# Buddy list, ignore list **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 2, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071 "2003-10-02T05:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/1 "2003-10-02T05:49:52Z")
Okay, forgive me if this question has been answered. But when you put someone on your “buddy” list, what happens? Do they know they’re on your buddy list? Can they tell you they don’t want to be on your buddy list? Is this helpful in tracking certain posters? And, ditto for the “ignore” list. Does the offending person learn s/he’s being ignored by X number of people? ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/2 "2003-10-02T07:30:40Z")
I don’t know anything about the buddy list because I don’t use it but the ignore function is private. The ignoree doesn’t know that they are being ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/3 "2003-10-02T07:55:41Z")
I’d have to take the word of the folks in charge, and **Primaflora** , as far as the “ignore” function’s privacy goes. I’ve never had the imagined need to put anyone on an “ignore” list – they’ve never been _that_ annoying. As for the “buddy” list – I’d say that was much the same. I don’t need to use that, either. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/4 "2003-10-02T08:09:23Z")
Interesting point I’ve been saving up for a while: Find one of your old posts, and click “buddy” . Notice how you can’t become your own buddy? - C r e e p y . . . \* 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/5 "2003-10-03T11:00:56Z")
I gather the “ignore” function is disabled, but the “buddy” function still seems to be available. So … what is it used for, exactly? If I clicked on “buddy” in **Rabid\_Squirrel’s** post above, would it send off a priority SOS email to him, stating that Shrinking Violet has no friends, and PLEASE GO TO HER ASSISTANCE? 😉 Julie ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/6 "2003-10-03T11:21:08Z")
The “buddy list” as I understand, allows you to see which of your “buddies” are online when you are. If private messaging was enabled (which it isn’t) you could use the list to communicate that way. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/7 "2003-10-03T12:03:11Z")
I have used the buddy list in the past. For those who are curious as to what it’s used for, I used it to check if any of my friends were online. Haven’t used it in ages, though. The ignore list is similar. The person doesn’t know they’re on your ignore list, or your buddy list. Put someone in this thread on ignore, then refresh the thread and read it again to see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-list-ignore-list/205071/8 "2003-10-03T16:34:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shrinking Violet \* > \*\*I gather the “ignore” function is disabled… > > \ > > Julie \*\* No, you can still manually enter it from your CP.