POLL: Should the Original Poster(OP) have the Power to Boot disruptive people off his thread?

It's a simple question.
If YOU make a thread and you want people to ponder things(theorize/speculate) with a bit more of a 'what if' mindset. BUT you have a disruptive person always rushing in every chance he gets to put people down.

Should the OP be allow to boot people like this?
Should ATS have something along the lines like Facebook where people can friend other like minded people.

IMO, moderators are not superman and cant be in every forum taking care of disruptive/negative people.
I believe we should have the power to boot people off if they become a nuisance. I believe the OP should have the right. It's his thread. That's my opinion.
I'm currently have a problem with such a thread. A 'What if' thread but somebody is disrupting it.
Cant do anything about it.

Anyway, feel free to speak your mind. Yay or Nay and why.
~Thanks

reply to post by magestyk7


No, thats why we have an alert button and moderators

If normal users were able to do that, then it would be abused big time. Plus it would be an awfully one sided conversation if that person were to boot everyone that disagrees

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Yes I understand what you saying about over abuse, but remember It's a 'what if' thread.
People are there to speculate, theorize and have some fun.
Disruptive/negative people discourage people who just want to have a friendly chat.
That's the Dilemma.

reply to post by magestyk7


I agree with Oz. No the OP should not have the power to boot people out of the threads they create.

Once you make a thread, it has a life of its own. You can continue to contribute, or you can abandon your thread, and it can go on without you. But it isnt "yours" once you post that OP. Its ATS'. And ATS has moderators who are ready willing and able to boot out truly disruptive persons.

If you want to express your views with no chance of people disagreeing with you or annoying you then there are already places like that on the web, they are called BLOGS.
A forum is a place for the open discussion of ideas, not a place to broadcast your own opinions without being challenged

I get what you're saying, and I agree. It has nothing to do with people disagreeing with a viewpoint, it has to do with the people who are downright rude and nasty for no reason. I like a healthy debate. I don't mind people voicing their opinons even if I don't agree; however, It gets to the point sometimes where I don't even want to continue a thread because of people being so outrageously ignorant.

reply to post by magestyk7


I understand your concern, but I would have to say no on that. I agree with what Oz mentioned. Unfortunately,
we all have experienced what you described. It goes way past a little humor or an occasional sideswipe. All you can do is hope
the mods address it for you with expediency. There are very good at that. Otherwise, just ignore, and only reply
to the folks who raise valid points for debate.

reply to post by magestyk7


Question understood. Trolls are really a pain in the azz hatz are they not?
A real member of ATS will not troll.

So that leaves persisitent dissenters, and debunkers alike. ATS needs all its good members.

But trolls, be gone. please.

Patience is a virtue, whack a troll is your duty.

Carry on....

reply to post by magestyk7


Maybe you could put your "What If" Threads in a different forum such as general chit chat, or rant, or the like?

Maybe you have tried that already?

reply to post by magestyk7


LOL.... Hell, if you want that, go to the Huffington Post. All comments screened to make sure you cannot make a relevant counter-point.

And by chance your counter-point makes it though the admins, you will have "negation users" there bury your arguments with emotion.

Hmmm, I dont think some understood what I meant to say.
There are many debunkers on ATS that are good/positive people.
They wouldn't have a problem with this feature that I'm saying.

If you are debating a topic for example 'What could be a 2012 Scenario' a 'What if' topic.
Then a person pops up calling people 'Nuts' or 'It's Lies and Pathetic' voicing his opinions over and over again.
The person on top of that is Posting 5-8 replies to pages disrupting a 'what if' conversion.
It's gets out of control.
If the mod kicks him, he will open a new account and continue with the menace.

Now If you boot the person out, it will discourage the Troll, people like him not to do that again.
They will know that they would have to behave and be friendly in a conversation on the next thread they enter.
You have thousands of people here if half of them boots the same person. It's obvious there's a problem with that guy.

Take for example YouTube.
When somebody post a video and they start having disruptive people. They have the option to have subscribers.
That way only people who aren't negative can post/comment on the video. They can still voice their opinions and differences BUT IN A POSITIVE WAY.
Facebook for example is a social site that's done very good with these features.

ATS used to be real good a few years back, but now it's out of control with negative people lately.

I'll put it in Gaming terms.
If you play online games and there are cheaters. They get booted.
Everybody gets to play. When a few cheaters ruin a good game, nobody wants to participate. Because it's not fun/healthy.

I'm not looking for people to agree with me.
All I'm saying the OP SHOULD KICK OUT NEGATIVE PEOPLE WHO RIDICULE AND DONT LET OTHER PEOPLE VOICE THEIR OPINIONS.
Big difference from censoring.

kinda defeats the purpose of a forum right, just wanna have people agree with you and say the same thing?


kinda like an text-based circle spam?

reply to post by magestyk7


It sounds like you're looking for a way to control the flow of a thread and control is not what ATS is about. ATS doesn't exactly have free speech but they are as close to it as any board I've seen. So, even if you disagree with the way someone is posting in your thread, you don't, nor should you, have the power to boot anyone. Once you post your thread, it's not "yours" anymore. It belongs to the board and anyone is free to post, as long as they don't violate the T&C.,

If someone is being disruptive, ignore them. If they're just there to bug you and get your attention, don't give them what they want. If you think they're a troll, Don't feed them!

Should the Original Poster (OP) have the Power to Boot disruptive people off his thread? No. The OP shouldn't have any more 'power' than anyone else. Power is not relevant.

I don't think so. Along with other reasons already mentioned here, I think it might lead to groupism too.

Although I consider that the free flow of ideas should remain unimpeded, I think that there are times in which simply booting some one off one's thread is a necessity.

reply to post by magestyk7

If the thread starters were given the power to boot out dissenters and disrupters (trolls), there would be a massive upsurge of little Emperors and Empresses pacing their domains like puffy little peacocks all over ATS. Oh, the horror...
For real, leathery, lizardly trolls, the ideal solution would be for the OP and participants to resist with all their might the urge to respond.
Measures for the safeguard of the Kingdom are already in place (mods) and Trolls are good for willpower training.
As for dissenters, they have as much right to express their opinion as everyone else and this right should be protected at all costs.

I vote a big, fat NAY.

I alerted on this guy named Stereologist, the nuisance of the 2012 thread. We were patient with the guy, who never accepted any response and e was there to disrupt the flow of the thread. The disruption continued, so I asked to be moved to the Predictions and prophecies thread. e followed us.

The result?


I am warned and the guy is there still annoying everyone at my thread.

Absolutely not: Having a horde of yes-men a discussion does not make.


Vid is appropriate

But what if an OP post a negative thread?

There are protected trolls, my friends. The ignore button is gone and you are now at the mercy of shills.

Stereologist trolls at one of my threads, and insults us, yet, wheni complained, I was found guilty, yet he continues to troll.

The US is rotten to the core, but there ae ther smaller places that are just as rotten, since those who should see that justice prevails, do not, but abuse the little power they have.

Since I complained about unfair moderation, I am found guilty of rules everybody breaks everyday.

Nowhere in the rules it says you get warned by complaining in a thread. I cae and complained, and I was warned again.
This is yet another post tht exposes the stinky mess, so I am sure you will see three warnings, by tomorrow.