Trolls and multiple account deception

[nitewriter]

Kate, PLEASE don't let trolls get the best of you! It gives them the control they desperately seek.

Surely there is a solution. PLEASE don't do anything drastic until one can be found.

[RedBullHighBride]

Don't be going anywhere Kate, not on account of some head-messing scrote. Most of the folks on here know well enough how to come down on a troll and most trolls leave bawwing eventually. You're way too valuable round here.

[Kate]

Thanks Nitewriter and Red, I don't think they will get the better of me.

Sometimes I find that I've become involved way more than I expected and it's too late. I didn't know that God had kicked my ass until afterwards when I couldn't sleep.

Thanks for the advice guys but all I want is to know what the rules are or should be and I wanted to warn others who might not be aware of the kind of games people can play.

Please don't turn this thread into a support or advice thread because all I was hoping for were some clear guidelines about what's allowed here.

[RedBullHighBride]

Aye I see what you mean, but unfortunately it's very difficult to put rules in place to eliminate trolloing or multiple accounts, being as how forums are so public and anonymous, it's down to how people choose to use the tools provided for them.
Having said that communities, even online ones, develop strategies to counter the worst anti-social activities of the few troublemakers, and a bit of support never goes amiss. We build relationships, ephemeral and hands-off as they are in this type of environment, and on the whole the cream rises and the scum floats off.

[TDM]

I always thought the rules were.............

Forum Rules - All new users must read before posting
General

Newly registered members have restrictions on where they can post new threads. More here: Newly registered members - Please read!

The following rules apply to ALL members:

* Firstly a general rule of thumb: If you think that a post may cause eyebrows to be raised by the forum moderators, don't post it!
* Please try to put your topics in the appropriate forums - it's nice to have the place organized!
* Please don't use offensive language. Some people really hate it, and this forum is for everyone.
* Private Messages and Emails between members must never be quoted in forum posts, unless express agreement is reached between all parties to do so.
* If you are an e-cigarette seller/affiliate/marketer, you must pm SmokeyJoe and read the 'supplier' section below.
* Do not make any posts promoting any products other than e-cigarettes in any of the forums. Those doing so will be banned without warning and the posts deleted swiftly.
* Please do not discuss the use of any substances other than nicotine and those related to e-smoking. Any posts made on using the e-cigarette as a means of ingesting other materials will constitute a major violation of the forum rules, and the user will be banned.
* Racist or homophobic posts will be deleted as they are found and the member posting will be banned.



Writing reviews

* Registered users will be added to the "full members" group after they have made 10 posts and been active on the forum for a set period of time. Only members of this group may post new threads in the review forum. This is to prevent e-cigarette suppliers coming on and mud-slinging against their competitors or writing excessively favorable reviews of their own products.
* Please feel free to write reviews of e-cigarette products, but try to write a decent and informative piece. We've already had posts saying things like "this is the best e-cigarette - loads of smoke - better than cigarettes", which is just pointless. Try to put some detail in: tell people about the quality, give descriptions of the materials, put some photos up.
* Rubbish reviews will just get moved to the general discussion forum or, if they are spammy, deleted.


Suppliers etc

* We want to keep the forums clear of spam and self-promotion so.......
* If you are an e-cigarette supplier/affiliate/manufacturer etc, you must get in touch with the forum mods/administrators to identify yourself before you start posting in the forums. Failure to do this may result in an immediate ban via IP address and Username.
* If you are promoting any other product than e-cigarettes you must also get in touch with the team to make sure your product is appropriate for the forum.
* You may request your website be added to the suppliers list that is maintained in the suppliers forum by getting in touch with any of the moderators or by posting a request in the thread.
* You may not post in the review section, or make any posts which reference your own products, except in the suppliers forum.
* However, you may put one link (no images) to your product/website in your signature line and you are free to contribute to any discussion in any forum providing you follow the above rules.
* You must not use the tag system under any circumstances. If you do so you risk losing your posting privileges for a set period of time.
* You must not use the chat room to promote your business. If you do so you risk losing your posting privileges for a set period of time.

These rules have been devised over time by this forum's community to ensure that the board is a pleasant and neutral place for users to meet and discuss things.

Given this fact, suppliers should be aware that going against these rules is likely to offend their very own potential customers. It should also be noted that the rules change here often as new issues are brought up, so check this post often!

Tags and Tagging

Members are encouraged to use tags to help get new visitors to relevant posts. The only rules are 1. Suppliers must not use tags, and 2. Users must not tag posts with their own usernames.

[Kate]

That's right Mouse. There's also these rules which are the ones we make a contractual agreement to by ticking a box at registration:

Although the administrators and moderators of e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off this forum, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat, nor Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. (developers of vBulletin) will be held responsible for the content of any message.

By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-oriented, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violative of any laws.

The owners of e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason.



Would it be hard to put a sentence in to say that one person should only have one identity?

[TDM]

The rules that are there are not enforced. Why add even more rules that wont be inforced anyway.

[Nuck]

Clicking a box won't stop people from posting as a second identity and there is no way to stop someone from using one of the thousands of free proxies available on the net. Even a novice can figure it out in a few minutes.

It's not a matter of rules, it's simply impossible with the technology available to stop it. The only way to police it is to have mods make judgement calls.

[Kate]

Sure, I hear what you're saying, enforcement is difficult. Still, guidelines would be a good thing wouldn't they? Judgement calls might be necessary but it's just another level of security and people wouldn't be able to plead ignorance when caught.

[Caesarea]

Y'know the crux of it was that the content was hateful and intended to harm. Whether it came from G or JJ wasn't v. important in itself.

Just my 2d worth.

C.