To whom it may concern:
NS should include a settings option allowing players to designate a length of time after which an issue will be automatically dismissed if it has not been acted upon.
For instance, one may choose to have issues automatically dismissed 5 days after receiving them (if no other action on them has been taken, obviously). This feature would only affect gameplay for those who turn it on; auto-dismissal would not be a default option.
Why I'm suggesting this:
I'm an off-and-on long-term player of the game (since 2007!), and I have a bad habit of letting issues lurk in my inbox for a long-time before I make a decision (perhaps I'm scared of commitment?). It's often my indecision and uncertainty that reduces my activity on NS; when my inbox is full of issues with multiple appealing options, I tend to avoid acting (even if that action is dismissal). This becomes no fun for me, so I drop-off until I forget to logon for a period. I don't know if this pattern of activity fits any other longer-term players, but this also seems like no fun for NS--lost ad revenue and the sorts.
How auto-dismissal of issues might help:
The option to auto-dismiss issues after x days serves as a commitment mechanism for noncommittal players: it ensures my issue inbox will be refreshed when I'm being too indecisive, which keeps players like me coming back to the game instead of being weighed down by my/our own indecisiveness. It'd be easier to let the settings I've chosen be responsible for issue dismissal than to continually put-off answering issues in my inbox until I've decided on my own.
I'm not sure this is a pressing issue for most players, though if any players have had a similar user experience to mine, I'd be curious to here you share your thoughts.