)
-    TopicStatusUpdate.new(self, user).update!(status, enabled)
+    TopicStatusUpdate.new(self, user).update!(status, enabled, message)
   end
 
   # Atomically creates the next post number

app/models/topic_status_update.rb

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 TopicStatusUpdate = Struct.new(:topic, :user) do
-  def update!(status, enabled)
+  def update!(status, enabled, message=nil)
     status = Status.new(status, enabled)
 
     Topic.transaction do
       change(status)
       highest_post_number = topic.highest_post_number
 
-      create_moderator_post_for(status)
+      create_moderator_post_for(status, message)
       update_read_state_for(status, highest_post_number)
     end
   end
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ TopicStatusUpdate = Struct.new(:topic, :user) do
     CategoryFeaturedTopic.feature_topics_for(topic.category)
   end
 
-  def create_moderator_post_for(status)
+  def create_moderator_post_for(status, message=nil)
-    topic.add_moderator_post(user, message_for(status), options_for(status))
+    topic.add_moderator_post(user, message || message_for(status), options_for(status))
     topic.reload
   end
 

config/locales/server.en.yml

@@ -945,6 +945,9 @@ en:
     max_age_unmatched_emails: "Delete unmatched screened email entries after (N) days."
     max_age_unmatched_ips: "Delete unmatched screened IP entries after (N) days."
 
+    num_flaggers_to_close_topic: "Minimum number of unique flaggers that is required to automatically pause a topic for intervention"
+    num_flags_to_close_topic: "Minimum number of active flags that is required to automatically pause a topic for intervention"
+
     reply_by_email_enabled: "Enable replying to topics via email."
     reply_by_email_address: "Template for reply by email incoming email address, for example: %{reply_key}@reply.example.com or replies+%{reply_key}@example.com"
 
@@ -1302,6 +1305,8 @@ en:
     deferred: "Thanks for letting us know. We're looking into it."
     deferred_and_deleted: "Thanks for letting us know. We've removed the post."
 
+  temporarily_closed_due_to_flags: "This topic is temporarily closed due to a large number of community flags"
+
   system_messages:
     post_hidden:
       subject_template: "Post hidden due to community flagging"

config/site_settings.yml

@@ -587,6 +587,8 @@ spam:
   min_ban_entries_for_roll_up: 5
   max_age_unmatched_emails: 365
   max_age_unmatched_ips: 365
+  num_flaggers_to_close_topic: 5
+  num_flags_to_close_topic: 12
 
 rate_limits:
   unique_posts_mins:

lib/maximum_flow.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_flow_problem
+class MaximumFlow
+
+  # cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push%E2%80%93relabel_maximum_flow_algorithm
+  def relabel_to_front(capacities, source, sink)
+    n      = capacities.length
+    flow   = Array.new(n) { Array.new(n, 0) }
+    height = Array.new(n, 0)
+    excess = Array.new(n, 0)
+    seen   = Array.new(n, 0)
+    queue  = (0...n).select { |i| i != source && i != sink }.to_a
+
+    height[source] = n - 1
+    excess[source] = Float::INFINITY
+    (0...n).each { |v| push(source, v, capacities, flow, excess) }
+
+    p = 0
+    while p < queue.length
+      u = queue[p]
+      h = height[u]
+      discharge(u, capacities, flow, excess, seen, height, n)
+      if height[u] > h
+        queue.unshift(queue.delete_at(p))
+        p = 0
+      else
+        p += 1
+      end
+    end
+
+    flow[source].reduce(:+)
+  end
+
+  private
+
+    def push(u, v, capacities, flow, excess)
+      residual_capacity = capacities[u][v] - flow[u][v]
+      send = [excess[u], residual_capacity].min
+      flow[u][v] += send
+      flow[v][u] -= send
+      excess[u] -= send
+      excess[v] += send
+    end
+
+    def discharge(u, capacities, flow, excess, seen, height, n)
+      while excess[u] > 0
+        if seen[u] < n
+          v = seen[u]
+          if capacities[u][v] - flow[u][v] > 0 && height[u] > height[v]
+            push(u, v, capacities, flow, excess)
+          else
+            seen[u] += 1
+          end
+        else
+          relabel(u, capacities, flow, height, n)
+          seen[u] = 0
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    def relabel(u, capacities, flow, height, n)
+      min_height = Float::INFINITY
+      (0...n).each do |v|
+        if capacities[u][v] - flow[u][v] > 0
+          min_height = [min_height, height[v]].min
+          height[u] = min_height + 1
+        end
+      end
+    end
+end

spec/models/post_action_spec.rb

@@ -370,6 +370,55 @@ describe PostAction do
       post.hidden.should == false
     end
 
+    it "will automatically close a topic due to large community flagging" do
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:flags_required_to_hide_post).returns(0)
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:num_flags_to_close_topic).returns(12)
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:num_flaggers_to_close_topic).returns(5)
+
+      topic = Fabricate(:topic)
+      post1 = create_post(topic: topic)
+      post2 = create_post(topic: topic)
+      post3 = create_post(topic: topic)
+      post4 = create_post(topic: topic)
+
+      flagger1 = Fabricate(:user)
+      flagger2 = Fabricate(:user)
+      flagger3 = Fabricate(:user)
+      flagger4 = Fabricate(:user)
+      flagger5 = Fabricate(:user)
+
+      # reaching `num_flaggers_to_close_topic` isn't enough
+      [flagger1, flagger2, flagger3, flagger4, flagger5].each do |flagger|
+        PostAction.act(flagger, post1, PostActionType.types[:inappropriate])
+      end
+
+      topic.reload.closed.should == false
+
+      # clean up
+      PostAction.where(post: post1).delete_all
+
+      # reaching `num_flags_to_close_topic` isn't enough
+      [flagger1, flagger2, flagger3].each do |flagger|
+        [post1, post2, post3, post4].each do |post|
+          PostAction.act(flagger, post, PostActionType.types[:inappropriate])
+        end
+      end
+
+      topic.reload.closed.should == false
+
+      # clean up
+      PostAction.where(post: [post1, post2, post3, post4]).delete_all
+
+      # reaching both should close the topic
+      [flagger1, flagger2, flagger3, flagger4, flagger5].each do |flagger|
+        [post1, post2, post3, post4].each do |post|
+          PostAction.act(flagger, post, PostActionType.types[:inappropriate])
+        end
+      end
+
+      topic.reload.closed.should == true
+    end
+
   end
 
   it "prevents user to act twice at the same time" do