META - Anyone else having trouble with a ridiculous number of troll accounts?

Submitted by SoDak Blues on

This has really gotten out of hand. The last three days alone has seen RollaFatty, Too Busy, and a number of other super new accounts that are here for one reason alone: trolling the board and calling out specific board members. I know the mods have a really difficult time with all the content, but other than adding morons to the mod action sticky, not feeding them and downvoting the hell out of these idiots, is there anything that can be done behind the scenes to ban IP's, etc... It's getting out of hand. 

Instead of losing work productivity to football content, snark and humor, I am now forced to wade through this shit. Any thoughts from the smarter tech crowd. I miss my MGoBlog.

 

MGoBoard

LSAClassOf2000

December 12th, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^

The last two days in particular have been....well....

 

In all seriousness though, I would submit to more stringent account setup criteria in a minute, especially since you can clearly fudge things like e-mail address and other items. I like the idea of needing a phone number which can be verified, as someone mentioned above. You could at least associate the number with a habitual offender.

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130634

SoDak Blues

December 12th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^

LSA, I imagine you probably have more important things to do all day long (work, although I am clearly being productive right now at my job) than peruse the board for asshats. The mod action sticky works in time, but some of these new users are pretty awful and should get the banhammer immediately (i.e. the dude dropping the n-bomb all over the place yesterday). Thanks for the efforts, I am sure MGoBlog is paying you handsomely!

Joined: 09/24/2015

MGoPoints: 17693

trueblueintexas

December 12th, 2017 at 2:25 PM ^

Is this one of those stings where they post something about trolls to get them all to post and once they are rounded up we ban them? If so, cool!!! 

Ok, ok, everyone quiet now and wait for the trolls to show up. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36653

StephenRKass

December 12th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^

I really don't get trolls, but I am all for doing something about them. Here here!!

And FTR, there are some people who have the 1 million negative points who aren't really trolls. They just were too exuberant in their anger about Michigan's loss (unacceptable!! Fire Harbaugh!! Things must change!! This is Michigan!!  . . . . all that crap.)

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23001

mGrowOld

December 12th, 2017 at 2:45 PM ^

Wanna stop the bullshit?  Dox any user who decides to create a troll account like the onslaught we've had recently.  Get the phone number and do a text verification to have a profile and if people go after users like some asshole has been doing with WD recently post the fucking thing for all to see.

That would stop the problem dead in its tracks.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 212943

PopeLando

December 12th, 2017 at 2:51 PM ^

I would bet, heavily, that the majority of troll accounts are 1-3 people who think this is funny and are willing to put in the time and effort, and 3-5 more who came here from Mlive and thought, "hey, I'm comfortable in a message board environment with trolls"

Joined: 08/01/2015

MGoPoints: 68296

username03

December 12th, 2017 at 3:48 PM ^

I must have been given special privileges because I am free to ignore anything and everything that I don't like. I suggest you speak to the mods to see if you can have access to these same privileges. Seems much easier.

Joined: 02/12/2016

MGoPoints: 14529

Vivz

December 12th, 2017 at 6:24 PM ^

I get the concern with trolls, however all of the suggestions to limit new users seem very NIMBY. Even if it limits trolls waiting a month to post would limit new readers and users from becoming regulars. The trolls who want to will find a way around whatever limitation is created.

Joined: 12/14/2010

MGoPoints: 1213

Bubba

December 12th, 2017 at 9:42 PM ^

There is a major phony in this board who stole my avatar. Sadly, the only way to rid us from that troll ia to mandate an @umich.edu email address.

Joined: 12/18/2013

MGoPoints: -357