Forum Manipulation

[Astralsomnia]

Something I've noticed frequently on this forum is account manipulation. I'm not necessarily talking about alts here, just groups of people who will back each other up and give the false illusions that can create biases for those reading. I most often see this in the reports section, but sometimes I can see this elsewhere on the forums. If someone doesn't have a large network, it can make reporting those that do difficult because all of their friends or faction mates will retaliate with group manipulation techniques.

 

Examples I've seen are:

* A bunch of people reacting to their friends' posts on a report, despite not being related to the event at all (even if said friend was reported for a clear violation!)

* A group of friends all reporting someone at the same time for the same event or nitpicks about another, then claiming this person has a lot of reports against them

* A faction basically raiding a post with overwhelming opinions to back up their friend, when they would otherwise not care about a post.

 

Its easy to see when this happens (simply checking reactions or similar posts you can count how many of them are connected in some way,) but there should be a rule against it, or limiting it. The player reports section already limits posters in any forum to only those involved, but people still find ways around that to support their friends regardless of who's right or wrong. If possible, I would suggest removing reactions from the player reports section entirely to help keep things unbiased. There also needs to be a rule against a group of friends all making individual reports at the same time about the same event, even if multiple rules were broken. As for other forms of manipulation, such as one faction invading a forum post, I'm not entirely sure how a rule preventing that should be worded or enforced, given its not always manipulation just because someone posts on a thread their friend has posted in.

[blanco leopardo]

Yeah, quit having friends. Fuck the homies. 

[2 time]

I hate it when my enemigas like my ops posts!!!!!!!!!!

[Son of Peleus]

No friends allowed!

[Mittoka]

💀

[parkin lot pimpin]

worlds gone soft

s/o all the opps who like unrelated reports against me...... love

[mana]

it's just a forum board groove 

 

[delux]

excuse me what? s/o to all my homies. @blanco leopardo we still friends?

[blanco leopardo]

1 minute ago, delux said:

excuse me what? s/o to all my homies. @blanco leopardo we still friends?

considering the following idea, we need to cease all communication (i cannot upvote your comment)

[delux]

Just now, blanco leopardo said:

considering the following idea, we need to cease all communication (i cannot upvote your comment)

I just did. Get me banned now