# Private vs Public Polls **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958 "2010-08-11T18:10:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/1 "2010-08-11T18:10:37Z")
I see that polls here are sometimes private and sometimes public. I wonder how that affects the results. So, regardless of the topic of a poll, how much does its private or public status affect your likelihood to vote in one? ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/2 "2010-08-11T18:17:24Z")
As far as I’m concerned, you people don’t really exist. And to you, I suspect, I don’t exist. So what do I care if you can tell what I voted for? I’ll probably tell you in my post, anyway. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/3 "2010-08-11T18:23:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I never vote in private polls because I cannot tolerate them. If this option gets any votes, the entire poll results are questionable. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/4 "2010-08-11T22:57:06Z")
I indicated “no preference” but it really depends on the subject matter. I’d probably be public about a political poll, but would rather be private when it comes to specific violations of the law. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/5 "2010-08-12T14:38:00Z")
I’m surprised about the lack of preference for public polls. I expected a more balanced distribution. > [@Wilbo523](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > I never vote in private polls because I cannot tolerate them. > > If this option gets any votes, the entire poll results are questionable. Nah. Remember, every poll has to have an option for contrarians. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/6 "2010-08-12T16:20:36Z")
I’ll vote in a private poll if the subject interests me at all. I won’t vote in a public poll if the subject is not interesting OR if it’s in an area that I think is personal, for example sexuality. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/7 "2010-08-12T16:42:52Z")
So far, I think everyone who has made a poll has done a good job of deciding what should be public and what should be private. Usually I’ll click through a poll thread and if it’s something I want to vote on, I will know right away if I want my answer to be public or private THEN will check to see if it’s public or private. The OP has, thus far, always been on track with me. Most polls seem to be private, because it doesn’t quite matter who answered what. Seems like public polls are the unusual ones. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/8 "2010-08-12T16:48:31Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I’m surprised about the lack of preference for public polls. I expected a more balanced distribution. > > > [@Wilbo523](#): > > > > If this option gets any votes, the entire poll results are questionable. > > Nah. Remember, every poll has to have an option for contrarians. No it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/9 "2010-08-12T17:00:33Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > > [@Pleonast](#): > > > > Nah. Remember, every poll has to have an option for contrarians. > > No it doesn’t. Anti-contrarians are merely contrarians in denial. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/10 "2010-08-12T17:13:50Z")
It can’t be regardless of the topic. Some things I’m perfectly happy to answer about publicly, but there are others I try not to talk about on the internet. If it’s private I’ll join in, though. There are several polls I’ve voted in without posting in the thread. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/11 "2010-08-12T17:38:34Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I’m surprised about the lack of preference for public polls. I expected a more balanced distribution. > > > [@Wilbo523](#): > > > > If this option gets any votes, the entire poll results are questionable. > > Nah. Remember, every poll has to have an option for contrarians. Last time I checked, contrarian did not mean “liar”. For someone to select that option, they would have to be a “liar”. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/12 "2010-08-12T17:39:58Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Last time I checked, contrarian did not mean “liar”. For someone to select that option, they would have to be a “liar”. Only if they’re a literalist. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/13 "2010-08-12T18:40:40Z")
I don’t check to see if a poll is public or private, but prefer public. One of the tenets of this board is standing by what you say, so why bother voting if you don’t want to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/14 "2010-08-12T19:08:58Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I don’t check to see if a poll is public or private, but prefer public. One of the tenets of this board is standing by what you say, so why bother voting if you don’t want to do that. I generally make my polls public, but my polls are generally about entirely hypothetical situations or are intentionally silly. If I were to start a poll on, say, whether board members have had an abortion or ever would, I’d choose the private option. And I have declined to vote in polls because they were public and I didn’t want to share that bit of information about myself. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/15 "2010-08-12T19:27:27Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I don’t check to see if a poll is public or private, but prefer public. One of the tenets of this board is standing by what you say, so why bother voting if you don’t want to do that. It all depends what the intent of the creator of the poll is. If you want people to give opinions they are willing to publicly state, then it’s quite reasonable to make the poll public. However, if the intent of the pollster is find out opinions and isn’t concerned about whether or not people are willing to stand by them, then private makes more sense. The purpose of this poll isn’t to influence what kind of polls are here on the SDMB, but to give the poll-makers here some more information about how the public/private decision affects responses. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I generally make my polls public, but my polls are generally about entirely hypothetical situations or are intentionally silly. If I were to start a poll on, say, whether board members have had an abortion or ever would, I’d choose the private option. And I have declined to vote in polls because they were public and I didn’t want to share that bit of information about myself. Actually, your polls are what prompted me to create this poll. There’s been several of your polls that I’d be interested to respond to, but didn’t because they were public. Since that decision to make it public affected by response, I wondered how many others here are similarly affected. Or if I was out of the mainstream in not responding because a poll was public. And to answer, **Teacake** , the public/private status affects my decision to respond more than the question itself. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/16 "2010-08-12T19:36:21Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Actually, [Skald’s] polls are what prompted me to create this poll. There’s been several of your polls that I’d be interested to respond to, but didn’t because they were public. Since that decision to make it public affected by response, I wondered how many others here are similarly affected. Or if I was out of the mainstream in not responding because a poll was public. Really? I won’t ask which for obvious reasons, but I can’t imagine which you mean. F’instance, the recent poll I did on porn preferences had private results. I couldn’t imagine anyone caring about the opinions on the silly hypotheticals, like the one about liver transplants. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/17 "2010-08-12T19:46:53Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I couldn’t imagine anyone caring about the opinions on the silly hypotheticals, like the one about liver transplants. I thought maybe I was strange, because I am a lot less likely to answer that kind of poll if it’s public. This poll seems to indicate that I’m not the only one who avoids public polls. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/18 "2010-08-12T19:47:44Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > > I couldn’t imagine anyone caring about the opinions on the silly hypotheticals, like the one about liver transplants. > > I thought maybe I was strange, because I am a lot less likely to answer that kind of poll if it’s public. May I ask why? ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/19 "2010-08-12T20:01:52Z")
It’s hard to qualify. I’m uncomfortable publicly answering some things, even if it’s seemingly inconsequential. I guess it’s comparable to modesty about showing too much of one’s body in public. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958/20 "2010-08-12T21:08:27Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > It’s hard to qualify. I’m uncomfortable publicly answering some things, even if it’s seemingly inconsequential. I guess it’s comparable to modesty about showing too much of one’s body in public. I can see that in regards to polls about real-life and personal things. I started a poll once on whether posters had been unfaithful in romantic relationships once, for instance, and I made that one private. By contrast, I don’t think I made the poll on “is action X cheating” private. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/private-vs-public-polls/549958.md?page=2)