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ACAPULCO KEVIN

"Those willing to give up freedom for security deserve neither and will lose both."
Articles Posted: 62  Links Seeded: 112
Member Since: 5/2010  Last Seen: 12/17/2010

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When is TMI "Too much information" online? (with poll)

Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:52 AM EST
By Acapulco Kevin

Live Poll

Is it appropriate for a forum moderator on a news chat forum to use their real name?

View Results
  • 129587
    Yes
    67%
  • 129588
    No
    33%

VoteTotal Votes: 21

Live Poll

Would you use your real name on a public forum?

View Results
  • 129589
    Yes
    43%
  • 129590
    No
    57%

VoteTotal Votes: 23

Live Poll

Does an online forum have a legal obligation to protect employed moderators?

View Results
  • 129591
    Yes
    68%
  • 129592
    No
    32%

VoteTotal Votes: 19

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There have been heated moments during online chat and debates when I have disagreed with other people and wished I could reach through the computer and wring their necks.

I am willing to wager that most of us have had our moments of anger online with people who sit anonymously and safely in their homes and offices while directly bashing our beliefs and ideas.

I feel there are times when being completely anonymous is warranted. For instance, I would never use my real name on Newsvine and I limit the amount of personal information I am willing to divulge about myself. Some of the conversations here get very heated and some of the readers are certain to be emotionally unstable.

There are other times that being more transparent is warranted. For instance, if I am on a chat forum for travel that attracts travel agents I do not want them to be completely anonymous. I want them to be honest about the company they represent, I don't need to know the agents name but I don't want him posting false comments in an attempt to sell me a vacation either. This activity cheapens the forum in my opinion.

Some people bare all online, literally. I will argue that there are times when this is appropriate. It depends on the circumstances. Are you looking for a date or online friends or sex? So how much information we are willing to share really depends on our own comfort level as adults, safety is certainly a consideration.

When does TMI become Too much?

Most extremely popular forums have moderators that are required to maintain online anonymity. They are not allowed to post online information about the company they represent on personal websites, they are not allowed to expose personal information in discussions online, they are not allowed to do or say anything that would place them or the forum they represent in danger.

So my questions to you are as follows:

  • Is it appropriate for a forum moderator for a highly visible and public website that has hundreds of thousands of visitors each day to expose their true identity?
  • Would you use your real name on a public forum?
  • Is a forum legally responsible for the personal safety of it's moderators / employees?

Please take the poll to the right and explain your answers below. Thanks!

  • Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.

Back To Top | Front Page

Published to:

  • Acapulco Kevin's Column, All of Newsvine
  • Groups: American_Politics, Bar Room Debates, Centervine, FactVine, Gut Check America, Invisible Viners, Respectful Debate, Seeders and Posters w/ Manners
  • Regions: none
  • Public Discussion (50)
Acapulco Kevin
  • Is it appropriate for a forum moderator for a highly visible and public website that has hundreds of thousands of visitors each day to expose their true identity?
  • Would you use your real name on a public forum?
  • Is a forum legally responsible for the personal safety of it's moderators / employees?

Please take the poll above and explain your answers below. Thanks!

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 2:55 AM EST
truthlover

Hi Acapulco,

I don't understand the third question. I understand the words but is this a question for viners or for other forums? I'm assuming that it's not for viners but maybe I've missed something.

I took your question to refer to the vine and I answered in that fashion.

Now that I see it is a much broader question, here's my answers:

1) yes--if they want to (which is how I answered the poll);

2) It would depend on the forum. In some I would and in others I wouldn't. I don't on the vine. I would where people might already know me or where something about me might add weight to what I would be saying.

3) I don't know enough even to answer this question now. I didn't answer it in the poll either.

Cheers, TL

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:10 AM EST
Dennis P McCann

Is it appropriate for a forum moderator for a highly visible and public website that has hundreds of thousands of visitors each day to expose their true identity?

Whose identity? The moderators? He can do whatever he wants. It's his choice, after all.

Would you use your real name on a public forum?

No, that's why I use Dennis P. McCann. My real name is user-23972156.

Is a forum legally responsible for the personal safety of it's moderators / employees?

huh?

  • 13 votes
#1.2 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:28 AM EST
Chasing

user-23972156

Are you at all related to the New Haven 23972156s?

  • 5 votes
#1.3 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:03 AM EST
Soosalah

Pensylvania 6-5000.

  • 2 votes
#1.4 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:04 AM EST
RAC 0129
  • Is it appropriate for a forum moderator for a highly visible and public website that has hundreds of thousands of visitors each day to expose their true identity?
  • Would you use your real name on a public forum?
  • Is a forum legally responsible for the personal safety of it's moderators / employees?

huh?

Continued witch hunt rant against tyler questions. Thinly - very thinly - diguised crappola. Quite boorish by now.

  • 11 votes
#1.5 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:28 PM EST
tyler

Reposted comment, mostly from the two several similar articles that are now unpublished. Why did you unpublish those, Acapulco Kevin? That takes away a fair amount of comments, and I think you've done it four times in the past week. The only reason I'm continuing to comment is because I'm interested in the issue and I still have my comment; it's got to be driving away your audience.

Most extremely popular forums have moderators that are required to maintain online anonymity.

Which forums?

Is it appropriate for a forum moderator for a highly visible and public website that has hundreds of thousands of visitors each day to expose their true identity?

Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty biased here, but I think being a person goes a long way towards credibility.

When does TMI become Too much?

Social Security number? I dunno. Depends on the person. Giving someone the tools for identity theft is probably too much.

Would you use your real name on a pubic forum?

Yes.

Is a forum legally responsible for the personal safety of it's moderators / employees?

I don't think a 'forum' is, necessarily. Newsvine/msnbc.com, which seems to be the impetus for this article considering the discussion we had Wednesday, probably couldn't be held liable if someone attacked one of our employees based on site actions.

When is an appropriate time to be completely transparent online?

Define 'transparent'. As far as revealing your identity...I think it's attached to just about everything I do online. For me, Facebook and Twitter and my blogs are relatively unfiltered, too, but 'transparent' might mean something different for you.

  • 13 votes
#1.6 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 1:41 PM EST
huskergal

Kevin. it is up to the individual. Is the forum responsible? No. The moderator took the job and the poster do so willingly. End of Story.

    #1.7 - Wed Jan 12, 2011 8:51 AM EST
    mightyj

    huskergal-

    Kevin is gone, all he left behind is the column and some deleted re-reg comments. He got the long silence as far as the vine is concerned. I think he is on facebook....

    • 2 votes
    #1.8 - Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:12 AM EST
    belove48

    I think he is on facebook

    Yes, he is.

    • 1 vote
    #1.9 - Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:50 AM EST
    huskergal

    Thanks, I didn't know.

    • 1 vote
    #1.10 - Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:23 AM EST
    Reply
    jfxgillis

    Kevin:

    When does TMI become Too much?

    When you keep posting and deleting the same @!$%#ing article over and over again and continually miscategorize it.

    • 17 votes
    Reply#2 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:08 AM EST
    ombra

    But think of how much information that reveals....

    • 4 votes
    #2.1 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:50 AM EST
    AustinSDeleted
    Reply
    Soosalah

    Sorry.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#3 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:06 AM EST
    katrix

    At what point should someone stop their constant whining about the rules and moderator of a forum and go somewhere else? At what point should someone stop continually harrassing members and moderators of a forum?

    Should there be a rule against de-publishing an article because the comments in it prove the author wrong?

    • 9 votes
    Reply#4 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 12:17 PM EST
    alexab-614

    LMAO. I cannot believe this article is posted AGAIN. Anyway...

  • Is it appropriate for a forum moderator for a highly visible and public website that has hundreds of thousands of visitors each day to expose their true identity- YES

  • Would you use your real name on a public forum- YES

  • Is a forum legally responsible for the personal safety of it's moderators / employees- IDK

  • Again, LMAO

    • 5 votes
    Reply#5 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 1:06 PM EST
    PJ Stuart

    Okay...this is just getting ugly....some one just posted Kevin was banned. True? False? If true, why?

      #6 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:05 PM EST
      alexab-614

      true.

        #6.1 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:09 PM EST
        spiffie

        Banned for having two accounts, not for his comments.

        • 2 votes
        #6.2 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:12 PM EST
        Chasing

        The one that got him was by having an alternate account and, among other things, posting with it while suspended. Here.

        • 2 votes
        #6.3 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:13 PM EST
        menmy2

        Right here. 24.2.

        • 1 vote
        #6.4 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:15 PM EST
        menmy2

        Oops. Sorry Chasing. . .

          #6.5 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:18 PM EST
          ombra

          Now there's one of the least surprising bans I've seen.

          • 1 vote
          #6.6 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:21 PM EST
          PJ Stuart

          Thanks for explaining...sorta sad.

            #6.7 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:51 PM EST
            RAC 0129

            Sad in a pathetic way. More like stupid.

            • 2 votes
            #6.8 - Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:44 PM EST
            Soosalah

            See, this is something that "swoooshes" right over my head.

            How in God's name does someone ignore the rule, first of all, but even crazier is how someone who knows people have recently been banned for having multiple accounts, yet still creates their own second account.

              #6.9 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:43 AM EST
              ombra

              And then engage in a "war" with the moderator attracting attention to himself?

              Pretty silly...

              • 1 vote
              #6.10 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:57 AM EST
              RAC 0129

              He's also been caught twice more re-registering. Seems to have some real issues. It has been suggested that heavy drinking is involved which can explain a lot. Death of his sister is also a factor evidently although his other account was created over a month ago and used for voting his other account's articles up. Seemed to have this fixation on rankings and ratings. Prima fascia example of Newsvine self disembowelment.

              • 2 votes
              #6.11 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:29 PM EST
              PJ Stuart

              There is no doubt he is in pain...for more reasons than we will ever know. I just liked him, never had an issue, but understand that many did and breaking the rules is punishable by banning.

              How do they know? I don't mean to sound like an idiot. I'm a writer, not a computer whiz...really, how do they know?

                #6.12 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:19 PM EST
                katrix

                IP addresses for one ... plenty of ways to find that out.

                • 1 vote
                #6.13 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:00 AM EST
                PJ Stuart

                I guess I'm fortunate that I have too much to say for ONE account, can't imagine keeping up with more. Is the point of multiple accounts votes? Or am I totally missing the point.

                Thanks for the answer, katrix.

                  #6.14 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:53 AM EST
                  RAC 0129

                  AK seemed fixated on not being noticed or having his seeds/articles with less votes than other folks here. Seemed to think that his seeds/articles were better and should receive more votes. He was using his second account to vote his own seeds/articles up.

                  • 3 votes
                  #6.15 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:19 AM EST
                  katrix

                  Or am I totally missing the point.

                  Yeah, you're totally missing the point, which is a good thing - it implies that you aren't an egotistical ass!

                    #6.16 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:38 AM EST
                    Reply
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    Chasing

                    This.

                    • 4 votes
                    Reply#10 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:59 PM EST
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted
                    RAC 0129

                    cant touch this-2813875Deleted

                    "And another one bites the dust. And another one bites the dust. And another one bites and another one bites and another one bites the dust"

                    • 4 votes
                    Reply#15 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 4:33 PM EST
                    PJ Stuart

                    Super dusty in here...all this dust biting. I'm getting creeped out. How do people have the time to jack around and play games? There is life to live, Deleted Ones, go live it.

                    • 3 votes
                    #15.1 - Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:22 PM EST
                    Reply
                    mightyj

                    Hmmmmmmmm- Guilty of re-reg...........Instant banishment...............I feel like I have seen this movie before.

                    • 3 votes
                    Reply#16 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:42 AM EST
                    RAC 0129

                    Not once, not twice, not thrice but quad rereg. Seen this version of this movie only a few times. Dude has some real issues. Needs to get past this.

                      #16.1 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:26 AM EST
                      ombra

                      Not once, not twice, not thrice but quad rereg.

                      And that's just so far, I have the feeling that there will be a lot more. The ghost of Christmas Past.

                        #16.2 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:41 AM EST
                        RAC 0129

                        He has a article up on blogger saying he is suing NV. Maybe he will back off if he is really doing that. Can't believe he would feel further violation and harassment of NV will help his case although given his irrational behavior, who knows at this point..

                        • 1 vote
                        #16.3 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:53 AM EST
                        alexab-614

                        where is the article about suing NV located?

                          #16.4 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:35 PM EST
                          mightyj

                          Somebody posted a link to it on the "Blackface article,"

                          • 1 vote
                          #16.5 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:51 PM EST
                          alexab-614

                          thanks

                          • 1 vote
                          #16.6 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:58 PM EST
                          Dennis P McCann

                          I looked for the link...couldn't find it.

                          • 1 vote
                          #16.7 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:40 PM EST
                          Chasing

                          I looked for the link...couldn't find it.

                          It's here, after his mea culpa.

                          • 2 votes
                          #16.8 - Sun Dec 19, 2010 6:07 PM EST
                          Soosalah

                          What he says is so sad.

                          • 1 vote
                          #16.9 - Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:35 AM EST
                          katrix

                          Unfortunately, he seems to think his ban was based on his harrassment of Tyler instead of understanding that it was because of having duplicate accounts.

                          • 2 votes
                          #16.10 - Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:51 AM EST
                          mightyj

                          Once we have seen the over-whelming evidence in these matters, everyone is so relieved. Party on folks......party on.

                          Soosalah- I actually wrote an article on race (against my better judgement of course).

                            #16.11 - Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:20 PM EST
                            Reply
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