How does someone get banned?

[piperclassique]

I think I'm confused. Maybe. How does someone get banned for three inoffensive posts?
Okay, maybe not in exactly the right forum, but I'm guilty of that one and just got gently moved. So, assuming I'm asking in the right place, what happened?
So I can avoid this fate myself....��

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by piperclassique

I think I'm confused. Maybe. How does someone get banned for three inoffensive posts?
Okay, maybe not in exactly the right forum, but I'm guilty of that one and just got gently moved. So, assuming I'm asking in the right place, what happened?
So I can avoid this fate myself....��

I can't comment on individual cases, but so long as you follow the posting guidelines you're quite safe from being banned. Especially if you make sure you don't break rule 10.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I can't comment on individual cases, but so long as you follow the posting guidelines you're quite safe from being banned. Especially if you make sure you don't break rule 10.

What is this ban that they are speaking of?
Does it mean you can't post for a few days?
If so, can I have one? I might could get something done around here.
Around here being the house not Mobileread.
Please note I am only joking.

[bgalbrecht]

(Rule 10) I know, I should probably take this elsewhere, maybe the lounge, but how can the moderators tell between my wife and I having each having an account her, with email addresses at the same domain, vs. me having multiple accounts using (throwaway) email addresses at the same domain?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

(Rule 10) I know, I should probably take this elsewhere, maybe the lounge, but how can the moderators tell between my wife and I having each having an account her, with email addresses at the same domain, vs. me having multiple accounts using (throwaway) email addresses at the same domain?

There's always a presumption of innocence for long-term posters. Also, something needs to trigger an investigation, which takes a lot of evidence into account and not only domains.

I want to point out that this is not the only reason for a banning and most of the time you can't tell from posts, as posts in violation have probably been deleted.

[Cinisajoy]

To the two non mod posters in this thread, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
All of us have put posts in the wrong place.
At bg, a sock puppet account user is usually a spammer. Not spouses who are probably posting entirely different things.

Oh and note: if you do something almost totally stupid, the mods do give warnings.

[tubemonkey]

Please note the difference between a sockpuppet and a sockmonkey

[bgalbrecht]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Please note the difference between a sockpuppet and a sockmonkey

So how can you tell the difference, from the hole in the back?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

So how can you tell the difference, from the hole in the back?

Yep, sockmonkeys got no holes in their backs; plus, we got very long tails

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

(Rule 10) I know, I should probably take this elsewhere, maybe the lounge, but how can the moderators tell between my wife and I having each having an account her, with email addresses at the same domain, vs. me having multiple accounts using (throwaway) email addresses at the same domain?

People usually only create multiple accounts for bad reasons. It's the behaviour of the accounts that usually triggers an investigation.

[piperclassique]

Okay, but apart from blatant spam, on a somewhat genteel site such as this, how bad does it have to get?
Either the mods are here 24/7, or we are a fairly compliant crowd. At least, compared with a few other places I frequent.
Um. Please don't take this as deliberate provocation. I like it here.

[Elfwreck]

We are a fairly compliant crowd, who are prone to reporting questionable posts to the mods. They may not be around 24/7 but they tend to notice problems quickly.

Duplicate accounts are usually identified after a person gets banned, and a brand-new person registers the same day, and takes up the same points in the argument, often using the same phrasing and punctuation quirks.

If someone actually has a double identity, with two different logins, and they post at different times, on different subjects, and don't support each other in arguments... the mods are not looking for that and aren't likely to care if it's happening. The rule against duplicate accounts is to avoid spam, drama, and ban evasion.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by piperclassique

Okay, but apart from blatant spam, on a somewhat genteel site such as this, how bad does it have to get?
Either the mods are here 24/7, or we are a fairly compliant crowd. At least, compared with a few other places I frequent.
Um. Please don't take this as deliberate provocation. I like it here.

Banning is for egregious offenses and persistent troublemakers. It's not something that needs to worry typical posters!

[Elfwreck]

Also - a person can make three inoffensive public posts and a swarm of nasty personal messages, which will get them banned.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by piperclassique

Okay, but apart from blatant spam, on a somewhat genteel site such as this, how bad does it have to get?
Either the mods are here 24/7, or we are a fairly compliant crowd. At least, compared with a few other places I frequent.
Um. Please don't take this as deliberate provocation. I like it here.

I've been a moderator for another site (and a guild leader in an online RPG game) and I've always been like live and let live, but don't dare attack somebody personally. You'll get the boot so fast you won't see it coming. You might get one warning but that's it. I doubt I'd fit in this moderation team because they're generally much easier going