Olla! I have seen this mod in Vbulletin Mod Community, whereby if a post is reported, the report button disappears. Saves the day for members as they'll know something that should be reported to the mods/admin is already reported?
I don't think that'll be something very useful. Also, that will add an extra database query on every showthread pageload to see if that thread is already reported or not.
The buck stops with Shawn but I personally like seeing multiple people reporting the same post. Generally when we get multiple bad post reports on same post it means we have a spammer running through the community so I read and act on such reports first. I like to delete spam ASAP.
I have to be agree with OP. If hiding button is not practical at all, then a message that "This post has been reported once by some other member - do you want to re-report it?" Or at least, (This thread brings up the conversation) - some intimation for users if they already have reported that same thread? I bet, it isn't fun for mods to see the same thread re-reported by the same user - in fact, multiple times.
Though it will be relieving to know that a particular spam post is already reported by someone before you report it too, disabling the reporting feature will not help anyone, as moderator smyrl has already said, mods give priority to posts reported multiple times.
Not only that, you would end up with people getting angry when they see *their* post was reported by someone and some of them will start trying to figure out WHO reported them and then you end up with mini-wars. Just an all around bad idea imo.
Ah, yes. It was left un-touched. Though how about the idea of saving mods (and users too) re-reporting of a thread by the same users by intimating them they already have reported them. It happens a lot and not everyone can keep a list of bookmarks what exactly he has taken care of and what doesn't.