On multiple accounts, and on the re-admission of banned members

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Why you can only have one account

One of the rules of this forum is that you shouldn't sign up for more than one account. It's not exactly the top rule, in red and green flashing lights, as few people would even consider setting up two accounts ... but it's an important one, none the less. Why is this?

First and foremost, it's because you - the members and readers of this forum - want to be able to relate with the other individuals here, knowing that if you're talking to "grahame" and "rudolf" in a conversation that you really ARE talking to two people, and that you're not being manipulated by one person who's posting two sides of an argument to mislead and draw you in to something.  And secondly, it's because we can't allow members who have made such a nuisance of themselves that they've been banned to simply sign up for a new account and carry on as if nothing had happened.  And indeed, a member who can no longer post, yet who signs up for another account knowing it to be against the rules is making a very strong gesture against us.

I am just about to block two "double" accounts that have been set up by members I had to ban a couple of weeks ago.  Some of you may have seen 42 postings of the same message (which included  personal data and personal attacks), and seen other insults flying around.  But believe you me, you only saw the half of it.  I accept that these members had no faith the team running the board which is why they went off our rails, so I can only see an attempt to sign up again as a chance to slip in and cause more trouble.  Which - for the sake of the other 99% of members, and all those readers who haven't sign up too, we can't tolerate.

Note - as Administrator, I get a whole load of extra admin controls and information when I log in.  In order to test the forum from an ordinary user's perspective and to test the security, I do have a second account; should I even complete a post from it (it's zero posts at the moment) that post will clearly state that it's me testing.

What to do if you have been banned

A ban is VERY rare. So if you have been banned, you've probably driven the moderator team beyond their normal calm selves 10 times over!   Here is what you should NOT do.

You should NOT send the administrator a threatening email!
You should NOT get your friends on the board to make further trouble on your behalf
You should NOT go out of your way to waste a lot of my time, or ask others to do so
You should NOT incite others to break our guidelines
You should NOT slag this board off elsewhere online (or offline)
You should NOT sign up to another forum elsewhere in my name and put words in my mouth
You should NOT try to sneak back by registering here under a new name.
You should NOT ask me at intervals of less the 2 hours if you can come back

If you do these things, culminating in trying to sneak back a couple of weeks later, do you REALLY think it can all be sweetness and light?  Sorry - much as I hate there to be people out there who would like to post but cannot do so, we cannot take the risk of allowing you back unless we're pretty sure you've changed your spots.

We have been known to apply and lift a ban, and I've been party to it on other forums too - it can be done.  Here's my advise to anyone who find themselves wishing to post here, and wishing to post along our AUP ... this is probably a pretty pointless section for me to write, because all the post-ban evidence I have is so negative, but here we go:

You should withdraw any threats you have made, and consider whether a reasoned apology might be in order.
You should confirm that you're not going to try and sign up for any more accounts (and not try to slip one "under the wire" either)
You should take a much more positive attitude elsewhere - I'm not saying agree with everything we write, but certainly cut the ridicule and insults.
If you REALLY want to comment on a thread, email me the comment and I can add it in for you.

Will this get your posting status back?  No - not until there's a big lake of trust in you again in the eyes of the moderators - and that ain't going to be easy with the lack of a platform you have, this I know.  But remember - it can be done.  It has been done.  But in one or two gross cases it could take a very very long time indeed.

Please - feedback is welcome on this.  Do let me know if you feel I'm being too harsh or too lenient on this!  Thanks

[swlines]

My feedback is ....

Not so many NOTs!! Looks a bit too heavy on the eye....

You should NOT ask me at intervals of less the 2 hours if you can come back <-- If I ever get banned that implies that I can send you emails every 2 hours and 1 minute asking whether I can be unbanned ....

[grahame]

My feedback is ....

Not so many NOTs!! Looks a bit too heavy on the eye....

You should NOT ask me at intervals of less the 2 hours if you can come back <-- If I ever get banned that implies that I can send you emails every 2 hours and 1 minute asking whether I can be unbanned ....

That's fair comment in many ways, Tom ... yet can you believe that every single one of those tactics has been tried ... and still we're getting further accounts registered?   I resited using terms like "years" and "never" ... and I expect that after half a day of emails at 121 minute intervals I would update my spam filters!

[swlines]

I can believe it - I've had all of them used on me in the past ...

If I was doing the 121 minute interval trick, I'd at least find ways of making it so spam filters can't affect me for at least 4 days or so - I have ways!!!

[grahame]

 

[swlines]

I've just re-read that post and realised it makes absolutely no sense.

Very intelligent of me.

The other way would be to bomb you with about 1,000 emails in a PHP script, Graham.

[devon_metro]

Perhaps I disagree with: You should NOT slag this board off elsewhere online (or offline)

As that would mean this board is obselete as we are here to slag off fGW in a way. Freedom of speech is an excellent device although at the same time, it is often not appropriate to do so

[swlines]

I agree with D_M.

It's like saying you can't slag off the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) or we'll sue you, but people do and it's widely documented.... likewise, I know people have slagged off a number of boards that I own but I bit the bullet, ignored it, and got on with it - and I think that should happen here as well.

You can recommend people don't slag off the board - but saying you can't and as a result you get banned is just pathetic.

[grahame]

Perhaps I disagree with: You should NOT slag this board off elsewhere online (or offline)

As that would mean this board is obselete as we are here to slag off fGW in a way. Freedom of speech is an excellent device although at the same time, it is often not appropriate to do so

Bear in mind that this was written not as a list of things which will get you banned, but as a list of things which will make it more difficult for you to have a ban that's already been imposed for other reasons lifted.   If I said you could get banned for slagging off the board, I can't see where and there's "case law" that shows it's not the situation.

[swlines]

A ban is VERY rare. So if you have been banned, you've probably driven the moderator team beyond their normal calm selves 10 times over!   Here is what you should NOT do.

You should NOT send the administrator a threatening email!
You should NOT get your friends on the board to make further trouble on your behalf
You should NOT go out of your way to waste a lot of my time, or ask others to do so
You should NOT incite others to break our guidelines
You should NOT slag this board off elsewhere online (or offline)
You should NOT sign up to another forum elsewhere in my name and put words in my mouth
You should NOT try to sneak back by registering here under a new name.
You should NOT ask me at intervals of less the 2 hours if you can come back

Err, what? 

That list I would count as listing reasons to get banned as well as not to do when you are banned (certainly the first, second, fourth and fifth reasons).

[grahame]

Read the big, bold title at the top, Tom

"What to do IF YOU HAVE BEEN BANNED" ....

... this thread does not talk about why people get banned in the first place.

[swlines]

I can read - however you should surely be able to see the point I'm making here... some of those reasons I would interpret as being reasons to get banned as well.

One point - can banned members even read here when some are IP banned?

[grahame]

One point - can banned members even read here when some are IP banned?

That's actually a very good point, but the answer is "yes"; I have confirmation in my email 

And indeed, some of those are good reasons that could contribute to a ban in the first place too.

I don't really want this thread to dilute over multiple pages, so I'm going to put a lock on it in a moment; further comment from anyone who's not yet contributed - please feel free to start a fresh thread.

Edit to note lock removal ... 13/6/08