A:M/C - Forum... vanished?

[Xenomrph]

Forum URL: urbandead.proboards52.com

I've been flooded with instant messages for the past few hours from people telling me my forums are gone. I checked out the page, and yep, they were totally missing. I really don't know what happened, as the boards were working just fine before I left for class at 5:00PM PST, and now they've vanished.

Any help here would be appreciated.

[california]

The board has been deleted, either by ProBoards Staff because of a Terms of Service violation, or by the main administrator (or someone who found the password to the account). Read over the Terms of Service and if you're confident that your board was not in violation, wait for Craig or Martyn to reply to this thread.

[Xenomrph]

I'm absolutely confident the board wasn't in violation of the TOS, unless it happened in the past 5 hours when I wasn't around. I've got 8 or so Moderators who supervise the board nearly around the clock, and I'm very strict on things like porn, warez, and other objectionable content.

[Inscryer]

I am (was) the head admin, and I'm quite certain as well that the board did not violate the TOS, and I didn't delete it myself.
And even if it somehow did violate the TOS, won't it make sense if the proboards staff gave any warning before deleting the forum?

[ShizenTai]

It's almost definitely a case whereby someone got the main Admin's password, has logged in, and then deleted the Forum...

[Xenomrph]

Is there any recourse if something like that happens?

[ShizenTai]

Wait for someone like Craig to notice this thread. They'll ask you for some details about the Forum (url, original password, etc), and they will then be able to restore you Forums...

[Martyn Dale]

The forum was deleted for a TOS violation im afraid

[Inscryer]

Can you be more specific? What kind of violation?

[Snakeair]

inscryer said:

Can you be more specific? What kind of violation?

The staff don't have to give a reason why it was deleted. The main admin was supposed to know the TOS and obey it. Best thing to do is create another message board.

[Inscryer]

But I DID read the TOS, and the board DID obey it...

[Xenomrph]

Yeah, exactly. I'd really like to know what TOS violation. We strictly enforced a policy of no spam, warez, racism, illegal downloads, or anything of the sort. I know my Mod staff would have mentioned it to me if there was objectionable content present on the boards prior to its deletion.

I mean, the topic of the forum was to act as a communications hub for an online web-based RPG (www.urbandead.com). It's not like the focus of the board was to harbor kiddie porn or provide links to warez websites.

[revthunder]

I think I know what it may have been Xeno. (You know me from your board as ShadowDancer.) I recall a couple of days ago a female member by the name of Loyd posted a link to her own site which contained a graphic lesbian sex story she had written herself. I read it at the time and it was pretty hardcore but I never dreamt in a million years that it would have been enough to get the board shut down. If I had done I would have reported it to you immediately. If this IS the reason the board was deleted then I think it was rather draconian. All the Proboards guys had to do was send you a PM and the link could have been removed within minutes.

Anyway, I feel for you Xeno, I really do. If there is no way we can get the original board back up and running then I have a proposition for you. I've already set up a new one and I would be happy to give you admin status there. I know its no consolation for what has happened but if there is no way of getting your board back then we have no choice but to start again.

Check out the new board here forumurbandead.proboards51.com/index.cgi

If this situation cannot be resolved you and your mods would be welcome to switch over.

[shadowlord]

Wait a minute...

Before the board vanished, the people from SA who were on the board were spamming go links and <Censored!> like that.

So, apparently by spamming unacceptable <Censored!> on a board faster than the moderators can notice and remove it, anyone can get any proboards forum shut down? Well that's just... I have no words.

[revthunder]

Well, in all fairness to Proboards we don't know why they shut it down yet. I know that they are under no obligation to tell us, but I hope they will give some explanation as to why they made that decission. After all, if we don't find out what it was then how can we stop it from happening again?