# Trolls, socks and familiarity with the Board. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 19, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052 "2007-11-19T17:18:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/41 "2007-11-19T22:27:24Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] I assume that a poster who shows familiarity with the boards, and is not otherwise being a jerk, would get the benefit of the doubt? Even if it was more than a suspicion that it was a returning sock? I’m not talking about things like -Because I am more or less the opposite of **Bryan Ekers** - I would rather postpone a banning for a well-behaved sock until he or she started being a jerk. [/QUOTE] We do err on the side of caution, so if we suspect someone of being a sock who otherwise isn’t a jerk, we’ll usually hold off on taking action. If we have strong evidence that someone is a sock, they’re likely to be banned, regardless of how nice and/or well-behaved they are. Between those two cases is an unavoidable gray area, which we handle as best we can on a case by case basis. We usually err on the side of caution. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/42 "2007-11-19T22:35:14Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > That said, if a guest shows not just a familiarity with but also appears to have an axe to grind against current members, that’s going to ping the sock/troll radar pretty hard. People who actually want to be part of a message board don’t generally jump in firing on all cannons, so we don’t feel we’re losing much by giving such guests a bit less leeway before showing them the door. Well, I know it’s easier to play armchair mod than to actually Moderate, but it seemed more to me like he just found an opening to drop a bomb on someone in the Pit, and less like he had an axe to grind. Upon further investigation, was there other evidence of sockery? Has he subsequently proclaimed his innocence?\* Because it seemed like he was merrily posting one minute and banned the next, and it looked like “Wait, you know what we rail on **Guin** for? BALEETED!” to me. How would it have gone down if he had made a sheep joke about **Hal Briston** instead? - I’m not asking for specific techniques to be revealed–it just seems like the bar for jerkish behavior was at a much different place for him than for everyone else, and really, he wouldn’t have had to lurk for that long to pick up on that bit about **Guinastasia**. Hell, somebody could’ve ragged on her in another thread recently and that inspired him to look it up, for all I know. > [@Omegaman](#): > > Maybe it something to do with being a jerk. I’ve pushed it pretty hard and never been banned though, so who knows. That’s a bit of an understatement. I’m not saying I’ve never been jerkish, but **Resistance is Character-Formin** ’s one slam pales in comparison to the sheer jerkery you’ve brought to the Pit in your time. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/43 "2007-11-19T22:43:33Z")
**fetus** , I wasn’t the one who dropped the axe on **Resistance** , but it was far more than just one slam. Read all of his posts in [the RLS thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=444341), particularly page three. By the end, the picture of “newbie picking up on a piece of old information and making an in-joke” doesn’t really stand up. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/44 "2007-11-19T22:48:13Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] Because it seemed like he was merrily posting one minute and banned the next, and it looked like “Wait, you know what we rail on **Guin** for? BALEETED!” to me. How would it have gone down if he had made a sheep joke about **Hal Briston** instead? [/QUOTE] It’s worth pointing out that Guinastasia is a frequent topic of… well, I wouldn’t quite call it “discussion”… on the snark board. In fact, as far as I can tell, “discussions” about three or four specific dopers comprise about 84% of the content. The rest is just competition to be the first to use one of a handful of catchphrases. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/45 "2007-11-19T22:54:33Z")
Just checking in again to say that it was hilarious to read **Maggy May** ’s heartfelt apology for her previous account’s CSS thing, apparently with no realization that she was going to get banninated fast. Of course, once she saw **dmm** banned, she was all “Oh, um, I MEANT to do that! HA! Last laugh is on you!” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/46 "2007-11-19T23:13:27Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] Between those two cases is an unavoidable gray area, which we handle as best we can on a case by case basis. [/QUOTE] Which is why you get paid the big bucks! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/47 "2007-11-19T23:37:15Z")
Out of curiosity, why is it a problem? I get why being a troll (or being a total asshole) is bannable…but what is the problem with socks exactly? More specifically, why bother to ban people who have guest accounts…isn’t this a self correcting problem anyway? I don’t really get why the Mods bother at all with this. So, someone who was banned comes back under a new user as a guest…unless they are doing something seriously annoying (which would get them banned for THAT), why worry? And if they pay…well, that is more money coming into the board. As long as they don’t make an ass out of themselves, I don’t see the problem, personally. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/48 "2007-11-19T23:51:47Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] So, someone who was banned comes back under a new user as a guest…unless they are doing something seriously annoying (which would get them banned for THAT), why worry? [/QUOTE] Well, for the most part, we don’t, really. It’s not like we spend vast amounts of time or energy tracking down socks and, as I said upthread, I’m certainly not losing any sleep over those that slip through. We do have to ban them once we notice them, though. The board has always been pretty strict on the “one account per person” rule, well before I joined let alone became a mod. I can give you the reasons for the rule as I understand it, if you want, although I’m sure you’ve heard them before. My own personal philosophy is somewhere between the current rule and your post – if I were running my own board, I’d probably be a bit more lax about it. I’m not, though, so I enforce the rules as written. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/49 "2007-11-20T00:56:08Z")
Um… have some posts been deleted? ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/50 "2007-11-20T01:08:48Z")
The last guy linked to a snark thread. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/51 "2007-11-20T01:15:31Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] And of course socks with an obvious agenda & a username that looks like a mods username don’t even need a vote is my guess. You know like the one you and \*\*Sapo \*\* responded to earlier today. I am curious, why didn’t you just report the blatant sock instead of responding to it? Jim [/QUOTE] Although I already read that the question was not addressed at me, I will respond. Reporting on ATMB? Really? Aren’t they all reading there all the time? I would feel like I then need to report that I sent a report. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/52 "2007-11-20T01:18:40Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] Out of curiosity, why is it a problem? I get why being a troll (or being a total asshole) is bannable…but what is the problem with socks exactly? More specifically, why bother to ban people who have guest accounts…isn’t this a self correcting problem anyway? I don’t really get why the Mods bother at all with this. So, someone who was banned comes back under a new user as a guest…unless they are doing something seriously annoying (which would get them banned for THAT), why worry? And if they pay…well, that is more money coming into the board. As long as they don’t make an ass out of themselves, I don’t see the problem, personally. -XT [/QUOTE] I am answering yours because it is the latest one, but it goes to everyone who has asked a similar question. If the board needs subscription money to stay afloat, then letting people come back again and again as guests is an open loophole that would allow everyone to have free memberships (unless they needed the ego boost of a tall post count). I am sure this rule would go mostly unenforced if the board were free. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/53 "2007-11-20T01:21:03Z")
And thanks to all TPTB who answered my OP. In the end it boils down to “we know one when we see it”, which I agree is the only way to handle this. I was just a bit confused about the specific mention of knowledge of the board on the bannination message. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/54 "2007-11-20T01:25:59Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] The last guy linked to a snark thread. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] I didn’t see a link. Just a reference to the board, which we see all the time. But the post speculated that \*\*Giraffe \*\* posts there and that he’s their favorite mod, which I said I didn’t believe because he is too classy. Then lo and behold, it all disappears. I’m hoping it wasn’t deleted because of the references to **Giraffe** , and that it might have embarrassed him. I don’t think he would do that, but someone else might have done it on his behalf. All he would need do is deny the accusation, and I (and probably everyone) would believe him. Anyway, weird. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/55 "2007-11-20T01:29:21Z")
No, there was another one with a link. The one you mentioned was deleted because it listed specific strategies for evading detection as a sock, which came from a snark board. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/56 "2007-11-20T01:34:11Z")
Okay. I’m always slow on the uptake. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/57 "2007-11-20T01:54:37Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] No, there was another one with a link. The one you mentioned was deleted because it listed specific strategies for evading detection as a sock, which came from a snark board. [/QUOTE] Not only from a snark board but ostensibly from a nutbag loser with a hardon for this place. I thought he would’ve given up once he spawned but I was wrong. Can’t ever underestimate the crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/58 "2007-11-20T01:59:05Z")
To be fair, I spend a hell of a lot of time on here and my average day would be pretty damn different if I got banned. I can see how the temptation to sock would run high. The difference is I don’t run around getting banned. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/59 "2007-11-20T02:04:06Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] I didn’t see a link. Just a reference to the board, which we see all the time. But the post speculated that \*\*Giraffe \*\* posts there and that he’s their favorite mod, which I said I didn’t believe because he is too classy. Then lo and behold, it all disappears. I’m hoping it wasn’t deleted because of the references to **Giraffe** , and that it might have embarrassed him. I don’t think he would do that, but someone else might have done it on his behalf. All he would need do is deny the accusation, and I (and probably everyone) would believe him. Anyway, weird. [/QUOTE] No, it had nothing to do with me. Once the sock posts were deleted (not by me), your follow-up post didn’t make any sense, which I’m sure is why it was also deleted (also not by me). But thanks for saying I’m classy. Maybe now I can claim all the pee and gravy stains are a daring fashion statement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052/60 "2007-11-20T02:05:21Z")
I hear that! If I ever got kicked of this board I’d have to get…a life! \ Luckily, I send Scotch and chocolates to TPTB regularly. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trolls-socks-and-familiarity-with-the-board/427052.md?page=4)