Cross-posting from Travel

Question

We seem to be getting quite a few cross-posts from travel.

I'm a little uncertain what we should be doing about it. We can't close them as dupes of the travel site question (not in principle, the site just won't let me do it).

That leaves us to either allow karma-collecting and copy and paste answers, or close as 'cross-posting' with a link to the travel one. I've just done that on one today, although another one I answered, primarily because he asked it on here before there was an answer on travel for him.

I think I'm now in favour of the following algorithm:

1. Close as off-topic with reason "question already exists on travel"
2. Post link to travel question.
3. Comment asking the OP to please not cross-post, as it's generally frowned upon on SE.

THe only issue I have with this now is if there's no answer on travel for them. Do we still follow this just because it's on Travel? I'd argue possibly yes, since anyone with an answer on either expats or travel can go post it on the un-closed one. But I'm not sure.

Thoughts?

Answer 1

I like your approach with a slight modification.

1. Decide if the question is a better fit here or on the other site (ignoring if it has answers)
2. If it is a better fit somewhere else close it as off-topic "Cross posting is not allowed. The identical question already exists on XX.SE." If it is a better fit here comment on the question at the other site "Cross posting is not allowed. The identical question already exists on Expats.SE."
3. If the question has valuable answers on multiple sites ask the mods to migrate the question to Expats.SE and then the expat mods can merge the answers

The difference being that I do not think we should automatically give away content.