Trolls and comment spammers
p2pnet news view Freedom | P2P:- Takes a deep breath …..
I’d hoped I was done with comment spam, but apparently not. Please, if you’ve had enough of the subject, carry on.
But if you’re still here, below are a few more words on it. I hope they’ll be the last.
I’m sure I’m not the only site owner whose comment sections and forums are being hijacked. But the P2P in p2pnet really does mean People to People, without vested interests getting in the way. So this is for anyone who saw yesterday’s post under a story discussing what I consider to be an unconscionable and potentially dangerous corporate media transgression on children.
That’s just my view of things. Lots of people see it differently, and said so, and more power to them.
Trolls and rogue posters
p2pnet started off as a music site but over the past six years it’s become an advocacy and information area.
I believe anyone anywhere should be allowed to say what they want without interference. I’m also a musician and because music is so important to me, I was drawn to the conflict between the corporate music industry and people who keep it going and, by default, the movie industry. That, and digital media and distributed computing in general, tend to be the main subjects on p2pnet.
p2pnet isn’t an online version of Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park in England, a place where people go to expound their ideas to anyone who’ll listen. Are there ’secrets’ I don’t know about? Are aliens here on Earth? Could be. But I’m not interested and I don’t think most people who come here are either. But for those who are, there are plenty of sites dedicated to the teachings of ancient civilisations, other-world beings, and so on.
p2pnet’s standard fare
Now I’ve come up against one, or possibly two, individuals who post under various pseudonyms, incorrectly thinking I and others believe they’re different people. They think I’m identifying them by their IP addresses or by other means. But I promise I don’t know who posts. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to spot fakes.
This person or persons is under the impression that because I allow anonymous posting, they have a right to use p2pnet as a vehicle for theories and ideas in which I have no interest and which, IMO, have little or nothing to do with p2pnet’s standard fare.
Yesterday, someone who believes he has a perfect right to hijack p2pnet for his own purposes threatened me because I’ve been deleting his comments.
When he started posting, I was warned by people who know him from other sites not to let him get a foothold. But I thought as long as he stayed on topic, there wouldn’t be a problem. Boy, was I wrong! As I said, yesterday he threatened me, calling me “buddy boy” and saying he’d make me sorry. He’s already done that, but for making the mistake of thinking he’d behave like a reasonable person.
I had a long and fulsome email from this person waiting for me this morning. He purports to represent a small community of families via a personal Net he runs. In part, his email says »»»
I’ve had a dozen parents and young adults come to my house wanting to discuss that “some idiot” has disrespected their sons and daughters and called them “trolls”, that you or some of your moderators deleted their posts, subsequently twisted their words to suite “his boxed in thinking”, refusing to post their solutions and not even discussing any ideas. “That’s absolutely unacceptable by any means or stretch of the imagination.”
A “dozen parents and young adults” at his house complaining about me? Really?
He goes on »»»
It’s one thing to tell them to stop but it’s altogether another to “lie” and “manipulate”. You are not dealing with some people that are subject to crown, queen, bar or any of it. These are sovereign human beings within their own society. Look it up. They are free to say or do whatever they want as long as they don’t break their laws, not yours or anyone else’s. They are highly educated from all walks of life and don’t put up with crap from anyone. I can’t tell them what to do or how to do it.
They are indeed free to say or do whatever they want, but not on a personal site which has no interest in them or their beliefs. As I say, this isn’t Hyde Park Corner.
Adds the email »»»
The only thing I can do is tell you it’s wise to relate to them as who they are in full. In many instances you will find they know things you thought were only theories, hypothetical, conjecture, hearsay, myth or even silly stories. This means they have proof, and lots of it. It also means they will call your bluff every time you make a mistake if they so choose. I can only suggest you think about it clearly before you make your choices.
I’ve made my choice, Hook. As I’ve already told you, feel free to post on anything which is relevant to the kinds of topics which show up on p2pnet. Otherwise, keep quiet.
And don’t threaten me again.
Meanwhile, here’s how it’s going to be. I’ve already asked one person who’s been a p2pnet reader almost since day one to be an admin to keep an eye on spurious posts, and to delete them whenever they appear. I’m also going to ask one other person to do the same.
Censorship? Not at all. Drawing lines? Definitely. I wish I didn’t have to do this, but my time is limited and I don’t want to waste any more of it on this kind of thing.
I hope you’ll understand, and my apologies to anyone who’s offended by this. If you decide you don’t want to visit p2pnet any more, that’s your choice, but I’ll be sorry to see you go.
And now for something completely different ……
Cheers!
Jon
February , 2009
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February 5th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Good for you Jon!
For little it may be worth, you have my support (all the way from Japan)!
Isn’t it interesting that the people who are screaming “censorship!” and “oppression of free speech!” are the very trolls that can’t seem to understand that blogs and web sites like this, are run and owned by individuals, and thus have the right to show what they want, when and how they want to show it, as long as it complies with local laws.
As a poster, who uses a screen name and not my real name, I have my reasons for not using my real name (I work in PR for a major multi-national company, and any comment that is linked directly to me can be considered a comment from my company, instead of just my opinion). But if it means that I must register my real name to post, then that is the rule of the game, and I will comply if I feel compelled to, or just not post- either way, it is my choice, and not the fault of the owner of the site.
If you don’t want to be pegged as being a troll, just don’t post, or go elsewhere.
We’re rooting for ya Jon!
Just my two cents
February 5th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I agree Jon, and with 2 cents. If you don’t like what the articles or comments posted on p2pnet, go away. If you feel the need to express yourself destructively or off-topically, then go to http://www.digg.com and find something to post about.
In other words, trolls are not wanted here. You know who you are.
stw
February 5th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Having read this, now more than ever Jon, I think you need to post the Rules of the Forum as I suggested here. It really helps reduce this if people know the boundaries. I don’t understand why you don’t take it up. (perplexed)
Otherwise, saying you’re happy to let people say what they want and then cutting them down when they say certain things (whether windup posts or otherwise) is sending a mixed message, is frankly unfair to your readers and ends up doing your head in with all the unwanted posts.
My suggestion was here: p2pnet. net/story/18382#comment-958143 (link broken up because blocked by Wordpress)
and I see that a Reader’s Write a couple of posts down supported my view, thankyou.
February 5th, 2009 at 10:29 am
@ DRM Koolaid. Calm down. It’s in hand.
Cheers!
February 5th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Good on you, Jon. People who think they can hijack -your- site and then get mad when you don’t let them basically deserve what they get. I’ve been a p2pnet reader since I found the site, and I don’t think I’ll stop being a p2pnet reader for a long time.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Ok that’s great. You didn’t say anything so I didn’t know. lol
February 5th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
As a troll I have to say that guy in the email is a wacko. Usually people who say they have legions of followers, like one of the regular posters in here ironically, are usually basement dwellers with no friends. I go to so many sights on so many topics I couldn’t possibly keep up unless I was a troll. 99% of the time I read and learn or mostly entertain, I only jump in when something is absurd. I think we are all trolls in a way, and I am surprised at how some of the regulars in this forum in particular throw that term around like it’s derogitory and they are somehow superior.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
” As a troll I have to say that guy in the email is a wacko. ”
Lol, I ‘ve seen you here before and you don’t EXACTLY qualify as a troll.
You know when to stop.
” and I am surprised at how some of the regulars in this forum in particular throw that term around like itâs derogitory ”
It is
” they are somehow superior. ”
We’re not.
We’re just tired of useless piffle designed specifically to disrupt the site.
P2P the is the ONLY site of it’s kind left.
Boycott-RIAA has become more like a mini-dmusic, with occasional p2p stories and
thats fine. The admin there has to drop out because he’s just harried to insanity.
As in another article, the shills have the money and manpower to outlast us.
I am really hoping that does not become the case here, because that will leave Ray Beckerman
as the last man standing, and his focus is very narrow ( as it must be, because of the nature of
his site ).
We can’t let this site be burned by troll poo.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
^ what he said
February 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
ubertroll Says:
“As a troll I have to say that guy in the email is a wacko.”
Yup. Agreed.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
(Dreddsnik)
Thirded.
Cheers, keep up the good fight, jon
February 5th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Odd that when you put up a site, sooner or later you get visited by wacko jobs.
They always figure somehow that once they have committed their words to text, it’s been pounded into stone and unalterable. Oh the offensive actions of that miserable site owner to have the gall to remove, alter, or change those chiseled words.
The solution is never to make their own site, where they are king of their domain and whatever in the world they deem correct by what ever reasoning rules they decide will be law; no it’s more fun to go hassle other owners because they haven’t the skill and can’t be bothered to put their energy into creation.
I’ve missed most of these posts mentioned (thank heaven) but there are always the nut jobs on the net. People that would not dream of being how they act in real life. The faceless front of the internet makes them think they are impervious and indestructible.
Isn’t it odd (and telling) the same individual has so many problems with so many sites? Actually it isn’t odd at all. Some of us never grow up to become adults. Stuck in the world of being a child forever.
February 5th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
@Reader’s Write
He does have a site (or frequents a site) on his bizarre rantings. He’s posted it here a few times. But no one goes.
Who wants to be part of, or associated with this wacko?
I’m one of the people who Emailed Jon and filled him in a little bit and showed the “tell-tale” signs of what he says. I see I am not the only one who saw it, or knew who this guy was.
To be honest I was a little annoyed (ok a lot annoyed) with Jon for giving him a voice to steer articles off topic and into his own little world (one left).
But then the “better half” made me realize that the job Jon has isn’t so easy and can’t be done alone.
Also the anon avenue he gives the people on this site to speak their mind isn’t so easy to come by these days.
Yet some people think its their god given right to fill a forum with trash, and even threaten him over it! Amazing!
What do I know though. Its not my god given right, or site, to bug Jon about this as well. I’m sure Jon would rather I never mentioned it or mentioned I was really annoyed with it. Its not my place.
So umm, Jon, sorry for being upset about it like I (we) was/were.
But with what he said above to you, I think you did the right thing, IMO. Even if I did bug you about it when its not my place to do so.
So hook (or whatever) you threatened the wrong person. It wasn’t Jon, it was I who bitched, literally. Not sure if anyone else touched base with Jon on it, but from the writings I see here and other places on this site, I wasn’t alone who saw it.
Maybe I was wrong for bitching about it? Dunno. You decide.
k, said what I had to say in public to get it out of my system/conscience, and I guess as a way for apologizing to Jon for bitching about it and putting him on the spot.
I have no apology for the wacko above who turned out more whacked than what I even thought!
February 5th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
You know, trolls are one thing, but the comment spam problem can be tackled with Askimet and/or HTTPBL pretty well. Not sure what CMS you use to run p2pnet but there have been a lot of plugins/ports written for both that you may look into.
As for the crazies, they’re the bane of every webmaster’s existence, and the reason it helps to have a couple of extra admins around if you can get them.
February 6th, 2009 at 6:49 am
In regards to the boiler-plate:
===================================
Slagging someone because you don’t like them, their ideas, because they can’t spell, or because they may not be as good as you at expressing themselves, is definitely not on.
No spam! If you’re posting as an excuse to promote yourself, your site, your latest thoughts on how to save the world, or to get free advertising, forget it.
Don’t just post for the sake of it. If you genuinely have something you believe is relevant, go for it. Otherwise
If you think it’s fun to go trolling, go and troll somewhere else
===================================
If you think you need a permanent boiler-plate, I would just put it plain and simple:
Reply to this topic:
Please no Spam, flaming (attacking others), trolling, and posting off-topic. Thanks.
The individual to whom this topic is geared at wouldn’t fall in any of these 4 categories. He’s in a category of his own (as is another).
February 6th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Right on Jon, more power to you! Feel free to kick them while their down too. Lord knows they and their ilk deserve it lol.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Hi Hook.
“I’m sure those are circulating somewhere as well.”
I’m sure they are. So anyone who’s interested can find them and go and read them there. Meanwhile – http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18409
Cheers!
PS: How many personas do you have, exactly?
February 6th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
i really donât understand this.
the no. 1 rule for dealing with trolls and
trouble makers is to ignore them.
delete their crap and just ignore them.
donât reply online.
jon might decide to reply to emails (he can also
ignore them), but online just ignore them.
ignore them.
ignore them.
ignore them.
ignore them.
ignore them.
weâve been through this many times.
ignore them.
why are so many people taking up so much time, energy
and space by replying to them or posting about them?
just ignore them.
maybe that should also be in red above the message box.
ignore them.
February 6th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I like catflaps idea, “ignore” & move on.
February 6th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
its ok by me too. So that ends it.
Glad we all agree to ignore it and move on.
February 6th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
apologies. and ignored.