Brian_Holiday Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 I have a conspiracy theory I would like to discuss. I have no evidence, but I haven't been able to talk my self out of the possibility. I started a thread yesterday, mostly being playful, volunteering to mod just for the purpose of hunting down and banning the trolls. I know they can do it, they outed WM when he changed his screen name. The reaction was quite chilly, and the thread got locked. Now I am not a genius or anything, but it got me thinking. Didn't they already get caught on the show for faking callers? And if they have used this ploy before, isn't there a chance that they don't want anyone knowing who is trolling because it is a Mod or a G4 employee? I know I shouldn't care, but I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason.BH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
-Spazmatic- Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 I have a conspiracy theory I would like to discuss. I have no evidence, but I haven't been able to talk my self out of the possibility. I started a thread yesterday, mostly being playful, volunteering to mod just for the purpose of hunting down and banning the trolls. I know they can do it, they outed WM when he changed his screen name. The reaction was quite chilly, and the thread got locked. Now I am not a genius or anything, but it got me thinking. Didn't they already get caught on the show for faking callers? And if they have used this ploy before, isn't there a chance that they don't want anyone knowing who is trolling because it is a Mod or a G4 employee? I know I shouldn't care, but I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason. BH<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Even if you are right.....we'll never know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian_Holiday Posted September 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 Unless we can get a former mod to let us in on the secret or plant a ringer....There are always ways... BH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 I dont know, Brian....I can't imagine why in the world any forum would have "planted trolls"??? Seems they have enough trouble over there...The current Mods are already overworked.Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 I like your theory, I can't really come up with any other explantion for them to lock such a post, but the part I like best is, "I know I shouldn't care." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Makai Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 I dont know, Brian....I can't imagine why in the world any forum would have "planted trolls"??? Seems they have enough trouble over there...The current Mods are already overworked.Liz<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yeah I think they're too lame for conspiracies of any sort. Conc and coury seem like level headed guys, but Miss Fae I guess could be considered a troll. I just don't think there's enough brain power there to accomplish much of a concerted effort of any kind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KeithLDick Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 It's mostly tG4 doesn't have any employees that know what Hell they are doing..Read what Will Wheaton says about his time on the Show *Arena*.... Very interestingstuff... http://slashdot.org/~CleverNickName/journal/20695 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 It could be true.Maybe the boards are really just comprised of 4 or 5 jr. high boys with a few hundred screen names. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wolfman2001 Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 From what I saw over there before I got smart and moved here,there are a few Mods with real attitude issues. I'm not sure that any of them are crazy enough to troll or spam their own boards but you never know! I just wouldn't be surprised at anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KeithLDick Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 From what I saw over there before I got smart and moved here,there are a few Mods with real attitude issues. I'm not sure that any of them are crazy enough to troll or spam their own boards but you never know! I just wouldn't be surprised at anything.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Well I know for a fact one of the OT Mods got one of the younger ones to PM all the tech help and a few Mods and others that are popular people with Cartoon Porn. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wolfman2001 Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 From what I saw over there before I got smart and moved here,there are a few Mods with real attitude issues. I'm not sure that any of them are crazy enough to troll or spam their own boards but you never know! I just wouldn't be surprised at anything.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Well I know for a fact one of the OT Mods got one of the younger ones to PM all the tech help and a few Mods and others that are popular people with Cartoon Porn.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Keith my friend,I hope you're kidding but I know you're not. A sad state of affairs! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LCplMurphy Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 From what I saw over there before I got smart and moved here,there are a few Mods with real attitude issues. I'm not sure that any of them are crazy enough to troll or spam their own boards but you never know! I just wouldn't be surprised at anything.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Well I know for a fact one of the OT Mods got one of the younger ones to PM all the tech help and a few Mods and others that are popular people with Cartoon Porn.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I remember getting that cartoon porn but, never knew the story behind it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wolfman2001 Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 It bothers me that there can be such a thing as cartoon porn! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LCplMurphy Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 It bothers me that there can be such a thing as cartoon porn!<{POST_SNAPBACK}>It gets worse, it was nazi related cartoon porn. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wolfman2001 Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 I'm speechless. I'm no innocent but that's just sick. Isn't there enough real porn online without stuff like this? No wonder so many kids are screwed up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian_Holiday Posted September 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 Granted, it sounds weird. But if the Mods really don't want the trolls, it would be very easy to stop them. Just match the IP's using a script and you are finished. Even the number of troll posts getting locked seems to be going down. The benefit they get out of letting the trolls roll on is the total volume of the site. Since sites have to attain a critical mass of posting to make the forums interesting, it is an easy way to prop up the numbers. Maybe they need to prop up the numbers to justify the admins. Now if they had any smarts, they would do it by injecting useful content, like they did when they made up the calls for assistance. That really doesn't hurt anyone, since the lurkers still learn something they didn't know, or they get drawn into the conversation and contribute back to the board. But I think we all know that the techies left with Chappy. But then again I could be wrong, my Wife tells me that is often the case. BH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jcl Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 (edited) No one ever sends me cartoon Nazi pr0n I did think it was funny that for all those years I never saw anyone mention that Inuyasha was rotating through a library of cropped Starfox pr0n in his avatars. Seems to have been ahead of his time. Edited September 2, 2005 by jcl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wolfman2001 Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 Granted, it sounds weird. But if the Mods really don't want the trolls, it would be very easy to stop them. Just match the IP's using a script and you are finished. Even the number of troll posts getting locked seems to be going down. The benefit they get out of letting the trolls roll on is the total volume of the site. Since sites have to attain a critical mass of posting to make the forums interesting, it is an easy way to prop up the numbers. Maybe they need to prop up the numbers to justify the admins. Now if they had any smarts, they would do it by injecting useful content, like they did when they made up the calls for assistance. That really doesn't hurt anyone, since the lurkers still learn something they didn't know, or they get drawn into the conversation and contribute back to the board. But I think we all know that the techies left with Chappy. But then again I could be wrong, my Wife tells me that is often the case. Your's too huh? It's an interesting theory. Do advertisers see numbers for the boards? That would be a valid reason to try and drive up numbers. BH<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Makai Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 Lol jcl, that was my thought too. Nobody sends me anything. I'm not familiar with anime, porn or otherwise, so I never noticed that about Inuyasha. I just wanted to wring his neck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KeithLDick Posted September 2, 2005 Report Share Posted September 2, 2005 No one ever sends me cartoon Nazi pr0n I did think it was funny that for all those years I never saw anyone mention that Inuyasha was rotating through a library of cropped Starfox pr0n in his avatars. Seems to have been ahead of his time.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>mboverlaod had a pretty revealing Avvy before... Thank God it's gone.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hitest Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 I have a conspiracy theory I would like to discuss. I have no evidence, but I haven't been able to talk my self out of the possibility. I started a thread yesterday, mostly being playful, volunteering to mod just for the purpose of hunting down and banning the trolls. I know they can do it, they outed WM when he changed his screen name. The reaction was quite chilly, and the thread got locked. Now I am not a genius or anything, but it got me thinking. Didn't they already get caught on the show for faking callers? And if they have used this ploy before, isn't there a chance that they don't want anyone knowing who is trolling because it is a Mod or a G4 employee? I know I shouldn't care, but I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason. BH<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Your theory may be correct. Nothing would surprise me about that place. However, this is my digital home.BT rules! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian_Holiday Posted September 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 Your theory may be correct. Nothing would surprise me about that place. However, this is my digital home.BT rules! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, I have to say the stuff they pulled over there has worked out well for me too. This place has a whole different feel, low stress, with a lot less chance of getting flamed or having your spelling corrected... A good analogy might be that G4 boards is like a Jr high lunchroom, and Besttechie is the teachers lounge... BH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 I have a conspiracy theory I would like to discuss. I have no evidence, but I haven't been able to talk my self out of the possibility. I started a thread yesterday, mostly being playful, volunteering to mod just for the purpose of hunting down and banning the trolls. I know they can do it, they outed WM when he changed his screen name. The reaction was quite chilly, and the thread got locked. Now I am not a genius or anything, but it got me thinking. Didn't they already get caught on the show for faking callers? And if they have used this ploy before, isn't there a chance that they don't want anyone knowing who is trolling because it is a Mod or a G4 employee? I know I shouldn't care, but I just can't get it out of my mind for some reason. BH<{POST_SNAPBACK}>If you paid attention, the mods who actually took a stance to fight spam and trolls got demodded. Those who remain were told that the others had been to strict and that moderators needed to lighten up and stop trying to lock down the boards.They gave out a big list of things they no longer wanted us to take action on and specifically told us that it was better to leave something on the boards until we had a chance to ask an admin what they wanted done about it than to lock or delete before we cleared it. They told us that if the language filter did not block it, not to worry.They told us spam was not worth paying attention to.They said they did not mind links to porn etc, as long as it was not an image on the board and there was a warning. Basically, they told us not to bother moderating the boards and leave it up to the admins. Then they banned chappy and demodded me and who knows whom else.If you check the Whoson , there are rarely any moderators logged in anymore.Yes, mods had tools on the boards, and there were other tools which lots of us used so we could find out more than you would think we can and match up phoney accounts easily and trace through a proxy to the real IP etc. But they do not seem to want that any more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 From what I saw over there before I got smart and moved here,there are a few Mods with real attitude issues. I'm not sure that any of them are crazy enough to troll or spam their own boards but you never know! I just wouldn't be surprised at anything.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Well I know for a fact one of the OT Mods got one of the younger ones to PM all the tech help and a few Mods and others that are popular people with Cartoon Porn.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Keith my friend,I hope you're kidding but I know you're not. A sad state of affairs!<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Actually he is not.This was one of the first attempts to find a reason to demod me. They caught Zorro in the trap. I got a scolding for telling people how to block PMs from specific users and telling folks to add this individual to their blocked list. I also got falsely accused of banning people I did not ban and failing to document it by one of the senior mods; but despite the claim that it was backed up by server logs they could not produce them and dropped it when I would not quit.Finally they just demodded me without giving me the chance to quit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted September 3, 2005 Report Share Posted September 3, 2005 Wow, Pete,How sad!!! Because those actions make so little sense, do you know of any reason why they did all that? Was it to make the boards "fun and hip" for the kids, or to force the "old TTV folks" out, or to make the boards such a mess that G4 could justify shutting them down? Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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