I need some advice, maybe someone here has some experience in this matter. How do you handle over keen members in your forum? I mean the members that are a bit too *ahem* excitable if you can call it that. You see I've got a slight problem, my forum is really targeted more at grown ups (~17 yrs and above) although it is open to younger members. It seems a handful of my younger members are a bit too keen which is OK I suppose when they stick to the confines of my forum. The problem is that they are visiting other forums and promoting my forum in all the wrong ways (I didn't ask them to do this)... to the point where it may even be considered spamming of other forums.

My forum is supposed to be a professional forum, but I fear that we are developing a bad reputation from all of this.... I mean who would respect a forum whose members spam other forums. It really makes us look immature I think and we're not. I'm sure they had good intentions, but I've asked these over-keen members to stop spamming other forums on numerous occasions, but it still goes on. :*( I don't know what to do.... I mean if they were spamming my forum, I would ban them, however they're not spamming my forum, but other forums. How can I justify banning them from my forum if they haven't violated our rules? The forum is a little over a year old now and we've already had one bad period where we lost alot of our good members because of a few troublemakers. Both the admins and mods have worked very very hard to get the community back on its feet and now this happens. Obviously since we are still in the growing phase, opinions do matter to me and I'm concerned with everything that is happening. I don't know how to handle this situation so if anyone has any ideas/advice, I'd love to hear them.

i say ban them. either permanently, or a temp ban (probably better), you will probably get alot of flack for doing that, but you need to beat kids over the head with a two by four to get them to understand that stuff they do, will have consequences. Basically, they dont think they "look bad" doing it, but it will reflect badly on you as you say.

Just spell it out to them on the board (so everybody sees it) exactly how you want them to behave.
If they don't comply then lose them.
But if they've got a bit of enthusiasm and energy, you could also think about how you could perhaps channel it in a positive way for the benefit of the forum.

Just spell it out to them on the board (so everybody sees it) exactly how you want them to behave.
If they don't comply then lose them.
But if they've got a bit of enthusiasm and energy, you could also think about how you could perhaps channel it in a positive way for the benefit of the forum.

This guy is completly correct. I am having a problem with my members aswell and I did the exact same thing.

Thank you all for the advice. :D

I would love to figure out a way to channel their hyper-enthusiasm but everything I try fails miserably..... any suggestions?

As for spelling it out... I tried that and for a few days they behave themselves.... then it's back to normal, they have no sense of responsibility. There are some young members in the forum that are so mature and so responsible that it's hard to believe that they are like 13 or 14, whereas others behave as if they are 5. I will never figure them out. :(

Anyway, I've updated my forum rules to include promotion of the forum in other sites... and I'll just have to start banning if they keep it up; the forum was never targeted at the younger audience anyway and I suppose loosing a few kids is better than developing a bad rep.

Think about a new section called the Assclown Arena!
If people behave like an Assclown.....then they're sent to the Assclown Arena. You alter their permissions so that this section is the only one they can post in until they wise up.
Or put all their posts in a Mod queue.
If they still haven't wised up then ditch them.....cos they'll just lose you decent members by turning the place into a mess.

This guy is completly correct.

I always am! Cos I'm old and grey! :D

Think about a new section called the Assclown Arena!
If people behave like an Assclown.....then they're sent to the Assclown Arena. You alter their permissions so that this section is the only one they can post in until they wise up.
Or put all their posts in a Mod queue.
If they still haven't wised up then ditch them.....cos they'll just lose you decent members by turning the place into a mess.Nice idea! Thanks :D I think I'll try out something like that and send them to a private-ish forum..... would it cause them to sign up under another username though? Does anyone use such a system?

Nice idea! Thanks :D I think I'll try out something like that and send them to a private-ish forum..... would it cause them to sign up under another username though? Does anyone use such a system?

Yes they could sign up under another username...but then you've got a reason to boot them for good.
And I've used this system any times...even had one weirdo who used to plead to be put in the Bin for no reason. :D
People are strange! :cool:

lol why would anyone want to end up in the bin voluntarily?!!

Who knows. Perhaps to start a new identity on the forum due to a horrible reputation for being stupid? :D

lol why would anyone want to end up in the bin voluntarily?!!

There's some sick freaks out there Snow!
And if they can't get a spot on Springer, then the Bin is the next best thing! :D