An obvious first step would be to prevent the use of throwaway email providers for new accounts. ... sharklasers.com, mailinator.com, yopmail.com, etc...
Absolutely! This is a great idea.
IP-based restrictions are already used, but they're tricky to get right.
Already used? I am impressed. But yes, that only goes so far.
Requiring some kind of two-factor authentication for new user signups has been suggested, but is this something that would work across the world? Would it be effective at slowing the creation of these new accounts? What form would this take?
An automated phone call or text message might be a good idea. The reason this would work is because you are associating a cost with duplication. Email accounts are free, but phone numbers - not so much.
However, I think that many folks out there may be uncomfortable providing their phone number from a privacy standpoint.
I think that easy registration is one of the great things about Stack Overflow, and we should hold on to it.
My initial experience on Stack Overflow when I first signed up in 2010:
- Recognition: I recognized Stack Overflow by the distinctive voting icons to the left of the answers. I would regularly find Stack Overflow results on Google searches, and the top-voted/accepted answer was usually of great quality.
- Invitation: The Ask Question button was very convenient. (I was not into asking questions on forums at the time.)
- Convenience: It was so easy to ask a question. I didn't even have to create an account.
- Results: Most importantly, the answer was fast (3 minutes) and of great quality.
I think that the 'first question' experience is the most important for bringing on a potential new user.
I know that step 3 has changed a bit (account creation is required before filling out the question contents). Fortunately, most professionals have a Google account and can sign up with very few clicks (although they may not be keen on Google+, that's a different topic).
