# Privacy rules don't count for moderators **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 25, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817 "2004-07-25T16:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/41 "2004-07-27T07:22:35Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > **Q.E.D.** , so is it okay if SDMB gives out _some_ personal information when they said they wouldn’t give out _any_? Uh, no. That’s not what I’m saying at all. What I _am_ saying is that by any reasonable definition, country of origin is _not_ personal information. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/42 "2004-07-27T07:31:19Z")
> [@Daisy Mae](#): > > Oh man, that is really reaching. You’re saying that we have to specifically tell the board what information we DON’T want them to tell others about us? No. Read my posts again. I’m saying if we wish to have information witheld which is not reasonably considered to be personally identifying, then we ought to say so. ---
**Author:** ![Zhen\_ka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zhen\_ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zhen_ka)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/43 "2004-07-27T07:36:58Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Yes, I can read, too. And I’m saying he was wrong to say so. Ok, I’ll grant you that if **Aldebaran** had specifically asked that his country of origin not be published, then that’s a different matter. He claims he did, but I’ve not seen such a post myself. So, look it up instead of prowling ATMB and GQ. Google only goes so far. (And, most of the time you’re wrong, anyway.) Or just accept that **Zotti** himself said it was a mistake. You think he was wrong? Then ask for clarification, which is what we are doing. Besides, I’m way tired of your bullshit cites that have NOTHING to do with the topic at hand. If you have nothing to contribute, then STFU already. (Children’s Online Privacy Act, for chrissakes. You are a joke.) Can’t you understand that this has more to do with all of our privacy concerns than whether or not **Aldebaran** is posting from the ME? For me it has precious little to do with **Aldebaran**. I just want to know when it suddenly became “okay if SDMB gives out some personal information when they said they wouldn’t give out any” (thanks, **Zoe**.) I think that it’s a simple enough question to ask what steps are being taken to ensure that this doesn’t happen. Lots of folks paid money to be here (myself, I was sponsored). That is all. Upon preview: Country of origin or the color of your eyes is personal information. Stop kissing ass long enough to see that we’re talking about the principle of the matter. They said that they wouldn’t pass out private info and yet have an admin that looks up IPs for her jollies, then posts info about them to prove some bullshit point (that can’t be proved, anyway, because IPs don’t tell the whole story). I just want to know what steps are being taken to prevent this from happening again. Especially just to “win” or prove a point in some silly, online argument. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/44 "2004-07-27T07:44:01Z")
> [@Zhen'ka](#): > > \ This ain’t the Pit, dude. I’m not attacking anyone, and nor should you be. If you have issues with me that you fel you need to attack, then you know where to go. I don’t know what your problem is, and frankly, I don’t care. If you don’t like my opinion, that’s fine. If you want to attack me for expressing it, then this is not the place to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Zhen\_ka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zhen\_ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zhen_ka)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/45 "2004-07-27T08:02:59Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > This ain’t the Pit, dude. I’m not attacking anyone, and nor should you be. If you have issues with me that you fel you need to attack, then you know where to go. I don’t know what your problem is, and frankly, I don’t care. If you don’t like my opinion, that’s fine. If you want to attack me for expressing it, then this is not the place to do so. This is hardly an attack. So, why don’t you address my post instead of trying to deflect it? Care to stand behind your posts? I simply pointed out how I disagree with you. Can’t handle that? Too bad. You didn’t have a problem until someone called you on it, did you? My problem is the one I have posted about…I want to know the “steps” that Mr. Zotti is alluding to. I started asking these questions before you even replied to the thread. I just read your comments and responded with my own opinion. Don’t like it? Stand by your words or take it to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/46 "2004-07-27T10:22:41Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > Seems to me that if **Aldebaran** hadn’t used his supposed location as a basis for inventing arguments with so many Dopers (especially those in the US), none of this would have happened. A very weak argument. I’m not defending Aldebaran, but merely attacking the notion that he is responsible for Lynn’s mistake. You could select any arbitrary event and declare that, had history been different, so-and-so would not have happened. I mean, you could just as well blame a butterfly flapping its wings in China. Lynn has taken responsibility for what she did and has acknowledged that the choice was her own. That is admirable of her. Your argument would diminish her well-earned reputation for being a classy lady. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/47 "2004-07-27T10:44:31Z")
> [@sevastopol](#): > > In my opinion, Coldfire similarly used personal information about me in an improper manner. > > Note the thread **Alderbaran** linked to. > > The facts are not so grievous as **Alderbaran’s** complaint. However I also note that I was the recipient of angst related to **Alderbaran** and not to my own conduct. Meh. In the thread you linked to, we had one poster claiming you were from Israel, and another saying you were from Europe. I checked your IP, and told the posters that you were from neither of those. I _could_ have told them what country you reside in, as it is quite obvious from the IP address, but I left that to you to decide. I was merely telling the posters at hand they were both wrong. I’m fully behind **Ed Zotti** here: the staff should not divulge information such as IP addresses and subsequent locations on the boards. But I don’t reckon that what I did qualifies as such. However, if you feel you were slighted as a result of my remark, I do apologise. That was never my intention. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/48 "2004-07-27T10:49:57Z")
> [@Zhen'ka](#): > > Besides, I’m way tired of your bullshit cites that have NOTHING to do with the topic at hand. If you have nothing to contribute, then STFU already. > > (Children’s Online Privacy Act, for chrissakes. You are a joke.) > > \ > > Stop kissing ass long enough to see that we’re talking about the principle of the matter. **Zhen’ka** , remember what forum you’re in. You’re out of line. Personal insults do not belong in ATMB. Please remain civil, or take it to the Pit. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Tibs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@Mr\_Tibs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Tibs)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/49 "2004-07-27T11:41:15Z")
> [@Coldfire](#): > > Meh. > > In the thread you linked to, we had one poster claiming you were from Israel, and another saying you were from Europe. I checked your IP, and told the posters that you were from neither of those. I _could_ have told them what country you reside in, as it is quite obvious from the IP address, but I left that to you to decide. I was merely telling the posters at hand they were both wrong. It’s not your place to use information that’s not supposed to be disclosed to settle an argument, attempt to win one, or to point out to someone else that they are wrong or right. To do so is to violate the policy stated and abusing your power as moderator to do so. These are situations that I feel that Moderators and Administrators should stay out of and that should explicitly be put in the rules. Looking at the links posted in this thread to the situations where the location has been divulged it appears to me that the Admins or Mods are taking advantage of their priviledged status to access information others don’t have to make a point or to win a argument. The nastier side of this is that they’re doing it because they don’t like or understand a particular posters views, ideas, or the way said user goes about doing it. > [@](#): > > I’m fully behind **Ed Zotti** here: the staff should not divulge information such as IP addresses and subsequent locations on the boards. But I don’t reckon that what I did qualifies as such. However, if you feel you were slighted as a result of my remark, I do apologise. That was never my intention. What you did does qualify as such, you just didn’t go as far as others. I think all of the Administrators and Moderators should just stay out of the location game when posting in threads. The alternative is to just change to the rules or the policy so that you are no longer in violation of them or it. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/50 "2004-07-27T11:47:25Z")
Yeah, all right. Your opinion is duly noted. So, what’s the weather like in Montreal this morning? [sub]I kid, I kid.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/51 "2004-07-27T12:08:45Z")
**QED** , your claim that country of residence does not constitute “personal information” isn’t even borne out by your own cite. According to the Children’s Online Privacy Act, “personal information” includes > [@](#): > > (B) a home or other physical address including street name > and name of a city or town; Just because “a home or other physical address” **includes** street name and city or town does not mean it **excludes** country of residence. Indeed, any reasonable interpretation of the Act would determine that country of residence is indeed part of “a home or other physical address,” and therefore constitutes “personal information.” **Lynn** shouldn’t have posted it, as has already been acknowledged. The earlier contremps between **Mr Tibs** and **Coldfire** , OTOH, was perfectly legit IMHO. **Coldfire** did not release any personal info about **Mr Tibs** , and in no way contravened the board contract. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/52 "2004-07-27T13:05:03Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > \*\*QED[/b > The earlier contremps between **Mr Tibs** and **Coldfire** , OTOH, was perfectly legit IMHO. **Coldfire** did not release any personal info about **Mr Tibs** , and in no way contravened the board contract. I don’t agree. How many countries would have to be mentioned before **Coldfire** would not be free to state that the poster was not from any of those. Could posters keep guessing countries and the mod just keep saying “Nope, try again”? That’s a fine line there **Coldie**. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/53 "2004-07-27T13:20:48Z")
Huh? I was obsiously joking about **Mr Tibs** : didn’t even check his IP, in fact. Do you guys mean **sevastopol**? If so, yeah, I guess it _would_ be a fine line if it had degenerated into a guessing game - which it didn’t. And a guessing game is a far cry from clearing up some confusion by naming one continent and one country (actually, just one continent if the EuroVision song context is to be believed) a poster _doesn’t_ reside in: there are about 190 countries in the world. I think it’s fair to say I was a couple of stops away from posting **sevastopol** ’s house address, **Uncommon Sense**. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/54 "2004-07-27T13:26:32Z")
I realize that, and I agree. However, the poster should be the one making the call, no? What if, in an earlier thread, the same poster had stated that he/she was from Isreal and you weren’t aware of that thread. You just inadvertantly outed them. Could cause a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/55 "2004-07-27T13:42:35Z")
That’s certainly a fair point, **US**. But rest assured, between the events as unfolded in this thread, and the very valid point you just brought up, I won’t be outing IP numbers or inferred locations thereof on these boards ever again. Nor would any of my colleagues, I’d reckon. I was just explaining why I thought the **Aldebaran** example was different from the **sevastopol** one. We’re not perfect machines, and we all screw up in some way or another from time to time. The key to that is owing up to it, and learning from the mistakes made. Rest assured that’s exactly what’s being done. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/56 "2004-07-27T13:46:59Z")
> [@](#): > > I just want to know when it suddenly became “okay if SDMB gives out some personal information when they said they wouldn’t give out any” (thanks, Zoe.) Often, we make the assumption that members of the board have some minimal ability in reading comprehension. We are often proved wrong. It never became “okay if SDMB gives out some personal information.” I don’t understand where some of you people are coming from. We have our rules, and a violation/error was committed. We have apologized for that. I don’t quite understand what more you’re asking for. A “list of steps taken” to ensure that there is no future violation? The moderators are all very aware of this regrettable lapse. The moderators are now all very aware of the privacy rules of the SDMB. Isn’t that obvious and clear from what Ed said up front? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/57 "2004-07-27T14:04:15Z")
> [@Zhen'ka](#): > > This is hardly an attack. So, why don’t you address my post instead of trying to deflect it? Care to stand behind your posts? I simply pointed out how I disagree with you. Can’t handle that? Too bad. You didn’t have a problem until someone called you on it, did you? Hardly. **Daisy Mae** also disagreed with me, but she was civil about it so I _did_ address her points. You were not. Can’t see the difference? Too bad. :rolleyes: I’m not going to further hijack this thread. GD is just down the hall and to the left, if you think you can discuss this generically without all the ad hominems. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/58 "2004-07-27T14:22:53Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > A very weak argument. I’m not defending Aldebaran, but merely attacking the notion that he is responsible for Lynn’s mistake. No, they’re _both_ responsible. **Lynn** didn’t have to post what she did. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/59 "2004-07-27T14:48:47Z")
> [@Coldfire](#): > > That’s certainly a fair point, **US**. But rest assured, between the events as unfolded in this thread, and the very valid point you just brought up, I won’t be outing IP numbers or inferred locations thereof on these boards ever again. Nor would any of my colleagues, I’d reckon. I was just explaining why I thought the **Aldebaran** example was different from the **sevastopol** one. > > We’re not perfect machines, and we all screw up in some way or another from time to time. The key to that is owing up to it, and learning from the mistakes made. Rest assured that’s exactly what’s being done. Great answer. [Guy from Budwieser commercial] **I love you man.** [/Guy from Budwieser commercial] ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817/60 "2004-07-27T14:58:14Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > No, they’re _both_ responsible. **Lynn** didn’t have to post what she did. That’s impossible Jeff. One didn’t break any rules and the other did. I personally think all the Location whoo-haa is no big deal. Why people don’t want others to know what city they post from is beyond me. Sometimes it’s very helpful to the discussion at hand to know where the poster is posting from. Most of the time it doesn’t matter. In the end, it should be left up to the poster. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/privacy-rules-dont-count-for-moderators/256817.md?page=4)