Dear Randy.

I loved Flyertalk until today.

I was banned forever by Flyertalk Moderator Spiff.

Please let me know if you think this is fair:

I posted 7 posts in 24 hours, got an e-mail instantly from Spiff saying I've been banned from Coupon Connection forum for 90 days.

I told him I would write a thread about it to hear if people thinks it's fair.

I logged into my account:

You have been banned for the following reason:
duplicate handles are not allowed

Date the ban will be lifted: Never
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I've been in touch with a lot of flyertalkers where I've now lost all contact information.

Please let me know if you think this is fair.

I want my account back! - I haven't done anything wrong.

Please don't delete this thread, because I'll then have to make a new one until someone tell's me if it's OK what Spiff did to me.

There really seems to be some confusion here and and let see if I can clarify this for you. I've chosen 5 points that you make and I'll do my best to reply and comment on each - so bear with me. [note: I've numbered your points so that it is easier for me to match the reply to]

1. Actually, I'm looking at your record and you were not banned initially. As explained in the email to you (i have read the copy of it that is in your file), this volunteer explains that your privilege to enjoy The Coupon Connection was being revoked and that you could reapply for this privilege after 90 days. The decision to temporarily mask you from this privilege stemmed from a couple of things, including what seems to be an admission of guilt by you. Our volunteers serve our members and while The Coupon Connection is a privilege to be enjoyed, it is not seen at all as a right or as something that you can buy or bully your way in to. It was always my wish that it would be viewed as a discrete thank you to our members contributions, not a goal or purpose for being part of this community. In your case, it was noticed, perhaps by other members, that you abruptly made a series of posts within a 24-hour period and upon reaching the 90 post restriction, immediately posted in the forum for a trade. I think it would be a natural curiosity of anyone reading this to wonder what your purpose was if your next post after reaching the limit was in The Coupon Connection. I personally find it a strange coincident. As for searching out and berating our volunteers for the temporary mask, well, you are not the first member such a mask has been put upon for the exact same type of member behavior. So rest assured this is not about you.

Now, it could be debatable about whether the unique timing of 7 posts in a 24-hour period and then immediate posting in TCC was just coincidence, but I think it was your reaction and subsequent statements that may have indicated you were not being fair to FlyerTalk and to this volunteer.

Bottom line, you were not banned forever and in fact, it was only a mask from The Coupon Connection and your most valuable posting privileges -- in the forums based upon miles, points and travel were not interrupted.

2. As to the message that your ban will never be lifted? That is a connection to a set of circumstances. You apparently misread the instructions from the volunteer Moderator and immediately registered another user name. I think you will find in our rules:
http://www.flyertalk.com/help/rules.php#q82
that having multiple user accounts can and will resort in disciplinary action and in this case it was that your initial account was suspended indefinitely. We employ several layers of technology that alerts our volunteers of some of these efforts by members to use and employ multiple user accounts and it just so happened that an alert Moderator noticed an alert and took the appropriate action. If you had not registered a second user account, you would not have witnessed this message and you would have been able to continue on with your initial member account and been able to continue to enjoy FlyerTalk.

3. If I think this is fair? A bit philosophical but let me say a few things. First of all, I think it really is fair that we try and moderate access to The Coupon Connection. As previously noted, I had begun this as a way to say thanks to those members who contributions to FlyerTalk were based solely upon their wish to talk miles, points and travel. I don't think it is fair when any member tries to end around those rules. As well, I don't think it fair that members create secondary accounts to try and make a complaint that could have several points of view. In your case, I'm fairly certain that a majority of our members might find that your actions were not fair to the spirit of FlyerTalk. For instance, when the Moderator explained to you that the decision to mask you from The Coupon Connection was based upon what appeared to be a posting run -- 7 posts within a 24-hour period and immediate post of trade in the forum -- your reply was this and it is a direct quote: "Omg. I have posted 7 posts in the last 24 hours... - I want access to this forum, if not I'll start a thread to complain about you, it's so unfair."

Let's see. You seem to admit that you want access to this forum and seem to be saying that the 7 posts were in the interest to gain access to the forum. As well, you indicate that unless this Moderator gives in to re-allow access, you will start this thread about him. I've got to say, that is the unfair part. These volunteers are as perfect as our members and in fact are members and really don't need these types of emotional outbursts and blackmail when all they are doing is trying as best they can to level the reason why The Coupon Connection exists.

4. You haven't done anything wrong? As pointed out above, multiple member accounts is an infraction of the FlyerTalk rules and that is for good reason. I think we can put that down as a wrong. Other items, discussing specific moderator actions. This is also in the rules for FlyerTalk and of course by way of this thread you have invited and instigated this discussion of Moderator action. I think we can put that down as a wrong. Another part of our rules deals with personal attacks or threats on other members or groups. I'd rather not split any hairs here but your demand that you be re-admited to The Coupon Connection or else a thread about the Moderator is likely to be seen by some as a threat, thus another violation of our rules. But I think I'll pass on that one. And finally, our rule against "padding post counts." Obviously that is the issue here and it may surprise you that since this is a subjective area, I won't side with either side on this one for your 7 posts. However, given that your behavior and subsequent comments about wanting to get into the forum, I'm thinking that you really were post padding here and I think we can put that down as a wrong.

5. As for what the Moderator did to you was OK? Every member who has earned the privilege to post in The Coupon Connection will likely have an opinion on this situation. Let me give you some backup. I researched all the members who have signed up for FlyerTalk in April 2010 -- the month that you became a member. Of the appx. 3,000+ members who joined that month, only 50 members have posted enough times on FlyerTalk to have gained the privilege of The Coupon Connection. Of the 50, only two members have actually posted in the forum. The other member did not have any change to their posting patterns in the prior month or weeks of getting to 90 posts and 90 days. They posted as normal 5-7 times a week. Their 91st post was not in The Coupon Connection and they haven't been back. It was like they stumbled upon it and continued onto the other forums where travel and miles are the topics. This took a lot of research and time but it was important for me to research the activities and posting patterns of other members in similar situations. As I have noted, there have been other members who have been issued the very same mask as you and I've even issued some masks. As well, you are likely to hear from others that I am actually more stringent about The Coupon Connection than either of the volunteers for that forum.

I think there have been some mistakes made and you could have taken a far different path which would have resulted in something far different and you could still say you love FlyerTalk. In the note to you from the Moderator regarding your 90-day mask, you were also given advice that you could appeal the Moderator's decision and were given instructions on how to do that. If only. I'm not sure what I would have done in your case, but I know I would have given it equal research.

Bottom line, the Moderator was not out to get you and I think you made some mistakes along the way that got you here -- mistakes that are difficult to take back now, are still mistakes that I am still willing to review.

You want some advice? Write me a note to my email address: [email protected] and explain what was really going on. I value members who can be honest with me over members who try to B.S. us all. That seems fair.

Randy

Note: Given you have learned more about how these things work, i think it might be a good idea if and when you gain access back on FlyerTalk to pass along an apology to the Moderator who you exchanged things with. These volunteers are just trying to help and it really isn't that cool to light them up like this. Just some advice, that's all.