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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    89

    Prominently display the banned users

    Since the goal is to have a forum where everyone follows the rules, instead of ONLY showing a banned user in microtype near their user name, I feel there should either be:

    1. A public listing (which could be read-only to eliminate discussions) of their "user name" and their violation. Now a majority of the users could find out who was banned and why. This is done in large organizations where a high level of trust is given to members, except these give actual NAMEs. Newspapers in some towns have a police blotter that provide information about their citizens. Providing only their user name does not violate their privacy since it is arbitrary, but add this to the "rules" just to be safe. If a banned person felt that this was such a great penalty, then knowing this would happen would help increase compliance automatically.

    2. A link from their name to a specific reason. (If a person was kicked off for swearing, their opinions wouldn't be as suspect as if they were banned for disparaging their competitors or running a scam operation.)

    I feel that this would be helpful to new users like myself and more experienced users would be able to rethink some decisions based on why the users were banned.

    It would also make it easier for the moderators because new users could see that enforcement is really happening. Few people tend to accelerate while a squad car with flashing lights has pulled someone over by the side of the road.

    Seeing enforcement in action makes the enforcement action much more powerful.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    8,535
    I think it would be interesting to have a list like that too. Just don't list their company name, as that'd free advertising.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    846
    Despite my own curiosity, I think most bannings are a private issue not appropriate for posting in a public area. There was a thread recently about exposing scammers, and something like that would be beneficial. But it's just not appropriate for everyday bannings.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    3,209

    Re: Prominently display the banned users

    Originally posted by smitty

    1. A public listing (which could be read-only to eliminate discussions) of their "user name" and their violation..
    This has been brought up before and it is not going to happen. Even banned users have the right to have their privacy protected. We do not disclose why someone was banned, because that information is between the moderators and the users -- and is no one else's business.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    North Carolina USA
    Posts
    414
    Originally posted by rooshine
    Despite my own curiosity, I think most bannings are a private issue not appropriate for posting in a public area...
    I agree here. Unless it is a major scam or fraud that others should be warned about, it should be kept between the Mods and that person.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    3,683
    I agree with the general feeling. Showing a list of all of the banned members would violate their privacy and hurt the reputation even if they did something small like have multiple accounts or something. I know WHT isn't a huge source for most potential hosting customers, but it still hurts to have a bad rep at the largest forum of its kind.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Posts
    36,941
    Originally posted by CrazyTech
    even if they did something small like have multiple accounts
    That in itself would make one huge list

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    89
    Maybe I don’t understand the goals and objectives here, but I thought that it was to have an area to discuss items of general interest (within specific topic areas). If there are people that are providing incorrect or misleading information (that they eventually are banned for), it would be nice for all (and especially future readers) to know what they did (to understand how to interpret their postings).

    I also don’t understand the privacy issue mentioned above. All that I feel should be exposed is their HANDLE that they themselves chose which may or may not have any true significance. I’m not saying to post their name, address, e-mail, phone number, company name, picture and when to call them -- no -- I’m simply saying to put these handles in a list and drop all their personal information from their former postings so they can’t gain from their misdeeds.

    Being banned isn’t an event that randomly occurs, based on luck, but is caused by a person, who has complete control of their own actions, to make a conscious decision to flaunt the rules over time, to the detriment of other readers. Knowing that you could be on the “wall of shame” as a possible outcome should become an even greater deterrent, based on the reasons that have been given.

    If being listed is SO horrid (which is appears to be, based on the comments above) that no one wants to be on it, since it would be a reputation wrecking event, this should tend to greatly reduce the number of violators and make life easier for everyone, including the moderators.

    When someone is banned now, others now have to guess why they were banned and since human nature can easily assume the worst, the banned businesses may already be hurt far worse than if people knew that the offense was minor (in the reader’s eyes) instead of the far greater violation they are assuming was being committed.

    Also, without any real potential penalty, what is keeping them from trying this again and again? User names can be made up, and email and IP addresses can change, but they would still be on the banned list for all to see.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    3,209
    Originally posted by smitty

    Also, without any real potential penalty, what is keeping them from trying this again and again? User names can be made up, and email and IP addresses can change, but they would still be on the banned list for all to see.
    Because creating duplicate accounts is a violation of the rules; and if we catch them, and we catch many who attempt this, that username is banned as well.

    As far as your other points the WHT privacy policy is, and always has been, we do not share account information with anyone, unless they have a court order. Information as to why someone was banned is considered account information, so it is not shared.

    It is no one else's business why an account was banned, and no one else needs to know this information -- suffice it to say that the person violated the rules. If you are concerned about doing business with a banned user, then you can ask them why they were banned -- and we have done our job properly because you are worried enough to ask.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    89
    But we have absolutely no way of knowing the actual truth -- only their "word" about their misdeed.

    (You're asking a rule violator to "suddenly" be honest NOW and tell US the truth when they are a known, "convicted" rule breaker.)

    If privacy is a concern, I don't understand why all contact to this "rule breaker" isn't cut off completely (unless this is a software issue). Then the rule breakers can truly remain private.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    9,851
    If you are so concerned about it, just don't do any dealings with a banned user.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    3,209
    Originally posted by smitty
    But we have absolutely no way of knowing the actual truth -- only their "word" about their misdeed.

    (You're asking a rule violator to "suddenly" be honest NOW and tell US the truth when they are a known, "convicted" rule breaker.)

    If privacy is a concern, I don't understand why all contact to this "rule breaker" isn't cut off completely (unless this is a software issue). Then the rule breakers can truly remain private.
    In case you haven't heard, we moderators are a bunch of egomaniacal teenagers, who feel like big men for banning successful hosting companies, oh and we're Nazis and Fascists. So, really, you wouldn't believe anything we'd say either -- and many people who were banned would argue with what we listed as the reason for banning. Then we would have threads in here asking why the people who are banned aren't allowed to respond to the reason we listed and give their side of the story, etc etc.

    I didn't say privacy was a concern, I said that giving out the information would be a violation of our privacy policy. If someone is banned, but wants to leave their URL and email address in their profile, they are welcome to do so, that does not violate the WHT privacy policy.

    On the other hand, if they chose to make their mail address private, and did not list a URL, we could not give that information out -- as it would be a violation of the WHT privacy policy.

    In short, if you choose to do business with someone who has been banned from the forum, you are welcome to do so -- not everyone who is banned is dishonest.

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