SHZhang's blog

Stop unrated users from sending talk messages!
By SHZhang, history, 3 years ago, In English

Today I received this incredibly offensive talk message from an unrated account (also with an offensive username), which attacks me based on my national origin:

I strongly suspect that I am not the only Codeforces user receiving such messages recently (I don't think I am particularly notable in any aspect as a Codeforces user, and I cannot think of a reason why I might be specifically targeted); if you received similar messages, let me know in the comments.

I am aware of the "block user" feature and the ability to require a minimum rating for users to send messages to you, but it is not very well-known and is simply insufficient.

Update: after receiving the message, I set a "at least newbie" setting for users to send talk messages to me. However, two unrated users still managed to message me after the blog post was created. This seems to be a Codeforces bug.

I therefore request that unrated users be prohibited from sending talk messages. We should also probably consider the idea of adding a filter of some sort for profanity.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +77 Vote: I do not like it

I'm not aware of a block user feature, can you help me find it?

+1 to an automated filter, that seems long overdue for such a large site.

I think there should also be a "report" function. As Codeforces grows, there's more potential for abuse & it's more important that it has basic moderation features so people feel welcome and safe here.

(I also received an almost identical message, FYI.)

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +29 Vote: I do not like it

    Navigate to profile. Click "View my talks. Click settings. And there you can find how to block people and set a setting for a specific rating of a user to send u a PM.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +159 Vote: I do not like it

some people just can't keep politics and nationalism out of a CP site :(

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +38 Vote: I do not like it

This is absolutely shameful. Somehow I feel that such offensive DMs are a direct outcome of envy and the fact that these people choose to hide their true identity behind an unrated alt account goes a long way to prove that they in fact don't have a spine to compete and rise through real world challenges.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +83 Vote: I do not like it

I’m so sorry to see you targetted in a racist activity.

but it is not very well-known and is simply insufficient.

Could you elaborate why is it insufficient? Does it not work?

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -118 Vote: I do not like it

Sad that this racist had to come to a Russian platform for his MAGA rhetoric..LOL

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
    ← Rev. 4   Vote: I like it +62 Vote: I do not like it

    Wait how did you just assume that? So anyone who is a racist should be associated with trump ( MAGA )? I feel like I am going to get down voted a lot for this but you are the one who is bringing politics here. P.S : I totally condemn racism

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3 years ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +69 Vote: I do not like it

EDIT: it's not bnkalya1502, but I'm still pretty sure that all of the alts are the same person

I tried to figure out who that guy is, and found something pretty interesting

The single submission from that account (103606388) is a copy-paste of this one: 103455095

Upon looking further, there's 4 other duplicate submissions made by alt accounts, some also with stupid usernames (103583499, 103652830, 103691744, 103582570). Furthermore, one of these alts has the username "enem_hater," where "enem" is the handle of the highest rated person at the original submitter's university. So I'm suspecting that all of these accounts might be alts of the original submitter, bnkalya1502, because why else would so many people copy and paste a submission from page 64? And if this is all some scheme to frame that guy, then that's just fucked up

Anyways, it was fun going down this small rabbit hole, but obviously don't send that user death threats or anything because that's never the right thing to do, and it likely isn't even the correct person. However, if it is, then I think you should become more mature

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
    ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it -91 Vote: I do not like it

    Subject has been changed.

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
      ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +51 Vote: I do not like it

      Ok

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

      You're no different from the accused in the blog, except your messages aren't from an alt. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

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        3 years ago, # ^ |
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        Actually the conversation appears to be in Hindi and they seem to be from the same college, so I think they are from India.

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
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    This is my alt account. Can you find my original account by using the same method.

    You can't
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      3 years ago, # ^ |
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      Sounds like you have more than 2 alts.

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it -7 Vote: I do not like it

      Clearly we need a new method, thinking about the case of your account I have figured it out: An account is as alt iff the username has 'alt' in it. Fake accounts like not-an-alt and demoralizer will not stand a chance with this brilliant strategy.

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +68 Vote: I do not like it

    Brother these aren't my accounts . One of the above mentioned account even messaged me around a month ago . I asked him/her , who it is , which he/she of course didn't tell me . Why would I have an alt account in first place when I am active almost everyday with this account !

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
    ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it -25 Vote: I do not like it

    By looking at all the id's name and submission ,one thing is for sure that the guy is from south asia,,,, as two Id is in against of Indian cpeers(Ashishgud trolling ashishgup,Indian red codrr also one ID is enemhater trolling enem India's top coder) also rahat khan is some what more common name in Indian sub-continent,,And as much as I know Only India from subcontinent hate china so much,,,,so linked to Indian again!!!!!!!

    Spoiler
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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +2 Vote: I do not like it

      That person mentioned "Go back" which means leave my place, which doesn't make any sense in Indian context

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3 years ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +51 Vote: I do not like it

Someone messaged me asking to help him in a coding test in exchange of money after I ignored him he dmed me on linkedin to which I again refused (respectfully) and few hours later I receive a bunch of slangs from an alt. click I don't think he realised that he messaged me from his real linkedin account.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Auto comment: topic has been updated by SHZhang (previous revision, new revision, compare).

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +14 Vote: I do not like it

I feel the same way. I was going to post a blog about the overwhelming lack of African American coders in the cp community, but I feel like I would be targeted from multiple accounts with offensive and rude messages telling me to delete it, go back to Africa, etc, etc.

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +3 Vote: I do not like it

    Well I'm African American (actually just African). I think it mostly has to do with lack of exposure, CS is a small community, albeit it's growing, Black (African American's are actually a small subset of Black people) computer scientists/programmers are the minority in CS. It only makes sense that they are even smaller in CP.

    Also, who cares what trolls say, make your blog I'm sure it would be well received. I think the majority of the cp community are respectful.

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3 years ago, # |
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Nationalism isn't ok in a CP site.

It's disgusting. :(

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3 years ago, # |
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i still dont get why do people spread hate like that. feels bad , maybe those all idiots have no work to do ,a burden for mother earth.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +8 Vote: I do not like it

I absolutely agree, I would also like to revive this old blog by me on this occasion. Please stop letting unrated accounts post and comment

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