subject: Stopping An Abusive Website [print this page] Some websites are set up specifically to abuse people. They pick on people who are vulnerable emotionally in some cases, or just randomly pick out people to libel on the Internet. If you've been a victim of one of these you may be able to put an end to it using these techniques.
1: Look for IPs
If you're being disparaged in the comments section of a blog or another interactive site, check the comments section to see if IP addresses are being published when users comment. The IP address will be a numerical code consisting of four groups of 1 to 3 numbers separated by periods. It will usually be preceded by an indication that it is an IP address. If you do not see any published, you're not at a loss.
2: Use an IP Trace Tool
An IP trace tool allows you to take the numerical address of any server, webpage, user or other piece of equipment and to trace it back to its location and its owner. This is a very powerful tool, of course, and it's a mainstay of security experts. If you need a website trace, these tools can take the name that you enter, convert it to its IP address and then find the IP location for that address very quickly.
3: Take Action
Once you know where the website is hosted and, hopefully, the IP addresses of at least a few of the offenders, you can start taking action. The IP trace will give you information that includes the ISP that the users use and the ISP that provides the website with space. Write these ISPs and report the activity. You may have to look up their address but, in the vast majority of cases, the address "abuse" at whatever ISP provides will get you to the right people. Check to be sure, however.
If you do get the ISP to take action, they may warn the user to cease and desist or they may simply take down the user's website and cancel their service. Make sure to take some screenshots before you have the ISP take down the site. This way, you have information that you could use to go after the offender in court, if you decide to take it that far. At the very least, you'll have more information to give to their new ISP if they start up the same activity again.
