Computer help: Troll trouble
Troll trouble
by frisco-rigid - 1/29/08 6:11 PMI hope this is the correct forum for this question..
I've belonged to a motorcycle forum for 2 1/2 years and there has not been any troll probs to speak of.. About 3 months ago a very dis-ruptive troll joined, got banned and has joined several times since resulting in bans.. This troll joins as several diff personalities or could have some assistance.. The Webmaster/Administrator had to resort to blocking several IP addresses not only where it origially joined from but also across the country.. Just a few days ago Admin had to ban 4 personalities with diff IP's.. This troll VOWs to keep re-appearing and dis-rupting until he shuts down the site..!! Soo, is there a way for our Webmaster/Admin to track down and ban a specific computer/s with out blocking whole blocks of IP's..? I'm sure it can be done since Law Enforcement, etc. can track down single comps..
Any other info needed, I'll gladly supply..
Thanks Cats 'n Kitties
No
by At The Opera - 1/29/08 7:14 PM In reply to: Troll trouble by frisco-rigidSuch is not possible. Tracking down a computer is a whole other deal from blocking one.
What you can try to do is track down the person's ISP and report them to the ISP's abuse department. What that will accomplish will depend on the ISP.
There's no good solution to dealing with obnoxious trolls, but one of the better solutions is to use forum software that allows users to create ignore lists. Users can then just add the various personas of the troll to their ignore list. It doesn't really solve the problem, but it allows people to continue to converse without being bothered by the troll. With any luck, over time they will just go away. Trolls tend to thrive on the attention they get from disrupting things, so if they're easily ignored and don't get that attention, MOST of them will move along in search of that attention they crave.
Thank you
by frisco-rigid - 1/29/08 9:02 PM In reply to: No by At The OperaThanks for the reply A T O..
Heck, maybe I mis-spoke, I didn't mean TRACK Down that specific comp, I meant BLOCK that specific comp.. Unless that means the same thing..
Other wise, is tracking down the trolls ISP fairly simple..? Is it something that you need special training to do or can a regular guy that happens to be the webmaster of a biker forum do it..?
Thanks
It all depends
by At The Opera - 1/29/08 9:24 PM In reply to: Thank you by frisco-rigidDepending on how clever the troll is about covering their tracks, it can be a pretty straightforward process or it can be quite involved. It's really probably just easier to use some forum software with an ignore function. Or just go around to the regulars using back channels like private email and just suggest that the regulars adopt a policy of ignoring the troll no matter what he/she does. Just tell the site admin to keep a copy of the IP addresses used by the accounts of the troll, so that if they ever cross over into taking some kind of illegal action, they can pass it along to the authorities to deal with.
Arms race.
by R. Proffitt
- 1/30/08 5:37 AM
In reply to: Troll trouble by frisco-rigid
In short, such boards might have to engage in an arms race where one has to register via email and supply the output of say some Windows program that gives up a hashed number of the machine in question. The simplest would read the network adapter's MAC address and you could autoban any that you matched.
This is not an offer to help create such a registration system but I see it as inevitable as you get such abusers.
Bob
The best I can think
by Steven Haninger - 1/30/08 9:12 AM In reply to: Troll trouble by frisco-rigidis to just ignore these folks. I see a troll as thriving on attention and they love it when someone chastises or complains about them. They hate it when folks are nice to them and hate it even more if no one notices them at all. Making it more difficult to re-emerge in another personality just gives them a challenge they can't wait to take on. Just let them rant as if in a room where no one hears them at all. The most difficult part will be to get the entire rest of the group to cooperate. That's the best I can offer.
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