This.
I guess some day we’ll try to log in to the SDMB and get a 404, in facebook or somewhere else we’ll find out that the Reader has shut down the board and may be may be an explanation for it.
And that would be it.
It could be a good idea to start discussing alternatives, perhaps a Telegram thingy? if we don’t want to let the community just die.
Ask Jimmy Kimmel what happens.
Wait, I used to be a mod here. If memory serves you do have the real names and IP addresses of the members, and it seems to me that with those two pieces of data it wouldn’t be too hard to pin down the person who owns the account. Of course, one can use a VPN to camouflage their location and real IP address, but I doubt most people bother.
I know Facebook has its issues, but for me it’s proved invaluable as far as finding SDMB members outside the message board is concerned.
Real names are very optonal, I pretty sure that was true in the vB days also.
I think your getting confused.
Probably. It’s been fourteen years since I was a mod.
I guess we should select a place and some backups (facebook, telegram, bluesky, a wordpress site with comments hosted in a non-fascist country, etc) in advance and put them in some pinned post, just to be ready.
The problem is that identifying the need is easy, actually getting around to do it is a very different beast.
The SD has ONE e-mail for me, one which I have made as anonymous as possible. It does not have my main e-mail under my legal name.
It does not have, and never has had, my real name.
OK, you have my IP address. There are ways to make that fuzzy, too.
Although if the Federal government decided to put all its resources into tracking me down I’m sure my feeble attempts at anonymity wouldn’t last a day I don’t think I’m prominent enough to be worth the effort. Security through obscurity and all that.
That is an issue for some of the “backups” proposed in that it would actually reduce the anonymity some of us have managed to maintain here, in no small part because we joined so far back in internet history that real names weren’t required. With the forum owners no longer requiring us to pay for anything at all we can’t be traced through payment methods.
It’s getting harder and harder to set up an internet identity with minimal connections to a real life person.
Easiest way to do it would be to run some kind of forum software in a server outside the U.S, and send the URL to all current board members.
I don’t think it would be too expensive in terms of money, but the level of effort required may be too much.
I agree. That is the realistic fear. Such software might be a small part of a gov contract with an outfit like Palantir. No matter how widespread they could make it personal and pursue it like you were the only person on the list. Leave SDMB on line and torture it’s members like low hanging fruit twisting in the wind.
All it takes is something
Nah, all it takes is webcrawlers and bots looking for key words.
Size doesn’t matter (as we keep telling you).
I would absolutely take a five figure stake. I’m not joking.
Is there any chance that ad revenue covers the costs of the board?
There is on r/SDMB on Reddit - it’s barely used but if someone takes this board down I’ll probably have a look there or on the SDMB Facebook group for info and/or to organise something new.
Before something happens, be sure to also have an account or link to the Giraffe Boards.
A spin-off board started by former Pit moderator Giraffe.
I will never, ever be on the Giraffe Boards. Not after what some of their members have done to me (and apologies to the decent people there but you really do have some scum on that board).
If the company has any EU presence, they can. And some companies do attempt to follow the law. I think Discourse has some features on the admin side to make it easier to follow the EU privacy laws.
Moderator Note
While you are certainly free to have whatever opinion you’d like about Giraffe Boards (or any other message board), please do not publicly attack members of other boards. We do not allow board wars here.
so…if “I come in peace” I can post on this subject?
because I’m pretty sure the vast majority of G board posters are also here.
and I am, personally, nice as pie. Warm pie, your favorite kind, with a scoop of ice cream on top. 
I’ll vouch for that.
Sure. We have always allowed discussions of other boards, as long as the discussion is polite and respectful.
Whatever happens on Giraffe Boards (or any other message board) is their problem, though, not ours. Don’t bring drama from other boards over here.