# The real life of posters: Private or public? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 19, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798 "2013-02-19T15:40:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/121 "2013-02-20T21:02:56Z")
I feel like if this was the first time the SDMB ever moderated someone for making an unwarranted phone call to another poster (or at least trying to do so), it should have been a warning and not resulted in a ban. That being said, it was only a matter of time before Simple Linctus was banned anyway, so I’m not so heartbroken. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/122 "2013-02-20T22:42:06Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > By that logic, isn’t what **AClockworkMelon** did, out of line? Because he “used the SDMB to post material” that was “invasive of a person’s privacy”. The posts of **AClockworkMelon** revealed **pchaos’s** real name which made it possible for **Simple Linctus** to call **pchaos**. Is there an answer to this and missed it? If not could we get one? Because this seems very inconsistent to me. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/123 "2013-02-20T22:46:32Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Is there an answer to this and missed it? If not could we get one? Because this seems very inconsistent to me. I didn’t reveal real-life information (his username on that forum includes what I assume is his real first name, but it’s not my fault he includes his first initial in his username here) and I didn’t “make it possible” for anyone to do anything: I posted links to posts on a card-collecting forum, all from what was, at the time, the first hit on a Google search of his username. Just like people have done with others, such as **umkay** , **James Otto Sweet Heart** , etc. Glad I could clear that up for you. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/124 "2013-02-20T23:02:21Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Is there an answer to this and missed it? The answer is that all the information used to identify **pchaos** was posted by **pchaos** , and everything on the other boards was found easily by Googling. I don’t think it’s reasonable to say **pchaos** ’ privacy was invaded when he himself made all of that information public. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/125 "2013-02-21T00:29:45Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Yet the exact thing happened with **Umkay** and no one was modded. Also there’s been several instances where posters have suspected some new poster was a spammer or troll and then went searching for them and then they come back and posted proof that the new poster has posted the same message on several different boards and no one was modded. > > So why the new stance of “investigating” other posters? > [@Guinastasia](#): > > But no one ever attempted to get ahold of her in meat space. THAT’S the whole point. It wasn’t that **Simple Linctus** looked the guy up. Nobody really cares about that. It’s that he went and actually called him on the phone, trying to say, “hey, this is some guy from the internet who wants to know if you’re who you say you are?” > > That’s crossing the line. It’s one thing to search for someone’s troll persona, and finding say, them bragging about it somewhere, or that there’s someone with a similiar history and the same story, blah blah blah. It’s that he CONTACTED THE GUY. I don’t want people contacting me in real life – that’s fucking creepy. And despite what he says, it’s not just an “American thing”, I suspect. > > I don’t think it would have gotten him banned this time, except for the fact that he had a previous suspension. Otherwise, he’d just be suspended. **Guin**. I’m totally proud of you. You summed up the whole situation correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/126 "2013-02-21T00:56:13Z")
So, if **pchaos** is a fake, then **SL** left a very confusing message on some random person’s answering machine. If he gave the name **Straight Dope** in the message, it sure makes this board look stupid. To have members calling people who are not members and have never heard of us, and then asking for some code? It reflects poorly on the board. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/127 "2013-02-21T01:35:54Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > So, if **pchaos** is a fake, then **SL** left a very confusing message on some random person’s answering machine. > > If he gave the name **Straight Dope** in the message, it sure makes this board look stupid. To have members calling people who are not members and have never heard of us, and then asking for some code? It reflects poorly on the board. You’re right. **Lictus** should be double-banned for this potential hit to our reputation! ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/128 "2013-02-21T01:50:35Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > You’re right. **Lictus** should be double-banned for this potential hit to our reputation! Double secret bannation. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/129 "2013-02-21T05:02:44Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > So I’m guessing I prolly shouldn’t use my google fu to identify **Silenus** , and have a couple cases of chilli with beans delivered to his office? Even if that is an obviously superior form of chilli, and he is poisoning the minds of his students with notions of beanless chilli? > > What about the children? The poor children forced to a life of misery and beanless chilli…Can it really be wrong when it feels so right? > 😉 **Oak** , you are more than welcome to send me a few cases of chili. I’ll be glad to take them off your hands. Extra beans, please with finely chopped jalapeños. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/130 "2013-02-21T11:01:45Z")
Forget the rules lawyering. Personally I am happy that should I get into an argument with some random username, that the boards admin will not look favourably should some random creep then decide to start ringing my family or workplace. You are contacting people in real life because of words on the internet? How the hell is that not being a jerk? ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/131 "2013-02-21T15:28:32Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Why would my post be sarcastic? It was pretty straightforward and appropriate. Posting personal details would be a jerkish thing to do, and therefore would violate the “Don’t be a jerk” rule. My reference was to the “Don’t be a jerk” rule itself rather than any one particular example of a jerky comment. Since DBAJ can be pretty much whatever a Mod wants it to be at any point in time then almost anything will fit firmly within its bounds. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/132 "2013-02-21T19:33:44Z")
Can we hijack this thread to talk about gun control now? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/133 "2013-02-21T19:36:23Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Can we hijack this thread to talk about gun control now? > > 🙂 Not until I get accused of junior modding. Priorities, dude! ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/134 "2013-02-21T19:38:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Not until I get accused of junior modding. Priorities, dude! Just wondering, why did you stop being a moderator? I mean, you get accused of junior moderating, so why did you quit in the first place, and why don’t you go back to being a moderator? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/135 "2013-02-21T19:44:53Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > Just wondering, why did you stop being a moderator? I mean, you get accused of junior moderating, so why did you quit in the first place, and why don’t you go back to being a moderator? I did it for over ten years, which was long enough-time to make room for new blood. I enjoyed it very much, but I’m having too much fun to go back. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/136 "2013-02-21T19:53:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I did it for over ten years, which was long enough-time to make room for new blood. I enjoyed it very much, but I’m having too much fun to go back. Can I accuse you of senior modding? How about modding emeritus? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/137 "2013-02-21T21:53:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Not until I get accused of junior modding. Priorities, dude! [Been there, done that.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15537621) > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Can I accuse you of senior modding? How about modding emeritus? [Been there, done that.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15537621#post15537621) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/138 "2013-02-21T22:21:55Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I’m one of those who can see the “it’s over the line” argument. But to me it’s more of a speeding ticket rather than a Felony. I wouldn’t have done it, but it would never have occurred to me it was a violation of Board rules. > [@drewtwo99](#): > > Well, I’m at a loss at understanding this one then. > > I was on board with it being jerkish behavior if he posted exactly how he went about finding some guy’s phone number that may or may not have been pchaos’, but the actual call itself (which was incredibly benign in content if not creepy in origins) is in no way jerkish behavior nor is it within the purview of moderators as the rule stands. It’s definitely a form of stalking. It’s taking board issues and looking up someone in real life and then contacting them off board. I know that if I got an unsolicited email or phone call to my work address/number (i.e. stuff I have not posted on this board) from someone identifying themselves as from the SDMB, I’d be a bit leery. It’s one thing if it came from someone whom I have interacted IRL and given my real name personally. It’s quite another to have some “random stranger” google me and find info and then contact me IRL. And it’s even worse. Because if I got contacted from someone I have a generally good interaction on the board, I’m going to take it much better than if that phone call comes from someone with whom I am currently engaged in a heated discussion questioning my integrity, professionalism, and veracity. That person is going to come off as damn threatening, regardless of what they actually say in the phone message. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > It’s hard not to laugh at the precious-snowflake crowd who equate an anonymous phone ball with felony stalking. What happens when these people see a number on the caller I.D. they don’t recognize? Hours of uncontrollable sobbing and pillow-clutching whilst locked in a closet? Your hyperbole is noted. I don’t freak out if I get a strange number on my caller ID. I don’t panic if I get a weird message from someone I don’t recognize. I’ve been hit with wrong numbers without freaking out. It’s the “I’m so-and-so and I’m hunting you down” that does perk my attention. I will note that in this instance, **Simple Lictus** was actually acting in a manner that would support **pchaos** ’s claims. Of course, **pchaos** did not need SL to give him a code word to share. If **pchaos** had wished to connect his RL identity he would merely have linked that work content himself. The fact that he had not suggests it was not his desire to share that here. Also, I will note that my phrasing “hunt you down” probably comes off as hyberbolic. SL didn’t say anything about showing up on his doorstep or anything like that. Nevertheless, taking efforts to ID the phone number and actually making the phone call is a step in that direction. Were I on the receiving end, I would be cautious that the person taking the effort to actually find my identity might be interested in taking the effort to find me physically. Else, why do they need my RL identity? > [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t think it would have gotten him banned this time, except for the fact that he had a previous suspension. Otherwise, he’d just be suspended. Steps along the ladder. If first offence, it would have stopped at a Warning. If history of Warnings, it might have been a suspension. Because there was a prior suspension, the Warning triggered banning as well. It wasn’t this act in isolation that got him banned, it was this act in addition to past history and prior suspension. I don’t have enough history with SL to know if I would have let this Warning trigger the ban. Based solely on the ambiguity of this incident, I might have been inclined to let this one be a “freeby” between suspension and banning. I.e., he’d have the Warning and any subsequent issue would then trigger the ban. YMMV. I won’t question the mods’ call on this. ---
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/139 "2013-02-22T03:20:54Z")
To me, the problem with **SL’s** posting that he’d made the call was that it placed **pchaos** in a position of having to waive his privacy or permit the inference to be drawn that he was a fraud. Don’t see how the mods can formulate a specific rule which covers this scenario. Sometimes we have to settle for general rules which depend for their fairness on the integrity of the folks administering them. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798/140 "2013-02-22T12:10:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The answer is that all the information used to identify **pchaos** was posted by **pchaos** , and everything on the other boards was found easily by Googling. I don’t think it’s reasonable to say **pchaos** ’ privacy was invaded when he himself made all of that information public. I think people are being too easy on **AClockworkMelon**. He didn’t just do some investigating googling, he posted his results here. If the board is fine with that, what is to prevent someone from sharing some google results, or deeper investigation, here. While I think the right call was made in regards to **Simple Linctus** , not modding **AClockworkMelon** inadvertently sets a precedent, or at least creates the impression, that one can do investigating into the real life of posters and as long as they don’t try to contact them in real life and just post what they found, is okay. I think that’s a bit troubling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-real-life-of-posters-private-or-public/650798.md?page=8)