I have unilaterally found myself banning and deleting posts from significantly more members over the past two weeks. This wasn't deliberate or a consensus of we three moderators, just something I realized was happening. On reflection, it isn't because of a spike in numbers of posts overtly violating our Acceptable Use Policy, it is my more suspicious reading and analysis of posts since I came back from vacation. Posts that don't explicitly include sales or brokerage offers nevertheless can be more or less obviously trolling/phishing for offline discussion of such.
I had a bit more time on my hands than usual the past couple of weeks, and started doing thinks like looking at all the posts a member had made once my suspicions were aroused, or how many different IP addresses a user has logged in from. There may be innocent explanations why someone would offer to donate to a dozen different would be recipients, of multiple different blood types and geographic locations, with identical text, including misspellings, from dozens of IP addresses, but even so, this is at least incredibly cruel.
Such behavior patterns, especially over a period of a few weeks to a couple of months, and then again with a different username but the same text, suggest thoughtless, careless cutting and pasting by an individual or group looking for desperate marks. Our Acceptable Use Policy is laudable liberal and tolerant, and I strongly support Michael's intention that this site remain an open, safe discussion forum for all. There are exceptions, including ad hominem attacks, sellers, and brokers. I find myself denying presumptive would be sellers and brokers use of our site and access to our members.
What do you think? Hurrah, keep it up? Boo, relax? Didn't notice, don't care? Do tell. Thanks, all.