FAO AB Editor

[~spaced~]

Dear AB Ed

I am sure it comes with no surprise that many people on this site have had enough of what occurs on here, which is ruining this site.

The things that we would like to bring to your attention are: -

Multiple ID's
General bullying
People being able to create an ID that someone else has

As genuine users of this site, we feel you have a duty of care to provide a service which does not allow any of the above to occur. It would be wise to include Ignore Buttons, IP address readers so multiple ID users and general idiots are banned PERMANENTLY.

A high percentage of users on here are well-mannered and use this site as exactly as it was intended, but unfoirtunately there is a small percentage that abuse this site and make a non-enjoyable place to be, thus resulting in people leaving.

We feel that a repsonse to this would be great start, as none of us have had a reponse from you, nor have we had an opportunity to speak with you, as you phone has been cut off.

We look forward to your repsonse.

Best wishes

Spaced

[dot.hawkes]

what he said in buckets ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Dotty

[whiffey]

Of your three bullet points, it is the third ("cloning") that needs addressing most urgently. The ID to the computer is not the same as the original, but to the human eye appears to be, and is therefore morally the same.

The rest of your points largely self-regulate.

[4getmenot]

Yer ditto and give us a new blog

[squarebear]

This will get no response. From previous threads, they are not interested. I remember when having moderators was discussed and the AB users generally thought it was a bad idea.

[DarkMajes71c]

we can only hope

[4GS]

Here here
Well said ~spaced~

[ChuckFickens]

Spaced

Although I agree with the general premise of your post there are several problems on a technical level for any site such as this that makes it impossible to actually put you measures you suggest in place.

multiple ID's
This could only be monitored by users IP addresses, the problem is though that a lot of users will be on dynamic IP addresses (i.e. it changes every time they connect) and also a lot of users in place like university's would all have the same public IP address as they would all be connecting through one proxy server, Thus limiting one user per IP could not work

General bullying
Never going to be able to stop this on a public site, and for same reasons as above can't permanently ban the people that do it

People being able to create an ID that someone else has
This could be enforced by simply not allowing HTML in the usernames (if I understand correctly putting invisible HTML characters in the username is how most people "clone") they could also stop the usernames being case sensitive to stop people using an identical username but with one capitol letter in it.

[squarebear]

You could stop bullying and abusive posts quite easily by having a moderator instead of relying on people to use the "report this question" button.

[jane1098]

is this a petition? i'll sign

one of these day they WILL answer you...

[~spaced~]

Moderators is a good idea and may aid the probs

[dot.hawkes]

that's the spirit jane, yes, a petition is a start!!!

[DrFilth]

can we also have any one with swear words altered used as user names removed please

[whiffey]

spaced, have you ever been on a site with active online moderation ?

No names, but I was on one which all but moderated itself out of existence. Users are at the 'mercy' of sometimes power-struck tinpot Hitlers who can dish out 24 hours bans, posting restrictions, a whole gamut of 'penalties'. In the wrong hands (and who is to say which are right hands) it is a laughable disaster.

[pusspuss]

hey ed people who say cruel things about animals should be banned, some answers on here make me ashamed to be an AB'er

[squarebear]

The idea of moderators was rejected by most members who posted.

I am an administrator for an international music company's message board and we don't get any of the battles, abuse and bullying that we get here.

If any moderator steps out of line, the users let me know and I deal with it.

[monkeyeyes]

I think most of the problems here have fluorished since the removal of the 'report this answer' facility.

As soon as a clone or a troll, an offensive or a bullying remark was made it was possile to jetison that response and that response alone thereby allowing the thread to continue without unwanted intrusion.

Surely, once enough of these red-cards had been accrued the particular poster could have been banned. Therefore even if they were immediately able to return under a different guise it would be possible to once more ban them if their posings continued in a similar vein.........

[monkeyeyes]

Hmmm......Freudian ommission of the 'T', perhaps.?

[B00]

I think we all just have to accept that we have an Editorial team who couldn't give a stuff about the site and more importantly its members.

Once we accept that- we have a choice- like it or lump it.

[AB ED!TOR]

please BOO don't be so cylindrical
i am doing my bestest to sort things out.

i have have noticed lots of new posters that will be getting banned as soon as i have stopped laughing.

[dot.hawkes]

funny, but annoying too ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^