The key principle underlying our policy on collapsing is that people should make a page more helpful for people who are interested in the question.
Given this principle, Quora may collapse answers for the following reasons:
- Doesn't answer the question. The answer should respond to the question asked. The answer should not misinterpret the language of the question and/or respond to a different question. It is OK if an answer challenges an important premise in the question instead of directly answering the question, as long as the answer clearly makes the page more helpful (and includes meaningful explanation) for people who are interested in learning the answer to the question.
- Is a joke. Answers that are jokes generally make the page less helpful. Humorous answers are allowed if they make the page more helpful to someone who is sincerely interested in learning the answer to the question; otherwise they are not. To be considered helpful, a humorous answer should include meaningful explanation. Answers to survey questions are subject to these rules. Survey question answers will be treated as joke answers if (1) they are not plausible given the conditions described in the question and/or (2) they appear to be primarily intended as a joke. To learn more, see: What is Quora's policy on humorous answers/reviews?
- Violates Quora's images policy. Adult images or videos (including graphic violence and sex-related media) are only allowed on pages involving adult topics and which have been tagged with the appropriate Quora Adult topic(s). Images and videos of gore or extreme graphic violence (or links to such images/videos) are only allowed in answers if (1) they are clearly helpful and necessary to the answer, and (2) they clearly do not glorify violence. Questions that specifically ask for pictures of graphic violence must have the Adult Content on Quora topic tag applied. See: What is Quora's Policy on Adding Images and Videos to Answers?
- Should be a comment. A response to another answer on the page should be moved to the comment section of that answer. Clarification or commentary about the question should be moved to the question comments. See Quora's policy on comments.
- Needs to be in English. When using Quora in English, you must write content in English. Quora supports multiple languages where people are welcome to contribute in other languages.
- Relevant affiliations need to be disclosed. To help people interpret the views expressed in this answer, any relevant affiliations should be included in the answer text or the author's bio. For example, if a user writes an answer about his own company or product, the answer (or topic-specific bio) should make clear the user's affiliation with the company. This disclosure can be brief and does not need to be set off separately, as long as it is clear. A relevant affiliation is any involvement that a reasonable observer would think is important for interpreting the views that the user expresses in an answer. See Quora's policy on disclosing affiliations.
- Other / Needs improvement. Examples include: not being a sincere attempt to make the page a better resource for someone who wants to know the answer to the question; no longer being relevant; or violating other policies and guidelines such as the Be Nice, Be Respectful policy.