Question about polls

computerignorant · 05-13-2006, 01:57 AM

Hello all, I had a question that I believe only you guys can answer. Its kind of silly, but here goes......

I've been voting on this poll that only allows you to vote once every 6 hours. (I believe they keep track of your IP address.) However, I suspect that one of the competitors on the poll is cheating, as unlike the other competitors who steadily climb throughout the day, he consistently gains mass amounts of votes in a short period of time, ceasing until the next spurt.

Now my friend says its impossible to cheat on a poll like this, but I don't think so. How could they possibly be doing it?

**magicman** · 05-13-2006, 02:00 AM

What poll is it? If it logs ip addresses, then using a proxy server would be a possible way for cheating to occur, but for one person that's a very long winded way. I don't personally know of any way for high-volume cheating like what you've said.

computerignorant · 05-13-2006, 03:53 AM

Link to the poll www.bgnracing.com

I know Steve Park has the fans to support his vote total, but Regan Smith does not. (I've been voting for John Andretti.)

Now I've heard there is software that hides your IP address, making it invisible to other computers. If you had this, could you vote ad infinitum without being caught?

**magicman** · 05-13-2006, 04:19 AM

Not sure, as I don't know much about the ways to cheat polls. I know you can change your ip address at will, but I'm not sure how you would trick a website into thinking you don't have one. I mean, an IP address is required so the web server knows where to direct the site information.

I'd say the poll makers would probably become suspicious if suspicion were warranted. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

05-13-2006, 01:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
computerignorant New Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 3	Question about polls Hello all, I had a question that I believe only you guys can answer. Its kind of silly, but here goes...... I've been voting on this poll that only allows you to vote once every 6 hours. (I believe they keep track of your IP address.) However, I suspect that one of the competitors on the poll is cheating, as unlike the other competitors who steadily climb throughout the day, he consistently gains mass amounts of votes in a short period of time, ceasing until the next spurt. Now my friend says its impossible to cheat on a poll like this, but I don't think so. How could they possibly be doing it?

05-13-2006, 02:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
magicman Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 3,063	What poll is it? If it logs ip addresses, then using a proxy server would be a possible way for cheating to occur, but for one person that's a very long winded way. I don't personally know of any way for high-volume cheating like what you've said. __________________ FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358

05-13-2006, 04:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
magicman Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 3,063	Not sure, as I don't know much about the ways to cheat polls. I know you can change your ip address at will, but I'm not sure how you would trick a website into thinking you don't have one. I mean, an IP address is required so the web server knows where to direct the site information. I'd say the poll makers would probably become suspicious if suspicion were warranted. I wouldn't worry too much about it. __________________ FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358

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05-13-2006, 03:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
computerignorant New Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 3	Link to the poll www.bgnracing.com I know Steve Park has the fans to support his vote total, but Regan Smith does not. (I've been voting for John Andretti.) Now I've heard there is software that hides your IP address, making it invisible to other computers. If you had this, could you vote ad infinitum without being caught?