Ability for members to post a thread anonymously

[Metallica_Band]

Hey there...I just had a thought...how about members have the ability to post a thread anonymously??? Maybe their question is TOO embarrassing...a lot of people use their user id for this forum in other forums, in email, etc....

Let's say you want to ask a question concerning your relationship with your girlfriend...the girlfriend might be able to find ALSO be on this forum or run across it or whatever and see the thread about her and you...

Or maybe you don't want other people in the forum to know about a certain thing about yourself...if you were able to post a thread anonymously then the person might feel more comfortable about posting his/her question

It could be tested in the Ladies Lounge and Tilted Sexuality...or it could just be enabled in those two topics...maybe more...but prolly not all of them

So what do you think??? Anyone think this is a good idea??? I think I may have a questiion or two that I'd ask...but I wouldn't want anyone knowing it was me cause it's too dang embarraassing......tell me your thoughts about this...THANX
C'YA ?:-D

EDIT: More info describing this idea can be found below...so read the WHOLE thread not just the first post

[cowudders14]

I agree - there are a few things I'd feel a bit happier posting under an anonymous title. Maybe this could be added to replies too? It would be pointless having the ability to ask something really embaressing if the replies were unable to be anon too. Maybe there should be a setting where the alias's were not displayed for certain threads, enabled by the thread starter.

I have one alias that has nothing do do with my real details (this one) that I use on forums etc where I wish to remain a bit of a ghost and I use my real email address etc on those where I feel I can let others know who I am. Even so, I still feel very hesitant to post some things, as it wouldn't really be that hard for someone who knows me to work out who I was - A lot of posts contain odd references to my location, my age, my work place/type, hobbies etc, so I could be identified if anyone really wanted to do it. Thus, the ability to become anon would be very useful.

[phredgreen]

there's something that comes with keeping a quality forum, and that's accountability. we expect each member to post threads and replies responsibly, and to allow them to do so anonymously takes out all accountability. this feature is something you will never see.

[Metallica_Band]

Originally posted by phredgreen
there's something that comes with keeping a quality forum, and that's accountability. we expect each member to post threads and replies responsibly, and to allow them to do so anonymously takes out all accountability

So you're saying that all ppl should be able to be trackable or be able to be held responsible for their actions IF they post bad things anonymously??? I think that's what you're saying...I dunno...if so then I have this to say...

how about the mods are able to uncover the name if someone posts a bad thing or if someone replies with a bad image or some bad words or whatever...now not uncover it to the piblic...just to the mod(s)...or Halx...or whoever...I'm just saying that it should be anon to ALL members + the mods BUT it could be undone ONLY if it is necessary (like if the person did something against the rules)

[cowudders14]

Originally posted by phredgreen
there's something that comes with keeping a quality forum, and that's accountability. we expect each member to post threads and replies responsibly, and to allow them to do so anonymously takes out all accountability. this feature is something you will never see.

Accountability would still be there - the data as regards who posted what would still be available to mods etc, it wold have to be for the reasons you said. I think the main issue was would it be possible to hide the posters ID from the rest of the group. The "report this post to a moderator" function would still be there and be used if anything got out of hand, and it may be a good idea to say that anyone who posts anything offensive etc whilst using the anon function would get banned instantly.

I don't think the thought was there for a moment to have no record kept of who posted what, or, at least, that's how I interpreted it.

[Thraeryn]

Yeah, I'm down with this idea. I don't think it was ever intended to lead to a lack of board accountability, just social accountability. If there were a total lack, I'd be against it as hardcore as anyone else.

I don't really know that I'd ever use the option, but it's an interesting thought.

[Metallica_Band]

The only place I could see this being used would be Tilted Sexuality, Tilted Health & Fitness and, Ladies Lounge...all other topics I can't see anything that someone would want to be kept anon....anyone else agree???

[cj2112]

I think that it kind of defeats the purpose of having a community such as we have. I don't think it's a good idea at all.

[oldtimer]

This idea was mentioned before (I think). You're just gonna have to wait in line until Hal reads this. I've been trying to get some of my scripts to him (some I think are REALLY useful) and haven't got so much as a denial or an acceptance. My advice to you: <b>Let it go</b>.

[Metallica_Band]

Originally posted by oldtimer
You're just gonna have to wait in line until Hal reads this...haven't got so much as a denial or an acceptance...Let it go

Why should we just "let go" of our suggestions??? What's the point of this topic if our suggestions don't get read by the one that would be making the changes if he accepts the suggestions???

I think Hal reads the suggestions...he just has other stuff to do...why do you give up so easily...u never should give up on stuff

[Halx]

read it this morning and thought phred's response pretty much covered everything I would have said

you guys should put more stock in a moderator's words, but somehow I knew you would defer to me

[jimk]

i can't really think of why i would post something i wouldn't want my "name" attached to. what's the point? to see if i can stir up the pot & get people pissed without any repercussions?

i think the accountability idea is solid. if one is not sure enough of one's idea to attach their name to it, perhaps one should develop a more defensible idea.

[Metallica_Band]

I don't think you mods are seeing it way some of us are seeing it...ok...let's say someone got a disease...an embarrassing disease...how about colon cancer or one of those gross female things or you need help cause you have attempted suicide and you need help or you're having problems with your family and you don't want any of you're family members finding out about it while you seek out advice from the TFP ppl or ya got a problem with lots of pimples and you want to know how to get rid of them...

those are the kinds of things that you would not really want other ppl knowing was wrong with you BUT you want to ask it because you feel too embarrased to ask a doctor or your parents or whoever...this would be a way to ask without actually telling the world "Hey look what disease I got. How do I fix it?"...it's something I would want to keep private...it doesn't HAVE to be a disease tho...that was just an example...

You mods are saying that it would make ppl get away with posting things against the rules and getting away with it...well if that happens...if someone abuses the anon ability then all a mod would have to do is uncover the anon thing and find out who posted it or just delete the thread or whatever...sure there is a chance that someone would do that...BUT you wouldn't want them as a member if they go and do that kind of bad stuff now would you???

I think it would give other ppl, that don't want the public to know about a certain problem with him/her (or someone who knows the person personally), a chance to get their question answered without having the whole world know about it...it's kinda like how you got the Journals set up...only the members of TFP can view them because the ppl don't want the whole world to know about them but just the members of the forum

I just think it would be useful in the 3 topics I stated in the other posts above...it wouldn't be in all topics...just those 3...I don't get why some of you think that it would affect "accountability"...I think it would be very helpful to whose who use it properly...wouldn't you want a person to get help here than not get help at all???

[Halx]

Man, maybe you're not seeing how *I* am seeing it.

It's simply not within my plan. I have intentions with the TFP beyond just giving you guys a place to chat. This is my *project* and allowing people to post anonymously would be forgoing one of my project's goals. We are all real people. Let's be ourselves without shame.

[RotEx]

then why dont you allow people to ask annonomous questions in a single forum... one forum that allows people to ask a very embarrasing question, i have quite a few friends on here, and if i were to ask a question so embarrasing, for example, say this is my question. ( I just found out im gay, last night, and i also found out that i am in love with my friend "JOHN DOE" and i dont know how to tell him. any suggestions?) but John Doe checks these forums every day... and if he were to see this... wtf? i would not want to ask this question.

its just a thought, obviously if ppl can make random posts anywhere they want, then it will just be one big random forum with no interesting points...

but ONE section allowing this, would make it an interesting section as well as helpful and useful

the moderators are able to see the IP of the postee, so, he can just match the random post with a person... my 2 cents... i hope this works out!

[Sledge]

Being able to post anonymously is no more acceptable than walking around in public with a paper bag over your head.

The Project is an accepting place, and I've learned that you can share just about anything here without being judged by its members. As for outsiders looking in, there are forums for that...

Having a name attached to your post keeps people from being asses des hats, and also forces you to think about your social significance within the community.

[cowudders14]

Originally posted by Sledge
Being able to post anonymously is no more acceptable than walking around in public with a paper bag over your head.

With all due respect, I think that's rubbish. It's hard to conceal your identity in public, but much easier to do so on the net. Why do you think text messaging became so popular? It's because it gave the people a degree of anonymity (sp?). Email is personalised, posting to this forum with your name attached is personalised, but posting to a forum you are happy with and feel a good part of the community, yet have a very embaressing issue that you really don't want to be identified with but need advice for should be anonymous.

Sure, it would be a possible method of abuse, so: Restrict it to one forum only, restrict it to people who have a set number of posts (IIRC this is already in place on tilted exhibition - the forum doesn't even appear until you have a set number of posts - do the same!), and have the software keep a non-visible log of who posted what. Anyone abusing it would get banned, but, as it would be those who had been around for a while and had contributed, they would hopefully treat the forum with the due respect.

[phredgreen]

again, i'm gonna drop a big, fat, halx-endorsed no.

it just isn't in our ideology here at the tfp to let people say anything they want without public fear of discovery. i'm completely comfortable saying almost anything here at the tfp, and have the good sense to not say anything that might be self-incriminating or offensive to others. that's all there is to it. if you want to be anonymous or be someone else, do it elsewhere. that isn't in keeping with our philosophy. thread closed.