From time to time AOL Executives will send an Instant Message to TOSAdvisor to report TOS violations. Typically these will be reports of Password Solicitation, IM Bombs, or Email Bombs. However, they could be reporting any number of things including: an unacceptable Member Room name, a Chat room that is out of control, a Rainman area that appears to have been hacked, an unacceptable Member web page, etc… All communications with AOL Executives should be in the most professional and courteous manner. Just like all other reports received by CAT, it is important that you get as much information from the Executive as possible.
Password Solicitation Reports > Have the Executive paste the PW Solicitation into an Instant Message and send it to you. If the solicitor's account has not already been actioned, action it and let the Executive know you have taken care of the situation. You should follow normal procedures for actioning an account for PW Solicitation. If the solicitor's account has already been actioned, let the Executive know that the solicitor has already been taken care of. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name.
IM Bombs > Get the Screen Name of the violator. If possible, get a clip of the IM. If the IM is blank, note that in the CRIS history. If the violator's account has not already been terminated, terminate it with a CAN250 code. Send a response back to the Executive letting them know you've taken action on the report. You should follow normal procedures for actioning the account in CRIS. If the violator's account has already been terminated, let the Executive know that the violator has already been terminated. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name.
Email Bombs > Have the Executive forward one copy of the email to your personal Screen Name or the Screen Name of the Shift Leader. Ask them to note on the Forward approximately how many pieces they received (i.e. more than 10, more than 50, more than 100, etc…). The mail needs to be processed as soon as you receive it. If the violator's account has not already been terminated, terminate it with a CAN250 code. Send a response back to the Executive letting them know you've taken action on the report. You should follow normal procedures for actioning the account in CRIS. If the violator's account has already been terminated, let the Executive know that the violator has already been terminated. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name.
Unacceptable Member Room Name > An Executive will probably only report a Member Room Name to us when they find it highly offensive. Find out the Room Name and the Category where the room is located. Let the Executive know that you will close the room immediately, and they will see the change after refreshing their room name list. If possible, have someone using the Room Tool close the room, so it will be recorded on the unacceptable list in the Rooms database. If that cannot be done quickly, go ahead and close it yourself. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name. Take an opportunity at this time to scan the member rooms, close any rooms that are unacceptable and review the unacceptable room names with the room scanning folks.
Out of Control Chat Room > Like unacceptable Member Room Names, an Executive will only bring an out-of-control chat room to our attention when it is extremely bad. Find out the Room Name and the Category where the room is located. If it is a Member Chat, close the room. If it is a Featured (or Public) Chat, go to that chat room. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name. You cannot desanction a Featured Chat room! If you desanction a Replicating Chat room (one that opens a new room automatically when the current one is full) could crash the entire People Connection. Utilize your PermaGag tools to get the room under control. Get help if you can't get the room under control yourself. Even if the room is full to capacity, TOS/CAT accounts as well as Guide accounts will still be able to get in.
Hacked Rainman Areas > Get the path to the area from the Executive. In most cases, it will not simply be a post or article that needs to be removed but an entire area that has been compromised (i.e. KW: New York Times), and you will only need the Keyword. Let the Executive know that you will work with ARC Help to get the area taken down and terminate the account responsible. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name. Call ARC Help immediately and let them know what has happened. Once ARC has the area cleaned up they can probably tell you the Screen Name that is responsible, and you can terminate the account with a CAN250.
Unacceptable AOL Member Web Pages > Get the URL to the Web Page. Let the Executive know that you will work with ARC Help to get the page taken down and terminate the account responsible. Don't forget to send a "Thank you for reporting this to us" back to the Executive, and sign YOUR name. Call ARC Help immediately and let them know what has happened. Once ARC has the page hidden they can probably tell you the Screen Name that is responsible, and you can terminate the account with a CAN284. Send email to the Screen Name TOSWeb so Steve Cambetes can follow up on the report.
An up-to-date list of Executives is posted at the TOSAdvisor station.
