That's a slippery slope as you could and probably would catch up a lot of valid users. Don't forget that some Countries have to use a rotating proxy server to be able to post due to their own Countries draconian approach to human rights control.

anony proxy servers are a dime a dozen, if you really want a list, go to a proxy list provider ;)... It'd be a waste of resources to ban them all, checks to see if they're bad or not would take forever lol

Agreed; AOL for example routes all their traffic through internal proxy servers; so by banning what seems like one or two users, you're likely banning quite more...

I have a long long list of free emails I've banned and I add to it every time I get rid of another troll. Hasn't seemed to slow down our boards much.

I would like your input with regards to this.

I am a Moderator at our site. I have recently discovered that a few members have put together another forum, and are quitely trying to lure some of our regular members away.

To be honest, I am very surprised at this. I totally didn't expect it.

At the same time, I am very disappointed. I am (along with my fellow mods) advising admin of this, and recommeding banning the original 2 who started the new forum.

The original 2 have been difficult to say the least for the past few months, but since they have been long time members, they have been given a lot of slack....too much it would appear.

I recently requested admin to ban one of them for a week due to starting trouble in the way of rumours, etc. Now I find out she is behind the start of the new forum and the recruiting of our members.

Can any of you give me advice as to how you would deal with this situation? I would very much appreciate it, and would take the iformation back to my admin.

Thanks!
~dolly

I've been through this exact same thing.

They posted away merrily whilst all the time sending PMs to my members. I didn't ban them initially, due to advice I got from fellow members. They said it would make me appear in a bad light.

So they kept on posting, but I took away their PM rights.
They posted publicly about this, trying to make me look bad. I replied that I had received too many complaints of spam by PM to let this pass. I said that if they behaved, they could have their rights re-instated.

I have never reinstated their PM rights and I don't intend to. Why the hell should I, when they are intent on damaging my site?

I have had to impose short term bans on a couple of them (1 day or 1 week etc.) Usually they come back and complain (publicly), but basically I respond - play by my rules or bugger off!

Their site is failing; schadenfreude is a terrible thing

Whoah, are you saying admin is starting a new board? Clearly, I don't understand what's going on here.

Can you elaborate?

No, the admin isn't starting a new board.

The one I requested to be banned, she is the one behind starting the new forum, along with another member, and secretly trying to recruit members in the way of pm's.

Sorry for the minunderstanding...LOL

Well then, I guess my previous comments stand. I can only speak from my own experience, I'm sure others here will add to the debate

I would only ban the members if they where spamming the new forum; may this be via PT or normal topics.

Best bet is to be sure you list a warning publicly displaying your wishes (well, the ADMIN of your forum should do this) then if it persists ban them for violating a url policy (which would be defined in your warning).