Why do I keep getting banned from the same Internet forum?

[WestCoastWilson]

I was banned recently from City-data forum (city-data.com) , because I had 2 separate accounts, which is against the rules. I mainly wanted to have 2 separate accounts, because I wanted a user account where I could socially chime-in to try to help others asking for help. Then I wanted a separate user account, where I could ask questions (to seek personal help from others). Yet I had both accounts setup not to receive personal messages from anyone, including the moderators, because I did not want to have 2 more email accounts (per se) to check and I only wanted to post and reply publically on the site.

Anyway the moderator was somehow able to send me a private message stating that my 2 accounts had been temporarily suspended (due to my having multiple accounts), however he said I could write back (via the online message system) and tell him which account I wanted to keep. So when I tried to do that, I was unable to write back, since my account was frozen and my message option is turned-off.

I’m not sure how they monitor people for duplicate accounts (via my IP address and or email address maybe). Yet since I could not inform the moderator via the online messaging system, I figured I would create a new account and just use one account. Less than 24 hours later, the moderator suspended that account and sent me a message with a final warning. Yet since I could not reply back to the moderator due to the frozen 3 accounts, I opted to create a new account (account #4 ) . . . this time, using the computer at my local library. Yet less than 24 hours later, I got a message from the moderator , saying that I have been permanently banned from their website. The only reason why I created the last account is because I had asked a serious question to try to help a friend. There were at least 8 people that wrote me back with good & kind answers and suggestions, so I wanted to thank them for helping me. Yet the only way I can figure is, the moderator must have been monitoring my post and when he saw how I made my last post to thank the people from helping me, it was then he figured that I was the same person (even though I created the account at the library, which had another IP address, a different username, a different email address), and permanently banned me from the site.

I’m not a trouble maker, I do not post any SPAM, nor do I have any online fights with anyone on the City Data site. If they pulled my posts for the past 2 years (which is how long I had the 2 accounts), they would not find anything negative or obscene I have posted. Yet the moderator has latched-onto the duplicate account thing. Yet I have no idea how they handle one household when 2 people share the same computer with 2 username/accounts on "their site".

I know they must have some way to track computers . . . Yet with the tens of thousands of postings on City Data each day, I can’t figure out how the moderator had time to monitor my post (under the new username, different IP address, different email address).

I really like that site and would like to somehow be able to correct my problem and just have one account, yet I don’t know how to fix this problem, while being able to use my home computer. Someone suggested that I could use a proxy server . . . however if the moderator figured out in less than 24 hours that I was the same person using the library’s computer, I don’t think that the proxy server idea will work.

Any suggestions or ideas?

Wilson

 

[GamerBear]

Like with JUB they don't like you creating two accounts that's why I had closed an account on here. It's probably not best to do that but they do track your IP and can tell if a person is using two accounts. Like right now my hubby has a JUB account if he is more active and I'm active too they would probably see two accounts that have the same IP and think he made two accounts.

 

[T-Rexx]

It does not matter from what computer you create the accounts, wilson. So long as you login from your home computer, they will know it is you. When you login from your home computer, your home IP number will become associated with whatever account from which you logged in. You probably logged in to all four of your accounts at some point from your home computer. So, they could be pretty sure that all four of you were the same person.

Some BB sites are very emphatic that users not maintain duplicate accounts, others don't care much. There can be very valid reasons why a user might want to maintain separate accounts; but, if the site does not allow this, you should not try to get around the restriction. I am not clear on why, when you created your 3rd and 4th accounts, you did not immediately use them to send a message to the moderator in question, explaining your situation. Your behavior gave every appearance that you were trying to defy their authority by hiding behind a phantom account.

You got shut down because you had two accounts, so you created a third. When they called you on that one, you defied them yet again and created a fourth account. I am not surprised that you have been permanently banned.

You need to contact the site through their contact page at here. Explain your frustrations to them, and beg for mercy.



http://www.city-data.com/contacts.html

 

[palbert]

I think your answer lies in your question. Wanna "have it your way?"

 

[star-warrior]

The other guys nailed it. Unless you can prove each account is from a separate person using the same internet address, say, you and a friend, then its hard for the moderator to see that the two accounts aren't from the same person, or possibly troll or spammer.

It sounds too like you've got a static IP address, making it all the more easy to be tracked.

 

[Corny]

Why you keep getting banned? Um .. because you kept breaking the rules. This is also a rule here, just in case that you might want to get rid of something now ..

 

[WestCoastWilson]

Thank you very much Guys , I appreciate your candid answers to my question. At this time, I do sincerely apologize for taking so long to post again, however for some reason, I am no longer getting instant email messages to all the posts that I subscribe to “instantly”, though it shows that I am subscribed to every post that I am following and my subscription reflects that I want my messages sent to me instantly. So for some reason, I just received an email notification (from those that replied to my post on Sunday, 10-07-12), today (10-13-12), though my email notification is dated on the 7th.

T-Rexx, I see and understand what you are saying, however when it came to the 4th account I created, I only used it the one time using the library’s computer, yet I am guessing that the City Data moderator read my postings and assumed that I was the same “Wilson” and pulled the plug on that account as well. Yet I never logged onto the 4th account from my home computer and I only logged onto the 4th account just the one and only time (when I thanked the people for providing help to my questions). Since they have about 30 computers at my library, I’m assuming that if anyone else that used the same library’s computers to create a City Data account, there “may be” multiple City Data users on that same IP number.

Using City Data was fun while it lasted, but I did not use it that much to go groveling to get a second chance. I’m going to let it go and move on.

Thanks again Everyone for your comments.

Wilson

 

[palbert]

^^^ send it as a Post Comment. Only way I can think of.

 

[Corny]

We have a few accounts from AOL users that share an IP with 100+ other accounts. We have ways to check for the lame "roommate" excuse that we get from fakers all the time. It's kind of funny how apparently there live so many hot roommates together and both post on JUB with the other not knowing of it, despite the self-pics plastered all over the forums

 

[Corny]

Well I certainly remember a certain faker that was smart enough that many people (including a certain member ) were heads over heels for and kept siding with him against the evil mods who wanted to ban him and had the austerity to demand proof ... but in the end not all his photoshop skills could save him.

 

[mauveb]

I guess it all depends if you're maintaining multiple accounts or multiple personaes. I often see people teaming up or agreeing/praising eachother online, then you look at when the accounts were created, where else they've posted (usually the same threads) and you can tell its the same guy.

Me i have multiple accounts all over the place, but only one active at any given time, and usually as a result of not remembering my password for any given site that i dont visit daily. It somewhat annoys me that most websites these days want you to create an account, i have a special junk email account for those.