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I just tried to find a recent answer I wrote (or comment, can't remember), but I couldn't. I assume the question was deleted. Can the deleted:1 operator be enabled to 10k users? We can see deleted posts, so why can't we at least target them in search?

I understand that allowing us to search for all deleted posts from someone else can be problematic. Quoting Yannis Rizos' comments:

if deleted:1 becomes available to 10K+ users there should be a restriction on coupling it with a user id (except perhaps when you are searching for your own deleted posts).

So, user:<userID> deleted:1 would be disallowed (except for your own user id), but something like [tag] deleted:1 would be allowed.

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  • 1
    See also Can we have an isdeleted:1 search option/operator?, although that wasn't asking for a restriction to 10k users, which I think makes sense.
    – Brad Larson
    Commented Aug 27, 2012 at 14:59
  • Interesting answer by Adam Davis there. I understand why we don't have deleted posts on our profile listings, but maybe the 10k restriction I suggest is still an acceptable compromise.
    – bfavaretto
    Commented Aug 27, 2012 at 16:15
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    @bfavaretto user:<userID> deleted:1 is essentially the same thing as seeing deleted posts on a user's profile, if deleted:1 becomes available to 10K+ users there should be a restriction on coupling it with a user id (except perhaps when you are searching for your own deleted posts).
    – yannis
    Commented Aug 31, 2012 at 15:09
  • @YannisRizos Fair enough, I'd be happy to be able to search my own posts only.
    – bfavaretto
    Commented Aug 31, 2012 at 15:43
  • Hm, not what I meant, I don't have a problem with 10K users searching for deleted posts (I've upvoted this), but there should be a restriction for searching for a specific user's deleted posts. But I don't see why there would be a problem for searches like for example [tag] deleted:1.
    – yannis
    Commented Aug 31, 2012 at 15:51
  • @YannisRizos Nice idea! May I incorporate that into the feature-request?
    – bfavaretto
    Commented Aug 31, 2012 at 15:55
  • By all means, if you think it will help the feature.
    – yannis
    Commented Aug 31, 2012 at 15:56
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    Personally I'd be in favor for searching for your own deleted posts as 10k. Searching for other deleted posts not necessarily yours (such as [tag] deleted:1) ought to be 20k.
    – Jeff Mercado
    Commented Sep 1, 2012 at 0:08
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    This has been done now, and guess what? They forgot the "there should be a restriction on coupling it with a user id" part and any 10k user can see any other user's deleted posts.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Dec 9, 2015 at 14:34
  • @ShadowWizard Are you sure? It seems to be fixed, then. E.g., this search for Jon Skeet's deleted content actually returns my own deleted posts.
    – bfavaretto
    Commented Dec 9, 2015 at 18:14
  • @bfavaretto yeah it was a bug that was fixed soon after reported here.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Dec 9, 2015 at 18:29

2 Answers 2

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We recently enabled searching for own deleted content for 10k users as a result of this suggestion. Note that you can still see your own deleted content on your profile for 60 days. This privilege enhancement gives you access to older content that you own.

Jeff's concern with allowing people to see their own deleted content was that "it would lead to unbelievable amounts of whining." As we've relaxed the restrictions, that hasn't happened. Jeff was right to be worried, but as it turns out he was wrong about how people would respond. That's a real encouragement.

Looking at the date of the original question, I see that this feature was over three years in gestation. Late is better than never, I suppose.

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    Isn't 10k a little too restrictive? On most sites 5k rep signifies a sufficiently high level of contribution that one should be allowed this privilege.
    – najayaz
    Commented Dec 19, 2015 at 16:13
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    Why 10k, eh? Why can't I see the list of my deleted posts before 10k?
    – nicael
    Commented Dec 20, 2015 at 18:31
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    Most likely because 10k is the threshold for seeing deleted posts on full sites in the first place.
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:17
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    Deleted posts of others, sure, but still why not your own (assuming it wasn't deleted as spam, etc)
    – Drew
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:18
  • @Drew For some reason the StackOverflow team doesn't want any deleted posts to be viewable by anyone until they have reached that threshold. I don't know the reason; personally I disagree and think users should always be able to see their own deleted posts regardless of reputation.
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:20
  • The one exception is your own deleted posts are visible on your activity page for three months.
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:20
  • @TylerH: It's actually possible to view your own older posts if you remember (or can discover) the URL/PostId. We've been slowly opening up the gates (for instance, putting metadata of deleted posts on SEDE) and watching for problems.
    – Jon Ericson
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:24
  • That is why it's important to drag and drop those urls into a followup folder or bookmark concept.
    – Drew
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:26
  • @FatherChristmas Right, I was referring to "searching" for your deleted posts when I said "see their own deleted posts", sorry. You can always see your own if you know the URL.
    – TylerH
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:33
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    But I agree with not easily being able to see them in retrospect for under 10k. One of the privileges of 10K is seeing deleted posts and the trust that you will not stir up stink seen in them
    – Drew
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 19:33
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So to write this as a simple answer, for 10K users to see all their deleted content, just write deleted:1 in the search bar.

enter image description here

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    You actually don't need to search for your user ID, according to help deleted:1 will return all your deleted posts.
    – Laurel
    Commented May 1, 2017 at 3:51
  • @Laurel, Great! Even better.
    – Suragch
    Commented May 1, 2017 at 4:26
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    Even if you did have to include the user, you can use user:me for yourself, no need for the ID
    – Cai
    Commented May 1, 2017 at 11:04

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