Policy for when there are issues with posters?

[Wavicle]

I would even be OK with hearing the official policy is to sweep it under the rug. What is confusing me is that sometimes people do call out and it hasn't specifically been banned, but people are wary to do it so either everyone apparently privately wonders, has whispered PMs, or cryptically mentions things in other threads (which I realize I did a bit and I have received PMs but I don't want to get myself in deeper questionable topics). It wouldn't be so bad if we all  collectively agreed to let the mods handle it and let the drama just fade away into the sunset with no mentions of it.

[Xallanthia]

I don't think letting it fade away into the sunset is really going to happen.  It seems like every time there's a big story/shenanigans post, there's at least one "detox" thread after where people tell stories, get their anger out, and just generally recover as a community.  I saw it with Jhantee, saw it with LizettaRose, seen it a few other times.  Even if it's just "I'm so angry this was done!!" or "I'm so angry that I fell for it!" it seems to bring us together.  Someone was going to post something.  It's human nature.

[Fluffy Cat]

I can't even tell when a poster has been banned or not here.  Much less why of course.  I know a few who were in fact banned show up as active, and a few who may have been banned who also show up as active so I have no way of knowing  For instance, MTheory.  Was she banned for some reason, or has she just been busy? 

I don't expect an answer to the above, but some consistency would be nice. And I think there would be less questions if a banned poster weren't still listed as active.  However, I suppose that might be a problem with the forum software.  As for how to respond to trolling, I've seen it said by mods/admin that its okay to ask questions of the poster in thread, and I've also seen it be said that you should absolutely leave it entirely up to the mods.  Again, consistency.

[RowenaT.]

I don't think letting it fade away into the sunset is really going to happen.  It seems like every time there's a big story/shenanigans post, there's at least one "detox" thread after where people tell stories, get their anger out, and just generally recover as a community.  I saw it with Jhantee, saw it with LizettaRose, seen it a few other times.  Even if it's just "I'm so angry this was done!!" or "I'm so angry that I fell for it!" it seems to bring us together.  Someone was going to post something.  It's human nature.

That's why I'm confused.  Nobody called out NEW publicly; I, for one, was sure other posters would turn against me.   But apparently others also suspected, and still others are now hurt that they fell for it.  I'm not sure what the solution is, or if there needs to be one, or even if this current discussion is against the rules.

[R_Suerte]

I have seen some trolls come on here, make comments or even start threads, get called on it, get banned and the thread disappear in a matter of minutes.  I guess it was swept under the rug and I'm OK with that. Plus, I think maybe announcing that a troll was banned might just draw more attention to the troll and give them what they want.

My take is that the mods are doing everything that is best for the forum and we have to take their word at that. It may or may not be what I would do if I was a mod but, then I have never moderated a board before, nor care to.  If I ever thought the mods were acting in bad faith (e.g. arbitrarily editing comments, banning posters for their perceived political views), I would just quit coming here. But, I have full faith that the mods are running the forum the best way.

[sugar pie]

On my livejournal communities, the unofficial policy when you suspected a troll was to not reply to their posts, discuss via email with other members who share your suspicions, and when you feel you have enough info, share privately with others who reply to the drama llama/troll's posts. You know...word of mouth and all. Doing this deprived the faker of the sorely desired attention.

[jimithing]

I don't think letting it fade away into the sunset is really going to happen.  It seems like every time there's a big story/shenanigans post, there's at least one "detox" thread after where people tell stories, get their anger out, and just generally recover as a community.  I saw it with Jhantee, saw it with LizettaRose, seen it a few other times.  Even if it's just "I'm so angry this was done!!" or "I'm so angry that I fell for it!" it seems to bring us together.  Someone was going to post something.  It's human nature.

That's why I'm confused.  Nobody called out NEW publicly; I, for one, was sure other posters would turn against me.   But apparently others also suspected, and still others are now hurt that they fell for it.  I'm not sure what the solution is, or if there needs to be one, or even if this current discussion is against the rules.

No need to worry. MANY posters reported NEW to the mods and suspected her. Posters found evidence that she was lying about her pregnancy via her blogs and FB page. And the unfortunate thing about her was that many people believed what she was saying, and have worried about her.

I can also say that I've been told by mods that they really need to have solid proof to do anything about a poster who is suspected of trolling, but the poster that sparked this thread was also reported repeatedly by several posters.

It becomes super tricky. I would feel *horrible* if I called someone out as a troll who really wasn't and was looking for help and support. I think it's a really fine line.

[Xallanthia]

I don't think letting it fade away into the sunset is really going to happen.  It seems like every time there's a big story/shenanigans post, there's at least one "detox" thread after where people tell stories, get their anger out, and just generally recover as a community.  I saw it with Jhantee, saw it with LizettaRose, seen it a few other times.  Even if it's just "I'm so angry this was done!!" or "I'm so angry that I fell for it!" it seems to bring us together.  Someone was going to post something.  It's human nature.

That's why I'm confused.  Nobody called out NEW publicly; I, for one, was sure other posters would turn against me.   But apparently others also suspected, and still others are now hurt that they fell for it.  I'm not sure what the solution is, or if there needs to be one, or even if this current discussion is against the rules.

As far as I know, no one called public shennanigans on NEW (I may be wrong about that, though).  Also, she made a large number of thoughtful, detailed posts unrelated to her situation, both before and after her situation began.  Finally, based only on a very quick scan-through of her posts, her dates (at least) seem to add up.  Because she had a rather controversial posting style, she may have been banned for other reasons.  For her, I honestly don't know.  Though, jimithing posts just above me (as I'm typing) that it was most likely that at least some was made up and there was evidence.  I was not around the boards much at that time and might have missed something, as well.

I was talking more about the obvious trolls, which come out in different ways, but there are a few things I've learned to watch out for in suspecting them:

1) Everything seems to happen on a condensed timescale; they are posting faster than they should for things to happen naturally;
2) Their given details diverge significantly with other posters' experiences of similar situations on more than one occasion;
3) They find a way to relate every post to their Subject, even in unrelated threads.

[Fluffy Cat]

3) They find a way to relate every post to their Subject, even in unrelated threads.

I've noticed #3 a lot lately, and not only in regards to trolls.  I'd add:

4) Completely not being effected by a particularly dramatic Subject, even in related threads.  I'm thinking of Jhantee, mostly.

[SiotehCat]

I must be super clueless, because I had no clue that either of the posters that were banned recently were lying.

I just like to assume that everyone is telling the truth. Its for the same reason that I like to believe that every person on the street corner that has asked me for money really needs it.

[Merry Mrs Martin]

I don't think letting it fade away into the sunset is really going to happen.  It seems like every time there's a big story/shenanigans post, there's at least one "detox" thread after where people tell stories, get their anger out, and just generally recover as a community.  I saw it with Jhantee, saw it with LizettaRose, seen it a few other times.  Even if it's just "I'm so angry this was done!!" or "I'm so angry that I fell for it!" it seems to bring us together.  Someone was going to post something.  It's human nature.

That's why I'm confused.  Nobody called out NEW publicly; I, for one, was sure other posters would turn against me.   But apparently others also suspected, and still others are now hurt that they fell for it.  I'm not sure what the solution is, or if there needs to be one, or even if this current discussion is against the rules.

I actually thought NEW was banned because of the escalating string of " I live an alternative lifestyle and needed support , if if wasn't different all my threads wouldn't be locked.  I see now how discriminatory you all are" and some very very combative posts about controversy subjests and her unusually ideas about those subjects.   Not becasue her ideas were controversial or unusually but that she was really combative about it.  She really seemed to want to bring the fight about her ideas at the end.   I'am not just talking about the threads about her personal situation , I mean more in general.

IDK but I wouldn't feel guilty if I were you.

[Shoo]

I must be super clueless, because I had no clue that either of the posters that were banned recently were lying.

I just like to assume that everyone is telling the truth. Its for the same reason that I like to believe that every person on the street corner that has asked me for money really needs it.

I am super clueless too, then, because I had no idea either.  And I'm here every day!

[jimithing]

I must be super clueless, because I had no clue that either of the posters that were banned recently were lying.

I just like to assume that everyone is telling the truth. Its for the same reason that I like to believe that every person on the street corner that has asked me for money really needs it.

I am super clueless too, then, because I had no idea either.  And I'm here every day!

I'm generally pretty clueless, but NEW's stories and posts read like a Lifetime Movie. I know people really do have a lot of crazy things happen, but the timelines were off and everything was SO dramatic.

[RowenaT.]

I don't think letting it fade away into the sunset is really going to happen.  It seems like every time there's a big story/shenanigans post, there's at least one "detox" thread after where people tell stories, get their anger out, and just generally recover as a community.  I saw it with Jhantee, saw it with LizettaRose, seen it a few other times.  Even if it's just "I'm so angry this was done!!" or "I'm so angry that I fell for it!" it seems to bring us together.  Someone was going to post something.  It's human nature.

That's why I'm confused.  Nobody called out NEW publicly; I, for one, was sure other posters would turn against me.   But apparently others also suspected, and still others are now hurt that they fell for it.  I'm not sure what the solution is, or if there needs to be one, or even if this current discussion is against the rules.

No need to worry. MANY posters reported NEW to the mods and suspected her. Posters found evidence that she was lying about her pregnancy via her blogs and FB page. And the unfortunate thing about her was that many people believed what she was saying, and have worried about her.

I can also say that I've been told by mods that they really need to have solid proof to do anything about a poster who is suspected of trolling, but the poster that sparked this thread was also reported repeatedly by several posters.

It becomes super tricky. I would feel *horrible* if I called someone out as a troll who really wasn't and was looking for help and support. I think it's a really fine line.

I see!  I had also found a blog in which she posted fan fiction with a big rape scenario, but I didn't have any definitive proof that she wasn't pregnant or hadn't experienced some of what she posted here; for all I knew, maybe the fan fiction was her way of coping with what might have happened to her at some point in her past.  I had also found the escalation of her situation very suspicious (from possible pregnancy to life-threatening pregnancy to life-threatening pregnancy with twins), but what finally sent it over the edge was her cheerful baby-naming thread.  Who goes through all that, isn't even sure she's keeping the babies, and then starts a thread with a very thorough and systematic way of brainstorming and eliminating potential baby names?  But I still thought it was all fairly circumstantial evidence.

I do feel better now, though I wish I had known that so many others were suspicious.  Nobody questioned her in her threads, IIRC.

[Zilla]

I report the ones that I think are trolling/faking with precisely the reasons why.  And let them handle it.


I also report the ones that I think were banned and come back as another poster.  Again to the mods with the reasons why.


I too am curious what the Mods would like to happen as well.