Something troubling about Dreamwidth?

[soc_puppet]

I've heard from two separate sources now that Dreamwidth's block feature doesn't forcibly unsubscribe the blocked user from the blocker's journal; it only makes them unable to comment there. The blockee can still view the journal while logged in and will get notices when the journal owner updates. (This is really weird to me, because DW's name change token includes the option to not automatically redirect links, and I was informed this option was in part to protect the name changer from past abusers. Adding the ability to unsubscribe specific users from the name changer's journal feels like a natural step to make that even more secure!)

I sent a support ticket asking about this, and haven't heard back yet; understandable, the most recent news post and related stuff is probably taking up a lot of time and attention. I still want to hear it "straight from the horse's mouth", so to speak, but in the mean time:

Does anyone know about any third party scripts that can forcibly unsubscribe a user from one's journal, or anything like that? I figure it's worth asking here before I go hunting elsewhere.

Comments

[vriddy]

I doubt there is a script that lets you take an action on someone else's journal, like a force-unsubscribe... (Though I'd certainly like to hear about it if there is!)

Blocking/banning someone from your journal wouldn't stop them from looking at public entries from a private window, or from using the "Tracking" function to invisibly get notified of new posts from a sock account... Hopefully, blocking is another feature that can be revisited once the other conversion work is done. I suspect maybe some of the assumptions behind how it currently works come from a different era.

[soc_puppet]

I mean, there's a third party script to reblog stuff, I figured it might be possible. Certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

Just heard back from Support, and it's confirmed; Blocking does not force-unsubscribe someone from the blocker's journal. I sent back an ask about, should someone start a fresh account whether it would be possible to import the entries and comments from the old account. Since Dreamwidth was already set up to import content from entirely different websites, I feel like that should be doable, and if the user combines it with making their account (relatively) unsearchable, that might be the closest work-around we can get.

I know that a hypothetical force-unsubscribed person could still view the account when not signed in, or when signed in on another account, so it's far from a perfect solution. Still, adding even one pain-in-the-ass step to the process can deter a surprising amount of people. Like bike locks! It's easy enough to get around them with a good set of bolt clippers, and it's possible to pick the locks themselves, but at that point, it's a lot harder to find someone who will bother with it. (Both of the people I've heard form so far otherwise adore Dreamwidth and would love to come back, but don't want to entirely lock down their accounts if there's any other option, including just... not coming back to Dreamwidth.)

[redsixwing]

I've heard very much the same (from a current DW user, no less.) Thanks for confirming it, and I hope the workaround pans out.

[soc_puppet]

I was honestly hoping so hard it wasn't true after the first account I heard, and getting a second account of that basically sent my mood through the floor. I'm really, really hoping the workaround pans out, because I think it has some actual promise. There may be some coding stuff where it would have to cost money, like rename tokens (or so people don't use it in lieu of rename tokens? IDK), but rename tokens don't exactly break the bank, and I'd be willing to shell out for one or two on behalf of people who are looking to befuddle abusers and stalkers.