Banned members

[Dilip]

How do you react when banned members try to come back through a new account? Does it irritate you and respond harshly?

How do you send them off forever?

 

[Cedric]

It would definitely irritate me. They were banned for a reason, and no one should do a ban evasion. Although I’m guilty of doing so myself. I’ve done it after months or years being gone.

 

[Strawberry]

Definitely annoying as they were banned for a reason and nobody should be that obsessed with a forum that they keep trying to get around a ban.

Although I’m guilty of doing so myself. I’ve done it after months or years being gone.

I suppose it depends on the severity and nature of your ban - but I'm definitely not the same person I was years ago, so I think I would allow this. I used to be a moderator on a forum back in 2008 and we had this user who was obviously quite young and immature and would play up, several warnings and bans. I ended up drifting away from the forum and visited again a few years later to find out this user was now a moderator. Not a clue what happened in that gap where I went missing, but clearly had proven themselves.

 

[Kale]

Bothers me and I just reban them. I also will admit I am guilty myself of doing this, but the staff never rebanned me. I am sure they are quite aware of who I am, but just never acted on it. I forgot why I was even banned, actually.

 

[Dilip]

How do you ensure that they do not come back using another username? With VPNs around, it is not very hard to mask the IP.

Is there anything else a webmaster can use?

 

[Cedric]

VPN’s just make it impossible to stay banned. I tend to ban any IP’s they use through cPanel. That way they’re blocked from all my websites instead of the forum.

 

[Dilip]

Sounds like a plan. I will say put them in the miserable members list than banning them. All sorts of mess will make them leave.

Almost all software have this plugin

 

[Cory]

If they keep re-registering under a VPN or proxy, then I'd probably have to enable admin validation.

 

[Uncrowned]

Banned members should certainly stay banned. However, I will say that sites also need policies that are not overly harsh and allow members the chance to learn and move on from past issues. Balance is key.

 

[Anachiwo]

I would appreciate it if a banned member come to me and ask to be given a second chance than trying to get back in with another identity. It makes no sense why they should think it's an act that's going to overlooked.

 

[Arantor]

Tell you something... if someone gets banned for a thing, fine, they get banned. But if they come back a year later under a new name, and they're not doing whatever it was that caught my attention in the first place, why should I ban them a second time? If they repeat the behaviour, obviously, that's a ban - but if they don't, if they stay under the radar so to speak, why not? Clearly the attitude adjustment worked in that case.

 

[Cory]

But if they come back a year later under a new name, and they're not doing whatever it was that caught my attention in the first place, why should I ban them a second time?

I did that on a TCG message board in the past. I don't remember what I was originally banned for, but they knew I re-joined years later and they didn't re-ban me, so I can understand people can change over time for the better.

 

[Arantor]

I try to look at it as though a ban isn't a final thing but a hard 'get out' moment that can be taken by both parties as a recommendation for attitude adjustment. The University of Life is surprisingly good at teaching these moments.

 

[Shortie]

One thing that really does annoy me is when someone is banned and they try to evade a ban. I never ban for no reason and if you get banned on one of my forums, you were banned for a solid reason and I don't want you back. If they do create another account to evade a ban and I know for sure it is the person I banned, they will be banned again and I will even go as far as to deter by blocking their IP.

 

[Arantor]

The question I have to ask: why do they want to come back? What is it about their misbehaviour that is a problem, and can it be corrected and turn them into a productive member of the community?

 

[Aaron]

Unfortunately some people don't get the picture and think a banned message is a "Please come back"...

 

[Dilip]

Ha ha.

Normally, banning someone provokes them beyond limits. Especially trolls. They like playing the game and have too much time on hand. And possibly nothing useful to do.

 

[Heatman]

Tell you something... if someone gets banned for a thing, fine, they get banned. But if they come back a year later under a new name, and they're not doing whatever it was that caught my attention in the first place, why should I ban them a second time? If they repeat the behaviour, obviously, that's a ban - but if they don't, if they stay under the radar so to speak, why not? Clearly the attitude adjustment worked in that case.

I haven't looked at it from this angle before and after doing so, it's something that's worth considering. A year off is definitely good enough for someone to cool off and have a change of attitude. But if they come back after a year or more with the same attitude, you kick them right out of the door again.

 

[Anachiwo]

The question I have to ask: why do they want to come back? What is it about their misbehaviour that is a problem, and can it be corrected and turn them into a productive member of the community?

I'm a believer in that everyone deserves a second chance but you would have to prove it that you should be given that opportunity to make things right. Without making an effort towards doing that, it shouldn't be considered.

 

[Cory]

I'm a believer in that everyone deserves a second chance but you would have to prove it that you should be given that opportunity to make things right.

Sounds logical to me, I was given a second chance on the ZetaBoards official support board after mass spamming users' inboxes due to a staff member severely ticking me off. I'm 32 now and this was like in my younger 20's. I certainly proved myself worthy of an unban because I contributed so much to that community, in front and back of the scenes.