Block a Troublesome Chatter (Olark Classic)

**NOTE: This help article was written for our Olark Classic chat console. Some things may not apply, may have moved, or may look different. For up to date chat console documentation, click here.

Sometimes it's useful to be able to block a certain visitor. Whether it be your development team and colleagues that have no need to chat with you or a persistent troll distracting your support team, we have you covered.

This guide will show you how to block a visitor temporarily using the !block command or a more permanent block using their IP address.

Temporarily Block a Chatter Using the !Block Command

Use the !block command to prevent a troublesome visitor from messaging you. A block lasts for 24 hours or until the visitor clears their browser cookies. After 24 hours, the visitor can message you again. The visitor will NOT receive any indication that they've been blocked or that the block has cleared when you use the !block command. The chat console will inform you that the chatter has been blocked, and you'll no longer see messages coming in from them.

Permanently block a chatter using their IP address

If you need a permanent block solution, you'll want to set up an Automation Rule to hide the chat box from a particular IP address. Please note that IP addresses can only be revealed by clicking on Reveal IP address in the Additional Info section of your chat console. You'll only be able to obtain a visitor's IP address while they are chatting with you and not after the conversation.

Full information on how and why we manage IP addresses the way we do is available here.