Poster country flags and privacy

by Simon 263 Replies latest forum announcements

• 

  AnnOMaly

  You can see there are some really small countries with small numbers of jws.

  Indeed. There is a poster here, an active JW, who comes from a EU country where the number of congregations is fewer than the digits on your hand. Some months ago, he related a detailed situation, that he was particularly frustrated with, going on in his congregation, and he specifically said he did not want to disclose his country. Not having his country displayed gives him a certain amount of deniability.

  Had he known that his country would be displayed, would he have told his story? If he still told his story, would he have changed some of the details to protect his anonymity? If Simon decides to add country flags as a default setting, he's removed that poster's choice, his sense of control over what information is shared, and at worst, jeopardized the poster's anonymity. Do we want to risk outing him?
• 

  hamsterbait

  Simon - I don't see why we shouldn't be given a CHOICE. Reveal, or not reveal.  It is all starting to sound  abit rules and witlessy.
• 

  Greener

  Enough of the nonsense. Just make it OPTIONAL. Make it the individual members choice.
• 

  coalize

  There is a poster here, an active JW, who comes from a EU country where the number of congregations is fewer than the digits on your hand

  That's why I think some merged flag is a good option.

  
  
• 

  hamsterbait

  Certainly I have given snippets over the years about my self - but when I signed up it was not made clear that in ten ¥ears time, the board would give geographically specific information, which aligned with other  information given out in drips could have identified me.

  The agreement is being changed under my feet.
• 

  bohm

  If privacy concerns are considered deluded, what sort of input on this feature should we discuss? 
• 

  Simon

  If scammers is an important concern, how about displaying the post count more prominently? Scammers can use proxies too.

  The country is a clearer indicator than the identicons which tend not to be noticed and provide no other benefit (most people don't know what they are or how to use them).

  If someone's posts show up as being from China, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, China etc... in the space of 5 minutes and they are claiming to be Mildred from Basingstoke then people can decide how much they really want to trust "Mildred" or believe that she is from Basingstoke.

  Now "Mildred" may really be Mildred from Basingstoke as she claims ... which then raises the question: why is she using proxies to hide her identity and then revealing her identity?

  Mildred is of course free to be anonymous ... but can't be surprised that others who feel a need to protect their identities may chose not to share as much information with her. After all, what do they really know about her? She doesn't even want to reveal the country she is from. Why should they trust her?

  IMO trust is a two way thing - we all share a little about ourselves in return for some trust in the other party. I think sharing the country we're located in is a small, small thing to share but provides some additional trust potential in return.
• 

  20years_to_get_free

  No problem for me. In fact, you could put my state too.  The one I am in and the one I was a witness in.  I'm already fully shunned.
• 

  bohm

  Simon:but the scammer  can use a proxy too..
• 

  Simon

  the board would give geographically specific information, which aligned with other  information given out in drips could have identified me.

  1. The board is not giving out geographically specific information. We're talking about a COUNTRY.

  2. I don't see how a country can be all that is missing from the other information you have given out

  If you have shared information that identifies you then the country can be plugged in to that. It's a finite list. It's easily guessable. You can cross 90% of the ~220 countries of any list straight away. However you decide to do it you end up with the same short list.

  If you truly believe that one of those handful of 2 character codes combines with your posts to reveal exactly who you are then I think you have already exposed yourself OR you are being overly paranoid.

  I can't think of any scenario where knowing the country alone would make a difference because people can already play "If they were from the UK, would I know who they were?"