Terms of Use Policy and Privacy Statement

I agree with Melanie. The statement at least - it's possible we have the same issue for different reasons. My concern would be alleviated if a sentence were added along the lines of "Publicly posting personal information about yourself will be considered implicit permission for others to subsequently use that information."

[Expunge]

6. Please keep your language clean and decent. This includes personal inflammatory language as well as obscenities.

Wait can i still refer to Cohete as cheeto?

There may be clarification needed as we move on, but in effect, we still have human moderators (*) who will interpret the terms on a case by case basis.

(*)no slight intended for moderator 2, who is actually a trained chimp posting from lab C4 at University of Rhode Island.

[Traci]

Originally Posted by Rolie Polie Olie

I agree with Melanie. The statement at least - it's possible we have the same issue for different reasons. My concern would be alleviated if a sentence were added along the lines of "Publicly posting personal information about yourself will be considered implicit permission for others to subsequently use that information."

I'm not sure I agree though -- use it for what???? Maybe I'm not quite getting it.

Let's try an example: Where I live is not top-secret information. I've made reference to my geographic area in public posts in the past.

Now -- recently someone posted a message which mentioned me by name and listed a town in which that poster thought I lived. I edited out that part of the post -- as I didn't want that information in THAT particular thread - and in THAT particular context (even though it was incorrect).

It wasn't a bannable offense -- I had no right to be upset over it -- it WAS information that I had let be known. But at the same time - it was revealing more than I wanted about me in that thread. And thus - the post was edited.

Now -- if someone used the information I've revealed here to look up my home address and phone number and posted that information in an attempt to be malicious (remember the joker who posted some guy's name, address and the value of his house - all on the pretext that it was public record info?) -- that is more serious.

Again - I have to take some responsibility here - I let it be known. But such a thing would warrant more serious action.

So there is some grey area - and "intent" involved.

#13 is speaking more to malicious actions -- not the inadvertant "oops - I thought that was common knowledge!" slip-up.

[Traci]

Originally Posted by glenn

moderator 2, who is actually a trained chimp posting from lab C4 at University of Rhode Island.

Oh man! Now you've revealed his location! I must ban you!

[Asynchronous]

With respect to the privacy policy, isn't there an exception related to posting Exam material during the blackout period? It was my understanding that the administrators would cooperate with the CAS/SOA in certain circumstances.

[Traci]

Originally Posted by Asynchronous

With respect to the privacy policy, isn't there an exception related to posting Exam material during the blackout period? It was my understanding that the administrators would cooperate with the CAS/SOA in certain circumstances.

Very observant!

After much discussion - we decided not to include that in our privacy policy.

The line about sharing information only with a court order is now official.

Breaching exam security on the forum will get you permanently banned - but we would still maintain privacy unless presented with a court order.

I think this was previously more a statement of principle or stance on cheating than anything realistic anyway. I really didn't see any way that we would be in a position to give the SOA/CAS any information, and if we did, the information would be useless to them anyway.

[Traci]

Originally Posted by glenn

I think this was previously more a statement of principle or stance on cheating than anything realistic anyway. I really didn't see any way that we would be in a position to give the SOA/CAS any information, and if we did, the information would be useless to them anyway.

Well -- possibly not. Quite often an IP look-up will show a company name and city -- a little more investigating - if one were so inclined - could possibly reveal an actual identity.

But I agree - I don't see us being put in the position of being asked.

[Melanie Haber]

Originally Posted by Traci

If someone shares personal information about you in a public post - link us to the post - we will delete or edit it - and if necessary take action against the poster.

In this case, I hope "if you share something with someone, and later regret it, I am powerless to help you!" will be kept out of any future discussion, with any poster. It certainly does not convey the current policy, and will add only confusion to a discussion of moderator action or specific outing situations.


The other issue is when somebody's speculation is based on public posts. If I suggest in public that poster X may live in Lincoln Nebraska, because of repeated publicly revealed evidence, what is the policy? There are certainly contexts in which this may arise.