Underage Neoboarders & Discussion of Neoboard problems.

[o_0]

o_0, did you type anything "wrong" on the Neoboards or anything with it? Or did you just create, then report?

Because that's some solid evidence of freezing without looking...

I hope you did it on another IP address than your normal account would be played on, because they could freeze all the accounts on your IP address.

xD I did not do anything with it, not even create a pet.

And, yes, I did use a different IP address.

[everconfused]

Now that was a great experiment! I hope it doesn't come back to bite you is all. Someone told me, and I don't know if this is true (technically challenged here), that any site that uses java and/or flash can "see" past a proxy IP to the real one (if that's the way you did this).

But I find it interesting that this happened. That you just were able to ask people to report, they did and BAM frozen. Sure doesn't sound like anything was actually looked at now does it?

Wishes they had enough monitors/staff so stuff like this didn't happen. Someone I used to know and had a great deal of respect for (was a super person, honest player) was massed then frozen for ab'ing. The crime? They rs'ed a T-Tear and the other rs'ers who didn't get it in time got mad, got jealous, got spiteful.

[o_0]

Now that was a great experiment! I hope it doesn't come back to bite you is all. Someone told me, and I don't know if this is true (technically challenged here), that any site that uses java and/or flash can "see" past a proxy IP to the real one (if that's the way you did this).

But I find it interesting that this happened. That you just were able to ask people to report, they did and BAM frozen. Sure doesn't sound like anything was actually looked at now does it?

Wishes they had enough monitors/staff so stuff like this didn't happen. Someone I used to know and had a great deal of respect for (was a super person, honest player) was massed then frozen for ab'ing. The crime? They rs'ed a T-Tear and the other rs'ers who didn't get it in time got mad, got jealous, got spiteful.

Yes, that's why I always disable Java. If there is a Java application, it can see past your proxy.

And, yes, I remember the T-Tear incident. e.e

[Morningstar]

But I find it interesting that this happened. That you just were able to ask people to report, they did and BAM frozen. Sure doesn't sound like anything was actually looked at now does it?

EC, that was one of the major arguments I threw at TNT when my daughter's account was frozen in December, 2003 after giving away gifts on the chat boards. I stated that it was pretty obvious that a staff person had not even read my daughter's posts and, instead, had simply relied on the report of another user, who had lied and said that my daughter was scamming (because the little smurf was jealous of my daughter's account and generous spirit). And, the staff person who replied pretty much admitted that to be the case. He stated that due to the number of posts versus the number of monitors, a monitor could not look at each and every post made.

Though if you ask me, they should--it should be a required act before hitting the freezing button.

Time for a new system, TNT (if any of you are lurking about).

[Huggles]

I think we've endured their guilty until proven popular enough for us to care system long enough. I'd rather for the next 5 years, if they continue to forget that warnings and suspensions exist, that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Crazy concept ain't it?

[Morningstar]

I think we've endured their guilty until proven popular enough for us to care system long enough. I'd rather for the next 5 years, if they continue to forget that warnings and suspensions exist, that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Crazy concept ain't it?

Oh, Huggles, what a radical concept!!!! *cough*

[o_0]

I think we've endured their guilty until proven popular enough for us to care system long enough. I'd rather for the next 5 years, if they continue to forget that warnings and suspensions exist, that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Crazy concept ain't it?

One of my Neopets friends was hacked and frozen. He was uniced the next day with all his items and NP returned.

Isn't that odd?

My guess is because he's "famous." If that had happened to me, I would've either been unfrozen without anything returned or not even uniced at all.

[_B4U_]

Well, now that I know that TNT was stupid enough to put mass-report-freezings on their neoboards, I am hereby never posting on the neoboards again. No avatar simon says, not even for quest help. I can wait however long it takes the quests topic here on PPT to respond.

Remind me again why I'm still going to this site?

Edit:

Note: the following is all theoretical blarbishness. DO NOT do anything described below.

You know, I was thinking, and I realized that a simple fansite such as this could easily turn TNT's stupid report system against them. Let's say the fansite, we'll call it... dumbpeople set a specific date, say February 29th. On that day, they set a time based on Neopets standard time, such as 1:23 PM. Around that time, they all go to their local public library and create new accounts. When the designated time comes, they go to the automatic submission form for reporting people. For the username to report, they type in "theneopetsteam," or "borovan," or "donna," or something like that. For the type of abuse, they select "Profanity, sexual or offensive content." For the location of the abuse, they select "Message Board."

First exploit of TNT's stupidity:
TNT provides a box for users to post the message they're reporting. They give users the text, but yet they allow users to edit it. If TNT were smart, they wouldn't allow users to edit it. But they're stupid. So dumbpeople pastes a pre-written message that they agreed on that contains extreme profanity.

Second exploit:
Since TNT allowed mass-report-freezings, dumbpeople simply gets a group of 30 or so to participate. All 30 report the staff member for the same message and bam - staff members get frozen.

NOTE: DO NOT DO ANY OF WHAT YOU JUST READ, EVEN AS A JOKE.

Does TNT = a group of complete idiots who don't know how to run a site and just keep showing it more and more? I think so.

Last edited by _B4U_ on Thu Jun 09, 2005 4:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Morningstar]

Remind me again why I'm still going to this site?

Because it is so horribly addictive? That's why I am still here. Yes, a proud member of Neoholics Anonymous. Cannot break the habit, despite family members' freezings and a multitude of points lost to glitches.

[_B4U_]

Remind me again why I'm still going to this site?

Because it is so horribly addictive? That's why I am still here. Yes, a proud member of Neoholics Anonymous. Cannot break the habit, despite family members' freezings and a multitude of points lost to glitches.

Actually the real reason is that I still have goals I'm working towards. (Faerie Moltenore, paint my draik maraquan, equip it with the gallion in my sdb & paint the gallion maraquan, beat nqii on evil, and I can't think of any others right now) Once I reach those goals, I will quit.

[Cranberry]

First exploit of TNT's stupidity:
TNT provides a box for users to post the message they're reporting. They give users the text, but yet they allow users to edit it. If TNT were smart, they wouldn't allow users to edit it. But they're stupid.

I thought this too. So I asked snarkie about it, and she said the monitors can see both the original post (which is included without the reporter's knowledge and cannot be changed) and whatever's in that edit-able box. They make it look like the person can edit it to catch out liars, and also so the reporter can add any extra info they need to give the post context. Now I know in some cases monitors don't bother to read everything and just freeze someone if they get enough reports, but they CAN see the original, untouched posts.

[Uchiha-Itachi]

i think its their choice if they wanna go on the neoboards if their underage or not..they do get parent permission

but it still is possible to lie about your age on the sign up form them dump urself on the neoboards saying ur 11 and stuff..and i dont htink TNT can do anything..

[Nani]

Hmm, alright, I didn't know that you could be on the neoboards if you were under 13 with parental permission... Though I seriously doubt any of them asked their parents. Still, pictures shouldn't be allowed.

Pictures certainly shouldn't be allowed. However, I think quite a few underage Neoboarders do have permission. I've had it since I was 11, though I'm now 13 and could use them anyhow. I'm sure there are many who signed up under fake ages, but it's probably not as many as it appears to be.

[Mongrel]

Why automatic freezing? Why not suspension for two weeks or until they review the supposed offense? And theoretically, does this mean Person A could have so many accounts that they could get Person B frozen just by reporting Person B on each account without help from anybody else?

[digitel_anime_fan_20]

Changes I think should be made to the neoboards/Moderators

Note: I fully acknowledge that the following ideas I will set forth are HIGHLY improbable, in the sense that TNT would probably never bother to take the steps needed to do something like this, as well as the shear size of the project. Even so, If I had full control over the neoboards and the moderating team, this is what I would do.

Step 1: Bring back the volunteer monitors.

Why? Several reasons. If TNT were to HIRE new moderators, I guarantee they would probably add and another ad-something no one wants. Another big reason is volunteer mods would not be doing there job for money-rather, because they want to keep the boards clean and on-topic, thus they want to their job WELL. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are members on the hired mod team that DO care about what they do, but a lot of them probably do the job simply for the money, and thus results a number of unfair freezings and warnings.

The easiest way to find good volunteer mods would be to have a many-step process, as well as qualifications they must meet. The accounts should be over one year old so the user is quite familiar with neopets, and the user must have no, to maybe one minor warning that was given, but no sooner than 6 months ago. (Minor may be something like, being reported for being off topic, it happens to the best of us for many reasons, if that’s ALL you’ve been reported for, that’s not to bad at all!) There should be an in-depth interview with the applicant, interviews with people in their guild, or perhaps if they are well known on a board, and interview with people from that board. I do not know if neopets stores all posts, but if possible, there should be a review of all posts made by the user. Also, a user cannot apply directly to be a mod-they need to be nominated by another user with the same qualifications that are stated above, thus the user who nominates them must also be a respectable user.

Precautions should be taken with these volunteer mods. The Vol. Mods. Can warn people, issue temporary bans, but cannot freeze accounts. Rather, they can send a request to a paid mod for the issue to be looked into.

Step 2: Changes to the neoboards

1. Sticky topics should be added to the neoboards with information concerning that individual board, and how that board works. The quest board for an example would have info on what you should do if you have a quest, also, perhaps the speed of the board should also be put somewhere. Slow speed means you don’t need to bump your topics very often, medium means the board moves at a good pace, and you may need to bump your post every few minutes if no one is answering. Fast means the board is VERY fast paced, and it may be a bit before you get an answer due to the sheer number of posters.
2. When a user first visits an individual board, they are re-directed to the stickyed post. They are then told they must read the post, and will then be quizzed on the post-if they do not get a decent amount right(say 50%, in all fairness) they cannot move onto the board, and are re-directed to the sticky post again. As an added incentive, you get np, the more questions you get right after the 50% mark, the more np you get. Top amount should be something like 200, enough to make newbies feel rich, if only for a little while. And yes, they can get the 200 on all board quizzes. (That’s why its only 200.)
3. The ability to mass lock, delete, and MOVE topics, plus the return of the general chat. Pleases don’t jump down my throat for that last one, let me explain. The new volunteer mods(There should be a lot of them, enough so there’s at least 5 on at an individual board at all times.) Are going to be the main watchers of the boards now, with the ability to move topics and active enforcement of the rules, neoboarders are much more likely to follow them. All reports are sent to another set of volunteer mods(Not those who are busy modding the forums) who then investigate it. A mod-only board would also be of use if they want to talk about a particular issue in an attempt to find the best way to resolve it. As for the return of the general chat It will be WELL modded, with strict rules as to what can be in it. I personally see nothing wrong with people talking about their daily life, but currently there is no correct board for people to do such without getting yelled at, or ruining another board. Plus, it would be much easier for the mods if anything that could be bad and against the rules is mostly contained in the general chat board.
4. If a mod thinks someone should be frozen, they then temp. ban the person, and send a report to the next level up, the hired mods. Now that these hired mods are not having to deal with the brunt of the force, not to mention the intermediary user-mods, the chances of false freezings fall drastically. The hired mods are more likely to take a good looksy at a report, before simply pressing the “freeze” key.



There probably is more that I think should be done, but I’ve been mulling over this for so long, and its tumbled around so much in my brain, some bits probably fell off somewhere…*shrugs*