Lack of interest [Suggestion] User banning options (Flash cookies)

[mlx]

Most people we had to ban from our forums in the past are on dynamic IP ranges. So obviously it's pretty easy for them to sign up again using a different IP and email address. And we cannot ban an entire IP range of a huge provider.

I was thinking it might be a good idea trying to track them using Flash cookies.

Most people would just clear their browser cookies, get a new IP and email address and come back. If we are lucky they forget about the possibility to use Flash cookies to detect them.

What do you think?

 

[Elizabeth]

Most people we had to ban from our forums in the past are on dynamic IP ranges. So obviously it's pretty easy for them to sign up again using a different IP and email address. And we cannot ban an entire IP range of a huge provider.

I was thinking it might be a good idea trying to track them using Flash cookies.

Most people would just clear their browser cookies, get a new IP and email address and come back. If we are lucky they forget about the possibility to use Flash cookies to detect them.

What do you think?

Anything using flash would not be a good option. I check my site often using my iPhone and flash is not an option on the iPhone.

Liz

 

[mlx]

I don't think you would notice it. The Flash cookie detection would just not work for those not using Flash. But as a user everything would work as usual. And Flash would not be required to view the site or anything.

 

[Elizabeth]

I don't think you would notice it. The Flash cookie detection would just not work for those not using Flash. But as a user everything would work as usual. And Flash would not be required to view the site or anything.

Wouldn't it have to work for the admin tho? Liz

 

[mlx]

The idea I had in mind is that we are setting a cookie with the user ID in Flash - if Flash is available on the end user's computer.

Now we, as an admin, have to ban that user.

The user clears his browser cookies, makes sure he uses a different IP and email address and tries to signup again.

We are once again trying to check if Flash is available now. If it is, we are checking the Flash cookie. If he still has the user ID set we are not letting him sign up again.

Some people don't even know Flash cookies exist, so chances are they don't know how to clear them.

Not sure if that makes any sense or if it's worthless. Just an idea

 

[Elizabeth]

Okay, you just went way over my head. Liz

 

[Hatsu]

A miserable user hack is far more useful than this.

 

[mlx]

A miserable user hack is far more useful than this.

Having that Flash cookie set might be useful for that hack as well, wouldn't it?

 

[Hatsu]

Only if you exaggerate and the user re-registers.

 

[Accreal]

Anything using flash would not be a good option. I check my site often using my iPhone and flash is not an option on the iPhone.

Liz

And where does iPhone? With iPhones all questions to Steve Jobs.
But this does not mean that the idea I like. 

Steve Jobs did not seem to want to introduce support for flash 

 

[Elizabeth]

And where does iPhone? With iPhones all questions to Steve Jobs.
But this does not mean that the idea I like.

Steve Jobs did not seem to want to introduce support for flash

No, he doesn't and actually I agree with the idea of no flash. I'm not fond of it either. Liz

 

[krstep]

Even though I like the idea very much too keep annoying people off my forum, I think this is best suited as a mod.

 

[Ben Davis]

I don't like the idea. It is kinda pointless. For starters your banking on the fact that the user has some version of flash running when he attempts to sign up, etc.
Surely if someone was to go to all the trouble of changing their IP, clearing their browsers cache and getting a new email then they would already know that XenForo uses Flash for user verification during the sign-up process. From there all they would have to do is google about how to remove flash cookies and your entire plan flops to the floor.

Due to the amount of people arguing back and forth when someone stamps on their idea, I'd like to point out that this is in no way an attack on you. I was merely pointing out that the idea seems a little pointless.