Poster country flags and privacy

by Simon 263 Replies latest forum announcements

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  Incognito

   This issue does not concern me one way or another as I've previously indicated as being located in Canada.

  While Simon is technically correct that a country flag should not make a specific poster identifiable, there is a perception being voiced that it could or does.

  Considering the mind programming of a typical witness, it is difficult enough for many to read anything from an "appostate" for fear of it becoming known.  Will displaying the country flag cause first time visitors to perceive that they are being identified as being here even though they may not have created an account?  Will the flags cause some potential new members from creating an account?

  As the country and perhaps more specific location information remains available in the background, could not a script be written to automatically flag Mods when inconsistent location data is received in a few member's postings?

  
  

  
  
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  OUTLAW

  
  

  I`d like to make it perfectly clear..The Pirate Flag was "My Idea!"..It`s on the 1st page of this thread!..

                                                 

  Anyone using the Pirate Flag..

  Has to send me a Bottle of "Captain Morgans Spiced Rum"..

  
  

  Mail it to:  OUTLAW in Canada on a Mountain..

  The postman knows where I live..
  
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  Simon

  Will displaying the country flag cause first time visitors to perceive that they are being identified as being here even though they may not have created an account?  Will the flags cause some potential new members from creating an account?

  I doubt it. I think it's only "such an issue" because some go to great lengths to make it such an issue and we're literally talking about the number you can count on one hand out of thousands.

  The internet today is very different than it was 10 or even 5 years ago. People are used to sharing. Showing the country you are from is no big deal to anyone rational.

  I still think there is more potential harm from people being dishonest about who and where they are than there is from anyone having their identity revealed by a country location.
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  violias

  

   the pirate flag looks a lot like this and that is what it makes me think of .

   

   

   

   
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  free2beme

  I have posted here on and off for over a decade. I love the changes! Show my flag, I am American and proud.
  
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  violias

  I still think there is more potential harm from people being dishonest about who and where they are than there is from anyone having their identity revealed by a country location

   

  I agree with you but still think we should be able to opt out.
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  Marvin Shilmer

  Simon,

  I'm not trying to object to whatever it is you want to do with your own forum. But I do have a question, and my impression is you started this particular discussion to answer questions regarding your proposition.  

  What happens if today I'm in Greece and post here? Does it show the Greek flag? What if Tuesday of next week I'm in Italy? Does it show the flag of Italy?

  My question is asked for my own circumstances, and I really don't care how many others do or do not have my set of circumstances. I'm not looking for sarcasm. I'm not looking for insult. I'd just like an answer to the question above.

  Thanks in advance.  
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  Incognito

  Showing the country you are from is no big deal to anyone rational.
  

  Let's not forget, we're talking about JW's here.

  It wasn't so long ago that the WT was warning them to stay away from the Internet. Although some of us ignored their warnings and considered it BS, there are many active JW's who would not even consider owning a computer.  These same people are now not only 'encouraged' to access JW.org, they have to promote it to others as well.

  As these same people clearly see the conflicting positions of the WT Society and due to their inexperience with the Internet, maybe the ones who maybe most likely the other stumble onto JW.com

  
  

  
  

  
  
• 

  Bobcat

  Simon:

  Just curious, will (or is) there be a way to look at one's own posts or one's own threads started as there was in the previous board?

  Without that ability "marking" a post would be of no use. Also there would be no effective way to quickly go back to your own posts where you might have raised a question that you were looking for answers to. That was a handy feature of the previous board. Of course, there may be reasons for not including it.

  Bobcat
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  AnnOMaly

  No, Simon was smoothing things over after some jerkwad made a big issue of a non-issue - literally trying to equate showing the country someone was from as being the exact same as pointing the world to someone's full name and facebook profile containing all their friends and family that they were really "an apostate".

  It wasn't based on reasonable concerns, it was just some excuse to make another issue about something by someone determined to be a dick. All this crap and then I discover that it was YOU behind it all. That YOU were emailing everyone you could to recruit people to make an issue of things.

  Huh? You knew all along that I had concerns. I PMed you the first time. I knew Cedars was protective of his location at the time (this was before the AAWA/FB privacy breach and when the tide of JWN opinion really turned against him) so I forewarned him and I shared my alarm with him. After both of us complained to you, the matter was quickly resolved without any fanfare, debate or fuss. You apologized in the thread I linked to and acknowledged the small risk of somebody being outed due to having country identifiers.

  I PMed and later emailed you the second time the flags appeared, which I only discovered last month. Only when you apparently had changed your attitude and dissed my concerns (I pleaded with you to reconsider) did I decide to seek out others who had also expressed their wish not to reveal their country. Perhaps you would take seriously the objections of a few members rather than those of a lone voice. You removed the country identifiers again - much to my and the other posters' relief. I thought your sense of compassion and empathy had been stirred and the matter was now resolved.

  Now you have raised the issue for public discussion. I and others, including others I never contacted about this, have expressed strong objections to being 'force-flagged.' 

  Were your sentiments and apology of two years ago just an act, just empty words to 'smooth things over.' You didn't really mean any of it?!