kaz Student


Virtual Cash: 410
Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 91
Add Karma
 rated by 1 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 1:14 pm Post subject: http://countryways.myfreeforum.org |
|
|
We wish to make a complaint of constant forum and personal harassment against a number of members of http://countryways.myfreeforum.org
Below is a current thread on countryways.
http://countryways.myfreeforum.org/Email_Harrassment_about4889.html
It is one of numerous similar threads that have appeared on there over the last 12 months. Please take the time to look at it in it's entirety. This has gone way beyond any inter-forum squabble. We have totally ignored and failed to respond to anything that has been done or said about our forum during the last 12 months but enough is enough. On this thread members of our family have been openly accused of illegal activity (page 7) and four of our family members have been openly insulted (they start on our children on pages 8 - 9).
We do need help in this matter and hope that you feel that you can take some action regarding it.
The harassement of the forum has been constant for 12 months.
Please feel free to access our Staff Room at http://overthegate.myfreeforum.org where all the interference from countryways over the last 12 months is documented.
Here are some of the other threads on the forum that are directed at us.
http://countryways.myfreeforum.org/ftopic4990-0-asc-0.php
http://countryways.myfreeforum.org/ftopic4528-0-asc-0.php
http://countryways.myfreeforum.org/Haunting__about4350.html
http://countryways.myfreeforum.or..._Guide_to_Fitness__about4280.html
http://countryways.myfreeforum.or...is_for_coincidence_about4605.html
We have tried to ignore what has been going on on the Countryways forum but have also been bombarded with malicious and false members registering. Below is a list of these registered names and their IPs since January.
38 119 107 114
OTG is a sinking ship
Bum Love
Grim Reaper
Andy Pandy
wantsomegreenwellies
greenwelliesrule
dropping like flies
This forum is haunted
Mrs wobble wobbly
Haunted forum?
Deerstalkeresque
spectral shenannigans
66 55 143 198
capt botty slapper
67 228 101 165
pink sausage sucker
bob mcnobber
tosser bollocks
78 146 52 17
Wellthatdidntworkdidit?
81 132 167 128
philmypockets
82 10 92 205
Postman Pat
86 166 140 152
Liver Cake
Me!
Mac the Knife
195 178 107 95
Doris Stokes
208 53 157 16
rattly chains
A few weeks ago their member Quixote admitted in his signature, which has since been removed, to being responsible for trolling the forum using the name mactheknife. If you look at the signatures and interests of most of the members involved, they are also aimed against our forum.
Bringing this to MFF is not something that we have done lightly. We do feel intimidated and are not looking forward to the retaliation that we know will be forthcoming.
_________________ overthegate.myfreeforum.org
http://overthegate.myfreeforum.org |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
admin (no pm's please) Site Admin


 Virtual Cash: 22860
Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 25384
Add Karma
 rated by 213 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 1:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This forum has how been temporarily suspended.
This has been done on two grounds.
1) By elevating this inter forum squabble to an announcement, they are pretty much announcing that this squabble is a major part of the forums existence. This falls foul of our hate site rules.
2) There are threads that are a clear incitement to go and cause trouble on overthegate. This is also an offense that will cause forum suspension.
I know that there is going to be complaints that this is not one sided, and if there are similar threads on overthegate then it will be dealt with in the same fashion.
To get the forum back I want a clear assurance by the forum admins that ALL such threads will be removed and that they will start running a forum and not nursery school. _________________
Family Friendly Shareware | | Web Design/Services | Free Forums
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
quixote Novice


Virtual Cash: 140
Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 14
Location: Scotland Add Karma
 rated by 2 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 2:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well, I don't really know how to respond to the above accusations without getting into all sorts of a tangle.............
Although I'm not admin on CW, I've been given permission to respond on his behalf pending his return. This 'inter-forum' squabble isn't entirely one-sided, and is more or less a direct result of OTG admins' repeated & determined attempts to both undermine & sabotage certain other forums.........for example, the domain names for the forum I was admin' with (www.greenwellies.net) have been bought up by OTG admin to prevent us renewing our domain, or registering the forum under a different affix. Members from GW have been repeatedly PM'd by OTG admin in poaching attempts to denigrate GW membership. We have noticed that no sooner did a new member register on GW then they appeared on OTG.................as a result of this, GW has been forced to shut down due to lack of posters. We have not complained to MFF.
In addition, OTG has a membership base that largely consists of 'ghost' members, created merely to increase the apparent membership base. Including a member by the name of 'Deerstalker'.................who's been dead for over a year, but still appears to be active! We have not made a complaint.
The insistence that this 'interference' has been continuous & unrelenting for 12 months is absolute nonsense...............the antics of OTG admin have been extremely effective in annoying many many members on both GW, CW and other forums..................evidence can be provided that by the admin of 'Calnetalk' that OTG admin has attempted to hack in to the admin area of a local forum with no other intention than to destroy the forum. Again, no complaints have been made to MFF.
CW admin has a recent voicemail message left by OTG admin that was neither welcome, nor solicited. The content I am not at liberty to disclose, but which I'm certain will be made available to MFF admin if necessary. Despite that fact that this voicemail was left with the intention of creating & causing unrest & dismay, no complaint was made to MFF.
There are many more incidents & occasions where OTG admin have been guilty of actions intended to denigrate & destroy forums, but I shall leave them to those who have more in-depth knowledge of the exact circumstances.
In addition, the accusation levelled that I personally was responsible for the actions of an OTG member 'Mactheknife' is libellious. No such admission was made, and any inference drawn is insulting, and potentially actionable..................
This complaint, in my view, is petty and frivolous.
To summarise, OTG admin members have:
Actively poached members from other sites in a deliberate attempt to force the other forum to close
Repeatedly PM'd Greenwellies senior admin despite requests to stop
Purchased all domain names resulting in the intended demise of a forum
Left unsolicited & unwelcome voice messages
Created a forum consisting almost entirely of ghost members (which contravenes MFF terms & conditions)
Illegally attempted to hack in to the admin-only area of a rival site
Levelled unproven accusations at myself personally
Persistently harrassed members of CW admins family
Persistently allowed OTG members to harrass CW admin family members via MSN, despite repeated requests to stop
I look forward to reading other posts relating to OTG behavour.................
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Bravo Moderator


 Virtual Cash: 14050
Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 2485
Add Karma
 rated by 28 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 2:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you see another forum breaching the T&C you should report it in the correct manner, NOT by making your own forum even worse!
The points stated by Admin above must first be sorted out, any complaints should be done in the correct manner, read this to make a full report: http://forum.myfreeforum.org/about1096.html _________________ CG Arts for free Banners, headers, logo's, signatures and avatars.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
quixote Novice


Virtual Cash: 140
Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 14
Location: Scotland Add Karma
 rated by 2 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Bravo wrote: | | The points stated by Admin above must first be sorted out |
| admin (no pm's please) wrote: |
Please note that inter forum squabbles, bad behavior by admins and mods, or even some odd individual threads that contain hateful material are not grounds for a complaint |
With regard to the above quote , surely Countryways has absolutely no case to answer!?
As far as I can see, the statement by MFF admin settles the matter & I'd expect that this can be put to bed forthwith, & CW restored.......................?
I would also like to point out that the section of th T&C post referred to contains reference to IP addresses?
| admin (no pm's please) wrote: | | If you are reporting a forum, then we assume you have evidence to support the report, in the form of links, names, ip addresses etc |
It being the case that OTG have made reference to several IP addresses in their complaint, I would like to point out the basic error in their assumption that IP identification is conclusive in identifying any individual making any post, on any online media?
Their assumption that pulling IP addresses from their admin panel is conclusive proof of wrongdoing is amateurish & incorrect............thousands of users can share the same IP address depending on location, so the inclusion of these cannot be taken as evidence of wrongdoing in any case.
My impression is that MFF expect any comlaints to be valid, factually correct & to contain concrete proof of actual wrongdoing in relation to T&C breaches.
I can see no such 'evidence' in OTGs complaint, despite the loud & petulant manner in which they have chosen to make it. Their 'complaint' consists of a series of half-formed assumptions, based on anecdotal evidence at best, insulting inferences, and 'supported' by links that cannot be accessed as their forum appears closed to non-members.
Last edited by quixote on Sat May 09, 2009 3:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Bravo Moderator


 Virtual Cash: 14050
Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 2485
Add Karma
 rated by 28 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 3:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| admin (no pm's please) wrote: | This forum has how been temporarily suspended.
This has been done on two grounds.
1) By elevating this inter forum squabble to an announcement, they are pretty much announcing that this squabble is a major part of the forums existence. This falls foul of our hate site rules.
2) There are threads that are a clear incitement to go and cause trouble on overthegate. This is also an offense that will cause forum suspension.
I know that there is going to be complaints that this is not one sided, and if there are similar threads on overthegate then it will be dealt with in the same fashion.
To get the forum back I want a clear assurance by the forum admins that ALL such threads will be removed and that they will start running a forum and not nursery school. |
_________________ CG Arts for free Banners, headers, logo's, signatures and avatars.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Graham The Builder Novice


Virtual Cash: 130
Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 13
Location: Wiltshire Add Karma
 rated by 0 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 3:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Two phrases come to mind when reading Kaz's post; Let he who has not sinned throw the first stone and Don't throw stones in glass houses.
I have been out most of the day but was alerted to this topic via phone, and it doesn't disappoint. It is nothing short of laughable and utterly contemptible.
It is a well known fact that the admin of OTG bought up the domain names for Green Wellies and then poached its member-base by covertly PMing them using aliases created by them - something they are now accusing members of Countrways of doing.
This complaint is nothing more than sour grapes by the Overthegate admin because quite a few of their members have now severed their links to Overthegate and come to Countryways.
I would have thought a quiet word in the ear of the Countryways admin would sufficed but this has been blown out of proportion with the forum temporarily suspended. Something which I am sure will put a smile on the Overthegate admin's face.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
quixote Novice


Virtual Cash: 140
Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 14
Location: Scotland Add Karma
 rated by 2 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 3:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Bravo wrote: | | admin (no pm's please) wrote: | This forum has how been temporarily suspended.
This has been done on two grounds.
1) By elevating this inter forum squabble to an announcement, they are pretty much announcing that this squabble is a major part of the forums existence. This falls foul of our hate site rules.
2) There are threads that are a clear incitement to go and cause trouble on overthegate. This is also an offense that will cause forum suspension.
I know that there is going to be complaints that this is not one sided, and if there are similar threads on overthegate then it will be dealt with in the same fashion.
To get the forum back I want a clear assurance by the forum admins that ALL such threads will be removed and that they will start running a forum and not nursery school. |
|
With regard to:
Point 1..............to assume that CWs existance is largely-based on petty squabbling against another forum is pretty insulting. The forum content on CW is varied, interesting, informative, factually-correct & contributed by in the greatest part by people who are actually heavily-involved in the pursuits they post about. If we are to go down the route of comparison, I would respectfully suggest that the content & quality of both sites is further viewed in order to fully-ascertain which forum most closely adheres to the spirit of MFF T&Cs?
Point 2..............there are no threads on CW that exist in order to 'incite trouble'. The level of banter falls a good way way short of what is to be found in every public house and workplace across the land.
It appears that OTG have spent a good deal of time on CW collating these links in order to make a formal issue out of their self-inflicted unpopularity. Bearing in mind their admins recent threats regarding 'copyright' it appears that they're fully-prepared (when it suits them) to compromise the principles they purport to hold so dear................
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Graham The Builder Novice


Virtual Cash: 130
Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 13
Location: Wiltshire Add Karma
 rated by 0 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Can a counter claim be made against Overthegate for their spamming of GWBT members, thus eventually destroying a thriving forum?
Your law:
"You may not spam members with frequent emails, or otherwise promote your forum via mass spam emailing, or any other form of spamming."
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
admin (no pm's please) Site Admin


 Virtual Cash: 22860
Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 25384
Add Karma
 rated by 213 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My point one about "hate forums" is marginal but stands. You are announcing your inter forum squabble thus making it an important part of your forums existence. This must stop.
Point two. Don't take me for a fool. I have read clear incitements to make trouble in your threads. This is totally unacceptable.
As for counter complaints, as I have already made clear I know this is not one sided, and if given evidence such a thread links and not hearsay it will be acted on. _________________
Family Friendly Shareware | | Web Design/Services | Free Forums
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Graham The Builder Novice


Virtual Cash: 130
Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 13
Location: Wiltshire Add Karma
 rated by 0 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
quixote Novice


Virtual Cash: 140
Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 14
Location: Scotland Add Karma
 rated by 2 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 4:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| admin (no pm's please) wrote: | | Don't take me for a fool. I have read clear incitements to make trouble in your threads. This is totally unacceptable. |
Didn't intent to. I don't agree with you...............there may be occasions during threads where comments are made with the express purpose of annoying certain individuals. But, according to your own T&C this cannot be construed as sufficiently-prevalent to constitute reason for complaint. I do notice that no response has been made by OTG admin regarding our counter-accusation though............
This is now reaching the realms of ridiculous. I've stated previously that I'm not admin of CW, so bearing that in mind I'm not in a position to make changes to the forums thread structure (not that I actually think it's necessary based on what I've read here)
I think the suspension of the forum is over the top & unreasonable given the circumstances. However, there's nothing more of any substance I can add to this thread until CW admin is available for comment
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
admin (no pm's please) Site Admin


 Virtual Cash: 22860
Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 25384
Add Karma
 rated by 213 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
quixote Novice


Virtual Cash: 140
Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 14
Location: Scotland Add Karma
 rated by 2 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 5:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Is that the only example? If that's the case, then we've gone from the scenario of CW being labelled a 'hate site' to the issue being one that's derived from one individual comment?
In any case, regardless of any inferences (to which I have already made reference as being inadmissible as direct proof) I cannot recall any post on the forum encouraging any form of harrassment directly aimed at OTG. Pedantic, perhaps, but that is the factual case nonetheless. If your actions are (as stated in the T&C) based upon what can be factually proven than I think it's an extremely heavy-handed course of action to suspend the forum based on this complaint................
I have a slight concern as to your ability to remain objective in this circumstance, based upon an assumption taken from your reference to 'knowing Kaz well enough' in the following thread (another complaint from OTG)
http://forum.myfreeforum.org/sutra94238.php&highlight=#94238
In order to resolve this matter, & end the inconvenience to CW members, can you let us have a statement that clearly indicates what immediate action you require in order for the forum's suspension to be lifted?
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Graham The Builder Novice


Virtual Cash: 130
Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 13
Location: Wiltshire Add Karma
 rated by 0 members
Add Comment
Show Comments
 |
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| admin (no pm's please) wrote: | | There is direct incitement by Lloyd to use proxy servers to cause trouble on other forums, this alone would result in any forum being suspended. |
Wouldn't a quick word with CW's admin have been a more reasonable way of amending the offending post rather than suspending the whole forum??
I certainly don't think your a fool, Mr Admin but this site does contradict itself sometimes. I made a similar complaint to Kaz's about a year ago and it is quite interesting to see the outcome of that!
http://forum.myfreeforum.org/sutra107190.php&highlight=#107190
Bravo's bold statement at the end says it all!
Please note that inter forum squabbles, bad behavior by admins and mods, or even some odd individual threads that contain hateful material are not grounds for a complaint. If you don't like behavior on a forum, then the best thing to do is to leave that forum. We will not micro manage forums or play referee in disputes.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |