Can a user request a thread be locked?

If you report it you can try "other", otherwise a level 6+ user can make a behind the scenes request.

I haven't read that topic. Typically there has to be some pretty nasty infighting before Apple will lock a topic. Either that or blatant violation of Terms of Use, or a no-no topic such as ripping DVDs (those just go "poof!"). Sometimes topics will far outlive apparent reasonable use except then they are left as honeypots for those with an axe to grind to post to. If they are concentrated in those mega topics it clears the clutter of such posts in the rest of ASC. 🙂

Try this one on for size. Been going strong for 5 years so far.

2013 Mega topic “Your Purchase Could Not Be Completed. For assistance, contact iTunes Support at www.apple.com/support/itunes/ww/.”

1200+ posts, mostly by people who cannot read a one sentence instruction for them to contact Apple at a web link. 😝 Been answered about 800 times; "Do as it says."

Oh, how I wish you luck in your endeavour. I've been requesting the 92 page marathon "I can't purchase ......." thread be locked for months. And still it lingers on, with new users asking the exact, same question day after day.

I think the OP in this case isn't a lost cause. I checked and he replied with some valid comments. I don't have a problem with people using the communities to learn more about how computers and networks work. As long as they don't go off the deep end...

If you wish to get a feeling for what it's like to bang your head against the wall repeatedly, check out:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4983697

Now he is down to asking you what it is that you are afraid of, Stedman posted a nice tinfoil hat picture as a bonus. 🙂

Ouch, that hurts.