Can you tell if someone uses an alt ?

[Svetlana Salomon]

Some people use alts, to harass others. Like stalk them in (group) chat or visit their (home) SIM etc.

 

Is it possible to find out if someone is an alt, before he starts harassing? Because often I suspect, but I can never know. And I don't want to accuse, offend or mute everyone I suspect lol. Maybe there is a vieuwer option, some script or an IP address HUD thingy. I hope someone knows this, thanks :)

[Rolig Loon]

No, there is no way to tell except to ask.  Don't believe that IP address idea.  Too many mistaken identities.

And please don't be down on alts.  There are many good reasons to have an alt.  As a creator, I use my alt to test permissions on things that I build, and to be sure that scripted things behave properly.  Plenty of perople who come to SL for professional reasons -- teachers, librarians, etc.  -- have alts so they can have a private life when they aren't here on company time.   Some people have an alt for Role Play that has its own inventory of clothes, weapons, scripted devices.  Some of us have an alt who is a banker for rental property.   Of all the people I know who have alts (virtually everyone I know has one, in fact), hardly any are evil.

[Venus Petrov]

People may use alts the way you have described, yes, but others use alts to maintain group property, create content to sell (for example create a male alt to make clothing), and other things that would not fall into the 'negative' examples you cite.

The only true way to find out if someone has an alt is to ask.

[Marigold Devin]

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Svetlana Salomon wrote:

Some people use alts, to harass others. Like stalk them in (group) chat or visit their (home) SIM etc.

 

Is it possible to find out if someone is an alt, before he starts harassing? Because often I suspect, but I can never know. And I don't want to accuse, offend or mute everyone I suspect lol. Maybe there is a vieuwer option, some script or an IP address HUD thingy. I hope someone knows this, thanks

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To add to the others who have already posted in this thread, it sounds like you/or a friend is having problems with harrassment. The absolute best thing to do is take everyone at face value, try not to be paranoid and suspect everyone of being an alt out to cause trouble. Never accuse anyone outright, but if your instinct tells you that a person's presence is making you uncomfortable in Second Life it is easiest to deal with by simply muting with as few words as possible. If someone constantly creates a new alt with which to harrass someone, but they get ignored, eventually they will move on to another "victim".

[Cabbage Acanthus]

There is no truly reliable way to identify an alt.  There are a few products that claim to be able to do it but there are far too many false positives for them to be considered remotely accurate and most rely on "questionable" methods that would be best avoided.

 

Many people (including myself) have alts.  I'm willing to bet most people do.  Most of these alts are used for innocent purposes.  If someone is using their alts to break the TOS, LL can rectify the situation (if they can be bothered to do so).  So, if any resident alt or not is breaking the TOS to harass or otherwise grief you, report them.  If you have reasonable cause to think that they are someone's alt, include that along with the supporting information in your abuse report.  

 

The key to this is consistancy.  Every single time that person breaks the TOS, report them.  Proper documentation of such petty injustices is often the best single thing you can do to get a resolution (both in RL and SL).

[111Nosferatu111]

Yes it is possible, i was on a sim a few days ago and had logged in my alt also to transfer some lindens from one to the other, some how a guy on the sim knew he was my alt. I havent found out how yet ,,but there is a way