# "Make my thread disappear"-Is it unusual that this board doesn't work that way? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 17, 2025, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-my-thread-disappear-is-it-unusual-that-this-board-doesnt-work-that-way/1015711 "2025-03-17T08:09:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 45
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-my-thread-disappear-is-it-unusual-that-this-board-doesnt-work-that-way/1015711/45 "2025-03-21T18:01:29Z")
> [@LouMa](#): > > I cannot give you the answer to your questions for the simple reason that I am not working for the US domestic intelligence agency. If you ask them I am sure they will be able to explain their procedures. So you cannot say whether or no the SDMB records my IP address? You also have not even the vaguest details about how the government will track me down based on my posts on the SDMB? But you remain sure that it will happen? Is that right? > [@LouMa](#): > > Concerning the rules: well yes you didn’t read them otherwise you knew that they don’t disclose that your threads stay forever and you cannot cancel your account. A quick look at your profile reveals you joined November 24 2024. > [@Ed Zotti](#): > > We do not delete posts or threads solely because the poster (including the thread starter) or subject of the post or thread finds it problematic or no longer wishes to be associated with the SDMB. From this thread > [@SDMB rules 9/12/2023](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rules-9-12-2023/990013/1): > > SDMB rules have been further reorganized. A draft restatement is provided below for comment. Please note: We have attempted to eliminate redundancy and consolidate all rules on one topic in the same place. Rules are organized alphabetically by topic. Cross references are provided where appropriate. The message board software does not support intra-post hyperlinks, but lookup is reasonably easy using search. We have put a few informal rules in writing – see for example “artificial intelligence… Note the date in the title 09-12-2023 Also They do know and record IP addresses > [@SDMB rules 9/12/2023](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rules-9-12-2023/990013/2): > > **IP number.** We log your Internet address (IP number) each time you post. The IP number tells us your Internet service provider. We reserve the right to reveal the IP numbers and e-mail address (but no other confidential information) of chronic SDMB rule violators to other bulletin board operators. We do this to identify guests registering under multiple screen names. One of our third-party advertising providers, Google, uses IP numbers to customize ads served up to SDMB users. I hadn’t read that particular section of the rules recently. It is clearly and plainly stated. For the record- There is in fact a mention of closing your account. > [@SDMB rules 9/12/2023](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-rules-9-12-2023/990013/1): > > You are responsible for all action taken using your account, whether authorized by you or not, until you either close your account or notify us that your account has been compromised. Note that nowhere in the rules does it expand on this or say how your account can be cancelled. If that was a concern, the prudent thing would have been to e-mail a mod or admin before joining or to join and immediately start a thread in ATMB asking how to cancel your account if necessary. On Preview **LouMa** If you agree, and you just did, that “police states don’t really care all that much about evidence.” why would they even bother to track down my posts here? --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-my-thread-disappear-is-it-unusual-that-this-board-doesnt-work-that-way/1015711)._