# Gfactor: Please explain why you didn't issue a warning **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 9, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964 "2009-11-09T23:37:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/61 "2009-11-15T18:13:54Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > This doesn’t pass the smell test. If Lynn is saying that anyone can change the text in a PM, why on earth was RNATB permitted to post it? I would assume that posting something so vile, attributing it to another poster, and creating it out of whole cloth would get RNATB banned. So, they would have had to verify it. If they didn’t, they made a grave error in judgement and anyone who has an axe to grind against any other poster out here could post a “PM” in a similar fashion. Since RNATB wasn’t banned, I think we can assume that someone verified the PM was accurate. (If I’m wrong, can someone explain to me why it wasn’t verified and if it was forged why RNATB wasn’t banned?) I forwarded the PM to a moderator upon request, and specifically requested that no further action be taken. I also noted in that PM that as far as I could tell, there was no way for the recipient of a forwarded message to verify if it was real, since the original message appears in a quote box just like a quoted post. As far as I am aware, no admin has actually verified that the post as forwarded was genuine, but then **bri** has not claimed he didn’t send it, either ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/62 "2009-11-15T18:26:15Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > bri has been suspended now and Gfactor has partially cited the private message as something that contributed to it, so can we drop this now? Please? Sorry, no. The general issue of threats in PMs is still a valid one and the discussion is fine. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/63 "2009-11-15T18:32:44Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > Sorry, no. > > The general issue of threats in PMs is still a valid one and the discussion is fine. Well you _are_ making a lot of progress. Have at it then I guess. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/64 "2009-11-15T19:40:19Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Well you _are_ making a lot of progress. Have at it then I guess. Whatever that means. As far as I’m concerned, this whole affair just highlights the impotence of the moderators around here. They are simply incapable of doing the _right_ thing, instead slavishly hewing to the black and white letter of the rules. Bri-Bri should have been kicked to the curb a long time ago. Not warned, not suspended, but kicked the fuck out. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/65 "2009-11-15T21:38:41Z")
> [@](#): > > This doesn’t pass the smell test. If Lynn is saying that anyone can change the text in a PM, why on earth was RNATB permitted to post it? I would assume that posting something so vile, attributing it to another poster, and creating it out of whole cloth would get RNATB banned. So, they would have had to verify it. If they didn’t, they made a grave error in judgement and anyone who has an axe to grind against any other poster out here could post a “PM” in a similar fashion. Since RNATB wasn’t banned, I think we can assume that someone verified the PM was accurate. (If I’m wrong, can someone explain to me why it wasn’t verified and if it was forged why RNATB wasn’t banned?) We can’t verify PMs that are sent between posters. I’m sure that there’s a hack, but we don’t have it functioning on this message board. Our system admin, from what I understand, does other IT work at the Reader, and isn’t inclined to dig around in the SDMB for PMs. So, just how do you suggest that the moderation staff deal with PMs that are posted, if we can’t verify just what was and wasn’t said? ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/66 "2009-11-15T21:41:20Z")
Perhaps a different sort of hack? A hack that prevents people from editing a message they are attempting to forward? If such a thing exists or is even possible. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/67 "2009-11-15T22:05:57Z")
I don’t think in ten years I’ve ever complained about anything on this board. That person should have been banned, not suspended. I don’t know them from anyone else here. I’m basing my opinion on that one thread, but it went too far and should not be tolerated ever on a board like this. People who want that kind of talk around should go to a different board. But that’s just my ever humble opinion. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/68 "2009-11-15T22:16:57Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > We can’t verify PMs that are sent between posters. I’m sure that there’s a hack, but we don’t have it functioning on this message board. Our system admin, from what I understand, does other IT work at the Reader, and isn’t inclined to dig around in the SDMB for PMs. So, just how do you suggest that the moderation staff deal with PMs that are posted, if we can’t verify just what was and wasn’t said? That really does give context to your earlier post and makes it understandable. There’s little point in reporting threats if they can’t be confirmed and ignoring them or blocking PMs from that source would seem to be the best options. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/69 "2009-11-15T22:24:19Z")
Could always just ask the guy if he sent it, and should his answer differ from the recipient, look at both posters’ histories. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/70 "2009-11-15T22:30:40Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Could always just ask the guy if he sent it, and should his answer differ from the recipient, look at both posters’ histories. Right. As I said earlier in the thread, posters may complain to the staff about PMs they receive from other posters. If the sender claims the PM has been altered in some way, we’ll have a factual question to settle. In this case, I had no reason to doubt that what \*\*RNATB \*\*sent me was what he received. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/71 "2009-11-15T22:37:32Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > That really does give context to your earlier post and makes it understandable. There’s little point in reporting threats if they can’t be confirmed and ignoring them or blocking PMs from that source would seem to be the best options. So basically, anyone can say whatever they want in PMs and the mods are “powerless” to deal with it? It isn’t rocket surgery to determine someone’s posting history and whether it is in the realm of possibility that they could have sent abusive PMs. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/72 "2009-11-16T00:31:37Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > We can’t verify PMs that are sent between posters. I’m sure that there’s a hack, but we don’t have it functioning on this message board. Our system admin, from what I understand, does other IT work at the Reader, and isn’t inclined to dig around in the SDMB for PMs. So, just how do you suggest that the moderation staff deal with PMs that are posted, if we can’t verify just what was and wasn’t said? If this is true, then RNATB should have been banned. How can you allow a poster to post a PM without the ability to verify it? Talk about a slippery slope. If you are asking me how I would suggest handling this situation, I would suggest making a rule to not permit the public posting of PM’s in a thread. Period. End of controversy. Otherwise, any poster can make up anything they want, post it as if it were an actual PM, and the moderation staff can’t do a damn thing about it. Do you seriously not see the problem here? I know enough about software and email to know that copies of PM’s exist. They have to. And they exist on your servers, not on our PC’s. To believe that you do not have the ability to read, access, and confirm PM’s is simply not true. Your system admin may not be inclined to dig around in the SDMB for PMs (and I can’t blame him/her), but he/she can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/73 "2009-11-16T00:37:22Z")
Ban a person for going public about having received a threat? That would be a very bad thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/74 "2009-11-16T01:02:07Z")
\*\*Really Not All That Bright \*\*, I’ve let you go about as long as I can with this, but now I’ve got to warn you: TWEE!!21211!! DO NOT POST QUOTED THREATS AND PROFANITY DIRECTED AT YOU, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE AUTHOR. IF YOU DO THIS AGAIN, I’LL MAKE UNORIGINAL QUIPS ABOUT YOUR USERNAME. **Gfaptor** Pet Moderator ::notices he lacks pants. again:: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/75 "2009-11-16T01:25:45Z")
This is an _outrage_! This isn’t going to go on my Permanent Record, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/76 "2009-11-16T01:35:56Z")
Worse. You’re going to be disbarred. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/77 "2009-11-16T01:51:19Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > This is an _outrage_! Sorry. Pants next time, I promise. 😃 > [@](#): > > This isn’t going to go on my Permanent Record, is it? I don’t think anyone saw us. Let’s get the hell out of here. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/78 "2009-11-16T02:00:57Z")
Meep ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/79 "2009-11-16T03:45:07Z")
I can’t pretend to offer a solution, but I gotta say that when people can send death threats through PMs with impunity, you folks have a serious problem. I agree that nothing can be done unless the recipient makes others aware of the threat, either by posting it in a thread, or sending a complaint to a Mod or Admin. The only alternative would be for Mods/Admins to monitor PMs, which is seriously intrusive not to mention a huge load of additional work for a very low frequency occurence. So in a sense RTNAB does have akind of veto power over what happens to bri… But like a crime victim, once the complaint is made, what may later happen to the perpetrator is no longer RTNAB’s decision. But, I don’t believe it is reasonable either to punish an alleged threatener merely on the word of someone claiming to receive a threat. There MUST be a way to verify such a threat was actually made. Has this situation not arisen before in all the years of the SDMB? If it is truly that infrequent, perhaps it is not unreasonable to ask Jerry, or whoever is the database admin to look at the actual messages and verify the content. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964/80 "2009-11-16T04:08:37Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > But, I don’t believe it is reasonable either to punish an alleged threatener merely on the word of someone claiming to receive a threat. There MUST be a way to verify such a threat was actually made. > > Has this situation not arisen before in all the years of the SDMB? If it is truly that infrequent, perhaps it is not unreasonable to ask Jerry, or whoever is the database admin to look at the actual messages and verify the content. When we get a complaint about a PM, we contact the sender and ask for that person’s side of the story. I don’t think we’ve had anybody claim that they were misquoted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gfactor-please-explain-why-you-didnt-issue-a-warning/516964.md?page=5)