Multiple User Accounts

Basically, I think they're a really bad idea, more often not incondusive to the general atmosphere of the place, and should be discouraged if not banned. I'm not sure if it's board policy already, but if it then is it's not implemented very well from what I can see as a user (as opposed to a mod/admin who probably knows something of what is going on 'behind the scenes').

While some people's alter-egos/parodies are sometimes quite amusing, I think peoples various pseudonyms mostly dillute the boards and can lead to mistrust. I've found myself feeling somewhat inhibited or reluctant to give advice to someone who appears to be a Newbie, as have been a large influx of people creating multiple user accounts, and basically wasting peoples time.

I understand that there are situations whereby a different account can be useful for people, such as asking something/admitting something they'd be afraid to ask/admit using their regular username and the persona they have attached to it. On another community I sometimes use I created a second account to 'anonymously' post a mental health/relationships query,, as I didn't want people I know from the board offline and online to know such detail, which seems a bit silly now given that it's an anything goes place and there's a significant minority of folks with mental/emotional issues in this particular community, many of which worse than myself or anyone else here.

Anyway I digress. Yeah, so I think second user accounts should be generally 'discouraged' ('banned' is a strong word and will only make certain quarters more troublesome and likely to create daft multiple accounts), other than in exceptional circumstances such as a regular member feeling embarassed about having something associated with them, and creating an account to resolve this one issue, which I imagine (know) some people do.

Thoughts/yay or nays?

I haven't witnessed anyone with multiple accounts. (Accept me, I made a second one while I was banned ).

[Concept]

While I personally don't see the point of multiple accounts, there are a number of issues that would need to be resolved.

One is the technical aspect. If you were to make sure only one account could be used for each user, then you'd need to probably to make it IP applicable, and many people use dynamic IPs, which means they'd potentially be able to sign up for another account regardless (this could be done from an alternative ISP anyway). How would you go about regulating people only use single accounts? Get them to provide certain registration details that would have to be clarified? (this would turn away a huge number of potential users).

Two, people aren't always on the forums. They may forget the email they signed up with, and if they lose their password, they may need to sign up again. Sometimes people want to start over completely anew, which means they may open a second account not for purposes of parody, but for that they want a fresh beginning.

Originally Posted by Concept

One is the technical aspect. If you were to make sure only one account could be used for each user, then you'd need to probably to make it IP applicable, and many people use dynamic IPs, which means they'd potentially be able to sign up for another account regardless (this could be done from an alternative ISP anyway). How would you go about regulating people only use single accounts? Get them to provide certain registration details that would have to be clarified? (this would turn away a huge number of potential users).

I'm no techie so I've no great idea how (if?) it could be done anyway, which is why I used the word 'discouraged' ('frowned upon'?), though this would rely upon people's good nature and sincerity.

:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Concept

Two, people aren't always on the forums. They may forget the email they signed up with, and if they lose their password, they may need to sign up again. Sometimes people want to start over completely anew, which means they may open a second account not for purposes of parody, but for that they want a fresh beginning.

If they forget their password I'm sure they can get it reset easily. And as for starting again, that of course can be a good thing (open to abuse with people who have been banned though). I reregistered using my real name as I felt comfortable enough to use it, but had info in my sig saying so for the first month or so.

I don't expect anything will be done even if it is technically possible, just something I'd been thinking about and wondered what others thought of it's advantages/drawbacks etc.

[Concept]

I agree with it in principle. On another forum I used to frequent, one of the members there comitted suicide, and a few weeks later, an absolute f**kwit signed up as him and started spamming the place. Behaviour like that, or troll-ish behaviour via multiple accounts should be stopped, but there are bound to be more acceptable reasons for people sometimes needing them.

Re: the password thing. What I meant was that sometimes people forget their email address, and that means if they forget their password along with that (say from not having used the site for a long time), then the new password will be sent to a place they can't access. Hence the reason they may need to open up a second account.

As for the other issues you mention... then yes, I'm in agreement on the discouragement policy. Forum conversation can be confusing enough as it is without people jumping from one identity to the next.

I don't like multiple accounts, It's hard to keep track of who you are talking to (but may be thats why they do ), I sometimes think these accounts are purely used to cause upset, I think it would be impossible to stop people who register more than once, You would have to check every single isp address (I think) but it will be interesting to see what anne has to say on the matter.

I can understand people who wish to have a new start on the boards changing their identity, or having a second user name for things they cant post under the normal name, but on the whole people seem to abuse the system for their own ends and stir things up.

[Paul]

There is some measure to prevent multiple users. But if the person is remorseful enough they could always get round them.

How come people are getting banned from this forum of all places? What are they doing?

[anne123456]

In a practical sense, it's pretty much impossible to prevent this (unless we had a very tough registration procedure which would scare many new people). We could make it more difficult to register a second username but there a few reasons not to do this. First, anyone sharing a computer with another SAUK poster would have problems. Second, there are valid reasons people have for changing their username or creating a new identity. Third, it would be easy to get around if your aim was to cause trouble and you knew just a bit about computers. We do warn people who we discover using a new username simply for causing problems and ban the new username, but it's all done manually by tracing IP addresses. If something like what you describe happened, concept, the fake username and the 'real' user would be banned as soon as possible.
Anne