# A couple of questions about moderating (Charlie Wayne and drewtwo99) **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 7, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483 "2015-03-07T23:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/41 "2015-03-08T16:33:09Z")
[Secret Mod tools.](http://images.mmorpg.com/images/galleries/full/032010/9e66f089-fce6-4948-be16-dfce8f124c34.png) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/42 "2015-03-08T16:51:14Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I would tend to agree. I went ahead and added a post at the end of the thread for that purpose. Again, I didn’t expect anyone to find it mysterious given the existence of the Pit thread, but I apologize for the confusion. Fair enough. And thanks for adding the note. I didn’t know about the Pit thread, though, and i think in general that it’s better to make an announcement in the closed thread, rather than assume (or require) that members will go trawling through the boards in search of explanation. > [@Miller](#): > > [Secret Mod tools.](http://images.mmorpg.com/images/galleries/full/032010/9e66f089-fce6-4948-be16-dfce8f124c34.png) [Other secret mod tools](http://resguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/crowtools.gif). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/43 "2015-03-08T16:54:15Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > I’m accepting the moderators explanation especially since he went back and posted in the original thread but to answer your question not everyone likes to post in the pit. There is nothing wrong with two threads on a similar tact in different forums running concurrently. It happens all the time. Often a hot topic will have concurrent threads in various forums. You can easily ask GQ questions about George Zimmerman and also have a Pit thread about him. That is not what happened in this case. The IMHO thread immediately became Pit-lite with people attempting to get their Pitty comments in while trying to skirt the rules. Rather than having to heavily moderate the thread and possibly have to hand out warnings to well meaning posters it was much more prudent to close and direct to the Pit thread. It was not my forum or my call but I think it was the best call. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/44 "2015-03-08T17:22:18Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I would strongly like to endorse the idea of revisiting your “Treat trolls and socks like they were spies selling national defense secrets” policy. A simple, factual, form-letter style message saying: “Poster so-and-so has been banned for creating a sock (or Sock X)” would get rid of the mystique socks seem to have on this board, rather than cryptic “PM for Info” type messages. Maybe in 1999 it made sense, but today? It just makes the Dope seem paranoid. I know this isn’t a vote either, because such things aren’t put up to popular demand, but I agree with Fenris. Adopting a “ho hum, Poster X was banned because he was a sock” attitude strips the mystique away more than anything. No one is deterred from creating a sock because they don’t get a memorialization of their trollery in ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/45 "2015-03-08T17:58:14Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > If you look at the thread about No bake cookies, you see two people banned in it. > > I was wrong for commenting in the ATMB thread before using my head and figuring it out on my own. > > You’ll get sued if you ask this question. I thought I had it figured out based on membership, which **DT99** asked about in a thread here. The No Bake Cookie thread, also closed with no explanation, leading to the sock verdict, leaves me mystified. I’ll join a few others and ask for a simple “sock violation” statement should a banning happen. Wondering if the No Bake Cookie was the extent of it? Because, not that it excuses anything, if that’s what happened, it was, you know, funny. As hell. Actually. :o Hard to know if I should be urging suspension or something though, instead of banning, because I don’t know what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/46 "2015-03-08T18:20:23Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > If you look at the thread about No bake cookies, you see two people banned in it. Yes, I know. That’s why I guessed that thread was the one that \*\*sich\_hinaufwinden \*\*and \*\*BigT \*\*mentioned. But what exactly about the OP screamed “[sock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18185694#post18185694)” to anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/47 "2015-03-08T18:41:15Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Yes, I know. That’s why I guessed that thread was the one that \*\*sich\_hinaufwinden \*\*and \*\*BigT \*\*mentioned. But what exactly about the OP screamed “[sock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18185694#post18185694)” to anyone? How many new posters make their _first_ post in the Pit, coding bright font colors and oversized text, ranting about nonsense. That was sort of a giveaway to me that this wasn’t the posters first rodeo. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/48 "2015-03-08T19:13:35Z")
This your first time on the Internet? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/49 "2015-03-08T19:34:28Z")
IIRC Drewt was a pretty reasonable poster. And he went and pulled this stunt? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/50 "2015-03-08T20:06:57Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Yes, I know. That’s why I guessed that thread was the one that \*\*sich\_hinaufwinden \*\*and \*\*BigT \*\*mentioned. But what exactly about the OP screamed “[sock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18185694#post18185694)” to anyone? His name was a perfect match to what he was talking about, and it was extremely over the top. This screamed novelty account, which would be a troll by the board’s definition. But novelty accounts are very often socks as well: how else do you know your audience so well? I wasn’t sure it was a sock (and definitely did not think it was _his_ sock) until I noticed they were banned at around the same time. I just meant the OP was blatantly not on the up-and-up. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/51 "2015-03-08T20:09:34Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > One being sock puppetry, what’s the other? At the time, I meant trolling, though that’s not always completely silent. It dawns on me that spamming would also work. But both of these are only silent when applied to new posters. Still don’t get it. Did he forget which board he was posting on? On a certain splinter board, he would have been welcomed with open arms. Heck, I do it there, especially on Halloween. (Still no one has guessed it was me.) ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/52 "2015-03-08T21:44:51Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > This might be reasonable for some new member who’s discovered as a sock or a troll, but to be honest, i think that when a poster with three and a half years of membership and over 8,000 posts is disappeared, it’s reasonable to expect a more general explanation. If he’s been banned for creating sock accounts or something similar, then just say that. What’s the harm? It’s not like some magic spell that’s going to trigger a sock and troll avalanche. And I’m almost certain I read in another thread on this very topic that if you PM a mod, they’ll tell you, AND that you’re free to share what they said on this board, which makes it even more “Huh?” Just out with it already. > [@Fenris](#): > > And it would have saved you having to answer 75 pms. 😉 Heh. Far more practical, I say. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/53 "2015-03-09T00:17:27Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I know this isn’t a vote either, because such things aren’t put up to popular demand, but I agree with Fenris. Adopting a “ho hum, Poster X was banned because he was a sock” attitude strips the mystique away more than anything. No one is deterred from creating a sock because they don’t get a memorialization of their trollery in ATMB. Agreed, and if I might add, it’s also a good simple reminder of the no-sock rule. If people (esp. newcomers) see bannings for socks, it doesn’t really glorify the spammer but does emphasize that a) you will likely be discovered, and b) there are consequences for it. Secretive bannings only end up causing more of a flurry of inquiry, which ironically adds more fuel to the sockmaster’s flames of self-gratification. Also, yeah, no 75 PMs to deal with. Win-win! ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/54 "2015-03-09T00:26:53Z")
If I were an attention-seeking sockmonster, I’d be far more gratified with the 75 and counting e-mails than a simple statement explaining a ban. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/55 "2015-03-09T00:40:56Z")
How about this: no message, but put their status as **BANNED (sock puppet)**. That way, everyone will know why they were banned. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/56 "2015-03-09T01:44:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Heck, I do it there, especially on Halloween. (Still no one has guessed it was me.) Dude! Hope you’re happy. Three people had to be on an extended course of an expensive medication.:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/57 "2015-03-09T02:24:14Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Yes, I know. That’s why I guessed that thread was the one that \*\*sich\_hinaufwinden \*\*and \*\*BigT \*\*mentioned. But what exactly about the OP screamed “[sock](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18185694#post18185694)” to anyone? They have their ways of finding these things out. As I’ve mentioned before, the first time I signed up here, in my naivete I used my real name as my User Name. After a while, I figured that might not be such a good idea after all, so I signed up again under my present User Name. A short time later, I received an e-mail from Admin saying I was banned for having two accounts. To the best of my knowledge, I’d done nothing apparent to clue anyone in that I was the same as my previous account. After e-mailing Admin and explaining the situation, they let me back in and just changed my posts with my old User Name to fall under this account. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/58 "2015-03-09T03:24:32Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > They have their ways of finding these things out. [We have our ways.😉](http://www.hark.com/clips/kqmfgwkxrh-make-you-talk) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/59 "2015-03-09T03:30:51Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [We have our ways.😉](http://www.hark.com/clips/kqmfgwkxrh-make-you-talk) I never thought getting people to talk was a problem here. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483/60 "2015-03-09T04:16:37Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I never thought getting people to talk was a problem here. 😉 That’s sometimes actually how we find out…they talk too much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-moderating-charlie-wayne-and-drewtwo99/714483.md?page=4)