FlyerTalk Forums - Verification System

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- Only Randy Petersen (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/only-randy-petersen-383/)

- - Verification System (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/only-randy-petersen/196817-verification-system.html)

Quote:

Originally posted by JRF:
Arguing over the technicalities is not the issue. Far too many people are discussing techno issues they have very little in-depth understanding of. The question is, should a verification system be put in place. End of question! If it is decided that one be put in, the next step would be to figure out how it could be done and to develop one without negative impact. Let the techies worry about the techie stuff.

As owner of an ISP with many 100's of sites using verification I feel I most am certainly able to comment on the technical side of it. But, as this thread is already pretty old and nobody from the FT staff seems to agree I'd say it's a dead issue.

ScottC,

Please do not think I am singling you out. There are a few poters in this tread who are very techno brilliant!

The thread is back alive do to another thread in the Randy forum discussing user verification.

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottC:
As owner of an ISP with many 100's of sites using verification I feel I most am certainly able to comment on the technical side of it. But, as this thread is already pretty old and nobody from the FT staff seems to agree I'd say it's a dead issue.

ScottC, I totally disagree with you on whether this is a dead issue or not. We have a continuing problem on FT and need to take the necessary steps to correct it. Your technical input and experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Quote:

Originally posted by Rssrsvp:
ScottC, I totally disagree with you on whether this is a dead issue or not. We have a continuing problem on FT and need to take the necessary steps to correct it. Your technical input and experiences would be greatly appreciated.

I agree that the issue of "trolls" is most certainly not a dead issue (sadly), however I do feel that implementing a verification system for FT is "dead". The thread was started in July and Randy has not chimed in yet.

A more workable solution IMHO is better board software and a "security officer" responsable for checking registration IP's, combine that with an active moderation where suspicious accounts are locked to get some identification confirmation and I'd say you have a pretty watertight solution. It might even be an idea to add extra security to members signing up from certain email providers.

Quote:

Originally posted by NJDavid:
This issue has been around on Flyertalk for a long time...since the first few months of the board. It is about the most divisive one we’ve had.

We have had people having entire conversations with themselves under alternate ID’s, people pretending to be entire families harassing airline employees, Trolls, multiple posters, etc. We have also had (and still have) “class clowns” that are seemingly above the rules. People have been “timed out” for infractions, people have been banned for infractions. Bans have been lifted.

This specific issue has even precipitated the formation of alternate internet mileage bulletin boards. But then this issue’s divisiveness for all intents and purposes brought down those boards (although shells of their initial promise still exist) and some integrity-free personal associations that went with them.

Personally for me, this one issue has changed me from a dedicated fan and supporter of Flyertalk (we used to be called “evangelists”) to an occasional user of my forums of interest, totally uninterested in the political forums and issues like Talkboard, community, moderation, etc.

As a slightly more exclusive community of verified participants, Flyertalk or a similar site could have been a place with dignity and sophistication – a real voice for the frequent traveler, communicating with the sell side of the industry with a strong and respected voice. Instead, it is a place that is replete with fake IDs, where it’s just as likely that the guy you’re chatting with is either a real million miler or a high school kid with an imagination. As such, no one in the travel industry takes it as seriously as they could. That’s not meant to be an insult – it’s just the facts and a shame.

This is what Flyertalk is. Don’t waste your breath and/or time on what it could be or can be, or get sucked into the endless circular debates of who would or would not have been here if, if, if.

Don’t try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

Oh, the irony http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

I guess it is time to start thinking about this again? I am attacked by trolls almost every time I post now in the DL forum. I also see the problem has spread to many other forums.... I think the problem is actually only a few people posting under 30 or so multiple user names... the problem is to the point that FT takes too much time to read to sort through all the attacks.

Quote:

Originally posted by JRF:
I guess it is time to start thinking about this again? I am attacked by trolls almost every time I post now in the DL forum. I also see the problem has spread to many other forums.... I think the problem is actually only a few people posting under 30 or so multiple user names... the problem is to the point that FT takes too much time to read to sort through all the attacks.

I don't know the whole history here but it seems like some on the DL board think YOU are the troll and are demanding a timeout for YOU here..

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum.../009906-5.html

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottC:
I don't know the whole history here but it seems like some on the DL board think YOU are the troll and are demanding a timeout for YOU here..

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum.../009906-5.html

If you read the entire thread (it is a long one) you will see that the people who tend to have the problems with me are the people who think DL is perfect. We all know no airlines is perfect, but the trolls post only to flame and defend DL to no end. Then, in the next post, under a different user name, they argue with themselfs.

Actually, I spoke directly to Randy about one of the people in the beginning of that thread and as a result that person was banished from FT. Although, he is now back using multiple user names.

ScottC, the issue is about trolls and multiple user names. If I am one as you infer, then a verification system would put an end to me! So you should be for it!

Quote:

Originally posted by JRF:
ScottC, the issue is about trolls and multiple user names. If I am one as you infer, then a verification system would put an end to me! So you should be for it!

Trolls are about as annoying as people who launch personal attacks.

All this would only cost a dollar? I would definetly pay a dollar for that!

Without even reviewing the thread in question, I must say that in order to be fair to JRF, he has been egged on and attacked quite a lot for awhile now. He may have lost his cool several times, but from what I have read over the mid-term past, he is often drawn into it.

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottC:
Trolls are about as annoying as people who launch personal attacks.

ScottC, as you are well aware, it is often the second guy into the fray that suffers the punishment.

There is a major problem with trolls and people posting under multiple handles on the DL board. JRF is being targeted by certain posters. Everyone has a boiling point, and he has probably reached it.

Quote:

Originally posted by JRF:
I know the ethos of FT has been free to everyone, but would a $1 one time charge to activate a user name really be that big of an issue.

...in other words, you are proposing a Troll Toll.