Question submitted by iverglas

[iverglas]

As anyone who posts there knows, impunity is the general rule.

This is a specific issue, however. And may I point out that I am not interested in any comments about myself.

We all know that the administrators do not like to sully their monitors by looking at posts there, but that's too bad. I am not actually going to link to any such posts, because (a) all that I am aware of, except the most recent one that I have just reported, have been deleted, with no consequences for the posters in question, and (b) to do that would be to worsen the damage.

There is a campaign at this site and elsewhere on the internet to discredit an individual. One of the methods being used at this site is to refer repeatedly to their (alleged) place of residence and employer, and in this last instance to post their full name (with surname). In some instances, a link is posted that goes to a site where there is a lengthy screed about the individual, none of which would comply with the rules at this site, obviously.

This is not a matter of someone calling someone else a liar, or stupid, or an ignorant Canadian. This is an effort, and in fact an obviously concerted campaign on the part of numerous posters, to expose the identity and other personal information about a user of this website.

In my alerts, I have attempted to draw moderators' attention to the seriousness of this behaviour. To my knowledge, no action has been taken other than to delete posts. (I could be mistaken, but the fact that the posts keep appearing makes it plain that whatever action is being taken is not deterring other posters, at least, from doing the same thing.)

The idea of anyone using this website to carry on this kind of vendetta, and to engage in this kind of action against another member, is surely a cause for at least as much alarm to its administrators as it very definitely is to me.

Do not post harassment or threats. Do not advocate harm or violence.
The following are not permitted: ... Any action intended to harm another person -- physically, mentally, emotionally, or otherwise. A sustained or organized effort to demean, belittle, bully, or ostracize another person. Digging up or posting personal information about any private individual, on DU or elsewhere. Stalking someone across discussion threads or forums.

If you don't like it don't post there does not work here.

Very firm action and very clear assurances are needed, by all members of DU.


edit

I would appreciate it if the administrator who addresses this post would sent me a private message; I will reply with the links that are being posted in threads in the Guns forum and a link to the last message I referred to in this post.