What to do with users who ARE rude.

I've been here 7.5 years and have been playing chess at dozens of sites online for 18 years. Most sites are far, far less moderated - and generally more open to abuse - than here.  In all that time, I've reported one individual who was making death threats (that was here, not too long ago).  His account would be deleted and an hour/day  later he would resurface with a new account and continue harrassing me, both here in the forums and through private messages. Chess.com probably deleted 30 of his accounts until he finally grew tired of it all and went away.  The point is, he couldn't be stopped and, really, his words, while annoying, amounted to nothing.

One problem with any system that punishes people is that it also incites escalation.  A short while back, chess.com revamped the forum rules, giving that which had been previously moderated nearly free reign in an isolated area (Off-Topic).  This was partly because certain moderation and punishment escalated things and caused loads of problems. 

Another thing is that, at least to me, words themselves aren't as big a deal as ideas. It may be possible to target words, though only in a limited way, but you can't filter ideas, prejudice or hate.  So you're left with the already-in-place method of reporting or submitting tickets.  How this is done will possibly change somewhat when v3 is released.

Solutions are often counter-productive, so they should be implemented cautiously.

Deducting ELO points is a bad idea as ELO measures relative playing strength not manners so in effect you would be penalizing lower rated players as they lose to the now underrated offender.

You want a computer algorithm to ban players?  Can you not just turn off your wall and chat functions?  Why deprive me of potentially angry people to laugh at and block?

I'm very sorry to hear that And sorry for my comment before you seem like a very nice person. 

But as you said he finally grew tired. On another site with less restrictions he might never have grown tired. 

I agree that you should be cautious when setting rules. In another forum about soccer I got banned because I critisized in an objective way our own team. That wasn't aproved of and they thought I was a troll that only wanted to create chaos. I thought that was completely ridicolous and that the administrators were facists. I'm all for taking out the trash but first you have to recognize it, and not state that anyone that contradicts you is trolling or abusing. 

I still think that this name-calling in this place is so common that a report-button is missing next to the block button. They wouldn't need to look at guys that just get one report, but maybe those that get 5 or 10 as I said earlier. 

Well once in a while you do get fun or nice stuff on your wall. If I had to turn it off I would miss those...some stuff are just teasing. I can handle that and even enjoy it.

About the ELO-points thing that is nothing new or avoidable. Every newly registred user will get an under-rating to begin with.

However if you banned an account of a repetitive offender, he might have to create a new email as well in order to register again, and start from scratch to get a good rating again. Too much work and and hopefuly he'll grow tired.

I agree with you to a point but, I would always be leary of someone threatening someone's life. There is a reason it isn't just against the rules, it is illegal also. It is written that, from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. If someone is threatening to kill you, even if they may chicken out when push comes to shove, or they don't have the know how or means to follow through with their desire, the bottom line for me is that they desire it. While words can be or seem empty, people usually feel more free to tell you how they honestly feel or what they'd like to get away with, while online.

If they are silent about it, that doesn't make me feel much better. That is why I a huge proponent of sites needing to not only ensure your privacy but, also should have more liberties by law, to be able to ban IP's and mac addresses, without affecting the innocent.

I am not completely happy with the Chess.com privacy settings either. They can become a tool for abusers too. They can say horrible things to you, after they have blocked you and then they got the last laugh, the final word and left you feeling like a caged cat.

Personally, I would rather know we all express what we really feel free to say but,  while none of us have any power to do more than talk or ignore. At least we had freedom of speech and expression through it all and know exactly what we think of each other.

I don't like being censored by anyone. The people who have done it to me here were arrogant, self serving individuals who can't handle any criticism, who also refuse to give any accountability, though they expect it from everyone else, or they are disrespected. Some of them think their education affords them this luxury, and yet haven't learned that there is a certain type of respect that can't be earned and the type that is, is only done so through reciprocity. I would still like to feel free to give such individual my address or tell them they can go #@@# themselves, if I choose. That is better than me seething over it for days or someone worse than I ever thought about being, plotting far more devious things.

If you have read this and have felt I contradicted myself in saying that I don't think people should be able to say whatever and need banned but, yet I want to be explicit with people, it is a fair point with it's own merits but, it doesn't address the fact that the current method of dealing with problem gives the abuser more rights than the abused. Until this changes, I probably will seem to be contradicting myself. People get confused at what equal rights are. They aren't a gaurantee for the opportunity to do what is right and wrong equally. They are the opportunity for people to do what is right without being discriminated against. If I have to do what is considered wrong to ensure my freedoms amid discrimination, so be it.

                 There's only so much that a chess site can do. You have international laws, cyber laws, privacy laws. Even in employment you can't say WHY a peson was fired anymore.  There is a case before the Supreme Court now about weather threats on line are prosecutable.

Did someone suggest "blocking" yet?

be rude and offensive and insult everyone. that is the Ultimate Solution. Mutual Assured Derision

So I can sue a tornado?

Please don't give the lawyers any ideas!!

We already have laws in place here in the uk to deal with online abuse.

View this link for an example.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/twitter-trolls-isabella-sorley-and-john-nimmo-jailed-for-abusing-feminist-campaigner-caroline-criadoperez-9083829.html

I was advised by chess.com staff to contact the police... but can you imagine what a time-consuming and ultimately fruitless endeavor that would be?  I think it's hard enough to get the police invovled with a real live stalker let alone a virtual one.

I just unplug myself from the system.

Screw the Man ! 

shhhh.... let's keep that between just the two of us....

Go acoustical!

Me too!

It is THE country, baby. 

Insulting, perhaps. Accurate, unlikely.

I'm certain I recently played a game against the stupides player on Chess.com. And, it wasn't you.

Sounds racist. I will do it ! lol

Well, I wasn't going to mention any names. But.....