Help request - legendary user "slush" tagged as a scammer during forum hack

[SlushPool official]

Hello fellow Bitcointalkers!

Some time ago user "slush" was hacked - it was during the time some bitcointalk pw hashes were stolen. Some scammer brutforced his account and started posting scams which were reported by other members. User slush got his account back very soon after the hack and setup a strong pw but a warning message is displayed in all threads he started years after the btctalk hack and we cant find a way to "appeal" or something.

For example, the original thread about Slush Pool is tagged as created by a scammer: "Warning: One or more bitcointalk.org users have reported that they strongly believe that the creator of this topic is a scammer. (Check their trust page to see the detailed trust ratings.) While the bitcointalk.org administration does not verify such claims, you should proceed with extreme caution." link https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1976.0

We, braiins.com acquired Slush Pool from Slush himself in summer 2020
1/ announcement https://braiins.com/blog/braiins-acquires-remaining-stake-in-slush-pool-slush-focusing-on-satoshilabs
2/ twitter proof https://twitter.com/slush/status/1346139300547735555

We would ideally announce that pool is under Braiins now, close the pool thread (not for new people to write new comments but keeping it public for the history purposes) and create a new thread which would be moderated by us / Braiins. But keeping the first mining pool thread ever for historical purposes with a scam warning seems very odd.

It would be nice to get rid of the scammer warning. Come on, forum hashes were hacked and slush himself is not a scammer, he is a cool guy who did and continues to do a lot for the BTC. So please, is there anybody who can help us? Tried reaching out to admins, tried tweeting at bitcointalk... but no luck / no response.

Anybody has any tip please?

Have a good day!
- Braiins team

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[Lucius]

This profile has 4 negative feedbacks from DT members, and that's why this message is displayed - but I did not see that warning when I visit that thread - only when I visit forum as guest.

The only way to remove that message is to contact all those members who have left negative feedback and try to convince them to change their minds. From what I see from their profiles, one member has sadly passed away, and the other has not been active since last year. You can try to contact the other two members via PM and link this thread to them, but I'm not sure if that message will disappear even if they delete or change their feedback to neutral.

It is possible that this would happen, as I think at least 2 or 3 DT members should have left negative feedback for this message to be displayed.

[Little Mouse]

but I'm not sure if that message will disappear even if they delete or change their feedback to neutral.

I think it will not because Zepher is not anymore among us. Theymos is not going to remove the feedback (we didn’t see any such case). So, the feedback is going to be there and so does the warning.

[hosseinimr93]

I think it will not because Zepher is not anymore among us. Theymos is not going to remove the feedback (we didn’t see any such case). So, the feedback is going to be there and so does the warning.

If the other three DT members only two of those DT members remove their negative feedback, the warning should be removed.
That warning is shown if the topic creator has at least 2 negative trust more pre-flag system negative trusts than positive trusts or an supported active flag.

The post was edited according to DdmrDdmr's post. My numbers were wrong.

[DdmrDdmr]

I figure that what is been displayed is a warning message, not a flag, in accordance to this:

<…>
 - If the number of pre-flags-system negative trust ratings is greater than the number of all positive trust ratings, a warning banner is shown for guests & low-login-time newbies.
 <…>

Since the referenced account has, under a DT (level 2) prism, 2 positive and 4 negative feedbacks, it may suffice to get two of the negative ratings removed (if I’m interpreting the above correctly).

I wonder if these type of warnings may come and go depending on whether the Giver is on DT1/DT2 or not. For example, if none of the negative ratings are deleted, but two of the Givers drop-off from DT1/DT2 (temporarily/permanently), then the warning might perhaps not be displayed (as there would be 2 positive and 2 negative DT ratings pre-flags-system).

Edit: I took a while to read around on the matter. I see @hosseinimr93 posted on the same line of though, but we differ on the number of negative ratings that should be removed.

[Lafu]

The feedback from Zepher will stay for ever as he passed away 2 years ago and i guess theymos will not touch it on this case !
There will be one option to get rid of the other feedbacks from Lutpin and Blazed if the Account maybe write them a friendly PM to remove it.
If they dont remove it nobody else can make it and he has to live with that.

[SlushPool official]

We just messaged all who gave a bad trust rating right after the hack ("2017-01-04"). But there seems to be no consensus about how many have to help us for the message to go away.. Actually it seems it wont help anyway.

Is there anything else we could try?
- Add positive ratings to tip the scales maybe?
- Beg Theymos for help in this odd case?
- Any other creative ideas?
- Anything that slush himself can do?

[LoyceV]

there seems to be no consensus about how many have to help us for the message to go away.

Based on theymos' quote (above), the warning should disappear when 2 out of 4 negative feedback are gone. That leaves 2 positive and 2 negative.

- Add positive ratings to tip the scales maybe?

That would work, but I don't consider this correct use of the Trust system. User slush hasn't been online in a long time anyway.

- Beg Theymos for help in this odd case?

From what I've seen in similar cases, he won't intervene.

[OgNasty]

- Anything that slush himself can do?

slush is a pretty prominent and important figure in Bitcoin's history given his implementation of pooled mining.  He stays at the forefront of mining pools with signaling and other innovations.  I have no doubt if slush cared whatsoever about this forum or his account, he could very easily contact theymos and get the help he needs.  slush isn't like the rest of us forum mortals.  He is a VIP no doubt.  If he can't get direct assistance from the Administration here, who can?  

I would say maybe let slush worry about it.  If he cared at all, he wouldn't have negative feedback, believe me...

[Upgrade00]

- Add positive ratings to tip the scales maybe?
- Beg Theymos for help in this odd case?
- Any other creative ideas?
- Anything that slush himself can do?

• Positive ratings are earned for trust worthy behavior, it is sometimes given as counter feedback to negative, but when the person who left the negative feedback is still active and on DT, it's not usually done (except majority of people distrust their judgement, in which case they won't last long as DT members).
• The trust system is a user regulated one and the admins rarely intervene.

Your best bet is to wait for replies from the messaged members as they are the only ones who can remove the feedback.

[NotATether]

We just messaged all who gave a bad trust rating right after the hack ("2017-01-04"). But there seems to be no consensus about how many have to help us for the message to go away.. Actually it seems it wont help anyway.

Is there anything else we could try?
- Add positive ratings to tip the scales maybe?
- Beg Theymos for help in this odd case?
- Any other creative ideas?
- Anything that slush himself can do?

Some of those members used to hang around on various IRC and telegram channels, so you can try going through their post history for the groups and IRC servers they were in and try to get a hold of them there.

[SlushPool official]

This matter is now resolved - locking this topic. Thank you to everybody who helped us navigate and understand the trust system.

Cheers!
- Braiins team