Common Usularius?

I honestly think you’re the star of the show tonight. Even on a thread dedicated entirely to yourself, you’ve managed to attract two or three sycophants who just sit there showering you with praise, obsessing over your "sharp wit" or how cool your username is. I get the impression this whole persona is designed specifically to feed that ego—you use this specific tone just to keep the spotlight on you. I’m not quite sure what everyone is so worked up about, though; from where I’m sitting, you just post about the usual daily political nonsense (aka spam). Sorry, I haven't read every single one of your posts—do I need to resign from being a user now?

http://www.example-us-forum.com/showthread.php?t=540915&page=4

... @Alex Lopez5, registered since November 2008, only eight total posts (I've only seen one), yet suddenly they feel the need to weigh in on this specific user—someone they haven't even acknowledged in a year and a half. Does anyone else think it's time for a reality check regarding the forum rules on sockpuppet accounts? Or are we just supposed to register a new clone for every single comment? Isn't that a little pathetic? Or is it all just about the numbers? (The US forums always seem to have the highest traffic, the most reading, the most endless bickering, blah blah blah...)

Can someone please tell the clueless average Joe how things actually work here, so we don't waste electricity and paid data on nothing...

... there are a million clearer examples out there if I really need to go digging...

... and yeah, why am I even writing this: trolling is technically against the rules, but as a user, I can apparently be Dr. Jekyll and Hyde across different threads? It seems completely pointless and unnecessary... or am I mistaken?

Since the situation—both the topic and the user involved—is part of a PDF I moderate over in the Psychology section, there is one part here that warrants my own response and comment. To be honest, I don't really know what's bothering you. Death-of-Art started this thread because she believes certain people—or "patients," as she calls them—are following her around the forum, reading her posts, and even registering accounts solely for that purpose. The whole topic feels a bit paranoid, though I suppose everyone has a right to their own perception of things on the forum. It doesn't seem to serve much purpose other than having users debate her specific case and express shock regarding these alleged stalkers, which most of the community hasn't really noticed (at least not with such intensity). Alex Lopez5 makes a valid point—he’s commenting on how the thread has evolved—though perhaps labeling people as "groupies" or the "star of the evening" might be a bit much. Even so, calling someone the star of the evening isn't inherently an insult, especially given the nature of this thread.

Does the forum rulebook need a rewrite regarding clone accounts? Or maybe we need to rethink how users perceive insults in posts? Generally speaking, from a technical standpoint, just because someone rarely posts doesn't mean they can't suddenly jump into a thread after a long hiatus. If a user is deemed to be breaking the rules, those rules apply regardless of whether they are a clone or the "original" account. Any posts that contain insults or otherwise violate our guidelines should be reported using the triangle icon next to the post, which displays the text report offensive post when you hover over it. When reporting, you just provide a reason. A moderator then decides whether to uphold the report, and if necessary, the matter can always be discussed via private message (not in the public thread) or right here in this PDF. We didn't receive a report from you regarding that specific post. In fact, we haven't received any reports at all, for that matter. Actually, you even replied to that user directly in the thread, which isn't really what you're supposed to do if you feel a post violates the rules.

Troublemakers who cause issues through clone accounts, as well as original users who drop spammy posts, pick fights with members and moderators, or participate in threads solely to stir the pot without adding anything meaningful—all of them are unwelcome. This has been the standard for a long time; you don't really need a rule revision to establish that.

casualharbor9, I honestly feel like Lisa Hernandez3 already laid out the facts so clearly that there isn't much left for me to add, but I'll give it a shot anyway... You’ve basically built this whole narrative where I'm some kind of clone or a troll who's "in on the joke," even though Death-of-Art actually clarified the entire context in her very first post. To be perfectly honest, I’m not quite sure what sparked this reaction from you; was it just because I've been a member since November 2008 but haven't been super active with only eight posts, or perhaps because I didn't jump in to defend that particular user? casualharbor9, instead of jumping to these sweeping conclusions, you might have found it more helpful to check in with the moderators on the forum boards before making such broad accusations. If you really can't stand a specific post, the best move is simply to report it. That's what the moderators are there for—to make the final call. Besides, shouldn't everyone, regardless of their post count, have the right to share their thoughts?

Also, I really don't see how this qualifies as trolling rather than just expressing an opinion. Since I tend to spend much more time reading than actually typing, I've had plenty of opportunities to observe various users and get a general sense of the community vibe. I'll concede that using the term "groupies" might have been unnecessary, but in my humble opinion, calling someone the "star of the show" was just a way to suggest they enjoy being the center of attention without having to spell it out. Ultimately, I get the feeling your actual grievance stems from that comment about the groupies; it seems like you took offense, especially since you were the one who originally pointed out the sharp language, even though I certainly didn't mean any harm or intend to be insulting. Best regards.

... what on earth?

I was just trying to float some high-level thoughts regarding the logic behind this forum's rules—purely out of good faith and in a relaxed tone—but apparently, people are catching fish in a net I haven't even cast yet... I don't consider the aforementioned post to be a violation of any rules, nor do I find it offensive, and I’m certainly not trying to hijack the thread (even though that very post serves as a perfect illustration of the point being made here)... but let’s move past that for a moment...

@Lisa Hernandez3, weren't you the one who once passionately defended the idea that a user sometimes simply can't detach themselves from the topic they are representing, on the very subforum you now moderate? (Do I really need to dig up the link?) You say "technically speaking"... and at the same time, you position yourself as such an expert on the human psyche that you can judge what constitutes truth versus lies, or a joke versus reality?
Let me tell you what's actually bothering me: a mountain of common-sense nonsense threads being kicked off in the Psychology section (and elsewhere, since you're pulling my leg here...), started by users with exactly zero posts who rarely ever move beyond that number, all while attempting to project an air of profound seriousness. And heaven forbid anyone questions them if it doesn't fit the "vibe" of the subforum... for instance: our esteemed colleague @Alex Lopez5 expressed doubt regarding the motives of a certain thread starter (whether argued or not—I'd say not), but when I (not that I mind, this is just an illustration of the illogic) write the exact same thing in another thread, my comment is deleted without a single word of explanation... Is @Alex Lopez5 your clone? Are you someone's clone? If so, why?

So, my question for the entity shaping this forum is this: what is the purpose of forum rules that pro forma prohibit disrupting serious discussions (so-called trolling or spamming), when the system simultaneously allows or even encourages the disruption of entire subforums by letting people open short-lived profiles to babble whatever they want?

To be clear, I’m not against new users opening threads—it's hard to gauge authenticity, after all—but when someone who has established themselves on this forum with hundreds or thousands of posts creates a brand-new account that acts as their diametric opposite, and that account receives various interactions, shouldn't we question the motive? What is the point of registering at all if cloning is perfectly acceptable? Do I really need to start citing specific examples?
Are we going to open a new user account for every single subforum and thread??

Or is the trick this: that I can essentially bypass the rules however I please, and when I get too close to a ban, I simply open a pristine, virgin profile and carry on with the same behavior... indefinitely? And then, "beautifully," it all shows up in the site statistics, making the forum look like the most visited or most registered site in the entire universe?

Please, enlighten me... I just need to know what I'm wasting electricity on, and how I should proceed... someone else, please...

Alex Lopez5 said:...

... honestly, I'd tell you a whole lot more flattering things, but the forum rules won't let me...

just a little thought 🙂
...
on a more serious note, I believe our community guidelines actually prohibit starting threads specifically about individual members, so I’d like to kindly ask the moderators to keep an eye on that and ensure we're all staying within the rules. That's all from me.

Alex Lopez5 said:it's just a bit 🙂small-time
...
but honestly, I think the rules actually prohibit starting threads about specific members, so I’d suggest the mods keep an eye on that. That's all.

You're basically a walking ego trip and you should probably be permabanned immediately.
You act way too "informed" for someone with only nine posts; the rest of your nonsense is just noise.

Jose Barrett said:You’re basically just a walking clone at this point. Honestly, you should get permabanned immediately.
You act way too "in the know" for someone who's only made 9 posts. Most of your other nonsense is just noise.

Under the current rules, everyone can have clones—hell, they can have hundreds if they want. The only thing that's actually against the rules is using 99 different accounts while one of them is sitting under a ban. Once that ban expires? Boom, back to using all 100 accounts again.

I really think the rulebook needs a serious overhaul here. Right now, a real troll could just rack up 80 warnings, jump to a fresh account, grab another 80, hop to another one... it's an endless loop of trolling as long as none of their accounts actually hit the ban threshold. It's a total loophole.

The rules definitely need to be tightened up to fix this.

steeleagle70 said:I think the rules need a serious overhaul regarding this. A dedicated troll could just farm points up to level 80, hop onto a new burner account, hit 80 again, and repeat the cycle indefinitely. As long as they don't get caught, endless trolling via alt accounts stays perfectly legal under current rules.

Don't sweat it. It won't happen. 😉

Moderators have the ability to issue custom strikes. If someone gets caught playing those games, they'll just be handed a massive penalty that leads straight to a permanent ban.

I don't moderate any of the high-traffic boards, but if I did, that’s exactly how I’d handle it.

Jose Barrett said:<cut>

I made sure to go through all the community guidelines thoroughly before I even submitted my very first post back when I registered. Those rules are there for a reason, after all. Furthermore, since the moderators have access to everyone's IP addresses, I honestly can't quite wrap my head around how you all manage to act like such an aggressive mobbing group, constantly ganging up on anyone whose posts you happen to dislike or whoever isn't part of your inner circle. Anyway, I'll see myself out.

Jacob Foster11 said:Don't sweat it, they won't. 😉

See, mods have that custom warning option. If they catch someone playing games, they can just drop a massive penalty that sends them straight to a ban. No biggie.

I'm not a mod on any of those messy subreddits, but if I were, that’s exactly how I’d handle it.

They've gotta be 100% sure a new user is actually just a troll using an alt account first. You don't want to accidentally scare off a genuine newbie, right? 😉

steeleagle70 said:Under the current rules, everyone is free to run around with clones—hell, you can have hundreds if that’s what you feel like doing. But there is one catch: you aren't allowed to use 99 different accounts to bypass a ban while one of them is sitting out. Once the ban is served and everything is squared away, sure, you're back in the clear to post from all 100 accounts again. Simple enough, right?

I honestly think the rules need a serious overhaul here. As they stand, a dedicated troll could just farm up to 80 cards, jump to a fresh clone, hit 80 again, move to the next one, and so on. It’s an endless loop of trolling through clones, and if none of them actually trigger a ban, there’s nothing stopping the cycle. How is that supposed to work?

We really need to get some actual rules in place to manage this. It’s getting to a point where things just need some structure.

See, this is exactly what I’m talking about! That's one of the key issues right there. Sure, it’s technically possible for someone to log in using multiple different addresses, but let’s be real—those instances are pretty rare.

Alex Lopez5 said:well, kid 🙂
...
rather, I believe the rules strictly prohibit starting threads dedicated to specific forum members, so I’d suggest the moderators take that into account. That's all.

... you're just a shining example of what I was getting at in my first post (in the fine print, if you can call it that)...

Look, I really don't have an issue with you personally (based on the two or three posts of yours I've actually seen)—you're actually quite decent for a clone. And I'm certainly not some sensitive soul who gets wounded by lukewarm criticism—honestly, if I were moderating, I'd probably ban you myself just for such uninspired, weak trolling. But this goes deeper than that. It’s about creating a playground for manipulation, the kind of behavior that easily spills over into real life (even if the site admins explicitly disclaim any responsibility for it)...