Post by Wolfgang on Oct 4, 2004 12:24:58 GMT -5
I hope the good kind admin will not delete this post because I believe it is useful. Although, I must say that he has been deleting a lot of my posts lately, almost arbitrarily or spitefully, so I won't be surprised.
I should point out that I think the new admin has been doing a fantastic job, a much better job than Roger Lacocco, but he is not immune to criticism.
Anyway...
What does OUTING mean?
Let's say there are four (4) posters/people:
Alpha (real name: Alan Anderson)
Beta (real name: Bobby Baker)
Gamma (real name: Gary Gilmore)
Delta (real name: Bobby Baker)
Note Beta and Delta are the same person.
Cases:
1. Alpha goes online and posts: "My real name is Alan Anderson."
If you OUT yourself, is that within the prohibitions of the forum? I would say not because you have not OUTED someone else.
2. Alpha goes online and posts: "Beta is the same person as Delta."
If you link one poster with another poster, without revealing their real name, is that OUTING? After all, he merely pointed out that the same person is posing as two different usernames. Kinda like saying, "Ruffda=Gorf." I don't know for a fact whether Ruffda and Gorf are the same person but it's just an example. I would say this is not OUTING because you have not revealed real names. Besides, many people have posted this type of thing without any warning by the admins.
3. Alpha goes online and posts: "Beta's real name is Gary Gilmore."
Here, a much more difficult case is presented. Alpha reveals a real name but it's the wrong name! Beta's real name is Bobby Baker, not Gary Gilmore. In fact, Gamma is Gary Gilmore. So, you could argue that Alpha has not OUTED anyone. But you can't be having thousands of users trying to OUT others, even if the OUT attempt is wrong. Slippery slope, so the admin should ban this behavior.
4. Alpha goes online and guesses: "Beta is Bobby Baker."
Alpha does not know for a fact that Beta is Bobby Baker but he is just guessing. Again, like case #3, this type of behavior should be banned. Even if the guessing is wrong, it should be banned.
5. Alpha goes online and posts: "Beta is Bobby Baker."
Easy case. You cannot OUT others.
I think the most interesting case is #2, where someone makes a connection between two or more usernames. No real names are revealed, just a connection between usernames. It's a tough call...
I should point out that I think the new admin has been doing a fantastic job, a much better job than Roger Lacocco, but he is not immune to criticism.
Anyway...
What does OUTING mean?
Let's say there are four (4) posters/people:
Alpha (real name: Alan Anderson)
Beta (real name: Bobby Baker)
Gamma (real name: Gary Gilmore)
Delta (real name: Bobby Baker)
Note Beta and Delta are the same person.
Cases:
1. Alpha goes online and posts: "My real name is Alan Anderson."
If you OUT yourself, is that within the prohibitions of the forum? I would say not because you have not OUTED someone else.
2. Alpha goes online and posts: "Beta is the same person as Delta."
If you link one poster with another poster, without revealing their real name, is that OUTING? After all, he merely pointed out that the same person is posing as two different usernames. Kinda like saying, "Ruffda=Gorf." I don't know for a fact whether Ruffda and Gorf are the same person but it's just an example. I would say this is not OUTING because you have not revealed real names. Besides, many people have posted this type of thing without any warning by the admins.
3. Alpha goes online and posts: "Beta's real name is Gary Gilmore."
Here, a much more difficult case is presented. Alpha reveals a real name but it's the wrong name! Beta's real name is Bobby Baker, not Gary Gilmore. In fact, Gamma is Gary Gilmore. So, you could argue that Alpha has not OUTED anyone. But you can't be having thousands of users trying to OUT others, even if the OUT attempt is wrong. Slippery slope, so the admin should ban this behavior.
4. Alpha goes online and guesses: "Beta is Bobby Baker."
Alpha does not know for a fact that Beta is Bobby Baker but he is just guessing. Again, like case #3, this type of behavior should be banned. Even if the guessing is wrong, it should be banned.
5. Alpha goes online and posts: "Beta is Bobby Baker."
Easy case. You cannot OUT others.
I think the most interesting case is #2, where someone makes a connection between two or more usernames. No real names are revealed, just a connection between usernames. It's a tough call...