Barring & controlling forum abusers

[ProfJohnL]

I have had a further thought on how to control and track the real owners of contributions to these forums.

If each contributor had to pay a one off nominal amount (to cover admin costs only) by credit/debit card to register thier membership, then the forum owners would have a verified route back to the contributor. It would discourage multiple names, and give the moderator the ability to lock out barred contributors by the address of the credit card.

Any comments?

 

[Royston]

John L

No need to pay any money, I have been contacted direct on my email at home by the moderator.

I was stupid enpugh to give my real name and address, thats why I blew my top.

 

[Royston]

John L

No need to pay any money, I have been contacted direct on my email at home by the moderator.

I was stupid enpugh to give my real name and address, thats why I blew my top.

woops enough has come out wrong.

 

[Lol1]

Hi John L, as this is the only Forum I use (ok, I might have looked at the Which Caravan forum) can you tell me if this one is representative of forums in general? I can't believe that people are being barred left right and centre only to return under another alias, just seems a big vicious circle to me. I remember using a chat room many years ago and it having an "ignore button" facility. This would wipe all the contributions from the ignored party from the screen. It meant that if I wanted to read what someone was saying I could, but if little Jimmy down the road was offended by the article he could click on ignore and hey presto, no more nasty article! This to me seems a better way (and perhaps more humane) to control the forum and gives individuals the power of moderator (sorta). Dunno if the technicians can or want to do it, but I think its worth investigating.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi Royston adn LOl,

Thanks for responding.

Royston, you are right that the moderator has an e-mail address for you as that is one of the current checks they have, but it dosent ensure that the moderator/forum has a valid postal address. The use of credit/debit card automatically gives a Home/billing address, which would tie any comments to a real address and not simply an email. This would enable an auditable trail back to a person and thus they could not so easily abuse the system and expect to get away with it. They would have to take full responsibility for the remarks they make and any consequences threof.

Lol, Part of the problem of recent weeks was that a contributor was barred, but simply reregisterd under a different email address. It is unlikely that a contributer would go to the trouble and expense of seting up multiple creit card accounts simply to allow them to abuse a forum.

Your solution would work in terms of being able to filter out at your own choice contribution from a particular forum name, but it does not place any additional responsibility on the abuser to conform to etiquet or common law. It has been aluded by both the moderator and some other forum users, that certain individuals did register multiple forum names to evade the Moderators right to bar. These same individuals continued to abuse the forum and some of its members under different forum names and of course email addresses for quite some extended time. It devalued the forum in many peoples eyes.

Thier actions proved that some people cannot be trusted to act reasonably. They were dishonest in so far that they refused to accept the moderators rightful sanctions.

My proposal would I beleieve retain the good points of the forum and allow the ugly points to weeded out in the future.

 

[millysweep]

I am a member of several very sucessful forums (www.pcadvisor.co.uk and www.ukcampsite.co.uk for instance) - none of which require a subscription.

Dare I say, in a general sense and not directed at you, some of the forum members comments give the impression that this particular forum is a god given right rather than the luxury it is. My comment is probably in the wrong thread - but hey - I'v said it anyway!

 

[CliveV]

Like Karen I also use various other forums - some pleasure and some for work. I believe this one to be a model of simplicity in that it is easy to use and responsive.

However, as I have said previously, it is a shame this simplicity is not linked to sophistication. I do not know of any other Forum that allows the same identifyer to be used by multiple people. On all of the others I have a unique password that is also my identifyer.

Nor am I aware of any other Forum that does not allow the Moderator to do what his/her title indicates.

Not sure about it being a luxury? PC runs the forum as a way of getting its message accross and also as a way of increasing/maintaining advertising revenue in that a Forum is an added facility that other mags do not do.

From where I stand, the Forum has managed to rid itself of the childish input from the minority that was spoiling it for the majority. Therefore whilst there is nothing wrong with what has been suggested re some kind of credit card system - it would most definately not suit me.

It those running the Forum see fit to release information catagorised as "personal" in our profiles, allbeit just our surname, I certainly would not want to give them the opportunity of releasing details of anything more valuable.

The simplist option is to have a more sophisticated "engine" that dictates that if there are nine (9) Clive's wanting the use the Forum then its first come first served and each Clive being labelled Clive1, Clive2 etc. or whatever.

There really should be no need for anything else.

 

[ProfJohnL]

With the recent return of some of our least favourte contributors, who seem to leave ther pointless and rather unpleasent droppings in virtually every place, I again raise this thread to the top of the pile,

Any new comments?

 

[CliveV]

I was against you idea at first mainly because of my concern at the release of what is designated personal info on our profile.

I also believed that the stance taken by many against the most obnoxious contributor did seem to have an effect. Due to the limitations inbuilt within the Forum the Moderator tried hard to ban these idiots but they simply came back with a dif. name. Sadly history is repeating itself.

Now we have Trolls popping up saying people are "tossers", using bad language and leaping on newcomers with sarcastic comments - Paul's post about a VW Golf on Towcars gets a classic responce from the half wit.

Thankfully Paul seems able to deal with it BUT IS IT RIGHT THAT ANYBODY SHOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS RUDENESS?

Whilst you do get Troll activity on other Forums - I have never seen it so bad as on this Forum. What also happens on other Forums is that misbehavers get "drowned out" by the majority. This does not happen here and I think I can see why.

There are very few regular users. This was flagged up by the Who's Who posting. After 20 names the author was strugling!!

Compared to other forums this is VERY poor. Literally thousands of users benefit from the two main Land Rover Forums.

So would a selection process involving cost improve things? - I have no idea - but if I were new and I had to sign up and and pay I would probably look for somewhere else.

I would be happy to pay NOW because I know the Forum and value it. But surely a cost/registration process would put newcomers off.

However, what about a two tier system? Perhaps we could have a "nursery" Forum whereby everyone can contribute but this introduces newcomers to a second level Forum that does have an entry criteria plus active Moderators who can evict those that habituialy cause offence.

I doubt that this Forum could do it as it stands but I for one WOULD PAY GOOD MONEY TO KEEP THE LIKES OF OUR CURRENT "LONE RANGER AND TONTO" AT BAY.

 

[Kanga_5075163]

Clive,

I agree with you Clive lets get rid of the trolls, I am fed up with people accusing me of being you, I am not you and never will be, your much too egotistical to be anything like a normal person. I am also not daventura but here's a clue I do know him, but i assure you he is his own man.

Clive are you stinky_pete? the reason I ask is that nothing came of the court case you threatened.

I agree we should all pay a small sum to be on the forum and we can make concessions for those that only use cl sites or those that drive 4x4's because they wont have a lot of spare cash, seeing as they spend a lot of time at the petrol station and also the fact that soon to be introduced taxation on these vehicles will mean less cash in their pockets.

(clive i have run a spell check on this, make sure you do the same in your reply)

Your best mate Kanga (4x4's rule ok........NOT)

 

[CliveV]

Kanga - I dont bother with spell checks - nobody does in my business - its the deal that counts.

As for the "court case" against Stinky Pete - I never EVER said it was going to court. What I said was I was taking legal action. And it was successful too - The action we took was a direct result of Stinky Pete accusing me of being something I was not - This gave me the ability to open doors.

One of those doors was to his employer - who we gave the information and who then confirmed that they would take appropriate action according to the individuals Terms and Conditions of Employment.

Believe me, now knowing the employer concerned, I know why Stinky Pete exited so quickly from this Forum.

The rest of your post is just a verbose irrelevence - best ignorred.

 

[BrianStAlbans]

I am by no means a computer expert ,but even my basic Tiscali set up has a "block sender" function .Surely this forum has the same?....Brian.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I have been a member of a MSN game/chat room where all sorts of people reside from around the world for 8 years now. Rest assured that asswipes like Kanga aren't something particular to this site because they aren't. The MSN sites have unpaid moderators and Microsoft give them the tools to do the job. They gag offenders like these two for a certain period of time. If they continue to offend the forum the moderators can apply to the site owners (I take it thats Haymarket) for a complete ban on these people. There is no coming back under different alias's because they are stopped at their ISP address. So even if they use a different email they cant get back in unless they change their Internet Service Provider. Also as someone else pointed out MSN has a right click function where you can ignore the offender. I dont know if the Moderator can get the techies to look into this or even if they are capable/have the resources to do so. By paying for membership Clive it will act as a deterrent. Some will leave and new people wont join. Oh by the way Kanga, thanks for the laugh this morning "I am also not daventura but here's a clue I do know him, but i assure you he is his own man." - lmaoooo 10 brain cells between you?

 

[CliveV]

Good Afternoon My Lord - Agree with all that you say - including the bit about payment putting people off.

I very much like what you suggest - Moderator - could you please run this by the techies.

I would hate to see the Forum decline to the lowest common denominator as it did some months ago.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Clive, theres no need to touch your forelock before addressing me my good man and also please call me LB or Brakey, I dispose of formalities when on this site. By the way old boy I've arranged a shooting party on the North Yorkshire moors this weekend, I'm told there a colony of Kangaroo's that need culling. Feel free to join me if you are interested. Let me know and if so I'll get my charabanc to pick you up. Anyone else is welcome too, the more of the bounders we put down the happier the moors will be. Their dung is destroying the heather so the Grouse are suffering. Toodle pip.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Omy Kanga, do you eat with that mouth. Please refrain from using bodily function terms. Its called breaking wind, sheesh man or woman, wash your mouth out in maids water and say 10 "Hail Clives".

 

[Lol1]

Omy Kanga, do you eat with that mouth. Please refrain from using bodily function terms. Its called breaking wind, sheesh man or woman, wash your mouth out in maids water and say 10 "Hail Clives".

How can I read the screen if the tears of laughter blind me to it! Not wishing to hijack another thread, during your time on the game zone, did you ever play Mech Warrior?

 

[Lol1]

Omy Kanga, do you eat with that mouth. Please refrain from using bodily function terms. Its called breaking wind, sheesh man or woman, wash your mouth out in maids water and say 10 "Hail Clives".

And is ok if I stop bowing now....?

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Kanga old boy, the reason I use ass a lot is because it seems a more acceptable term to use in a forum than ars*. Also when using the word "ass" it keeps you at the forefront of my mind. Regarding Clive and my goodself I can assure you that my eyes are only for Brenda, even now I have sobered up. It just shows people where your mind is Kanga sweetie when you talk about ass and clean in the same sentence - I quote "you seem to like the word ass a lot, is there something going on between you and Clive you wanna come clean about?". I come from excellent bloodstock my dear Kanga as you can see if you check DeBrett's Peerage so I have no desire to chase people of the same gender as myself. Alrighty, I might be a little bit partial to wearing Brenda's thong, her stiletto's and her bright red lip gloss but thats as far as my perversions go. Goodbye my dear Kanga, keep up the banter because I was a slacker at Eton and I qualified at nothing which gave me a low self esteem but for the first time in my life after meeting you my dear Kanga I feel like a superior human being. I will always be indebted to you my dear Kanga so if you're ever passing Screwemm Hall just pop in for a little snifter (thats a whisky to you Kanga so get your mind out of the gutter again). Toodle pip old boy.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

How can I read the screen if the tears of laughter blind me to it! Not wishing to hijack another thread, during your time on the game zone, did you ever play Mech Warrior?

Lol I'm not into those kind of games mate, I prefer something more sedate like cards - a game called Spades. I chat a lot in there too in real time, it's better than any soap opera.We get all kinds in there, most are very nice but like here you get the odd idiot and the hiders who come in and attack someone they dont like. Theres on/off line relationships too, a few marriages since Ive been there. It really is a riot and I love it. I like the challenge of putting the idiots down and making them look small but best of all is the online friendships I've made with people from around the world.