# Why Are Some Banned, Other Deleted? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 26, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892 "2005-06-26T05:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/1 "2005-06-26T05:44:24Z")
Some naughty posters such as rewindforward are banned, but their profile remains in the database; while others such as Hi\_There get deleted entirely, as if they never existed. What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2005, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/2 "2005-06-26T06:16:41Z")
Socks usually get deleted – I think so as to discourage the behavior and to prevent them from getting attention. Same for people who sign up for an account to just post trolling threads (or worse, spam). In both of these kinds of cases, I’m sure there’s been nothing of value posted to the board that’s worth keeping, anyways. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/3 "2005-06-26T06:18:56Z")
We tend to delete one-time spammers or trolls who bounce back without getting much traction. We don’t want to give them attention or house room. If someone has been tossed out after they have participated in board life, been here for a while, been a member, to remove their posts would make those threads nonsensical; in some cases, incomprehensible. It’s better to leave those threads intact and just move forward. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2005, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/4 "2005-06-26T06:28:20Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > If someone has been tossed out after they have participated in board life, been here for a while, been a member, to remove their posts would make those threads nonsensical; in some cases, incomprehensible. And in the case of rewindforward (since the OP mentioned it), that would have been redundant. He managed nonsensical and incomprehensible nicely on his own… 😉 ---
**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:** [June 26, 2005, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/5 "2005-06-26T07:37:36Z")
Hey, he’s not able to defend himself, so let’s not slap him around any more, that’s not quite fair. It’s not the fun thing . . . but it’s the right thing. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/6 "2005-06-26T07:43:12Z")
You sure about that? > [@](#): > > Straight Dope Message Board Statistics > > Threads: 310,138, Posts: 6,194,047, Members: 53,341 > Welcome to our newest member, **REWINDFORWARD3** ---
**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:** [June 26, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/7 "2005-06-26T19:43:34Z")
Not to invite further attempts, but seen anything lately? 🙂 Sometimes we have to redispose of problems. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/8 "2005-06-27T01:44:13Z")
Not at all. I’m just saying that if he’s snuck back in once (or twice?), he’ll likely be back again and again and again. At least until he gets bored. And to such end, my comments are helping. Forget I said anything. ---
**Author:** ![Coffee\_Manic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Coffee\_Manic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffee_Manic)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/9 "2005-06-27T01:45:17Z")
are **n’t** helping. God, I suck. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/10 "2005-06-27T22:34:18Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Sometimes we have to redispose of problems. Please please tell me you keep the $15 each time. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-banned-other-deleted/309892/11 "2005-06-28T17:03:13Z")
That’s right there in the registration agreement, that the Dope doesn’t give refunds. If someone wants to keep donating, hey, that’s their problem :D.