Banned posters keep returning under new accounts only to continue the same behavior that got them banned.
A waiting period should be implemented like for provisional ratings. A certain number of games must be played before getting a rating; this should be used for new posters to slow down the time before a banned poster returns to the forums.
This would be especially useful for posters who get banned multiple times as some of them may get tired of putting in the effort just to troll.
@divegeester saidSo I understand that that order of letters should be banned?
On a side note; Very Rusty has for years referred to non subscribing complainants, such as vivify here, as “non sub scum”.
This is a phrase which should be banned here at RHP.
Or "scum" as such, as with the more colloquial term for excrements?
@divegeester saidWhen was the last time he did that?
On a side note; Very Rusty has for years referred to non subscribing complainants, such as vivify here, as “non sub scum”.
@divegeester saidIt would be especially interesting to compare their behavior with your behavior.
Can you give an examples of these posters who keep returning and some indication of the behaviour which has gotten them banned please?
@vivify saidHow can they be positively identified?
Banned posters keep returning under new accounts only to continue the same behavior that got them banned.
I imagine they would have to re-register using a different email address, and might even use a VPN to falsify their location or IP subnet.
If they are subscribers but not spies, how would they come up with a payment method associated with a different name and billing address?
@kevin-eleven saidThat's irrelevant. A waiting period for new members similar to provisional ratings would slow the banned posters from returning. Exceptions could be made for paying members, but most of these banned accounts tend to be non-subs.
How can they be positively identified?
I imagine they would have to re-register using a different email address, and might even use a VPN to falsify their location or IP subnet.
If they are subscribers but not spies, how would they come up with a payment method associated with a different name and billing address?
@vivify saidWe plainly have some people coming back almost instantly with a new name. I agree that a waiting period before they can use the forums would be beneficial. And some of those coming back get to come back simply because they pony up the dough. So I'd be against an exemption for paying members. If you're going to have a waiting period for the forums, it should be for ALL new usernames. People who are brand new usually don't post right away anyways. They tend to test the waters first. It was almost a year after I joined before I made my first post. This is how we figure out someone new is actually a returner, because they post right away, talking about other users like they know them.
That's irrelevant. A waiting period for new members similar to provisional ratings would slow the banned posters from returning. Exceptions could be made for paying members, but most of these banned accounts tend to be non-subs.
@vivify and @Suzianne: Thank you. Those are good points.
A problem is that a waiting period for posting would restrict real newcomers because of a very small number of troublemakers -- not necessarily a win for the troublemakers, but almost.
"Welcome! The forums are the heart of RHP, but keep your mouth shut for a month. Enjoy the site!"
Admittedly and unfortunately, the atmosphere in some of the sub-forums might already cause some newcomers to hesitate a while before participating.
Similar to @Suzianne, I think it was a year or so before I started posting in the forums. What a bad idea that turned out to be! π
Also: speaking as someone who was falsely identified as a returning banned member (Robbie Carrobie) and mistreated accordingly by my own personal Javert, I request that everyone be careful with their paranoid witch-hunts.