Tell me, then. I'm listening.
Im watching you all. Especially YOU DavidJames....
Yes. You raised the idea that there is a need for forumites to get protected by the forum registration process, due to the risk of stalking (my understanding from your opening post). I don't feel the need for this at all and belive that elementary netiquette could resolve any problem associated with personal harrassment of any form.
I can't quite comprehend why you feel that "all forumites" should want added protection from the site. As a forumite, this interests me and I want to see where you're coming from.
You're saying I am missing something. What is it?
The problem I have with posting a photo in my profile (I did for a while and then I took it down again) is that anyone can see it - once they have registered. I don't like the idea that someone not only knows where I am, they know what venues I go to on what nights (and by default, what times), but they also know what I look like. With the number of new people 'just signing on to bother people or look around,' that worries me. So no, I will not post my picture in my profile.
If anyone on the forum wants a photo of me (other than the kilt photo) then they can ask. If I feel they are a regular forumite and Cerocer (and not a stalker) then I will oblige.
Besides, Trampy knows where I live, so I have to behave
If someone felt that they were being stalked, then they'd have to make a record of occasions (not hard as this is a text based forum) and pass them onto Franck or one of the other moderators, who could then act to warn or ultimately ban the perpetrator. When people join this forum they have to give an email address (not of the hotmail or gmail description..the technical term escapes me but I expect some pedant will remember ), which makes them eminently traceable.
I'm not sure how requiring photographs would guard against stalking. How would we verify that a photograph was genuine? And even if it was, I'm not convinced that knowing what someone's face looks like actually prevent them from stalking, sadly.
So I guess in short, yes: one does have to hope one doesn't get stalked. However, until there is actual evidence of stalking it isn't possible to do anything about it, and having a photograph of someone isn't actually evidence.
Ok, I know quite a few people who have, for want of a better word, been stalked on this forum, in the ways I have already described.
All are women, who have felt intimidated and even afraid to post as they know the stalker is following them around the forum.
It is my opinion that if photos were complusory, it would reduce this kind of behaviour, as it's always the anonymous forumites that do the stalking.
I suspect you mean "non web-based"
It would be possible to up the verification process, certainly, but that'd just raise more barriers to people joining, and of course would raise the cost considerably. It's not necessary, IMO - most people on here are both relatively courteous and civil, and the fact that we mainly know each other is actually a good security guarantee in itself.
Plus, Dreadful Scathe is watching us all, and that's plenty scary enough for me
He does already. Hold on, maybe he is DS...
Damn, that's always my problem, I'm just too cheap.
...and to think my money was on Trampy!
I think my point was meant to be that the verification is high enough as it is, and that I don't really feel adding a photo to it would help in any way.
I see DT's point about it being a possible deterrent, but unfortunately am cynical enough to believe that it would not be an adequate one.
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