Forum:Accounts flooding

Hi everyone, maybe you already notice this or you didn't, but I want to point out a problem we have on this wiki, at least I think it's a problem: if you check the new users log you will notice that there are a LOT of new users (who uses Special:RecentChanges maybe noticed this) who actually don't even edit on this wiki, this, of course, can be because they register here and edit on other wiki. But what does concern me is that there are way too much of users with absurd usernames, for example: Asahhhfhdhhhhtfhhgh, Asahhhfhdhhhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhjhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhjhyhutfhhgh, Qqqqqai etc.. They are not vandals (they even didn't edit here) so they really don't do anything wrong, but I suspect that all these users are the work of a person/group of people who enjoy doing foolish things here. I contacted the staff and even if they understand my point and concern, they can't take preventive actions, but they also confirmed that some of them are sock puppets like:


 * IP 95.17.176.187: Asahhhfhdhhhhtfhhgh, Asahhhfhdhhhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhjhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhjhyhutfhhgh
 * IP 95.19.238.90: GAsvehhuhfhdhutfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdutfhhgh, GAsvahhhfhdhutfhhgh, GAsvahhhfhdutfhhgh, GAsvahhuhfhdhutfhhgh, GAsvehhuhfhdhutfhhgh
 * IP 95.19.238.20: Saasfsaaffhsj, Saasasj, Saasfsaaffhsj, Saassaaffhsj, Saassaahsj, Saassaasj

So, I know that, technically they didn't do anything wrong (yet) but I believe they don't do anything "right" to the wiki either. We can't even talk with "them" since if the user don't log in with that specific account he won't see the message. I should remark the fact that approximately in the last month, as you can see from the log, there were about 500 new users! And all the red links means they never edited here! My suggestion is:


 * Indefinite block a bunch of "absurd" nicknames with the options "Block anonymous users only", "Prevent account creation", "Automatically block the last IP address used by this user, and any subsequent IP addresses they try to edit from", "Allow this user to edit own talk page while blocked".
 * Leave a short message in the users' talk pages prompting them to explain his/their reasons, with optionally a link to this forum.

This way the blocked users (and possibly who is behind them) won't be able to create new accounts and if they were mistakenly blocked they will be able to express their reasons in their talk pages. This isn't obviously a definitive solution, but it's the first attempt to stop this flooding of accounts. My suggestions on who should be blocked are: Asahhhfhdhhhhtfhhgh, Asahhhfhdhhhyhtfhhgh, GAsahhhfhdhhhyhtfhhgh, GAsvehhuhfhdhutfhhgh, Saasfsaaffhsj, Saasasj, Saasfsaaffhsj, Fvgdcbhhha, Fvgdcbhhhb, Fvgdcbhhhc, Qqqqqa, Qqqqqb, Qqqqqc, Qqqqqh, Qqqqqi; just for start.

Discussion
I don't see the problem with them? What does it matter if the new users log is "flooded"?

As for the recent changes, I don't think it affects us much as well...

But anyway, I don't like the idea of banning people just because their nickname sounds weird, as well as taking pre-emptive actions for something that wasn't a problem in the past will likely not be a problem in the future. Even one unjustified ban is too much in my book, even if they can express their reasons in the talk page (which isn't even granted, as new users might not even know of talk pages).

So, unless I'm underestimating the issue here, I don't see a reason to act in any way. There is simply nothing to gain, but a risk to judge people wrong. 23:02, February 10, 2012 (UTC)

Eh, I knew you would say that! I know that, and what you say it's right, but maybe I wasn't clear: I don't want to just ban them/him and move on, the ban is a way to contact them/him because the talk pages are useless if they don't use the accounts, I already tried. So if they/he will just say in their talk pages "I registered here but then I moved on another wiki" or "I just want to use this account" then we will unban them/him and see what they/he will do, just like a normal user. Basically it's like saying "stop! I don't know what you are doing if you want to edit on this wiki tell me and I'll unblock you". This way it's fair enough, isn't it? If their are normal users they will simply answer that (and we will know who they are), if they aren't then they simply don't want to edit here. I know that what I'm proposing is uncommon, because there is a lack of rules on this matter, but try to think by stretching the situation to the limit: if starting tomorrow, with the aid of a software, I'll start creating 500 accounts per day, wouldn't you at least ask me "why" or "wait a minute"?

As long as they aren't vandalizing, I really could care less if someone wants to make a bunch of sockpuppets on here. If these sockpuppets do become an issue, I can block the IP's and any subsequent numbers. 00:57, February 11, 2012 (UTC)