Why is my forum banned?

by Janko November 21st 2017, 3:59 pm

Technical Details

Forum version : #phpBB3
Position : Administrator
Concerned browser(s) : Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Other
Who the problem concerns : All members
When the problem appeared : yesterday
Forum link : ( link is hidden, you must reply to see )

Description of problem

Hi,
My forum is banned for no reason. I am sure that I'm in no violation of ToS. Can someone from the staff explain me what rule did I break. I've put 3 years of effort and dedication to this. This is not fair at all. Maybe I misinterpreted rules. If that's the case, I would be more than glad if you could tell me what's the issue here. I will fix it asap.

by **Ape** November 21st 2017, 6:49 pm

Hello,

Sorry but we do not have that data to hand on our tools we only get the warning your forum was banned.
If you would like to Contest this decision you can by clicking the skip ad button it will bring you to the page needed to Contest the decision.

We only delete a forum if you have broken a rule that was severe. The chance of you getting your forum back is very very slim thou.

I am sorry I or any other staff can not help you on this matter any more then I have already

by Janko November 21st 2017, 7:52 pm

Well, I saw here https://help.forumotion.com/t109789-forum-banned-by-onlineguardian that this guy got an explanation. So, I thought I could get some clarification about this. And yeah, I contested ofc, but I don't have high hope it will change anything.

by **brandon_g** November 21st 2017, 9:17 pm

Hello,

We volunteers (everyone except the godfather) do have the information on why any forum is banned, only people with that type of information is someone in the head office (such as a pro admin, etc). The topic you linked to was made at a time when this forum had an active pro admin, who had access to such information and could provide such information.

These days we don't have any direct pro admin except the godfather (who is very busy dealing with bugs and the like).

My point is, unfortunatelly we don't have such info available to us and there is not really a pro admin on here anymore to see this and tell you.

I can tell you though that our litigation team does review all reports and forums and only takes action if it is ligitimate. For them to outright ban it with no warning suggests it was probably something serious as well.

I wish I could tell you what it was that got your forum banned, but I don't have access to such information and there are a number of things that could maybe have caused it.

-Brandon

by **SLGray** November 21st 2017, 9:29 pm

The Reason in the Database: Sexual and/or Porn Content

by Janko November 21st 2017, 11:54 pm

May I ask you what exactly is described as "Sexual and/or Porn Content". Members on my forum do talk about sex and stuff. But it doesn't seem logical to forbid that. In my belief, this could only be pornography pictures, videos etc. That kind of content is definitely not promoted in my forum. I even disabled members to see any links just to be on the safe side. Maybe I missed something. If you will let me, I would go through all forum pages and delete every link or picture that may have slipped.

by **SLGray** November 22nd 2017, 12:26 am

Text is also included.

We do not have any way to exactly see what is the violations. We only can see the reason.

by **Ape** November 22nd 2017, 1:01 am

Hello @Janko As I have already said we can't do anything to help you here in the support forum you have to Contest the decision but as I have said already the chance of this getting revoked is like 1 in 1000.

I'm sorry but you should have stuck to our TOS after all they are there for a reason.

Also you have to know that our forums are open to younger members any age and lots of members can see things you post on your forum so to have contents that is talking about sex and other things that is only meant to be for the eyes of some one 18+ can not be hidden even if the forum is hidden.

There is no way to tell how old your members are as you can lie about your age at anytime when making an account.

This maybe one of the reasons your site was banned.

by **SLGray** November 22nd 2017, 1:58 am

The support forum is not part of the litigation team so we do not know what has happened between the litigation team and the forums. You can contest the decision by clicking the contest the decision button on the Onlineguardian page.

by Janko November 26th 2017, 11:26 am

If they refuse to unban my forum, is there any way that I get the database. Or at least access to my forum for an hour. I need some data from there...

by **brandon_g** November 26th 2017, 1:23 pm

Janko wrote:If they refuse to unban my forum, is there any way that I get the database. Or at least access to my forum for an hour. I need some data from there...

Unfortunatelly neither of those will happen, if they don't unban it then thats it, the forum and all data become inaccessible. Forumotion does not give anyone access to the database and won't give any access to banned forums, sorry.

-Brandon

by Abdelhamid November 27th 2017, 3:03 pm

SLGray wrote:The Reason in the Database: Sexual and/or Porn Content

This is unfair if a member of my forum for example posts a content that violates your terms of services and I am responsible of this violation.

by Abdelhamid November 27th 2017, 3:04 pm

Also you have to know that our forums are open to younger members any age and lots of members can see things you post on your forum so to have contents that is talking about sex and other things that is only meant to be for the eyes of some one 18+ can not be hidden even if the forum is hidden. : Earn money online

by **Ape** November 27th 2017, 3:14 pm

If you read the TOS from top to bottom it says that you and your staff should make sure you keep on top of the posts and read them all and remove anything that is not right.

It is the responsibility of the founder to make sure the forum is clean and free from things that are in our TOS.

We understand you are not happy about this ban on your forum and I'm sorry but keep posting here will not help your matter as this is not down to us to deal with we have NO say in the decision made by the Litigation team if you have made a request for this to be over turned then there is nothing else you can do but Wight and see but if it's not over turned within 1 week then you will not have it done.

I'm so sorry but this post should really be closed as we can't help you here its not in our hands and we can't even talk to the staff in that part.

by **brandon_g** November 27th 2017, 7:39 pm

APE wrote:If you read the TOS from top to bottom it says that you and your staff should make sure you keep on top of the posts and read them all and remove anything that is not right.

It is the responsibility of the founder to make sure the forum is clean and free from things that are in our TOS.

We understand you are not happy about this ban on your forum and I'm sorry but keep posting here will not help your matter as this is not down to us to deal with we have NO say in the decision made by the Litigation team if you have made a request for this to be over turned then there is nothing else you can do but Wight and see but if it's not over turned within 1 week then you will not have it done.

I'm so sorry but this post should really be closed as we can't help you here its not in our hands and we can't even talk to the staff in that part.

Ape it is a different member then the topic starter who posted.

by **Ape** November 27th 2017, 9:51 pm

It was pointed at the topic starter Not @Abdelhamid but it is sort of pointed @Abdelhamid also well the top part anyway.

APE wrote:If you read the TOS from top to bottom it says that you and your staff should make sure you keep on top of the posts and read them all and remove anything that is not right.

It is the responsibility of the founder to make sure the forum is clean and free from things that are in our TOS.

by tylercole November 28th 2017, 12:47 am

Is it impossible to speak directly with those who remove the forum?

by **brandon_g** November 28th 2017, 12:57 am

That is correct, not even we staff have any direct contact with them. Only those in the head office have any way to communicate with the litigation team.

-Brandon

by **Ape** November 28th 2017, 1:00 am

tylercole wrote:Is it impossible to speak directly with those who remove the forum?

No there is no chance in talking to them as they don't use the forums as i have told you before they are part of our head office that only deals with that part and nothing to do with the support.

We don't even have the tools to talk to them.

by **Ape** November 28th 2017, 1:28 am

To be honest you are wasting your time posting here as there is Nothing we can do to help you.
If there was we would have done it by now.

So we may as well close this case as we are just going to keep going around in circles and you will still be asking and we will still be saying NO.

by tylercole November 28th 2017, 1:38 am

APE wrote:
tylercole wrote:Is it impossible to speak directly with those who remove the forum?

No there is no chance in talking to them as they don't use the forums as i have told you before they are part of our head office that only deals with that part and nothing to do with the support.

We don't even have the tools to talk to them.

Ah, yeah. I understand. Was just curious. Smile

And yes, I agree. Might as well shut this thread down. The question has been answered.

by **Ape** November 28th 2017, 1:42 am

Case closed.

Problem closed & topic archived.

Please read our forum rules: ESF General Rules

Why is my forum banned?