Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Publishing a persons name, address, email and mobile phone number in after hours

Options
  • 27-10-2010 1:00pm
    #1
    Morlar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,273 ✭✭✭


    I have a concern which I don't feel has been adequately responded to by the After hours moderator and so would like it clarified.

    Yesterday a persons name, address, mobile phone and email were all published in a contentious after hours thread. *

    The context to this was that (in my view) it was an attempt at intimidation on the part of a poster against the person whose information was being published because the poster did not like this persons political opinions.

    This was reported using the report post button, yet the reported post was ignored for over 3 hours (approx 4.30pm - 7.30pm).

    This seems unusual to me that an after hours thread, ie a thread in the busiest and most heavily moderated forum on boards.ie - reported in the middle of the day which contains such potentially damaging information can be ignored for so long.

    This is regarding an issue which draws unstable wackjobs on both sides and regarding publishing security sensitive information about an individual.

    Say for example the worst happened and some 'activist' went along and slashed this womans face open with a stanley knife - what would boards liability be in this case ?

    To permit the publication of personal information which could reasonably lead to intimidation /assault ? Even after it had been reported for several hours ?

    I think an incident like that could put boards out of business. Technically you can say 'it's re-publishing information in the public domain'. I am not convinced this would stand up to a legal challenge given the context and circumstances. I know in this case nothing has happened but that is not the point.

    * The excuse given for permitting this was that this person runs 2 websites.

    One of their websites publish their personal information.
    The other site does not.

    Their personal information was published in relation to this persons participation in a site which does not publish name, address, email and mobile numbers.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭Dav


    If this information is publically available on the internet and wasn't obtained through dubious means then there's no issue for Boards. If someone has chosen to put their contact details up for anyone to see then that was their choice.


  • Options
    #3
    Morlar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,273 ✭✭✭Morlar


    Dav wrote: »
    If this information is publically available on the internet and wasn't obtained through dubious means then there's no issue for Boards. If someone has chosen to put their contact details up for anyone to see then that was their choice.

    You don't think boards has any kind of ethical, moral or legal responsibility in facilitating the publication of information which could (and is arguably the intended result of publication in this context) lead to harrassment, intimidation or assault ? Is this the official policy or an off the cuff response ?


Advertisement