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A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me

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  • 10-21-2014, 05:19 PM
    arc
    A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    My question involves criminal law for the state of: NY

    I've been trying to go on a forum where a user keeps to harass me. I've complained about him to the admin of the site. But instead of helping me, he bans me. I've returned on the forum using different usernames. But, this guy finds me out and harasses me still. This site is the only one of its kind for those who need help with coding. I want to contact a lawyer about this so the harassment can stop. Please let me know how to proceed. Thanks.
  • 10-21-2014, 05:31 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    You're kidding, surely?

    Easy peasy answer: quit posting.
  • 10-21-2014, 07:05 PM
    LawResearcherMissy
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    Quote:

    But instead of helping me, he bans me.
    That means you aren't welcome there. Stop it.

    I ban people here for coming back under other usernames. A ban means "You're done here, go away." You have no legal right to be in any forum, anywhere. They are privately owned, and do not have to allow anyone to participate that they don't want to.
  • 10-22-2014, 03:27 PM
    arc
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    Quote:

    Quoting Dogmatique
    View Post
    You're kidding, surely?

    Easy peasy answer: quit posting.

    I would be wasting my time if I were.

    Quote:

    Quoting LawResearcherMissy
    View Post
    That means you aren't welcome there. Stop it.

    I ban people here for coming back under other usernames. A ban means "You're done here, go away." You have no legal right to be in any forum, anywhere. They are privately owned, and do not have to allow anyone to participate that they don't want to.

    But I didn't do anything to merit the ban. And harassment is mharassment no matter where its done. I'm sure you dont ban people without a good reason.

    For some reason, I feel like you didnt read my post entirely. I mention harassment and you never addressed it.
  • 10-22-2014, 03:35 PM
    BooRennie
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    Doesn't matter. Website owner can ban whoever he/she/it wishes.
  • 10-22-2014, 04:21 PM
    Lehk
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    saying mean things to you on an internet forum does not meet the definition of criminal harassment.

    Quote:

    N.Y. Penal Law § 240.25 Harassment in the first degree.

    A person is guilty of harassment in the first degree when he or she
    intentionally and repeatedly harasses another person by following such
    person in or about a public place or places or by engaging in a course
    of conduct or by repeatedly committing acts which places such person in
    reasonable fear of physical injury. This section shall not apply to
    activities regulated by the national labor relations act, as amended,
    the railway labor act, as amended, or the federal employment labor
    management act, as amended.
    Harassment in the first degree is a class B misdemeanor.
    Quote:

    N.Y. Penal Law § 240.26 Harassment in the second degree.

    A person is guilty of harassment in the second degree when, with
    intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person:
    1. He or she strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects such other
    person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same; or
    2. He or she follows a person in or about a public place or places; or
    3. He or she engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts
    which alarm or seriously annoy such other person and which serve no
    legitimate purpose.
    Subdivisions two and three of this section shall not apply to
    activities regulated by the national labor relations act, as amended,
    the railway labor act, as amended, or the federal employment labor
    management act, as amended.
    Harassment in the second degree is a violation.
  • 10-22-2014, 05:50 PM
    travelplus
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    A ban on a forum is just like a ban from a store. If you continue to frequent the store you can be charged for tresspassing. If your caught coming back to the forum technically you can be reported to authorities if you are harassing a forum or overriding a ban by using another user name. Your IP address can be logged as well.
  • 10-22-2014, 07:15 PM
    LawResearcherMissy
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    Quote:

    But I didn't do anything to merit the ban.
    So? You're still not legally entitled to be where the forum owner doesn't want you.

    Quote:

    I'm sure you dont ban people without a good reason.
    You're not understanding.

    I don't NEED a reason. Aaron says I can drop the Banhammer at my discretion. If I find that you're annoying me or creating too much work babysitting you, or you annoy my longtime posters, or you come back under multiple accounts, I exercise my discretion and drop the Banhammer. And if you keep coming back, I not only drop the Banhammer, but I contact the Abuse department of your internet service provider.

    Did you know that ISPs often terminate their service agreements with people who refuse to follow the rules?

    Quote:

    I mention harassment and you never addressed it.
    I don't address it because it's completely irrelevant.

    Once the forum owner bans you, that's it. You're done. Coming back is trespassing, and believe it or not, you can be prosecuted for it if the forum owner finds you enough of an annoyance.

    Another user being mean to you is not criminal harassment, as Lehk notes above. Even if it was, you STILL have no legal right to be in that forum. It's up to the police to deal with criminal harassment, not the forum owner.
  • 10-22-2014, 07:51 PM
    Disagreeable
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    Ummm Missy, I realize the guy is annoying but he was not talking about this site. He said a coding site. That is why I gave him direction earlier.
  • 10-23-2014, 07:19 AM
    cbg
    Re: A Forum Member Keeps Harassing Me
    And Missy can see, via the IP address, whether this is someone she's banned in the past.
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