Since we are part of the larger Stack Exchange family of websites, I knew duplicates would be an issue well covered already. Duplicates about duplicates on two Metas, oh, the irony.

Required Meta Stack Overflow reading [here][1] and [here][2] and [here][3] and [here][4].  

My preference going in to this was to see users asking and answering duplicates lose reputation when the duplicate was closed. I don't care as much now, though I still wish more would spend time improving existing Q&As. Merging can only be done by a select few, but we can all edit and improve questions. Do so, it lessens the burden for moderators. 

**I propose a 'De-duplicator' badge, or some other way of rewarding those that take the time to seek out and link to dupes.** This takes a lot of effort, many of us do it religiously, and there is no recognition nor reward granted.  

Rewards need to be based on a very high percentage of your dupe flags being accepted (maybe 90-95%?), to discourage reckless flagging.

 - 20 Dupes closed in one day with your 40 flags? Not bad Tiger. Here's
   a bronze.
 - 200 in one month? Is that a silver badge in your pocket or are you
   just happy to see me?
 - One thousand duplicates flagged correctly? B-I-Double-G-I-E *De-Double-duplicator* come on over here and get your gold medal.

 






  [1]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/52530/are-duplicates-creating-broken-windows
  [2]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/65742/finding-a-system-to-handle-duplicates
  [3]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/32311/do-not-delete-duplicates
  [4]: http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/36366/please-provide-a-table-of-duplicates