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A user asked question here. Molot has given the answer first. But later same answer was given by another user. Is it valid to flag that answer? Someone has given -1 for that answer is that ok?

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    Consider that this -1 may have been added when the question was "chameleoned" into different meaning. Answers with the same score (0 then) are randomized. It is well possible his answer was on top at the moment and got downvote for being off-topic. For the same "chameleon" reason I just deleted my answer there.
    – Mołot
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 8:41
  • related: meta.drupal.stackexchange.com/q/2926/16495
    – Mołot
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 8:52

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When an answer says something that is already said from another answer, it could be down-voted as not useful. It just repeats what said from somebody else, so it is not adding anything useful; if we were to do the same with every question, we would get the same answer repeated X times each time.
Keep in mind that there are cases where two answers could say the same thing because a user starts to write an answer without first refreshing the page and not noticing there is already another answer saying the same; it could also happen two users starts to write an answer at the same time, but one of those is distracted and hits "Post Your Answer" later than the other one.

In the specific case, the user also added something else the user who answered first didn't say. Probably it doesn't make any difference, since the core of the answer is still the same.

As for flagging, don't use it in cases like this. If there were a user who keeps copying-and-pasting answers given from others, by any meaning, flag those answers. Moderators cannot do anything in cases like the one reported in the OP; users can down-vote the answer that repeats what already said, and for that you don't need any moderator.

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    Time diff between our answers was around 20 minutes. But see my comment here, on the question itself... I think I made good-willing mistake by answering this question at all. Just deleted my answer.
    – Mołot
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 8:43
  • At the end, remind this: Voting is rather subjective. It should not be done for helping somebody getting reputation, reducing a user's reputation on purpose.
    – avpaderno Mod
    Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 9:02

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