# Why can't socks be easily detected? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 20, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509 "2013-06-20T21:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/81 "2013-08-11T19:33:28Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > When I check the queue, I’ll Google “[username] vbulletin” or [email prefix] vbulletin", and if there’s a bunch of hits, I delete the account. > . I guess this must result in the ban of pretty much anybody in those countries who doesn’t use an especially uncommon username. For instance, “clairobscur vbulletin” returns 118 000 hits, and “clairobscur”, although not greatly original, isn’t the most common username I can think of. ETA : “elmwood vbulletin” returns 1 650 000 hits. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/82 "2013-08-11T23:25:58Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > When I check the queue, I’ll Google “[username] vbulletin” or [email prefix] vbulletin", and if there’s a bunch of hits, I delete the account. > [@clairobscur](#): > > I guess this must result in the ban of pretty much anybody in those countries who doesn’t use an especially uncommon username. For instance, “clairobscur vbulletin” returns 118 000 hits, and “clairobscur”, although not greatly original, isn’t the most common username I can think of. > > ETA : “elmwood vbulletin” returns 1 650 000 hits. I’m not speaking for **elmwood** here, but your information is incorrect. I don’t know what he meant to post, but if you Google “clairobscur vbulletin” in quotes, you get ZERO/NADA hits. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/83 "2013-08-11T23:34:25Z")
You guys google stuff with quotes around it? Isn’t that going to be looking for an exact match with no intervening words? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/84 "2013-08-13T04:38:40Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I’m not speaking for **elmwood** here, but your information is incorrect. I don’t know what he meant to post, but if you Google “clairobscur vbulletin” in quotes, you get ZERO/NADA hits. I didn’t use quote marks. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/85 "2013-08-13T05:37:27Z")
I think this thread needs to go the way of Lamb Chop. ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/86 "2013-08-13T23:15:19Z")
Not exactly a sock, but I did search my old name here about 10? years ago. It is not active and the e mail address associated with it is long gone. I could not use it if I wanted to. Is someone going to bug me about this or should I just let it be? ---
**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:** [August 13, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/87 "2013-08-13T23:56:10Z")
> [@Poto](#): > > Not exactly a sock, but I did search my old name here about 10? years ago. It is not active and the e mail address associated with it is long gone. I could not use it if I wanted to. > > Is someone going to bug me about this or should I just let it be? Now that you’ve admitted it, contact an admin. and the accounts can be merged. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/88 "2013-08-14T00:46:23Z")
> [@Poto](#): > > Not exactly a sock, but I did search my old name here about 10? years ago. It is not active and the e mail address associated with it is long gone. I could not use it if I wanted to. > > Is someone going to bug me about this or should I just let it be? Come talk to me about this, please, we’ll get you straightened out. [TubaDiva@aol.com](mailto:TubaDiva@aol.com) ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509/89 "2013-08-21T15:59:25Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > I guess this must result in the ban of pretty much anybody in those countries who doesn’t use an especially uncommon username. For instance, “clairobscur vbulletin” returns 118 000 hits, and “clairobscur”, although not greatly original, isn’t the most common username I can think of… I’ll do a search like … “clairobscur” vbulletin Username in quotes, which Google interprets as an exact match; that way, I don’t get hits for “clarobuscar”, “Clare Bascar”, and the like. If the results include a number of different message boards in completely unrelated topics with no evidence of active participation, member profile pages with very recent registration dates, or previews that read “Welcome to our newest member, clairobscur”, they’re probably spammers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-socks-be-easily-detected/661509.md?page=4)