# Editin an old post due to worries about privacy **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 2, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988 "2016-02-02T21:07:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/1 "2016-02-02T21:07:42Z")
Greetings, I would like to learn whether it is possible to have a moderator or administrator edit an old post of mine. The links in the post should be removed. If it is possible, who should I contact for this? I will send the responsible person the link of the post so that he or she can edit it. Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/2 "2016-02-02T21:13:03Z")
Just report the post and explain why. (red triangle, upper right) ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/3 "2016-02-02T21:49:16Z")
I’ve addressed the OP’s concern. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/4 "2016-02-02T23:18:09Z")
Old posts can be edited on request? I thought once you put it out there it was out there, hence the warning in the rules to be very careful what one posted. (I have no problem with this, just mildly surprised.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/5 "2016-02-02T23:32:05Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Old posts can be edited on request? I thought once you put it out there it was out there, hence the warning in the rules to be very careful what one posted. (I have no problem with this, just mildly surprised.) The mods can. You just need one _hell_ of a good reason for it. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/6 "2016-02-02T23:35:18Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Old posts can be edited on request? I thought once you put it out there it was out there, hence the warning in the rules to be very careful what one posted. (I have no problem with this, just mildly surprised.) Not something we would ever do on a regular basis, and I did not alter the poster’s words. So no, I wouldn’t say posts can be edited on request. I made a judgment call in this particular instance. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/7 "2016-02-03T00:59:59Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Old posts can be edited on request? I thought once you put it out there it was out there, hence the warning in the rules to be very careful what one posted. (I have no problem with this, just mildly surprised.) The general idea there is about stuff that happens on the message board. If you post a thread that makes you look dumb to other people on the SDMB, too bad, we’re not going to edit it just to clean up the mess you made of your board reputation. But this is still just a message board. If someone posts something here that’s actually damaging to them in real life, we’re usually pretty reasonable about helping them out with it. If you accidentally slagged off your boss in a way that makes it easy for your boss to figure out who did it, we’re not going to be all, “Ha ha, board rules say no editing. Hope you like welfare!” Well, _probably_ not. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/8 "2016-02-03T02:29:02Z")
I made a couple of posts once at the same time I was sending out e-mails. Ended up inadvertently signing my real name at the bottom of my posts like I did with the e-mails. D’oh! I contacted a Mod, who removed my name in both. They’re good at helping out like that. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/9 "2016-02-03T16:06:40Z")
This was done for me once. I made a post linking to someone’s name and photo, and in retrospect decided it violated their privacy. A Mod deleted the link. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/10 "2016-02-03T17:27:19Z")
I know someone that posted some links to some very disturbing photos of myself and Cecil, that were on a directory drive of a Commodore 64 still connected to usenet somehow. We had those links broken. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/11 "2016-02-03T17:35:14Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Old posts can be edited on request? I thought once you put it out there it was out there, hence the warning in the rules to be very careful what one posted. (I have no problem with this, just mildly surprised.) They also tend to be nice about fixing bad formatting errors, and even some egregious typos–if you don’t abuse it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editin-an-old-post-due-to-worries-about-privacy/744988/12 "2016-02-03T17:41:42Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I know someone that posted some links to some very disturbing photos of myself and Cecil, that were on a directory drive of a Commodore 64 still connected to usenet somehow. We had those links broken. IIRC, not only the links, _but all of the poster’s metacarpals_ were broken.