Someone left a nasty message as a correction to one of my quizzes. It's not really a correction and it's quite rude, even though there are no swear words. What should I do? --Robyn

The editors see every correction notice that a player sends to another player (I'm not sure if everyone realizes that - perhaps we'd have fewer rude comments if they did!)

Just to make sure that the matter is taken care of, though, please send a copy of the message to the editor of the category that your quiz is in. This will draw additional attention to it and make sure to get the matter resolved.

Quizzyland people, remember that rudeness is NOT tolerated there - just as it's not tolerated here in the forums. Accounts can, and have, been deleted for such things. Gunslinger and the editors do NOT look favorably on people who choose to be rude and disrespectful in Quizzyland. It's a family place. You never know if the rude correction you're sending may be going to a child who has created his or her first quiz over there. BE POLITE AND RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS.

Just wanted to let you all know that the culprit was kicked out of Quizzyland! Good riddance. I was wondering, though: what stops such a person from coming back under an alias? --Robyn

Yes that's true. If someone's rude and gets fired of Funtrivia, he/she may very well come back with another ID and password. I doubt there is any way to prevent them from coming back, but I hope they can learn the lesson that way.

No, we can't prevent "bad eggs" from returning with a new ID, but if they continue to be rude, they will just get kicked off again.

We can also log IP addresses, which sometimes can help us tell if a culprit has resurfaced.

Concerning the logging of IP addresses,,,I can understand why a site might want to calculate statistics on visits and what pages are viewed,,,,but I believe that IP addresses should never be used to identify someone personally unless a security breach requires such an investigation,,,,,

I am confused by the statement made regarding this....

Moonrockie, no one is identified personally. In other words, no one is associating the IP Address with an actual human. Nor, do we find out where you are logging on from or any other such information.

What Cris is talking about is realizing that the IP Address for New Account1 bears a really strong resemblance to the Deleted Account1 that was removed yesterday for improper behavior in Quizzyland. It's one way of noticing that a person is coming back in under a new name.

The use of IP Addresses has no hidden or sinister meaning at FT. Perhaps other sites use them differently or in a manner that breaches personal security. But, you can rest assured that no one is using them for ill-gain here. Nor, will they ever be passed around to any other source - and that includes within FT itself.

Thank you, Linda.
I felt like someone had to ask,,,and since I have somewhat of a reputation for being the one to ask about clarifying privacy issues ,,well,,,now we all know!!
Thanks again

Although this is nothing whatsoever to do with FunTrivia it is worth a mention as it concerns IP addresses. Last week a man in our Island was fined in the Court for posting homophobic comments on a Board similar to this, his IP address was used to trace him. I find it gratifying to know that certain people can be traced by the police, it isn't so much a case of privacy, more of security..... I don't see why some people should be able to hide from people in authority.

That is both comforting an unnerving. I find it comforting that people can be trace, but that could lead to trouble.

Both my mother and I have used the same computer to log onto the Funtrivia site. It would never happen, but if my mother was causing trouble.

I find it a little frightening that the authorities could come knocking on my door for something she, or anyone else who has used my computer, has done. It is not as if we have different handwritings, or different voices. We used the same website and have the same IP number.

Scary.

An Internet Protocol (IP) number is assigned to an individual computer each time you log on to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). It is not usually identical each time (unless you have DSL or other 'always connected' service, such as a corporate server.) The IP # normally consists of 4 sets of numbers, separated by a dot, e.g. xxx.xxx.xxx.xx. Excluding 'always-on' accounts, the number is assigned at random from a bloc assigned to your dial-up ISP. It is likely that the first two, or three, sets will be the same most of the time, excepting perhaps in times of heavy traffic at your ISP, when you may get a completely different number assigned for that session.

Although Administrators can view IP #'s of all members logged on at any time, and Moderators can view these numbers in their assigned forums only, no other personnel can see these.

The only trace that can be made to an individual computer is by your ISP, and then to their account name only. FunTrivia personnel cannot identify a terminal at all, nor would we want or accept that responsibility or liability.

Presumably (and hopefully), your ISP has in place the appropriate security procedures for protecting your identity from unauthorized access. In most cases it takes a court order or subpoena to have that data produced for law enforcement purposes. It behooves you, the individual account owner, to check with your own ISP for their 'Statement of Privacy', which should be posted in some easy-to-reach place on your access board.

To us, as to other websites, an IP # is simply a nameless, faceless, locationless number; its only connection is to your screenname, and then only by the personnel stated above. It is useful to us only as a 'ban' device, i.e. if a particularly troublesome person is locked out by screenname and keeps returning as another name, the significant IP string can also be banned from the site.

Apropos to the above, should you receive, in logging on, a notice that your IP number is banned, it's likely that your ISP has slotted you into a string that has a 'ban' order. If you know of no reason why you should be banned, the simple solution is to log off completely from your ISP, wait a minute or two, then re-logon and try it again. The likelihood is that you encountered one of those odd assigned numbers in a time of heavy ISP traffic, as I indicated above, and a new logon, with another assigned number, should clear it up. It happens - I found myself 'banned' one day. Just sign off and log on again. If the situation persists, of course, send me an e-mail message to my listed address in my profile above. I'll make an adjustment so that your problem will go away. (If, of course, you're banned and you know why, forget the e-mail.

Gunslinger,,,Thank you for taking the time to explain in more detail how IP logging works.
Sometimes 'broad statements' given in posts need clarification,,,not only for myself, but for all of the community members.

We have a fantastic, caring group of moderators here,,,Indeed!

...moonrockie.

I suppose it's useful to think of the use of these things to protect the site and the members rather than to intrude on anyone's privacy.
These measures are reserved for occurences where they are truly warranted.
If you feel comfortable here, there's a reason.
I've traveled around the net from the beginning, and there aren't many places like it.

robyn, I am glad your culprit was given the boot. They had no right to vent whatever was wrong with them on you. I appreciate you helping them on their way. That is one the rest of us will not have to come "face to face with" so to speak.

Linda! You gave me a scare there! I thought you'd had another one! I immediately invoked the old family joke "get the gun Clem we can git em all"
Sorry, that would make my brothers and sister laugh so hard!
Well folks, I just saw a few in my capacity as editor and I think that some subjects seem to bring out the worst in people! Sheesh!
If I see another Beatles quiz or maybe Tolkien where people act so rude, I'll jump up and down!
It all goes against the spirit of the quiz in question too.

Heather, I feel like that any courteous correction notice, even if there is no error in my quiz, is worthy of a polite reply. But what about what I call Nonsense corrections from a player? You know like, "this question is too easy". What can you say? I just hit it in as nothing wrong and delete it, because really, what may be easy for one could be very hard for another. Silly, really, don't you think?