Is posting on fora using an alias cowardly?

[ditchcrawler]

 

Also, I think it is probably the case that more people live near a canal than near a Harbour - I'm merely someone who has lived near the coast all my life and as far as I know, there aren't many (if any) canals near Southampton.

 

 

There is a Southampton Canal Society

[Pretty Funked Up]

Which is a perfect reason why people on the internet should not be able to hide behind a made up name while they slag a company/individual off.

 

I really cant see how knowing their real name would make any bit of difference. What would said company or individual want the info for? what would they do with it?

 

You get it all the time with products, you read the reviews, balance them out, then make a judgement about buying them. How would knowing real names make any difference at all?

 

People are simply saying what their experiences were on that occasion (a review), not really worthy of full n final disclosure and putting so much else at risk.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Pretty Funked Up

[Gibbo]

I really cant see how knowing their real name would make any bit of difference. What would said company or individual want the info for? what would they do with it?

 

The point is, they wouldn't say it in the first place if they couldn't hide behind a made up name.

 

I'm not talking about genuine experiences with a company. I'm talking about instances where someone has quite blatantly "had a go at a marina" or such like and basically told a pack of lies.

[nb Innisfree]

So many feel anonymous and seek fame and renown when they are young not realising anonymity is freedom and fame is like grabbing a tiger by the tail, I read of celebrities wishing they could just walk down the street unrecognised. The older I get the more of a luxury it seems to be.

[Minos]

It certainly provoked an interesting number of responses. I personally feel that those with direct business interests should be completely open about what they do. Private people are perfectly entitled to anonymity, but I think a moral code goes with that. To hide behind a made up name and use it to attack other people's good name or attempt to damage their business without being prepared to reveal their identity, is indeed cowardly, and deeply unpleasant.

In circumstances of damaging someone's good name or the reputation of a business, forum anonymity is irrelevant: if you want to take legal action against someone for something they posted on a forum, there are two ways of doing it.

 

1. Try to use legal means to extract the identity of the poster from the forum owner and chase them that way, or

2. Inform yourself about the actual workings of the law, and hold the registered forum owner personally responsible and liable for what is published on the internet under their authority.

 

There are many cases in legal history of people attempting #1 and failing, and attempting #2 and wreaking havoc on a previously successful internet community.

 

It matters to me that I can be anonymous online - not because I want to hide anything from you lot, but because I am a teacher and I don't want my students to be able to trace what I do in my personal time. I once gave a detention to a student for failing to submit coursework, and in "revenge" he launched a DOS attack on the charity community website Circe and I run which supports thousands of parents of disabled children. The simple choice of anonymity online would have stopped the little $%!£ from linking me to that website and saved money, inconvenience and disruption.

 

So now, while I am perfectly happy to meet other CWDF members and get to know them socially (yes, Carl, that includes you - I'll even buy the beer,) I'm not putting anything on here that can be used by a tenacious teenager to link me to the teacher who pissed them off last term.

[Higgs]

The point is, they wouldn't say it in the first place if they couldn't hide behind a made up name.

 

I'm not talking about genuine experiences with a company. I'm talking about instances where someone has quite blatantly "had a go at a marina" or such like and basically told a pack of lies.

 

 

Your general point is that; It shouldn't be possible to hide behind a 'mask' and insult people or tell porkys and, avoid having to face the music. It certainly isn't playing cricket.

 

I expect the majority of people wouldn't behave that way. And, why have to question peoples' motives for hiding their' details, based on the behaviour of a few that might be abusive.

 

Alot of our lives are governed by the behaviour of the lowest common denominator. If it were not for that fact we would be able to leave our doors open and walk anywhere, at any time.

 

I will make the point again: To have the profiles switched off to non-members.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Higgs

[Guest]

I will make the point again: To have the profiles switch off to non members.

 

I don't think that would achieve much at all.

 

If someone wants to circumvent that they would just register and provide minimal details in the process. It's poss. to pare your profile down to the minimum ie virtually nothing or just provide false info.

 

They still then get access to profile info.

 

 

 

 

 

..

Edited September 4, 2011 by MJG

[mayalld]

I take part in a couple of other (non-boating) fora, or forums if you will (whoever heard of the mass mediums?) and choosing a user-name is part of the fun: a name which you like rather than the one with which your parents bestowed you. My user-name is an abbreviation of my surname, and is the nickname by which I was often known at school. My avatar depicts my house and my (fairly distinctive) boat so I don't think I'm being excessively furtive.

Speaking of user-names, I have recently rejoined this forum after six months without internet connection and I'm pleased to be back. Before I was forced to stop participating, I used to enjoy the contributions of one "Phylis" and her verbal sparring with other members. Now, although I have seen references to her, she does not appear to be taking an active part in the forum. What's happened to her?

 

Well, Phylis would have to answer that one.

 

She still posts regularly, but not nearly as many posts as previously.

 

It would be pure conjecture to suggest that there is any causative relationship between this change, and her failing to produce some documentary evidence that she claimed to have about the right way to operate lift bridges.

[Higgs]

I don't think that would achieve much at all.

 

If someone wants to circumvent that they would just register and provide minimal details in the process. It's poss. to pare your profile down to the minimum ie virtually nothing or just provide false info.

 

They still then get access to profile info.

 

 

I have to agree with you. It's only a small change, but there might be some relunctance to go ploughing through peoples' profiles if it was logged. Members do it out of curiosity, with no malice involved.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Higgs

[Minos]

I don't think that would achieve much at all.

 

If someone wants to circumvent that they would just register and provide minimal details in the process. It's poss. to pare your profile down to the minimum ie virtually nothing or just provide false info.

 

They still then get access to profile info.

Agreed. At best, it would delay people by about 90 seconds.

[Gibbo]

Your general point is that; It shouldn't be possible to hide behind a 'mask' and insult people or tell porkys and, avoid having to face the music. It certainly isn't playing cricket.

 

Basically yes.

[Higgs]

I can't get into the sales department of the forum without signing in, would it be so difficult do it for the profiles. It does seem a bit ludicrous.

[Guest]

I have to agree with you. It's only a small change, but there might be some relunctance to go ploughing through peoples' profiles if it was logged. Members do it out of curiosity, with no malice involved.

 

If a member is logged in anonymously them visits to a profile are not logged.

[Minos]

I can't get into the sales department of the forum without signing in, would it be so difficult do it for the profiles. It does seem a bit ludicrous.

I don't run the same IP.Board software version as CWDF, but it's not an option on my version. (I run 3.2.1, this is 3.1.4)

 

It could be configured by someone who knows the programming code - but that's not a simple (or cheap) job.

[Higgs]

If a member is logged in anonymously them visits to a profile are not logged.

 

Ok, then my profile will remain scant.

[cotswoldsman]

Ok, then my profile will remain scant.

 

But it say Higgs not scant so are you saying you have 2 profiles?

[Ange]

If a member is logged in anonymously them visits to a profile are not logged.

 

I didn't know that. Can't say I'm particularly happy about it either.

[Smelly]

Sorry I just can't resist... Having een criticised for hiding behind a nickname while saying controversial things...

 

I'm Spartacus!

 

Anyone fancy revolting?

[Windfola]

You look quite masculine

 

So I've been told

[Minos]

A little bit of perspective here.

 

This is an internet forum. A place designed for people to meet and have discussions.

 

An internet forum is a place which thrives on controversy and debate, a place which measures its success by internet traffic: hit counts, posts and membership numbers. Nothing increases this like a good row. Forums full of sunshine and buttercups are bloody boring.

 

And the internet is notorious for being a place where the be-all and end-all of every discussion is the content of the discussion - nothing else. Your credentials are your reputation as a poster and any personal relationship you may have with other posters. Nothing else. People don't judge you by anything other than what you have posted on the forum: not by your name, your claimed profession, your background or your qualifications.

 

That's why the dominant people on a forum are the people with the highest daily post rate. They are the ones who set the tone for the whole forum regardless of whether they are right or wrong, regardless of whether they check their facts or treat others with respect.

 

It doesn't matter what name you put on your account. What matters is how the top posters behave, and what sort of reputation you accrue for yourself in that environment.

[Guest]

I didn't know that. Can't say I'm particularly happy about it either.

 

Be aware then that guests can view profiles and that doesn't get logged either...

[Higgs]

But it say Higgs not scant so are you saying you have 2 profiles?

 

 

Yes, but I prefer the right profile, in this light. See

[Ange]

Be aware then that guests can view profiles and that doesn't get logged either...

 

Yep I'm aware of that. For me that's different, and doesn't worry me.

 

I don't want to say anything more here, but I have reason to be bothered by this issue.

[Guest]

Yep I'm aware of that. For me that's different, and doesn't worry me.

 

I don't want to say anything more here, but I have reason to be bothered by this issue.

 

Fairy nuff..

[the grinch]

There is a Southampton Canal Society

 

even i'm not a member of that!!

 

 

Also, I think it is probably the case that more people live near a canal than near a Harbour - I'm merely someone who has lived near the coast all my life and as far as I know, there aren't many (if any) canals near Southampton.

 

 

you're more than welcome to come down to Loxwood one weekend when i'm skippering if you fancy a short boat trip on one of our trip boats we operate a 3 lock trip on a saturday afternoon and a 2 lock trip on a sunday afternoon.