GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
Why might a conversation reference content that is no longer available?
If a conversation is still readable, its text may refer to a source that has since been deleted, withheld, or become unavailable to your account. The message and the referenced item have separate access rules; seeing a reference does not restore the item. A missing source can reflect a current source, moderation, account, or permission state, and the reference alone does not identify which one applies.
For BSD community members following a reference in a private conversation · Updated
A conversation reference is not a copy of the source
A message can contain text or point to another item, but the message does not recreate that item's contents. If the original saved report or post is no longer available, the reference cannot make it available again.
Treat the conversation as context for what someone said, not as proof that the linked source is still current or readable.
Current source and account checks still apply
Deletion, moderation, account changes, or a change in authorization can affect whether an item can be read now. A previously delivered message, notification, or saved link does not override those current checks.
A reference by itself does not tell you whether the source was deleted, withheld, or restricted for another reason. Avoid guessing the cause or trying to bypass the access check.
Rely on the current authorized view
If the current product shows that the source is unavailable, use that current state. Do not reconstruct private content from unrelated conversation history or assume an old preview is still accurate.
A message can remain useful as a record of a discussion while the separate source remains unavailable. No deletion or moderation reason is inferred from the link alone.
Hypothetical: a message points to an unavailable report
Imagine a conversation contains a reference to a saved report, but the current report view says the item is unavailable. The message does not restore the report or reveal whether it was deleted, withheld, or restricted for another reason. The reader relies on the current authorized view and does not infer missing details from the reference.
Related questions
Does a message link preserve the original source?
No. A link refers to the source; it does not recreate content that was deleted, withheld, or made unavailable.
Can I tell why the source disappeared from the message alone?
No. A reference does not identify whether the source changed because of deletion, moderation, account state, or another current access condition.