Hello,
We have received many inquiries about the March 10th bans in which multiple accounts were banned for botting/related activity on the site. Given the feedback we have received regarding this incident, we are allowing users who were banned by the automated botting script on March 10, to appeal certain account bans. We've investigated the majority of these reports, and many of them should stay banned. But we also want to extend the benefit of doubt to those accounts that were not involved in botting activity (yes, our systems can tell).
What this means to you: If you had an account that was banned on March 10th, 2008 and which was banned for botting as part of the mass account ban, then you may file an appeal to have your account ban re-investigated.
To file an appeal, follow these steps carefully:
1) Using another account, please fill out a hacking report form on behalf of your banned account. The hacking report form is located here: http://www.gaiaonline.com/gaia/report.php?r=1
2) In the "How were you hacked?" section of the hacking report form, please enter the following code into the text field: BAN310 on a separate line, and then describe that you are filing this report as a botting ban appeal for an account that was specifically banned on March 10th, 2008. Only those accounts that were banned on that date are eligible for appeal.
3) All appeals must be filed by next Monday, March 31st, 2008. Any appeals for this set of bans which are filed after March 31st, 2008 cannot be considered.
Please know that most of the accounts banned on March 10th, 2008 were appropriately banned for botting or related activity. Some botters have been complaining about their accounts, stating innocence, so please be patient as we sort through them all. We cannot guarantee any account will be unbanned upon investigation of a ban appeal. We can only handle appeal reports in relation to this particular banning incident: Anyone using the BAN310 code to appeal a ban that did NOT occur on March 10th will be considered to be filing false reports. Use this code very carefully, as all of the related accounts will be scrutinized exposing all of the related accounts/trades/activities.
We hope this helps anyone who should not have been auto-banned on March 10th.
Gaia Admin Team