Duplicate accounts

[Bozza]

What are people's views on how moderators should handle duplicate accounts on NSC?

Let's be clear: if a user has been previously banned for persistent abuse and they re-register they will be banned again as soon as their identity is known. They may keep below the radar for a while, but sooner or later something usually triggers an investigation into the specifics of their account.

This is more about when someone registers another account and uses it instead of, or as well as, their primary account. Common reasons might be...

- Mischief making
- Wanting to express some more extreme views than they are comfortable doing so with their main account
- Wanting a 'clean start', thereby informally abandoning their previous account and starting again.

As moderators we have the ability to merge multiple accounts together and can also block or delete an account if required.

I'm not going to make this a poll as a simple black/white rule might not apply, based on the particular circumstances.

Well, whadayafink?

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Personally I always delete duplicate accounts and warn the 'original' user.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Personally I think it should be a single account for each person with no duplicate account but I suspect a certain Mod might struggle with that

 

[El Presidente]

I have more than one email address, more than one twitter account, so why not more than one NSC account? It is very easy to identify via IP addresses who the posters are, so unless it is a banned person trying to sneak back leave as is.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

I think one account, but if someone wants to make a "clean start" and their new account reflects that then give them a chance

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I have no problem with duplicate accounts other than if its a banned poster re-registering.

 

[sten_super]

I think individual 'users' should be limited to one account. If they aren't brave enough to post something under their 'normal' username that suggests that they should probably think very carefully about posting it at all. If someone wants to 'abandon' an old username and start again they I don't see the harm in doing that - but they should let a mod (Bozza?) know and he can delete the old account. The vast vast vast majority of the 'mischief making' stuff is stupid and not at all entertaining anyway.

 

[ROSM]

can we have a way of stopping duplicates replying to themselves? Or perhaps posting under both names on the same thread?

I dont per se have a problem with duplicates unless they start to 'gang' up on users

 

[beardy gull]

Merge/delete. Too many mischief makers.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I say ban/delete unless they can identify a specific reason.

 

[Durlston]

Schizophrenia doesn't bother me.

 

[Acker79]

I think if the duplicate account is used for parody or comedy purposes, fine. If it is used for extreme views, fishing, making it seem like you're more popular, etc. then they should be deleted.

If you've given your original account a bad name, then tough. You live with the consequence and earn back some good reputation, don't hide behind a new account.

 

[beorhthelm]

- Wanting to express some more extreme views than they are comfortable doing so with their main account

definatly merge. shouldnt be able to hide behind a second user to say somthing controversial.

 

[Titanic]

FWIW, I'm in the "leave it like it is and deal with any problem users when the arise" camp.

Then again, I got accused of being "on the warpath" for what I thought was some pretty lightweight moderating today... confused, moi?

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Ones used to stir trouble and deliberately wind people up are not funny and I think there should be a case of them being highlighted by Mods as duplicates and the perpetrator unmasked. If they are harmless amusing ones then leave as is.

 

[brakespear]

I think individual 'users' should be limited to one account. If they aren't brave enough to post something under their 'normal' username that suggests that they should probably think very carefully about posting it at all. If someone wants to 'abandon' an old username and start again they I don't see the harm in doing that - but they should let a mod (Bozza?) know and he can delete the old account. The vast vast vast majority of the 'mischief making' stuff is stupid and not at all entertaining anyway.

agree entirely with the above.

 

[Brovion]

I think if the duplicate account is used for parody or comedy purposes, fine. If it is used for extreme views, fishing, making it seem like you're more popular, etc. then they should be deleted.

If you've given your original account a bad name, then tough. You live with the consequence and earn back some good reputation, don't hide behind a new account.

That's pretty much my view as well. Some of the bhadebenhams and London Pompous stuff was brilliant and it would be a shame to lose that element of NSC. I think all but the very stupid realised that they were parodies.

Pity the Bars Mar one got closed.

 

[Commander]

I don't see the issue with duplicate accounts if they aren't used for anything bad. We wouldn't have 'London Pompous' for a start, if you deleted all of them.

Plus, how would all the haters fix it for the Honey Badger to fall at the final hurdle YET AGAIN, if there were no duplicate accounts!?

 

[Commander]

I think all but the very stupid realised that they were parodies.

That is the funniest bit about them, the fact that the very stupid fall for them.

 

[8ace]

Think I can guess who this is about...