Scratch
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#1 2008-01-15 17:35:27
Tracing usernames
Hi all,
Things have been going very well with Scratch until now. A student has created an account and is using it to post somewhat threatening messages to another student. I have recorded each students' username that they registered with IN SCHOOL, but I have no way of monitoring if students are creating accounts at home or do I? Does anyone know if there is a way educators can contact someone to investigate the origins of the creation of a username?
I would really hate to see the project shut down due to this situation, but I am feeling like there may be no other choice. I thought I would appeal to my fellow educators to see if there's a solution out there.
Thanks so much,
MJ
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#2 2008-01-16 03:50:34
- SimpleScratch
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2007-05-25
- Posts: 100+
Re: Tracing usernames
Experience has shown me that there is nothing you can do to prevent pupils abusing each other from the privacy of their homes apart from informing parents.
All technical restraints will fail 
Privacy protection/laws prevent you finding out personal details about users on a public forum.
Downside of free speech/society
regards
Simon
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#4 2008-01-16 12:11:51
Re: Tracing usernames
Yes, definitely a problem with freedom! 
Jens, the problem is that it's nothing that could be flagged unfortunately. It's all written in a cryptic manner in Scratch and the handwritten notes simultaneuously being left in the locker are more of the issue. It's just that it would be great to peg who it is posting the cryptic messages in Scratch so we could bust the letter-writer.
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#5 2008-01-16 15:55:20
- kevin_karplus
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2007-04-27
- Posts: 1000+
Re: Tracing usernames
You could ask the scratch team for help with a particular user if necessary. They'd probably need some sort of authentication of who you are.
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#6 2008-01-16 21:04:05
Re: Tracing usernames
How do I contact the scratch team? through the online form that comes up when you click Contact Us or another way? I can provide anything they need to verify I'm a teacher. I'd like to resolve this issue before the whole project gets shut down. Thanks!
kevin_karplus wrote:
You could ask the scratch team for help with a particular user if necessary. They'd probably need some sort of authentication of who you are.
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#7 2008-01-17 00:04:47
- kevin_karplus
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2007-04-27
- Posts: 1000+
Re: Tracing usernames
There is a "contact us" link at the bottom of every page. They do seem to read the e-mail they get that way.
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#8 2008-01-17 21:33:37
Re: Tracing usernames
Very impressive! They obviously read these forums too since I received a personalized email regarding this issue before I could even send an email to them. Excellent communication from MIT! Greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help Kevin!
Last edited by mswheeler (2008-01-17 21:34:06)
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