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I have a question about my Ask Ubuntu post: Backup for Cloud Email

Is there any mechanism to block trolls from harassing you?

I asked my first question (linked above) and it's infested by someone who doesn't seem to have read my question; certainly he doesn't understand it. I'd just like to delete everything he added so it can go back to unanswered, and block him from ever responding to anything I post.

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    Before assuming someone's a troll, it might help if you read other answers the person has provided to other questions.
    – DK Bose
    Oct 29, 2018 at 10:14
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    Doesn't look like trolling to me, they answered your question and you then defaced it ranting about trolls. You should thake the tour askubuntu.com/tour and read the help askubuntu.com/help so you can understand the difference between this site and a forum.
    – Mark Kirby
    Oct 29, 2018 at 10:58
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    My initial question made it clear what I was looking for, his answer specifically ignored it, so I made it even clearer. Still he continued to push his "answer" despite it having nothing to do with my question. Interrupting a thread with irrelevant nonsense in order to prevent useful discussion is the very definition of trolling.
    – MonosyllabicBabbling
    Oct 29, 2018 at 11:38
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    It is not a thread, it is a question and someone tried to help you, thwy are not pushing anything, if the answer is wrong, vote it down and wait for another.
    – Mark Kirby
    Oct 29, 2018 at 11:52

1 Answer 1

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Is there any mechanism to block trolls from harassing you?

You report them. There is a option left of every comment where you can flag a comment. And you can flag an answer as "not an answer". Be sure to flag appropriate though. Flags that are not correct influence your score negatively.

But who is it that is harassing you? I see one user that is trying to help you. Nothing more. If you disagree with the answer downvote it. The system will see there are no answers and keep the topic active (by once every so often kicking it to the frontpage) until it has an accepted answer.

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  • He is not trying to help, he's using a "fake reasonable" tone, but his purpose is clearly malicious. I made it absolutely clear what I wanted to discuss and everything he has added has been a worthless distraction.
    – MonosyllabicBabbling
    Oct 29, 2018 at 11:42
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    I think you should re-evaluate your opinion. Several people here and several at the question (but those might be the same users ;-)) disagree with you.
    – Rinzwind
    Oct 29, 2018 at 11:58
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    @MonosyllabicBabbling As a moderator, and an IT Security Professional, I have to deal with truly 'malicious people' all the time. In my professional opinion as an IT Security professional and a moderator of the site, the individual you are referring to in this post is not actually being malicious and is attempting to help. Unless you can absolutely without a doubt prove that their intent is malicious the claim they are being malicious is unfounded, and I suggest that you re-evaluate your opinion.
    – Thomas Ward Mod
    Oct 29, 2018 at 14:14
  • Nothing he posted either in his "answer" or any of the comments he added later directly addressed my question in any way. I tried to politely redirect him several times. I even offered to help him trouble shoot the problem he claimed to be concerned about, in a separate question. But despite this he persisted in his digression, he refused to address the actual question at all. I'm left with no other explanation except malice, if you can think of another one please let me know.
    – MonosyllabicBabbling
    Oct 29, 2018 at 16:44
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    The only other suggestion we can offer you is to rethink your issue, ask a new question, refrain from posting any suggestions, making it truly generic without making it too broad and adhering to our help center how to ask questions and see what kind of answers you receive. @MonosyllabicBabbling 0:-)
    – Fabby
    Oct 30, 2018 at 22:32
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    @MonosyllabicBabbling I think your first comment to that person, which I flagged, and which has therefore been removed, called them a troll.
    – Zanna Mod
    Oct 31, 2018 at 9:01
  • You think incorrectly, I identified him as a troll only after he had been harassing me for days. I know it was a mistake to rise to his bait, no doubt he found it incredibly gratifying. What a pathetic life he must have to find pleasure in so low a pursuit.
    – MonosyllabicBabbling
    Oct 31, 2018 at 18:23
  • You may not see this, but the rest of us see "MonosyllabicBabbling is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct." Just saying.
    – DK Bose
    Nov 2, 2018 at 10:48

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