WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll ·
09/07/2020 14:57
This is admittedly very niche, but does anybody (or their children) have any experience of Algodoo? It's a fun way of learning about physics and coding and my DS is absolutely crazy about it. He's a bit younger than the target age, but it's very much his 'thing'. He first loved watching marble race videos and this was kind of a logical extension of that.
They have a connected program called Algobox, which allows children to register and then upload and share scenes that they've made. The scenes are typically stick-person athletes, identified by the names of their many colours and shades, taking part in various sports/games and contests.
After months of making his own scenes and watching those posted by others, I let him set up an account (with my details) and upload his own. He posted a leaderboard/results chart scene showing where each 'athlete' appeared and instantly received a message that he had been banned for 10 days. Apparently, leaderboard scenes are against the rules (it had said in the rules, but he'd forgotten this - apparently, they don't want anything that might turn it into a 'chat' board?!?!). The rules contain a lot of obviously bad violations that he would never ever dream of doing - using offensive language, insulting other users etc - and state that such behaviour will (rightly) result in a warning. However, for simply posting the 'wrong' kind of (very common) scene, instead of receiving any warnings, it was an automatic 10-day IP-ban.
He was heartbroken (still is), so he had to sit it out. I registered to go on their forum and was told it might take a couple/few days to receive a confirmation email before I could start being active on it. This was on 20th June and I'm still waiting.
After 10 long days, he went back on and uploaded two standard kind of scenes and then, two hours later, the banhammer came down again. It told him that he had been IP-banned forever and listed all the things he had lost the right to. The message said "Banned forever for violating the rules AGAIN! Some people just never learn." They haven't ever given any reasons as to why he has been banned or what he hadn't 'learned'. It invites you to click for more info, but this just refreshes the same 'you are banned' page. He still cannot understand why they've done this.
This program and community are designed for and squarely aimed at children. My child and I are completely in the dark as to why he has been thrown off without explanation. He keeps asking me why they would do such a thing and what has he done wrong, and I have no answer to give him. He's only 8 and it feels like he's been randomly targeted for victimisation - unless this is common, in which case it's a very nasty way to treat children. I really don't know where to go from here - I have a Twitter account that I've never used, but I don't know if I can use that in any way?
Has anybody else had any experience with this program - good or bad? Does anybody know who the mods are - are they adults or older kids who've been on there for a while? Some of the things that some users think are funny (especially on 1st April) appear to be more frustrating and annoying than anything - the same 'jokes' baked in to recur over and over again and thwart you from being able to use it easily, which weren't funny the first time (their equivalent of newbies in trades being sent to ask for tartan paint or for 'a long weight'); so I don't know if it's some mean-kid bully throwing their weight around.
Sorry for the long, rambling post and the very specific nature of the question, but if anybody out there can help shed any light on this at all, it would be greatly appreciated.
TIA