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Closed accounts stats?

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  • 11-11-2012 11:59am
    #1
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭


    Just wondering if you folks had stats on numbers of closed accounts and reasons since it was introduced?

    Cheers

    Tallon
    Post edited by Shield on


«1

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    #2
    Boards.ie: Neil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 503 ✭✭✭Boards.ie: Neil


    Tallon wrote: »
    Just wondering if you folks had stats on numbers of closed accounts and reasons since it was introduced?

    Cheers

    Tallon

    What for?


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    #3
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »

    What for?

    This is feedback is it not? I was just interested in the stats


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    #4
    Boards.ie: Neil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 503 ✭✭✭Boards.ie: Neil


    Tallon wrote: »

    This is feedback is it not? I was just interested in the stats
    It is feedback yes. But I'm sure you would understand why I'd ask you why you'd want them giving the whole reason why we had to implement the close account feature (data protection).


    We're required by law not to release any identifiable information.

    For example if I told you x closed their account with the reason of "tallon's a dick" it would be pretty safe for you to deduce who that was.


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    #5
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    I didn't ask for that!

    If possible I wanted the number of users who have closed their account since you initiated the feature

    Also, by 'reasons' I just mean an over view I.E 'I don't use boards' 'someone made me leave' etc

    Not looking for names or specifics. I thought that would have been obvious :rolleyes:


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    #6
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    So I guess that's a no then?


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    #7
    Boards.ie: Nicola
    Closed Accounts Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Boards.ie: Nicola


    I'm afraid so, there's no real reason for us to release that info so it's not something we're going to do.


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    #8
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    You can't even just give a total of the number of closed accounts since introduction?


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    #9
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »
    It is feedback yes. But I'm sure you would understand why I'd ask you why you'd want them giving the whole reason why we had to implement the close account feature (data protection).


    We're required by law not to release any identifiable information.

    For example if I told you x closed their account with the reason of "tallon's a dick" it would be pretty safe for you to deduce who that was.

    this is meant as feedback - it would have been much better for you to write this as your original reply, instead of the reply you wrote, which came across as defensive and agressive at the same time. The dude was just asking a question.


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    #10
    Boards.ie: Neil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 503 ✭✭✭Boards.ie: Neil


    Totally didn't mean it to come across as defensive or agressive, apologies for that.

    I was just asking a question as to why the stats were wanted, then in the interim I decided that it's probably not the best information (due to the reasons i gave in my second post) to be spreading around even just a number of closed accounts could look bad to certain eyes.

    There seems to be such a great curiosity to our close account feature who's using it and what their reasoning is (which should be quite obvious), I'd love to know why being honest.


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    #11
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »
    Totally didn't mean it to come across as defensive or agressive, apologies for that.

    me too - probably just projecting the reasons I'd have for answering like that onto you :) my bad.


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    #12
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »
    Totally didn't mean it to come across as defensive or agressive, apologies for that.

    I was just asking a question as to why the stats were wanted, then in the interim I decided that it's probably not the best information (due to the reasons i gave in my second post) to be spreading around even just a number of closed accounts could look bad to certain eyes.

    There seems to be such a great curiosity to our close account feature who's using it and what their reasoning is (which should be quite obvious), I'd love to know why being honest.

    Look bad for who and by who?

    Are you worried that people will be shocked by the number of people who have followed the process and closed their accounts? genuinely interested

    I don't understand why you are reluctant to give a figure tbh.

    The reasons you mentioned in your reply are irrelevant as I'm not asking for specifics.

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who wouldn't mind just seeing the stats out of curiosity!

    I honestly don't understand how, or why, you'd be breaking data protection policies by mentioning a total number of people who closed their account.


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    #13
    Boards.ie: Nicola
    Closed Accounts Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Boards.ie: Nicola


    The number of closed accounts (despite what people might think) isn't actually that shocking/high, it is information we are under no obligation to release and will not be doing so.


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    #14
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    Boards.ie: Nicola wrote: »
    it is information we are under no obligation to release and will not be doing so.

    That you are not, Thank you, although that could have been said to me in the first reply :rolleyes:


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    #15
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    There seem to me to have been quite a few-some high profile (as in people who would use the site to an almost unhealthy extent-they often return wearing Groucho Marx moustache and glasses anyway), and many more who sign up, make a few posts and go away again.

    It is interesting, in that while there are many obviously differing reasons (people identifying their RL selves during their boards activities, deciding the place isn't for them, or literally painting themselves into a corner) formerly such users would have just stopped posting, or been obliged to by the Management.

    Now we have a quantifiable figure for people who make a conscious decision to leave/reboot their online personas, and I for one can understand the OP's curiosity.

    I can also understand the reluctance to cite specific, or even any, reasons for closed accounts, but I don't know what the big secret is about releasing a figure, or the almost hostile responses to the question, in the first place.

    It's not really a big deal, but still.


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    #16
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    RoundyMooney wrote: »
    There seem to me to have been quite a few-some high profile (as in people who would use the site to an almost unhealthy extent-they often return wearing Groucho Marx moustache and glasses anyway)

    Like that Mr Adarf guy from oh-so-many years ago.


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    #17
    PC CDROM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 408 ✭✭PC CDROM


    Those stats will never be released because it will have an adverse response in marketing terms.

    In terms of active members being reduced.


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    #18
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    Esmeralda Narrow Skin wrote: »
    Like that Mr Adarf guy from oh-so-many years ago.

    I liked the cut of ole Adarf's jib. Whatever happened to him anyway?


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    #19
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    RoundyMooney wrote: »
    I liked the cut of ole Adarf's jib. Whatever happened to him anyway?

    Who knows? Obviously not happy with the place, wherever he could be. Such as Heaven.


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    #20
    AltAccount
    Registered Users Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭AltAccount


    Surely active users, page views, time spent on site etc . are more important than the number of open/closed accounts for marketing and advertising purposes.

    You could have a million Closed accounts, but as long as they all returned and posted/viewed with the same frequency then it'd be number neutral.

    Releasing the number of Closed accounts is no big deal, because the number is meaningless without the rest of the picture.

    Boards has no issue with transparency or the light of curiosity and truth being shone on other entities, why the reticence to stand up to the same (pretty minimal and meaningless) scrutiny?


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    #21
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    I can't see it being a big deal either.

    The number of accounts registered was oft trumpeted, usually on here, as a benchmark as to how successful the site was-but as has often been stressed by the staff themselves, there are far more important vital statistics.

    Closed accounts not being among them.


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    #22
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    I think it's more to do with why the Close Account system was implemented in the first place. It's supposed to be a privacy option. Compiling and publicly displaying statistics about privacy would kind of defeat the purpose.


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    #23
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    Tbh, I'm more baffled by the strange replies from boards staff. Why could I just have been told 'it's against data protection, and / or we're not in a position to discuss it"

    I understand it from marketing point of view, but why say you don't understand why people want the info, surely you can understand people's interest in statistical information?!

    And I honestly believe that saying the number is not as high as people think is bs! I've seen loads and loads of them, especially from mods and long term members


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    #24
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    Insect Overlord wrote: »
    I think it's more to do with why the Close Account system was implemented in the first place. It's supposed to be a privacy option. Compiling and publicly displaying statistics about privacy would kind of defeat the purpose.
    How is it private? It puts text under every single one of the users post saying 'account closed'

    If people wanted it private, They'd scramble their own password, or email HQ?!

    I don't think it was introduces exclusively for privacy? Any links?


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    #25
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Tallon wrote: »
    How is it private? It puts text under every single one of the users post saying 'account closed'

    If people wanted it private, They'd scramble their own password, or email HQ?!

    I don't think it was introduces exclusively for privacy? Any links?

    Privacy/Data Commission mumbo jumbo. You had one of the first replies in the thread where the whole thing was first announced: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75102417


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    #26
    AltAccount
    Registered Users Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭AltAccount


    How can it be about data protection though?

    If I had a previous account which I then closed, the information I'd given publicly that identified me, or the data that boards held, that had since been removed from the servers, would make absolutely no difference in the instance that that account was used as a single unit in an aggregated, anonymised statistic of Closed accounts.


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    #27
    Gongoozler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,263 ✭✭✭Gongoozler


    I have to agree, the data protection thingy doesn't seem to make sense. The census doesn't reveal any private data, or identifiable things, and yet gives figures. Figures don't give anything away.


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    #28
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    I don't understand where all this pressure is coming from. Nobody really needs to know the figures and the boards people politely said after a gruff start that they don't want to release figures. What gives?


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    #29
    Tallon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,565 ✭✭✭✭Tallon


    Insect Overlord wrote: »
    Privacy/Data Commission mumbo jumbo. You had one of the first replies in the thread where the whole thing was first announced: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75102417

    You've provided a link to the announcement thread, and highlighted the fact that I commented in it.. That is all.. What relevance that has on what I asked, I have no idea

    Show me where it was said that this was brought in as a privacy issue!


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    #30
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Tallon wrote: »
    You've provided a link to the announcement thread, and highlighted the fact that I commented in it.. That is all.. What relevance that has on what I asked, I have no idea

    Show me where it was said that this was brought in as a privacy issue!

    Read the fucking thing yourself. I'm not your secretary. I'm not going through ~150 posts looking for the info for you.


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    #31
    Poor Uncle Tom
    Registered Users Posts: 14,546 ✭✭✭✭Poor Uncle Tom


    The number of re-regs on the site would be a more interesting figure.


This discussion has been closed.
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