Abuse from other members

[Whois-Search]

As you will have seen I am standing as a candidate in the Nominet election.

As part of my electioneering I made the unfortunate decision to join the UKNOT mailing list a few weeks ago (which seems to be the new nom-steer): http://chilli.nosignal.org/mailman/listinfo/uknot

Two days ago I asked a question in regards to the Nominet Strategy Meeting held on the 9th June - the same one I asked on this forum.

The self confessed "techies" of UKNOT (many of them core network engineers) which includes many Nominet members then proceeded to hurl abuse at me - much of it unrepeatable here and anti-domainer related.

I made it clear that such messages would not be tolerated and will be reported - I've had so many in the past 48 hours it is taking all of my time up. I believe they call this practice a "group kill" - as i've had other people email me off-list saying it has happened to them including someone from the BBC!

However despite removing myself from the list earlier today the abuse continues off-list. I have had my election website blog attacked including comments made such as "Do yourself a favour and diaf" and I have also received text messages such as "bloody domainer" - therefore at this point I really am considering going to the Police.

Tonight the cabal are having fun on Twitter using my name and brand name:
http://twitter.com/whoisnt_search

Again much of it unrepeatable here....however I suggest you look at the following/followers list and you will see some familiar faces. Comments continue to be made on Twitter by Nominet members - including an election candidate:
http://twitter.com/stevekennedyuk/status/15942124850

Therefore I ask you the question:

Should abuse of other members and or election candidates be tolerated amongst the membership? Is it time Nominet had the power to discipline or remove a membership?

 

[rob]

The self confessed "techies" of UKNOT (many of them core network engineers) which includes many Nominet members then proceeded to hurl abuse at me - much of it unrepeatable here and anti-domainer related.

If that was me I wouldnt be being so nice as to let them remain anonymous. If they have those feelings, views and method of expressing them I am sure they wont mind people knowing who they are and who they work for.

However despite removing myself from the list earlier today the abuse continues off-list. I have had my election website blog attacked including comments made such as "Do yourself a favour and diaf" and I have also received text messages such as "bloody domainer" - therefore at this point I really am considering going to the Police.

Likewise post up the numbers of those sending such abuse.

I dont think its nominets job to sort it out as you get uncouth idiots in all walks of life, but threats to kill are more serious.

 

[Whois-Search]

Apart from the Twitter culprits (printing those out) this is the main IP address I want traced:

Author : Anonymous lurker (IP: 91.208.177.24 , nat-gw-jwh.rtr0.thn.pseudonetworks.com)
E-mail : [email protected]
URL :
Whois : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=91.208.177.24
Comment:
Do yourself a favour and diaf.

 

[Whois-Search]

I reported this one:

A new comment on the post #98 "Campaign day 16" is waiting for your approval
http://andrewbennett.me.uk/2010/06/10/campaign-day-16/

Author : Andrew Bennett (IP: 217.151.110.13 , 217-151-110.dynamicpool.adsl.webtapestry.net)
E-mail : [email protected]
URL : http://www.andrewbennett.co.uk
Whois : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=217.151.110.13
Comment:
Yes, I've been a bit of a berk in front of UKNOT subscribers, I thought all mailing lists were like nom-steer but apparently this is not true. I also found out it is trivial to forge an e-mail address. I will have this stopped when I join the Nominet board. That is if I haven't managed to alienate a good chunk of Nominet voters over on UKNOT that is.

Oh well, off to the dolphin tank now...

And I recieved this in reply:

Dear Mr Bennett,

> > I am having problems with abusive messages from the following ip
> > address:
> >
> > IP: 217.151.110.13 , 217-151-110.dynamicpool.adsl.webtapestry.net
> >
> > Please could you therefore enforce your AUP policy against this user?
> >
> > Otherwise if these messages continue I shall be reporting the matter
> > to the police.


How terrible for you. Of course, we will disconnect this user
immediately.


Not.

-- Best Regards,
Ian Harris
Web Tapestry Support

 

[Retired_member41]

I think you are making a big mistake by bringing this up in public.

Everyone has their own opinion, ok threats to kill if there are any proper ones are serious and should always be reported, but you have to see it all in context with everything else.

By complaining in public like this you are hardly making yourself out to be director of nominet material, which I still believe you are, you are coming across weak and labelling yourself as a victim, rightly or wrongly, victims in this case lose credibility fast.

I think they have every right to have a go at domainers if they wish, I bet they have been wound up by some right idiots in their time and seen the greedy and arrogant domainers out there plenty of times.

There are lots of reasons to hate domainers, from greed and monopolisation in part of domain catching, to the stagnation of uk internet business and the dilution of search engines and not so factual websites.

But in general you have to agree, domainers have it pretty easy, yes there is some hard work I am sure, but on a cost to return ratio, domainers see some nice spreads, and take little abuse from it.

If anything by bringing this up you are actually bringing attention where it isnt needed, on a great forum with some prety amazing people running it and populating it with knowledge.

If I were you I would take it on the chin, ok the shoulder as im sure it wouldnt hurt as much, and move on.

Show them you will not be drawn and show the people who like you and respect you that you are someone who will hold the reins strong and make the right decisions even under fire.

At least domainers never have a go at you for your time at 123-reg, that wonderful company I read so much about lol and appears on your bio

I'm sure you would make a good choice for voters, so lets start deleting some posts and just concentrate on bringing in the votes from people whomatter to you and not listen to those who dont.

 

[GreyWing]

From someone who has been there mate, I wouldn't worry about it. the more they shout and take the time to email you off list with abuse, then the more you know you are getting to them.

Like I said when I did it, if people weren't trying to abuse me off list then I wasn't trying hard enough.

I'm not on about people on Nomsteer at the time, non of them ever hurled abuse at me off list. They were all pleasant and kept it civil even after the stunts I pulled.

It was just a few registrars from time to time and probably techies as well. In fact sounds like the same bunch you are dealing with. You are never going to convince people like that, you know from your dealings over the years who you have to spend your time on and who not to bother with.

My advice mate just laugh at them and move on.

Just for the record I do support Andrew and he shares a lot of the same views I had about Nominet last year, not all. He has just a more inteligent way of putting things and certainly more suited for this job than I ever was.

 

[khalid]

Everyone can be tough behind a computer screen, "keyboard warriors" as a mate of mine called them.

Just log it all, pass it to Nominet and the police if it gets really bad and just laugh it off.

It can be hard, remember these idiots are probably just jealous.

Good luck mate.

 

[RSK3000]

Well I have to admit that this is a world that is really new to me.

All I will say is this.

Nominet's role seems so key to the future of the UKs domain name infrastructure and to UK ecommerce. What does this sort of behaviour say about the people involved and about their competence to make professional decisions.

Andrew, if you get elected your first job has to to be to take a look at the role of these keyboard warriors. It looks terrible any way you look at it.

 

[Whois-Search]

Thanks for all your advice guys - it is welcomed and comforting.

Greywing though we have only met once and hardly ever speak - I can seriously say you are one of the most genuine people i've ever met.

 

[grantw]

That twitter account is very sad and totally lame, can't believe someone's taken the time to set it up and post to it. Even sadder are the followers who've chosen to follow because they think it's funny??? What a bunch of schoolkids!

Ignore them Andrew.

Grant

 

[Rob_F]

That twitter account is very sad and totally lame, can't believe someone's taken the time to set it up and post to it. Even sadder are the followers who've chosen to follow because they think it's funny??? What a bunch of schoolkids!

Ignore them Andrew.

Grant

Couldn't have said it better myself Grant – truly sad.

You've got my vote Andrew.

- Rob

 

[retired_member12]

He's seems to have a warped and misplaced sense of humour targetted at you personally, judging by the look of his tweets.

If the coward ever has the guts to let you know who he is, or you trace that IP back to someone, think about seeing one of those lawyers who might be able to help you out on the cheap.

 

[Whois-Search]

DoubleTap I do not condone any kind of illegal activity.

Please edit your post or have the moderators do it for you.

 

[retired_member12]

DoubleTap I do not condone any kind of illegal activity.

Please edit your post or have the moderators do it for you.

I don't condone such activity, it was a cocky reply referencing the multitude of cheap lawyers you could use to take legal action against the culprit who seems to be impersonating you on Twitter (screen grabs saved). I was under the impression from the link to Twitter that this could be causing you harm or distress. Certainly all the screen grabs of his tweets might leave that impression.

Nevertheless, I'll edit my comments from the other post in case the coward reads it and get the wrong end of the stick whilst he's having his fun at your expense!

 

[Whois-Search]

After printing it, grabbing it, i've reported it:

http://help.twitter.com/entries/18366-impersonation-policy

 

[retired_member12]

After printing it, grabbing it, i've reported it:

http://help.twitter.com/entries/18366-impersonation-policy

Good man, shame on all of those who followed the twit-ter!

 

[retired_member12]

Looks like Twitter upheld your complaint regarding the coward, the tosser's account has gone.

 

[Whois-Search]

Well...they setup another one now: http://twitter.com/whois_search_

Not sure what the dolphin fixation is all about but they changed my email headers on UKNOT to:

Received: from [12.130.106.86] (helo=twat.domainers.uk)
X-DolphinSex: yes please!

Also that UKNOT list has been around a very long time - see bottom of http://www.williesangels.co.uk

 

[grantw]

I really would just ignore this twitter thing Andrew. Assuming the person doing it is an adult and not some 12 year old then they are making a total embarrassment of themselves - let 'em get on with it!

Grant