Obvious disruptor thread? You can make mods job easier.

[Kurovski]

There were a good number of disruptors last night, some of whom made it to posting their own threads.

While the disruptors were tombstoned, the twisted threads remained for some time after. In regards to that, SoCalDem posted something I was not aware of: The more responses to that thread, the longer it takes to remove the offending thread.

It just doesn't pay to respond to the thread of an obvious disruptor.
I will never again respond to one of those threads.

It could happen again tonight, due in part to a negative column about DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=112564#112999

Anyone else want to sign the pledge? I will hit the alert, I will not respond.

That's my pledge, no matter how tickled I may be by my own ability to respond. It makes a mods job more difficult.

[mhr]

1. I Always Alert

eom

[purduejake]

2. I'm on.

[tcfrogs]

3. I was wondering about that too

I just hit alert when I see them already. Why even bother responding, is my opinion.

That's odd that it takes longer to delete the thread if has more responses, but that's not my issue.

[Rex]

4. Good idea.

nt

[bear425]

5. I'm in for this method.

It's what I do already. Good post - worth reminding us that it's not worth it to argue with insanity.

[mike_c]

6. never never never feed the freepers....

When will people learn? Hit alert. The mod is your friend.

[jdots]

7. yes good idea

the best thing to do to freeper disruptors is ignore the crap out of them,no one can post brains into one of them,I felt bad the first time I hit alert but help the mods out.

[hfojvt]

8. all that jumping around is making me dizzy

Threads within threads and links to columns.
What is an obvious disruptor? I am somewhat disconcerted that people respond not to the issues being discussed, but are rather offended by a user-name itself. Really, are there no Democrats who believe that "Jesus saves"?
I felt like I needed a shower after reading Bower's column. Bush will be remembered like FDR and Reagan, he wrote. Well, Stalin, Hitler, and Genghis Khan are quite well remembered too, but not for anything good (except perhaps Ted Rall's cartoon contrasting Hitler to Bush).

[Kurovski]

10. An obvious disruptor thread

uses clearly sexual imagery linked to Democratic leaders, some read like this: WERE BEENG STUPID!!BUSH WON!!!!, and similar threads posted in rapid succession.

Stay up late enough, and believe me, you/ll know one when you see it.

[uppityperson]

9. I've hit alert several times but nothing happens. Will cont to try

maybe they need enough people to alert or perhaps I have a reputation? I will try to not respond and let the thread die.

[yorkdane]

11. I did

the alert and will do so again! Thank you for the suggestion not to respond because I did not know it took longer to delete a thread with many responses.

[fujiyama]

30. Welcome to DU!

:hi: :toast:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

12. Thank you!!!!

Last night I woke up The Magistrate, who'd gone to bed shortly before the troll attack, because the threads were proliferating by the minute. I really hesitated to do it but people were freaking out in several forums and I didn't know if other mods were around.

His job was made that much harder by lounge threads inviting people to fight with the troll. As a result he was up for quite awhile cleaning up the wreckage.

I have read posts critical of mod response time, as if these volunteers are on the clock and owe some accountability to other members. Well, screw that attitude. Members have the the power to take responsibility for their own DU experience. We can do it with alert, ignore and hidden thread. Everyone knows what happens when you give trolls attention, but some can't control themselves. IMO they share responsibility with the disruptors.

The upshot is, that is the one and only time I'm going to ruin anyone's sleep to deal with something that is not life-threatening. It's. Just. A. Troll.

Thank you again, Kurovski.

[Kurovski]

13. The problem if the threads remain

out in the open is that if the trolls are here because of a column that claims DU is a vile place, we will likely also have other reasonable people checking the place out.

If they see the repulsive thread titles, they will agree that it certainly is a vile place. We can't be assured that everyone will understand that it is an attack.

You're welcome, SheWhoMustBeObeyed. With that name of yours, how can we be sure you're not Condi Rice infiltrating DU? :-)

[The Magistrate]

15. You May Take My Word For That, Mr. Kurovski

Your advice is good, Sir. The fewer responses to these idiots, the less joy they will get out of the exercise, and the easier it is for us to deal with it.

[ultraist]

18. I'll use this as an opportunity to say...

I think the mods are doing a great job!

:toast:

Thanks!

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

16. The thing is, the threads did not remain.

Few are more aware of DU's reputation than the mods, and few work more diligently to maintain it. But lack of self-control by members only makes that harder to do.

That column, BTW, ran in a little suburban rag that services relatively small communities near Chicago. I doubt that many people, reasonable or otherwise, were exposed to it, much less motivated to check out DU.

To suggest I'm Condi Rice is positively Rovian of you. :) However my ID isn't a general directive but a reference to Rumpole of the Bailey, in which Leo Kern portrays a magistrate.

[Kurovski]

25. The newspaper

covers 54 Chicago suburbs with a combined population of more than 929,809. The figures were derived from the 2000 census.

[The Magistrate]

26. Its Circulation Is Minor, Sir

It is a fragment of an old chain of neighborhood newspapers, mostly bought for their want adds and coverage of school sports and local society events, as well as help wanted ads.

[muriel_volestrangler]

32. Rumpole 'a magistrate'? Shame on you

Rumpole is a lawyer (barrister in the English terminology - courtroom only) - and he always defends ;-) Rumpole is anti-establishment, in his own old-fashioned way.

As you probably know, the Rumpole use is itself a reference to the Ridder Haggard stories of "She Who Must Be Obeyed" - the queen deep in Africa.

[Anakin Skywalker]

14. I Never Could Get to Them

anyway. Every time I see a disruptor's thread, it has been wiped. Maybe I just don't hang here for enough hours each day. :(
Would be fun to read what the wingdings have to say.

[VelvetMonkeyWrench]

17. Why not do this...

Create a new "Trolls(for entertainment purposes only)" section and move them there. I would presume moving something to a different section isn't as labor intensive as erasing it bit by bit.

Once identified as such, the shock value is lost and they truly can become entertainment. ;->

[Tigress DEM]

41. I LIKE IT!

And if it makes less work for our hard suffering moderators - here here! :toast: :party:

[BrklynLiberal]

19. Never argue with an idiot. Bystanders may not be able to tell you apart.

There is no up side to responding to troll threads.

[Tigress DEM]

42. ROFL

[Stephanie]

20. NO! I am a "little Ceaucescu"

So if dumbass comes around to discuss my statement, I am going to chime in!

[Kurovski]

21. Your fame has made you brazen!

:-)

[Stephanie]

22. Yes!

I am famous in grocery stores in suburban Chicago! If shoppers there want to fight me, I will fight!

[Randi_Listener]

23. Sounds like a fucking good idea to me

I'm in.

[understandinglife]

24. Alert & snooze -- works for me (nt)

Peace.

[psychopomp]

27. Please do NOT feed the trolls!

Tried and true statement; just hit alert and let the mods do their part to keep DU freeper free!

[AuntiBush]

28. Thank you for the headsup. I will not respond again.

Thanks. Haven't a lot of experince at this. So, I thank you. You're right! Why would we want to respond to them.

Ignore and they go away. Don't give them what they want!

[LibertyorDeath]

29. I am the KING of the Alert button......but.....

every once and a while I respond just long enough to point out the obvious that "they"

are completely Rightarded sheeple devoid of critical thought.

[Skittles]

31. I always hit alert and I'm good at immediately sniffing out a troll

unfortunately like a bad police dog I cannot seem to stop myself from taking a nip at them

[dbt]

33. I always hit "alert" and THEN

I post a warm message welcoming them to DU and hoping that they enjoy their stay. It's soul-satisfyingly cruel, somehow. Especially when they thank me.

:evilgrin:

34. I must be blind...

I cannot find an "alert button." I thought maybe I just had too few posts to be given this option but see that other low-posters have claimed to use the option last night.
Can someone clue me in?
Thanks.

[tyedyeto]

35. Click where it says 'alert' on the bottom left of each post...

And a hearty welcome to DU.

39. thanks.

my addled brain looked EVERYWHERE but lower left!

[iconoclastNYC]

36. IDEA: After 10, you can't post more then 2 new threads a day until...

You reach 100 posts.

It was silly how the guy could just keep posting new threads with only 10 posts.

Or how about making the system automatically shut down someone's ability to post if they get more than 3 alerts in a 1 hour time frame.

They could modify the PHP they run this site on to make this harder to disrupt. I think they should! :)

[Arkana]

37. Mods certainly were on that one guy last night

like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat. It was kinda sad to see this guy thinking he can stir up trouble by slurring Barack Obama and slamming Robert Byrd.

[Goldmund]

38. I hate pledges.

[Tigress DEM]

40. I alerted this one.... but I admit. I put up posts too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=118&topic_id=101717#101725

Crazy peaceniks purporting all out gun control since 1994?

My posts hopefully tell people this isn't a real thread even if the mods don't shut it down.

Who is this Skippythewunderdog? He's got over 1000 posts?

[flaminbats]

43. What a thoughtful and noble gesture this is..

I only respond to posts which interest me. I only post subjects of interest in related forums, which are not being discussed.

I spend far more time reading at DU than posting, often leaving without posting my opinions. DU is one means of freedom I have from the endless waves of mind-numbing corporate dementia. If I pledged my loyalty or policed the opinions of others, then DU would have no rewards for me. :thumbsdown:

[Kurovski]

44. That's fine,

But if you should ever have the memorable misfortune to read a disruptor's pornographic post, replete with pedophilia and incest, about someone you admire--whose death occurred mere hours prior to the post--please, do come find me and let us revisit the subject of "policing others" and "nobility."

Pardon the run-on sentence.

[AnnInLa]

45. Your original post was on the 15th, and today is the 17th,

and I noticed many disruptor threads yesterday, with ANWR and Gannon/Guckert question in House.

On days when DU should be celebrating together with a "win"....when something hopeful happens for our side, there suddenly appears many topics that traditionally divide us.

On days when DU should be uniting in purpose and lamentation over bad news (ANWR, Bankruptcy Bill)....there suddenly appears many topics that traditionally divide us.

Many of the posters who introduce these topics have over 1,000 posts to their credit, but seem absolutely determined to introduce topics that have no basis in factual, political news, but are just opinions...and designed to attract DUer away from political threads where we would be united in thought and belief.

For example,the Nancy Grace threads are interesting, and I post in them myself, but we should ask ourselves why these topics are being introduced on certain days.

[WoodrowFan]

46. awwwwwwwwwwwwww

but i LIKE poking trolls with a stick!