Note:
This blog is about what happened in a popular Susan Boyle fan site. When I started the blog, I could only speculate. I knew what did NOT happen, because I was among those falsely accused. But I did not yet have access to the database to determine what DID happen.
Once I was able to access the database and research the facts about the events of July 2010, I began posting reports. Those reports began on March 29, 2011 with An Introduction to the Admin Log . I suggest that anyone who desires to learn the facts about those days in July begin there and read forward.
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In July 2010, a hoax was perpetrated on the largest Susan Boyle fan site. Staff were convinced that members of two other fansites were going to try to “take over” and/or destroy their forum. It was not true.
This blog is about what happened in a popular Susan Boyle fan site. When I started the blog, I could only speculate. I knew what did NOT happen, because I was among those falsely accused. But I did not yet have access to the database to determine what DID happen.
Once I was able to access the database and research the facts about the events of July 2010, I began posting reports. Those reports began on March 29, 2011 with An Introduction to the Admin Log . I suggest that anyone who desires to learn the facts about those days in July begin there and read forward.
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In July 2010, a hoax was perpetrated on the largest Susan Boyle fan site. Staff were convinced that members of two other fansites were going to try to “take over” and/or destroy their forum. It was not true.
But staff believed it and did some unfortunate things. They posted publicly, accusing certain members of being liars and of being involved in the supposed plot. They accused them of letting in banned members. They let a member start accusatory threads. But the accusations were not true.
The members of the fansites named have always known it was a hoax simply because they did not do the things of which they were accused. But raising the subject of retraction of the accusations was met with hostility and claims that the “same people” keep bringing up “the past”.
Of course they keep bringing up the subject. They know it was a hoax and want that fact made public. The staff has, so far, refused to do so. I have a hard time understanding why. Do they still believe the lies? Are they embarrassed at being fooled? I don’t know.
I strongly suspect that the hoax originated with a cyber-bully that has been very active on Susan Boyle fansites. When Miss Boyle introduced the subject of bullying, some made the connection with events on the forum. It was suggested that those concerns be taken to the Board.
I had already tried that approach, with no results, and posted to say so. The post was deleted and I was told the reason was because of point #6 in the Statement from the Board. I was considered a member who only posts on “contentious matters”. I consider that insulting. I brought up past issues because they remain unresolved.
To illustrate how absurd it was to claim I only post on contentious matters, I asked that the Project Doorway thread be closed. It has previously been the practice that the original poster on a thread could have the thread closed by requesting it be done. The staff have refused to do so this time, thus illustrating my point for me.
The issue of the staff behavior in July will not go away. It must be made clear that the supposed plot was a hoax. Refusing to do so only empowers the cyber-bully that started it.
