PI on Twitter

Conor

Rb wrote: »

But it's fantastic for boards.ie LTD.

Considering that it was something Ross did off his own bat I think that's a little unfair.

DeVore doesn't even believe in Twitter, never mind caring for using it as a promotional tool.

Nerin

Rb wrote: »

But did they ask for their personal issues to appear on one of the most popular social networking sites when they posted asking for help?

People come to PI/RI genuinely looking for help, I'm sure most are aware that there is the distant possibility that someone, somewhere may put the right terms into google sometime, discover their thread and put 2 and 2 together. However, that is a distant possibility.

Having it circulating throughout one of the biggest, most active social networking services, however, increases that possibility to the point where I'm sure a lot would be well put off posting their PI if they knew.

Maybe youre right, but they werent warned either, nor asked about having their threads deleted.
No one was warned about PI popping up on the twitter bot, and people have a problem with that,fears, misgivings etc. I think thats fair and we can discuss it

But

i dont remember seeing a warning saying that those threads would be deleted if they popped up on twitter/ an outside source either. which in my eyes from reading this is similarly negative.

Silverfish

Nerin wrote: »

Maybe youre right, but they werent warned either, nor asked about having their threads deleted.
No one was warned about PI popping up on the twitter bot, and people have a problem with that,fears, misgivings etc. I think thats fair and we can discuss it

But

i dont remember seeing a warning saying that those threads would be deleted if they popped up on twitter/ an outside source either. which in my eyes from reading this is similarly negative.

Until we receive confirmation that PI threads will still be linked on twitter, and can formulate a disclaimer on PI that this may happen if the poster has a popular issue such as abuse or a death of a loved one or whatever gets the most responses, and can then receive a confirmation from the poster that they are grand with this happening then deleting them is the best option.
As it stands, posters are starting threads without knowing that this is happening. That is unfair in addition to the problems they already have.

Nevyn

There is now an annoucement gone up in PI/RI stating that if a thread is missing to contact a mod for clarificaton.

CuLT

My personal viewpoint is that information wants to be free, especially information that is publicly accessible. Fact is the more time passes, the easier it is going to be to access the information on Boards.ie. That's just how the world works. Of course there is no malicious intent behind letting people know about threads on Boards.ie that get a lot of attention.

Assuming that the pittance of traffic directed at the site from Twitter is a frothing army of trolls is more than a little reactionary, and dare I say, paranoid. Why wouldn't these people be interested in weighing in with their experiences? Why isn't this just another way of showing the "sensitive" side of Boards.ie?

If this wasn't an automated feed that occasionally contained "popular" PI threads, there would be (and have been, to date) no complaints about the myriad referrals the forum gets from random people linking to PI threads.

Most of Boards.ie's traffic comes from Google refers. A significant percentage of that goes to PI. More again comes from people linking each other in IM, or other forums, or emails, etc. Why is this particular avenue being vilified? Why are the people coming via Twitter evil trolls and not the Google referrals? Because they used a keyword search instead of a general boards.ie info feed? Nonsense.

There is nothing that can be done to stop that short of making PI a private forum and that's not going to lessen over time, btw. It's the nature of the Internet and the growth of the site. Twitter is just another medium.

The seventy odd people who follow the account aren't exactly trouble maker material (if you actually had a look at those followers) and imo are actually a lot less likely to troll or direct trolling than the average Boards.ie user. If someone "retweets" a post, it's something they are entirely capable of doing without the boards_top account.

Tbh, I think attempting to enforce censorship of this a great way of invoking the Streisland effect, for what it's worth.

At best, the perceived effect of this is being blown greatly out of proportion, and I'm more than a little irritated that you would take this route in an attempt to bully me into changing things, Thaed.

Thaedydal wrote: »

I have found on the @boards_top feed for the last 3 weeks 10 links to pr/ri threads and have deleted all the threads and will continue to do so while this matter has not been properly addressed.

You never gave me the opportunity to reply, your complaint was posted at eight-thirtyish this evening in the moderator forum and you've since decided to make a drama out of it on Feedback. I don't read the site 24 hours a day, I already experience it for my entire working day, I like a break in the evenings.

I think this is incredibly unfair and immature of you, and I'm really quite disappointed.

Nevyn

Conor wrote: »

Considering that it was something Ross did off his own bat I think that's a little unfair.

DeVore doesn't even believe in Twitter, never mind caring for using it as a promotional tool.

So despite using the board.ie logo, name and having a link to boards.ie on it's profile and linking to boards.ie threads and being created by a member of boards LTD staff it is not sanctioned by the ceo or any of the admins?

CuLT

Silverfish wrote: »

Until we receive confirmation that PI threads will still be linked on twitter, and can formulate a disclaimer on PI that this may happen if the poster has a popular issue such as abuse or a death of a loved one or whatever gets the most responses, and can then receive a confirmation from the poster that they are grand with this happening then deleting them is the best option.
As it stands, posters are starting threads without knowing that this is happening. That is unfair in addition to the problems they already have.

Without meaning to alarm you, as long as PI is a public forum, I think it's safe to inform you that it might be linked from ANYWHERE.

Silverfish

CuLT wrote: »

Without meaning to alarm you, as long as PI is a public forum, I think it's safe to inform you that it might be linked from ANYWHERE.

Okay, just stating my concerns as a moderator of that forum.

I understand it may be linked from 'ANYWHERE', but if the traffic @boards_top generates is so minimal, what's the big problem with removing the PI feeds?

Nevyn

CuLT wrote: »

You never gave me the opportunity to reply, your complaint was posted at eight-thirtyish this evening in the moderator forum and you've since decided to make a drama out of it on Feedback. I don't read the site 24 hours a day, I already experience it for my entire working day, I like a break in the evenings.

I think this is incredibly unfair and immature of you, and I'm really quite disappointed.

I did not start this feedback thread and feedback is open 24/7 and not office hours.
IF the admins decide they want that twitter account to official and agree with PI/RI threads being used in such a manner
then I will respect that decision when it is made and consider my position after that has happened.

It is not for me to tell you to make changes it is for your boss to tell you to make changes.

CuLT

Thaedydal wrote: »

So despite using the board.ie logo, name and having a link to boards.ie on it's profile and linking to boards.ie threads and being created by a member of boards LTD staff it is not sanctioned by the ceo or any of the admins?

I've now removed the logo and placed a disclaimer in the bio, just in case people were misled.

Silverfish wrote: »

Okay, just stating my concerns as a moderator of that forum.

I understand it may be linked from 'ANYWHERE', if the traffic @boards_top generates is so minimal, what's the big problem with removing the PI feeds?

Because it's a public forum, a popular forum and an interesting forum, in my opinion. What's the big problem with leaving it there?

Silverfish

CuLT wrote: »

Because it's a public forum, a popular forum and an interesting forum, in my opinion. What's the big problem with leaving it there?

Thought I detailed that already.

But fair enough, you're the boss.

CuLT

Silverfish wrote: »

Thought I detailed that already.

But fair enough, you're the boss.

Thought I had detailed my own reasons too, but seeing as we're not reading each others posts...

Nevyn

CuLT wrote: »

You never gave me the opportunity to reply, your complaint was posted at eight-thirtyish this evening in the moderator forum and you've since decided to make a drama out of it on Feedback. I don't read the site 24 hours a day, I already experience it for my entire working day, I like a break in the evenings.

I think this is incredibly unfair and immature of you, and I'm really quite disappointed.

I did not start this feedback thread and feedback is open 24/7 and not office hours.

Rb

Conor wrote: »

Considering that it was something Ross did off his own bat I think that's a little unfair.

DeVore doesn't even believe in Twitter, never mind caring for using it as a promotional tool.

Sounds like someone hasn't been informed about the bonus staff shares...

Silverfish

CuLT wrote: »

Thought I had detailed my own reasons too, but seeing as we're not reading each others posts...

I did read yours, which is how I referenced it. But if you want to just throw digs, we can do that all night.

Well, Cult, the reason I don't like this being referenced on the @boards_top twitter feed is because people post on PI to seek advice on problems, this is not popular AH or Soccer threads, this is people who were abused, or hurt, or had a family member die or be seriously ill.

These people post these things on boards knowing it is on boards, it will be on the front page, yet they come here and post it. Grand. What they do NOT know is that an employee will harvest their thread and spam it to the general populous of Twitter.

Now, twitter is a bit more popular than JohnJoe linking it to Paddy on MSN for the sneer. That's WHY there's a @boards_top account on twitter.

Now, if PI is exempt from registered posting, exempt from searching on boards.ie, exempt from being linked to FROM OTHER FORUMS ON THIS SITE, then why on earth is it allowed be linked by a boards.ie account on twitter.

THAT is my problem with leaving them there.

Sparky

I honestly see no difference between this and subscribing to PI on boards.
The difference is that boards_top is a mix of all boards topics including PI topics that are popular that I can see popup in my favourite twitter client.
Its not like its a ticker on sky news.

If people choose to follow the boards_top account then let them. I see no harm
I also see no harm in the fact that its no different than if they wanted to subscribe to this: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/external.php?type=RSS2&f=127 as a live bookmark on firefox or google reader.

At the end of the day the content is there for all to see. Who wishes to choose to be in tune with it all/up to date etc etc is their business.

All this is doing is using another medium on the net.

Conor

Rb wrote: »

Sounds like someone hasn't been informed about the bonus staff shares...

Wait... what?

Silverfish

Sparky wrote: »

I honestly see no difference between this and subscribing to PI on boards.
The difference is that boards_top is a mix of all boards topics including PI topics that are popular that I can see popup in my favourite twitter client.
Its not like its a ticker on sky news.

If people choose to follow the boards_top account then let them. I see no harm
I also see no harm in the fact that its no different than if they wanted to subscribe to this: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/external.php?type=RSS2&f=127 as a live bookmark on firefox or google reader.

At the end of the day the content is there for all to see. Who wishes to choose to be in tune with it all/up to date etc etc is their business.

All this is doing is using another medium on the net.

My rss feeds come to me, no-one else can see them.

http://twitter.com/public_timeline can be seen by every single person on twitter.

Aoibheann

This appears to be getting quite.. I'm not sure.. out of hand perhaps?

In fairness, when you use online forums you should know that you can never be 100% private about what you say. Stuff gets out, one way or another - even with private forums, how can you know one of the people isn't going and posting info about you on Twitter, their blog, on facebook? People should be wary about what details they give out anywhere, and I know you all know this as well as I do!

If I was ever posting an issue in PI/RI myself, I would go unregistered. I wouldn't give out telling details - because I know they could show up anywhere. And I do agree with CuLT - PI is interesting. People seeing these tweets, if not current boardsies, could see the type of place it is - full of great advice 99% of the time (and very efficient modding for the other 1%), and that you *can* go unregged!

The most obvious thing really in my opinion anyway - always be careful what you post anywhere! You never can know where you can get burned and where people can dig out information on you.. unfortunately!

I had a point to this, I swear. It got lost somewhere..

Also, Sparky - if I could thank your post, I would. + a bajillion.

Silverfish wrote: »

http://twitter.com/public_timeline can be seen by every single person on twitter.

I can honestly say I didn't even know that existed! *bookmarks* :pac:

Edit #5,000,000 at this point: The public timeline is way long. In fairness, I doubt many people see it from that, the first page is stuff from less than a minute ago, and I imagine the next many are too..

Silverfish

Silverfish wrote: »

My rss feeds come to me, no-one else can see them.

http://twitter.com/public_timeline can be seen by every single person on twitter.

But, with the frequency with which that is updated, any Boards tweet (one is made every two hours) would be lost in the noise almost instantaneously.

Nevyn

Is the other 'boards.ie' twitter account offical or not?

Sparky

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

But, with the frequency with which that is updated, any Boards tweet (one is made every two hours) would be lost in the noise almost instantaneously.

My feeling too.

monkeyfudge

CuLT wrote: »

Because it's a public forum, a popular forum and an interesting forum, in my opinion. What's the big problem with leaving it there?

And what's the advantage?

I don't read PI at all... but promoting threads from there does seem a bit odd to me really... and it seems I'm not alone in thinking that.

Aoibheann

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

But, with the frequency with which that is updated, any Boards tweet (one is made every two hours) would be lost in the noise almost instantaneously.

+1

I had just edited that into my last post when I saw this. But agree 100%, wouldn't exactly be the cause of much traffic generated to the PI/RI forum considering each tweet is every two hours, the PI/RI ones are definitely only every few tweets maximum (in fact are much more infrequent iirc).. chances of it getting around that way seem much more slim that via google - and even a chance google search result at that.

Jonathan

Why the pessimist viewpoint thaed/silverfish/shellyboo?

Perhaps increased traffic would lead to more people offering helpful advice?

Nerin

Nerin wrote: »

Maybe youre right, but they werent warned either, nor asked about having their threads deleted.
No one was warned about PI popping up on the twitter bot, and people have a problem with that,fears, misgivings etc. I think thats fair and we can discuss it

But

i dont remember seeing a warning saying that those threads would be deleted if they popped up on twitter/ an outside source either. which in my eyes from reading this is similarly negative.

Silverfish wrote: »

Until we receive confirmation that PI threads will still be linked on twitter, and can formulate a disclaimer on PI that this may happen if the poster has a popular issue such as abuse or a death of a loved one or whatever gets the most responses, and can then receive a confirmation from the poster that they are grand with this happening then deleting them is the best option.
As it stands, posters are starting threads without knowing that this is happening. That is unfair in addition to the problems they already have.

Basically in my eyes ye did something similar to whats being complained about. You didn't inform anyone you'd be making posts disappear,just like people were complaining there was no twitter disclaimer. *shrug*
Just how it looks to me.

WhiteWashMan

OK.

I can see the view point of those who are concerned about twitter announcments being made on PI threads.
On the other hand, its a public forum, and anyone who posts there is aware that anyone in the world with a laptop and an internet connection can read it.

Whether or not it is broadcast by a third party is irrelevant.

As for suggesting that Boards.ie has decided to do this in some sort of cynical way to get more users into PI, thats just the stupidist thing I have heard in a long time, and doesnt even rate a response. I am just really surprised at that one.


Now, what really alarms me is the fact that a mod has gone off and started deleting threads simply becuase she does not agree with this twitter thing.
Quite simply, it is not up to a mod to decide whether something is right or wrong. Make the suggestion, go through the channels, let discussion take place, but at what point does one mod decide what is going to be policy on this site?

A single stupid thing, blown out of proportion and made into an issue. Seriously, Im surprised at the people involved here. And disappointed.

Nevyn

This was flagged for discussion in the admin drop box which never happened and I am going to bed before I respond in a rash manner, as I have said I am still waiting for the discussion on this and will abide by what is decided by the admins and will then consider my position of a mod of those forums, the admins can if they see fit removed me as mod the same way they can do with any mod if they feel they need to.

Good night.

Silverfish

I don't think anyone said it was to get more people onto PI, it was that @boards_top seems to be to get more people onto boards.ie, but using PI - amongst other threads yes, but 'I like socks!' and 'Man u lost ' are hardly comparable to 'I've lost my baby'.

I wish I could see these as just another thread but I really can't.

If that means the admins are disappointed in me as a moderator - I'm sorry, but I won't be changing my mind on this one, so if that means I'll be required to step down from PI so be it.

The_Minister

Without providing any contribution to the actual topic of the thread, may I suggest that everyone gets up from the computer, drinks a glass of water, and takes an opportunity to unbunch their panties.