Archived and Closed
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The Robert Pattinson board (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1500155/bo...) is being targeted by what I assume is multiple trolls. Pretty much every single on-topic thread we put up is reported and eventually (within two to three days) is deleted by IMDb staff. Today we had about 10 to 12 threads deleted. This happens over and over again.
These threads are completely on topic, there's nothing wrong with them, nothing reportable about them AT ALL. Just normal conversation about projects, interviews he's done, articles, etc.
I know false reporting is against IMDb's terms of service, but if they're going to delete the threads anyway, what options do we have? To say that it's getting beyond ridiculous at this point is an understatement.
Help? How can we stop this?
These threads are completely on topic, there's nothing wrong with them, nothing reportable about them AT ALL. Just normal conversation about projects, interviews he's done, articles, etc.
I know false reporting is against IMDb's terms of service, but if they're going to delete the threads anyway, what options do we have? To say that it's getting beyond ridiculous at this point is an understatement.
Help? How can we stop this?
Posted 7 years ago
STOP IT! Just STOP!
For the love of all that is good & reasonable STOP!
Act like adults for heavens sake!
This thread has devolved into nothing but arguing & antagonism.
Now we have two "warring members" from another board going at it here! SMH!
No staff is going to read through this mess & attempt to decipher what the real problem is now.
Christian and Proud- You're acting like NEITHER! I am loathe to call out another poster but you should have taken your leave from this thread LONG AGO!
Offer your advice and move on-
What you've done is NOT help or advice it's baiting & ARGUING!
It is NOT against the TOS to post a link to an outside site- that is neither flooding nor spamming NOR advertising one's own site to drive traffic to it!
Linking a source has always been acceptable. PERIOD!
Links to wiki & youtube are posted CONSTANTLY on the "I Need To Know Board" for starters-
If IMDb didn't want links to "outside sources" they could EASILY block them and only enable internal linking.
BOTTOM LINE: These deletions are done by the automated system!
It is being gamed by a small group using MULTIPLE user ID's! (Understand?) That means they can make numerous BOGUS reports and NOT get investigated & caught for the bogus reports!
This is obviously a huge problem- that's why so many of the regulars have put their two cents into this thread.
I am not a regular on that board but I have kept an eye on it as I knew they were having issues with trolls- I was there daily when the new board went live, trying to help some of the regs out with the changes.
These ARE NOT tweens or Twilight fans that are having petty fights and baloney! They are adult women-
They have one of the nicest most organized boards for any actor/actress on this site. They know how to ignore trolls- I've seen it!
They came here for HELP- and they did NOT get it!
At this time, sadly, I don't believe there is much that can be done to fix this issue.
It's a weakness in the automated system.
Until such time that moderators are empowered, I can't see an easy solution, frankly I can't see ANY solution.
If there's a way to "turn off" automated thread deletions, I would recommend it for that board- but the odds of a staff member ever reading through this thread, at this point, are about 0%.
TRACY, SAMMIE, SUSIE,MOFTOWERS & OTHERS:
Until such time as they deploy mods I have no answer for you. Due to the shear size of this site & the number of boards- it has to be an automated system dealing with the tens of thousands of reports they receive daily.
I suggest you continue to save your valuable threads & repost them. I know that's NOT the answer you were hoping for, I wish I had a better one but at this time, I just don't.
My sincerest apologies!
Pika
For the love of all that is good & reasonable STOP!
Act like adults for heavens sake!
This thread has devolved into nothing but arguing & antagonism.
Now we have two "warring members" from another board going at it here! SMH!
No staff is going to read through this mess & attempt to decipher what the real problem is now.
Christian and Proud- You're acting like NEITHER! I am loathe to call out another poster but you should have taken your leave from this thread LONG AGO!
Offer your advice and move on-
What you've done is NOT help or advice it's baiting & ARGUING!
It is NOT against the TOS to post a link to an outside site- that is neither flooding nor spamming NOR advertising one's own site to drive traffic to it!
Linking a source has always been acceptable. PERIOD!
Links to wiki & youtube are posted CONSTANTLY on the "I Need To Know Board" for starters-
If IMDb didn't want links to "outside sources" they could EASILY block them and only enable internal linking.
BOTTOM LINE: These deletions are done by the automated system!
It is being gamed by a small group using MULTIPLE user ID's! (Understand?) That means they can make numerous BOGUS reports and NOT get investigated & caught for the bogus reports!
This is obviously a huge problem- that's why so many of the regulars have put their two cents into this thread.
I am not a regular on that board but I have kept an eye on it as I knew they were having issues with trolls- I was there daily when the new board went live, trying to help some of the regs out with the changes.
These ARE NOT tweens or Twilight fans that are having petty fights and baloney! They are adult women-
They have one of the nicest most organized boards for any actor/actress on this site. They know how to ignore trolls- I've seen it!
They came here for HELP- and they did NOT get it!
At this time, sadly, I don't believe there is much that can be done to fix this issue.
It's a weakness in the automated system.
Until such time that moderators are empowered, I can't see an easy solution, frankly I can't see ANY solution.
If there's a way to "turn off" automated thread deletions, I would recommend it for that board- but the odds of a staff member ever reading through this thread, at this point, are about 0%.
TRACY, SAMMIE, SUSIE,MOFTOWERS & OTHERS:
Until such time as they deploy mods I have no answer for you. Due to the shear size of this site & the number of boards- it has to be an automated system dealing with the tens of thousands of reports they receive daily.
I suggest you continue to save your valuable threads & repost them. I know that's NOT the answer you were hoping for, I wish I had a better one but at this time, I just don't.
My sincerest apologies!
Pika
Your righteous indignation might carry a little more weight were it not for the fact that threads complaining about the same problem on the Religion board were declared "Not A Problem" and "Archived" based on nothing but the comments of at least two of the trolls who are to blame for the problem in the first place. "Christian and Proud" and BluesmanSF are two of the trolls whose actions have been the cause of at least 80% of the topics complaining about the trolls. They watch this board just waiting for someone to complain about their actions just so they can amuse themselves by offering "advice" about how to deal with their own trolling. If you can't do anything to correct the problem then just admit it. But what you and everyone else on this site does is worse than doing nothing, you actively encourage the trolling by ignorantly not being able to recognize that the trolls themselves are the ones offering "advice" and then allowing legitimate complaints about these fools to be discarded and declared "not a problem".
Dan Dassow, Champion
Pika, Thank you.
Emperor, Champion
Amen, although it is probably too late for this thread, which I had to stop reading days ago (they don't pay me enough for that, OK they don't pay me anything, which makes it even easier).
As you say, there are no solutions, which is increasingly looking like a problem that needs addressing itself. I've already offered mine:
https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topi...
I am also wondering if some automated appeals process might be worth suggesting. Unfortunately, I imagine it would get swamped by people who have had their posts correctly removed, so those really needing this might not get heard. Perhaps flagging it up here might be sufficient, although if this kind of thing happens to every thread, I'm concerned that the problem would get drowned out. I don't hold out hopes for this thread staying open much longer as it is being driven off-topic.
As you say, there are no solutions, which is increasingly looking like a problem that needs addressing itself. I've already offered mine:
https://getsatisfaction.com/imdb/topi...
I am also wondering if some automated appeals process might be worth suggesting. Unfortunately, I imagine it would get swamped by people who have had their posts correctly removed, so those really needing this might not get heard. Perhaps flagging it up here might be sufficient, although if this kind of thing happens to every thread, I'm concerned that the problem would get drowned out. I don't hold out hopes for this thread staying open much longer as it is being driven off-topic.
I do not see why this thread would be archived or removed as it offers a great deal of helpful information to those who may be experiencing similar problems on other boards.
Pikabo, with all due respect, I am not baiting nor am I arguing. I offered sound, thorough and valid advice and am still offering it. For that I have been rewarded with insults and scandalous accusation. BluesmanSF is in the same boat.
Clearly you have a personal attachment to the board in question and the users in question, so I can understand your passion and emotion. But that does not change the fact the board, at time of complaint, was breaching site rules and as such, those who are abusing the reporting system were able to do so without fear of repercussion. Having at least 50% of all threads, started by a small number of users, linking to two alternate entertainment websites IS considered advertising, spam and flooding. Particularly as they are fansites. This is very different from linking to Wikipedia, (an information reference site) or Youtube, (a video clip site). These are smaller fansites, offering the same product as IMDb, (albeit with a narrower focus), and the continued linkage could be rightfully seen as an effort to bolster site traffic. It makes perfect commercial sense for IMDb to remove these links when reported. Furthermore, linking users to online polls and asking them to vote multiple times in an effort to 'game' the result, is also considered advertising and spam. It will also be removed by site administration if reported. Same with the multiple tweets, gifs, pics, games, 'fight the trolls' threads and the other chaff that covered the board a few days ago.
I advised the users to desist from these posting habits and thus make themselves a smaller target. As did BluesmanSF. This they did. But it now appears, after your most recent rant post, that they have reverted to their former routine, (as they seemingly think your word carries more weight than site terms and conditions). The user who spams the 'online poll' is now back posting this, putting her account in peril (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1500155/bo...). Though I understand your frustration and annoyance, allowing your personal feelings to cloud your judgement and the advice offered may actually harm the very users you wish to assist.
It may be prudent on your part if you calm down a little and inform the users in question that although the site abuse report system is in part automated, continually flaunting site rules will eventually gain the attention of a human eye and this will have repercussions for thos making the reports, and those ignoring the Terms and Conditions regarding advertising, spam and flooding.
I hope you see that I do not have a dog in this fight and am simply trying to help. :-)
Clearly you have a personal attachment to the board in question and the users in question, so I can understand your passion and emotion. But that does not change the fact the board, at time of complaint, was breaching site rules and as such, those who are abusing the reporting system were able to do so without fear of repercussion. Having at least 50% of all threads, started by a small number of users, linking to two alternate entertainment websites IS considered advertising, spam and flooding. Particularly as they are fansites. This is very different from linking to Wikipedia, (an information reference site) or Youtube, (a video clip site). These are smaller fansites, offering the same product as IMDb, (albeit with a narrower focus), and the continued linkage could be rightfully seen as an effort to bolster site traffic. It makes perfect commercial sense for IMDb to remove these links when reported. Furthermore, linking users to online polls and asking them to vote multiple times in an effort to 'game' the result, is also considered advertising and spam. It will also be removed by site administration if reported. Same with the multiple tweets, gifs, pics, games, 'fight the trolls' threads and the other chaff that covered the board a few days ago.
I advised the users to desist from these posting habits and thus make themselves a smaller target. As did BluesmanSF. This they did. But it now appears, after your most recent rant post, that they have reverted to their former routine, (as they seemingly think your word carries more weight than site terms and conditions). The user who spams the 'online poll' is now back posting this, putting her account in peril (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1500155/bo...). Though I understand your frustration and annoyance, allowing your personal feelings to cloud your judgement and the advice offered may actually harm the very users you wish to assist.
It may be prudent on your part if you calm down a little and inform the users in question that although the site abuse report system is in part automated, continually flaunting site rules will eventually gain the attention of a human eye and this will have repercussions for thos making the reports, and those ignoring the Terms and Conditions regarding advertising, spam and flooding.
I hope you see that I do not have a dog in this fight and am simply trying to help. :-)
But yet IMDb has NO SUCH POLICY in place that does not allow linking to outside sites.
You are just making stuff up. Full stop. There is no such policy. The only thing that is not allowed in this regard is explained in the advertising/spam portion of their policy. I've re-read it, and we've taken steps to spread our links around so that (even though we were never purposely sending traffic to those sites) there is no appearance of impropriety on that front.
At this point your behavior has just full-on become creepy. You don't need to "monitor" our board on a constant basis. You've given your advice. Move on.
We are not bound by law to follow your or any other IMDb poster's advice, nor are we one monolithic entity that you can control. No one has died and made you king of IMDb. People have been informed of the suggestions that were made here that might improve our problem, and now they can post they want on the site with (or without) those suggestions in mind. I can't control every poster, and neither can you.
If you continue to spend your time checking our threads and throwing fits when you see something you don't like, I can only assume that the other user that accused you of being a troll is completely right and you are probably the one reporting us to begin with.
You are just making stuff up. Full stop. There is no such policy. The only thing that is not allowed in this regard is explained in the advertising/spam portion of their policy. I've re-read it, and we've taken steps to spread our links around so that (even though we were never purposely sending traffic to those sites) there is no appearance of impropriety on that front.
At this point your behavior has just full-on become creepy. You don't need to "monitor" our board on a constant basis. You've given your advice. Move on.
We are not bound by law to follow your or any other IMDb poster's advice, nor are we one monolithic entity that you can control. No one has died and made you king of IMDb. People have been informed of the suggestions that were made here that might improve our problem, and now they can post they want on the site with (or without) those suggestions in mind. I can't control every poster, and neither can you.
If you continue to spend your time checking our threads and throwing fits when you see something you don't like, I can only assume that the other user that accused you of being a troll is completely right and you are probably the one reporting us to begin with.
There is only one of us throwing a fit and I am pleased to say it is not me.
IMDb does allow linking to other sites, but it does not allow advertising of other sites on a systemic basis, nor the spamming of links to these sites. That is what was occurring, to an extent, on the Robert Pattinson message board when first you came to this board. This behavior on the part of a few board regulars allowed those who are obviously reporting threads to report them legitimately, thus tying the hands of site administration when your complaints flowed in. Now that you have followed the advice proffered during this discussion, those targeting your board will have to tread carefully.
This is all fact. Nobody is making anything up, (aside from the troll, Jim Smith).
I am not looking to control you. Nor am I monitoring you. You came here with a problem that demanded advice and investigation. "What options do we have? Help? How can we stop this?" you asked. We gave you options. We gave you help. We told you how to go a long way towards stopping it. This done, now you want those who assisted with your problem to suddenly walk away without a backward glance? Seems a smidge ungrateful, if you ask me.
So, when I have the inkling, I will drop into the Robert Pattinson board and have a quick browse, reviewing the board etiquette in place, (if only to see if the abuse of the reporting system has slowed or ceased). But with the reemergence of the thread dedicated to tweets and the link to the online poll, (which even you cannot deny is against site rules), you are not doing yourselves any favors.
You opened this door, Tracy. You have to expect closer scrutiny of the Robert Pattinson board as a result. It is obvious this would happen.
IMDb does allow linking to other sites, but it does not allow advertising of other sites on a systemic basis, nor the spamming of links to these sites. That is what was occurring, to an extent, on the Robert Pattinson message board when first you came to this board. This behavior on the part of a few board regulars allowed those who are obviously reporting threads to report them legitimately, thus tying the hands of site administration when your complaints flowed in. Now that you have followed the advice proffered during this discussion, those targeting your board will have to tread carefully.
This is all fact. Nobody is making anything up, (aside from the troll, Jim Smith).
I am not looking to control you. Nor am I monitoring you. You came here with a problem that demanded advice and investigation. "What options do we have? Help? How can we stop this?" you asked. We gave you options. We gave you help. We told you how to go a long way towards stopping it. This done, now you want those who assisted with your problem to suddenly walk away without a backward glance? Seems a smidge ungrateful, if you ask me.
So, when I have the inkling, I will drop into the Robert Pattinson board and have a quick browse, reviewing the board etiquette in place, (if only to see if the abuse of the reporting system has slowed or ceased). But with the reemergence of the thread dedicated to tweets and the link to the online poll, (which even you cannot deny is against site rules), you are not doing yourselves any favors.
You opened this door, Tracy. You have to expect closer scrutiny of the Robert Pattinson board as a result. It is obvious this would happen.
The tweet thread is in no way against T&C. You can't decide that links are okay...but posting twitter information is not. Makes zero sense. They are tweets about the subject at hand. End of. News sources of all kinds tweet information now. If you want to act like a producer's tweet announcing that Queen of the Desert pre production is going well is against T&C...well then, you're just showing that you're being ridiculous. It's information. That's all.
If she wants to post her post and have it deleted, that's her business. She's been advised that it might be seen as advertising/spam.
You have spent days ranting on this thread. You are way overinvolved, buddy. There are stacks of threads here. Your attention is very odd.
If she wants to post her post and have it deleted, that's her business. She's been advised that it might be seen as advertising/spam.
You have spent days ranting on this thread. You are way overinvolved, buddy. There are stacks of threads here. Your attention is very odd.
Well, you have your opinion. I have mine. At the end of the day, neither matter, as it is up to site administration to decide what stays and what doesn't.
As to being 'overinvolved', I am simply assisting fellow IMDb users and engaging in some passionate debate about site policy. I find it quite riveting, actually. If you find this odd, well again, that is your opinion and matters not. :-)
As to being 'overinvolved', I am simply assisting fellow IMDb users and engaging in some passionate debate about site policy. I find it quite riveting, actually. If you find this odd, well again, that is your opinion and matters not. :-)
DT claims that posts violate IMDB rules when they don't. This should be a clue to everyone about who is reporting those threads. He's toying with you people. He even listed a bunch of threads ahead of time as a "warning" that he and his followers were going to report those threads.
"Christian and proud 6 days ago
So let me get this straight. According to Jim Smith, BluesmanSF and I falsely reported a number of threads on the Robert Pattinson board, over many months, apparently, knowing the users from that board would then start a thread here. Once the thread here was created, we then gave the users from the Robert Pattinson board correct and accurate information on how best to utilize IMDb procedures and systems to make themselves a smaller target and to ensure when reports are not valid, how best to bring this to IMDb's attention."
no, you may not have started it, but I'm sure that now that you are aware of it,"in your opinion", as you like to say, you are finding all sorts of more wrong doing, and are now reporting it, perhaps to earn more points to upstairs, or something?
So let me get this straight. According to Jim Smith, BluesmanSF and I falsely reported a number of threads on the Robert Pattinson board, over many months, apparently, knowing the users from that board would then start a thread here. Once the thread here was created, we then gave the users from the Robert Pattinson board correct and accurate information on how best to utilize IMDb procedures and systems to make themselves a smaller target and to ensure when reports are not valid, how best to bring this to IMDb's attention."
no, you may not have started it, but I'm sure that now that you are aware of it,"in your opinion", as you like to say, you are finding all sorts of more wrong doing, and are now reporting it, perhaps to earn more points to upstairs, or something?
Yes Keith. That is right. Its all true. Many points earned upstairs. I now have a corner office. In fact, I am now such a bigwig upstairs, I will use some of my fat-cat pay packet to Fed Ex you a new tinfoil hat. Your current one is looking a little tattered around the edges.
I have recently been getting falsely reported constantly, presumably by someone who openly threatened to create multiple accounts for the sake of reporting me.
In addition, on a thread I made in Contributors Help, someone posted an exceptionally smug and condescending response to me that also completely failed to understand what I was even talking about. I corrected this person without ever resorting to name-calling or the same smugness that he used... and the admins deleted my post, then raised my posting quota from 30 seconds to 20 minutes.
I should also mention how, in the past, there was a user who would make extremely long and detailed posts - with graphic pictures - about raping, torturing, murdering, and eating little girls. The admins did absolutely nothing about this for an extended period of time, yet they are quick to delete and ban anyone who criticizes them and also treat the posting of pornography as far more serious than, for example, making horrific threats. Also, what is the point in even having a report button if it's just automated and the admins don't even check what's being reported? Or do they only check sometimes? The entire process is an absolute mess and simply makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
In addition, on a thread I made in Contributors Help, someone posted an exceptionally smug and condescending response to me that also completely failed to understand what I was even talking about. I corrected this person without ever resorting to name-calling or the same smugness that he used... and the admins deleted my post, then raised my posting quota from 30 seconds to 20 minutes.
I should also mention how, in the past, there was a user who would make extremely long and detailed posts - with graphic pictures - about raping, torturing, murdering, and eating little girls. The admins did absolutely nothing about this for an extended period of time, yet they are quick to delete and ban anyone who criticizes them and also treat the posting of pornography as far more serious than, for example, making horrific threats. Also, what is the point in even having a report button if it's just automated and the admins don't even check what's being reported? Or do they only check sometimes? The entire process is an absolute mess and simply makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
If your quota was raised to 20 minutes, I am sure there is more to the tale than you are telling.
bluesmanSF, Champion
I'd recommend sticking to the core features of the site, the film/tv database of information, and stay off the message boards.
They check sometimes. Also, they look at what you've been doing before manually adjusting your posting quota. You've obviously been stirring the pot a bit. Though it has problems, as all systems do, it makes a lot of sense to me.
They check sometimes. Also, they look at what you've been doing before manually adjusting your posting quota. You've obviously been stirring the pot a bit. Though it has problems, as all systems do, it makes a lot of sense to me.
Christian and proud
It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Jim Smith
Jim Smith
Christian and proud
Jim Smith