Should we vote trolls off the island?

SuperBee364 · 07-13-09, 09:01

Autopia is such a huge board that it gets it's fair share of trolls. The good ones are able to completely trash threads while staying just inside the borders of acceptable behavior so they don't get banned.

These trolls typically argue about stuff that they have no idea about. Now while that in itself doesn't bother me, what does is that some newb might browse the board, run across the troll's posts, and take their posts as golden. At the least, they could lose a bit of money on a bad or inappropriate product. At the worst, they could end up damaging something.

So here we are, in the height of troll season. The latest troll is busy at work, arguing things way out of his level, and trashing perfectly good threads. But he *is* staying (barely) within the bounds of "acceptable" behavior.

So what can we do about it? Trolls seriously degrade the forums for everyone that participates, and sometimes even run off people that are real assets to the forum.

I would like to petition DavidB to have a "Vote off the Island" poll thread for anyone accused of trolling. Let the Autopian memberhsip vote on whether or not the acused troll gets his butt banned.

Now I'm not suggesting this turn into a popularity contest where there's a hundred Island vote threads active at at time; it's just for people that are known trolls. Right now, there's just one user that I think is worthy of a troll vote.

TortoiseAWD · 07-13-09, 09:45

IMO, the easiest way to handle this is the forum's (underused) built-in reputation system. If someone consistently provides poor information (or has a bad attitude), hit the

button in the bottom left of the post, and give feedback. Soon enough, it will become obvious who the trolls are.

Tort

SuperBee364 · 07-13-09, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by TortoiseAWD

IMO, the easiest way to handle this is the forum's (underused) built-in reputation system. If someone consistently provides poor information (or has a bad attitude), hit the

button in the bottom left of the post, and give feedback. Soon enough, it will become obvious who the trolls are.

Tort

That's true, Tort, but unfortunately no matter how many red "beans" a troll has, he's still capable of trashing threads. There's been a couple of potentially good threads totally de-railed by the currently raging troll. Red beans or not, their posts are distracting enough to take the thread totally down hill.

Edit: Actually, as it appears the troll du'jour might very well be a shill, this discussion might not be as timely as I thought.

TortoiseAWD · 07-13-09, 10:13

If someone attracts enough red, they'll get voted off by the moderating crew.

Tort

SuperBee364 · 07-13-09, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by TortoiseAWD

If someone attracts enough red, they'll get voted off by the moderating crew.

Tort

Ah, good to know! Looks like we should take your idea of using the rep system a bit more to heart.

I wonder how many people are currently off to click the rep button on someone...

Brandon1 · 07-13-09, 10:38

I dont think the rep system will do much to be honest. By the time someone gets enough bad rep to get voted off by the mod crew, they have already killed whatever thread they posted in.

Personally, I think that whenever someone reports a post, something more should be done about it. I have reported many trolling and shilling posts, and it seems like nothing is ever done.

craigdt · 07-13-09, 11:39

Hmm let me find the rep button for the certain someone...

David Fermani · 07-13-09, 02:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

Right now, there's just one user that I think is worthy of a troll vote.

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigdt

Hmm let me find the rep button for the certain someone...

Gee, could that person be GoudyL????

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon1

I have reported many trolling and shilling posts, and it seems like nothing is ever done.

I've reported this special someone to the Mods through PM and in thread controls multiple times and from I can see, it's done ZERO (it's actually gotten worse as more time has been allowed to pass without warning) Out of his 300+ posts, he's linked, bolded, highlighted and defended Turtle Wax products to the point of rediculousness atleast 75% of the time if not more. I personally think this abuse has somewhat deminished the credibilty of this forum because it's been allowed to continue so blantanly.

I remember when I 1st joined Autopia back in 2004 and was totally Auto Magic crazy. Soon after, I got a very firm PM from the higher ups telling me "I just reviewed your 50 most recent posts. More than half contain a link to Auto Magic or a plug for their products and no others. Enough with the promotion of Auto Magic! I've had it and I'm sure I'm not alone.". I still have this PM saved this day and since then have attempted to keep an open mind with other products and keep my discussion to the process of detailing rather than so product minded. I'm not sure if the rules have changed since then but there's definately a double standard being allowed.

Can the Mods please comment on this subject and tell us what's being done to preserve the integrity of this forum?

weekendwarrior · 07-13-09, 04:35

I am going to say Autopia is more like a neighborhood bar than an island. For the most part, you have the "regulars" that like to come hang out and are enjoyable to converse with. Every now and then, you get someone with an agenda (shill), or a some punk that is just looking to start trouble (argue). Typically these losers, while annoying, don't tend to last too long before moving on to pester another forum somewhere.

Jakerooni · 07-13-09, 04:49

I like daves style here. He called it out like he saw it... If you're going to post a post like this at least have the common decency to post up a name. Especially since this thread is directed at a piticuler individual on here. With the concencious of others of the like should follow suite.... I've always hated threads like this that want (and demand action) but never mention who the action is required against. Just dosen't make any sense. If you have an issue with someone and go all the way to "Almost" call them out just call them out and be done with it. if it's gouldy that's an issue say so. If it's someone else let everyone here know....But just be prepared to reap the concequences of the action... Weather it be a simple rebuttle from the accused or a ban over the starting of a flame war that ensue's....But to post up "Hey we have trolls!" but not pointing them out really dosen't help much.

Legacy99 · 07-13-09, 04:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Fermani

Gee, could that person be GoudyL????

I've reported this special someone to the Mods through PM and in thread controls multiple times and from I can see, it's done ZERO (it's actually gotten worse as more time has been allowed to pass without warning) Out of his 300+ posts, he's linked, bolded, highlighted and defended Turtle Wax products to the point of rediculousness atleast 75% of the time if not more. I personally think this abuse has somewhat deminished the credibilty of this forum because it's been allowed to continue so blantanly.

I remember when I 1st joined Autopia back in 2004 and was totally Auto Magic crazy. Soon after, I got a very firm PM from the higher ups telling me "I just reviewed your 50 most recent posts. More than half contain a link to Auto Magic or a plug for their products and no others. Enough with the promotion of Auto Magic! I've had it and I'm sure I'm not alone.". I still have this PM saved this day and since then have attempted to keep an open mind with other products and keep my discussion to the process of detailing rather than so product minded. I'm not sure if the rules have changed since then but there's definately a double standard being allowed.

Can the Mods please comment on this subject and tell us what's being done to preserve the integrity of this forum?

TOUCHE, David

SuperBee364 · 07-13-09, 05:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakerooni

I like daves style here. He called it out like he saw it... If you're going to post a post like this at least have the common decency to post up a name. Especially since this thread is directed at a piticuler individual on here. With the concencious of others of the like should follow suite.... I've always hated threads like this that want (and demand action) but never mention who the action is required against. Just dosen't make any sense. If you have an issue with someone and go all the way to "Almost" call them out just call them out and be done with it. if it's gouldy that's an issue say so. If it's someone else let everyone here know....But just be prepared to reap the concequences of the action... Weather it be a simple rebuttle from the accused or a ban over the starting of a flame war that ensue's....But to post up "Hey we have trolls!" but not pointing them out really dosen't help much.

Jake, I don't have a problem with calling a spade a spade, and I don't back down from a reasonable argument. The reason I didn't use names is because I didn't want the thread de-railled by the person, it's the *process* i'm interested in. For the current troll situation as well as future trolls, because (as David Fermani has said) there hasn't been a lot in the way of troll moderation lately.

Yes, GoudyL *is* the member in question currently, but there will be someone to follow him. Little is accomplished by using a name here, because there is nothing that can be done by stating who it is. So now I've named him. Please tell me what that accomplished toward controlling trolls?