# Is off-board behavior completely ignored? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 9, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924 "2005-12-09T19:21:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/1 "2005-12-09T19:21:34Z")
Are there any exceptions to the rule that a poster can not be banned for off-board behavior? Can we report behavior that we find offensive off-board or only what happens on the board? And if we were to report off-board behavior, what is the best way to do so? I assume that a poster could get banned for sexually harassing underaged dopers off the boards, but would that apply to adult members as well? I would appreciate if everyone who replies to this would keep it hypothetical and not mention any names. Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/2 "2005-12-09T19:38:08Z")
People have been suspended for off-board activities. I don’t know that any have been banned, though. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/3 "2005-12-09T19:40:29Z")
Once upon a time, there was a poster who was banned for sending unpleasant emails to other members, and it seems likely that something like that would not be tolerated today. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/4 "2005-12-09T20:17:14Z")
IIRC, someone was once banned for posting elsewhere a threat to hack the boards and shut them down. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/5 "2005-12-09T20:33:42Z")
Likewise, if it were revealed an active member was also involved in publicly known unsavory and/or illegal behavior, would that be considered de facto jerkitude and be grounds for banning? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/6 "2005-12-09T21:40:26Z")
Sheeeesh. Look, we do not have hard and fast rules about any of these things, for the obvious reason that we want to spend our time having fun on the Boards, and not drafting the 10,000 point legal document to cover all aspects of life. Generally speaking, we do not pay attention to behavior that is completely divorced from the SDMB. However, if that behavior has a potential impact on the boards, then it’s no longer “completely separate” from the SDMB, is it? Like if someone threatens to hack the website, then that threat (even if made off-board) has a potential direct impact on the baords. Similarly, if someone erects a burning cross on the lawn of a moderator’s house, then that’s no longer “completely separate” from the SDMB, is it? That action has an impact on the moderator and therefore on the boards. On the other hand, if someone has accumulated twenty parking tickets, then we probably don’t really give a shit. [sub]Note to self: launch immediate investigation into **kimera** ’s offboard life to see what she/he is trying to hide.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/7 "2005-12-09T21:55:47Z")
Thank you for your response so far. I am mostly concerned with the answers to these questions though: Can we report behavior that we find offensive off-board or only what happens on the board? And if we were to report off-board behavior, what is the best way to do so? I assume that a poster could get banned for sexually harassing underaged dopers off the boards, but would that apply to adult members as well? ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/8 "2005-12-09T22:34:29Z")
> [@kimera](#): > > I assume that a poster could get banned for sexually harassing underaged dopers off the boards, but would that apply to adult members as well? Aww, baby, you know you love it! I hate when you leave me, but I love watching you go. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/9 "2005-12-09T22:53:35Z")
**kimera** , let’s be real clear and real serious. If you find someone engaging in illegal behavior, you should report it to the police or the proper authorities. Period. If someone is involved in child pornograpy, for instance, being banned from the SDMB is the least of their concerns. If you find off-board behavior on the part of a member that you think warrants reporting, then email a moderator or administrator. The odds are that we’ll tell you, well, that’s their life and their choice. However, it depends on what the behavior is, what our legal/moral obligations are, whether there is any potential board impact, and what astrophological sign is in the ascendent. In short, there’s no way to tell in advance other than the individual circumstances of the individual situation. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/10 "2005-12-09T22:53:38Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Similarly, if someone erects a burning cross on the lawn of a moderator’s house, then that’s no longer “completely separate” from the SDMB, is it? That action has an impact on the moderator and therefore on the boards. Damn, there goes my weekend plans! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/11 "2005-12-09T23:34:04Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Similarly, if someone erects a burning cross on the lawn of a moderator’s house, then that’s no longer “completely separate” from the SDMB, is it? I _not_ burning your dog! ---
**Author:** ![Atheist\_Princess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@Atheist\_Princess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atheist_Princess)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/12 "2005-12-10T09:09:28Z")
I’ve been wondering about a similar thing. If, hypothetically of course, a fellow doper obtained information from a profile and did a little bit of snooping…and as a result of that, a doper was receiving indecent material and threats via email, could that doper ask for moderator help after all other options have been exhausted? Just curious… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/13 "2005-12-10T13:23:05Z")
> [@Atheist Princess](#): > > If, hypothetically of course, a fellow doper obtained information from a profile and did a little bit of snooping…and as a result of that, a doper was receiving indecent material and threats via email, could that doper ask for moderator help after all other options have been exhausted? Anyone can ask for moderator help for anything, of course. Whether the moderators can actually do anything, or will try, that’s a different question. Despite the wide-spread belief, moderators do not have god-like powers. What would you expect a moderator could do that would stop your hypothetical jackass from sending email with “indecent material and threats”? Banning such a person from the SDMB is about the most dramatic action we can take, and that has no effect whatsoever on their ability to send email. So, even if wanted to get involved, there’s not much we could do, is there? I had to turn down a request just last week to improve the weather in Boston. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/14 "2005-12-10T13:39:16Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > I had to turn down a request just last week to improve the weather in Boston. Yeah, and I’m still a little miffed about that, seeing as my commute yesterday was a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/15 "2005-12-10T13:48:24Z")
This came up seriously Big-Time on the Talking Broadway “All That Chat” Boards–a poster was obsessed with Debbie Gibson, who was doing Beauty and the Beast at the time. He started posting about how “they would be united in eternity” and how she was his “sole mate.” The Board’s Moderator contacted the NYC police, who in turn contacted the police in his home state. While the home state police did not even know who Debbie Gibson was, they knew the stalker (!) and had been trying to find him for similar behavior. The Moderator sent everything to the NYC police, who got a photo of the pervert nutjob and started hanging out the theatre to find. When Debbie was leaving one night, she spotted him, went back inside, and the police got him. ---
**Author:** ![Atheist\_Princess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@Atheist\_Princess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atheist_Princess)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/16 "2005-12-10T22:12:51Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Anyone can ask for moderator help for anything, of course. Whether the moderators can actually do anything, or will try, that’s a different question. Despite the wide-spread belief, moderators do not have god-like powers. What would you expect a moderator could do that would stop your hypothetical jackass from sending email with “indecent material and threats”? Banning such a person from the SDMB is about the most dramatic action we can take, and that has no effect whatsoever on their ability to send email. > > So, even if wanted to get involved, there’s not much we could do, is there? Hmmm…well, if I happened to know who this person was, and know for a fact that they got my email from the Dope, and I could prove it, would there be some way of publically warning them/humiliating them without breaking any SDMB rules? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/17 "2005-12-10T22:20:36Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Likewise, if it were revealed an active member was also involved in publicly known unsavory and/or illegal behavior, would that be considered de facto jerkitude and be grounds for banning? Based off some of the threads in MPSIMS I’d say a healthy portion of this board is involved in some unsavory behavior on a daily basis, myself included. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2005, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/18 "2005-12-11T10:55:01Z")
Hey, that’s a great idea, Mods monitoring our offboard activities. We could have a catchy slogan: Drop a Dime on a Doper. Needless to say, my own character is as pure as the driven snow. (By driven snow I mean snow which has been driven over a few hundred times by monster trucks leaving a grimy slush behind). ---
**Author:** ![15\_noon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea5d25/32.png) [@15\_noon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/15_noon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/19 "2005-12-11T14:52:44Z")
What you need is to take a break from the boards. Deep breaths. Long veg sessions staring at the clouds. Try to remember life before caring about how you were going to get the board to punish people you don’t like. Vengeance thoughts just drain your own life away and don’t bother the person you hate one whit. That is, they backfire every time. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924/20 "2005-12-12T01:22:47Z")
How do you know? What can you prove? The best course of action in this sort of thing is to block the offender from access to you, complain to the appropriate places if you think it’s harrassment, and send us email on the situation. We will ask you for corroboration. It needs to be more than simply “I just know.” We have had accusations against people in the past. Some of them have proven to be true. When board activity was concerned, we could do something, and we did. When it was activity conducted 100% off the board, there’s not a whole lot we can do except observe the situation and attempt to advise as needed. TubaDiva [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-off-board-behavior-completely-ignored/334924.md?page=2)