Kids in Wrexham bullied on Ask.fm
-
Posts
-
Rob, you are treading a dangerous path as far as the privacy of your members is concerned. That I choose to log in via my mobile phone is neither unusual nor indicative that I am attempting to hide something, as you appear to be intent upon implying.
Nor is it the business of an open forum such as this which users share an ISP or what email provider they choose to use to sign up. If you have concerns or doubts about the veracity of a user, that’s what private messaging is there for.
I will not be returning to the forum and will remove wrexham.com from the distribution list for future press releases. Please remove my account as you clearly have no regard for the privacy of your registered users.
It is (sadly) the business of a forum what users do and how they do it, mainly for legal reasons.
As an expert* who works in this area you are probably well versed in the issues around ID online and what happens when ‘astroturfing’ and the like takes place. Much like if one person made several anonymous accounts on here to slate (or promote) someone or a business it is could create a false arena for discussion, and although the forum is open to all it is accompanied with a responsibility for those posting to the contents of their posts.
Imagine that the other day when you were doing your best to highlight your coverage someone came on here with a disposable email address as ‘verification’ they were real and posted something highly negative? (Obviously the opposite happened.)
In your own PR that you have been actively pushing around the internet you have discussed IP’s and how they can be incorrectly read into – (source) and how conclusions drawn can be incorrect. That article contains speculation in terms of internet usage, and I would suggest promotes critical thought on what is and is not possible and perhaps probable, and the implications of that.
Incidentally I personally think the speculation contained in this thread regarding service providers and users is quite minor and non specific compared to that PR release regarding a dead girl.
I have invited the initial poster to get in touch and via public means was the only way due to the nature of a throwaway email address that expires in a matter of hours. That information is again is relevant to explain why and what was done, but was non personal and to say there is ‘no regard to privacy’ is utter rubbish.
There a huge regard for privacy.
There is also caution that people can and do abuse what such privacy affords online. Going by your PR shots this is an issue that really should not need explaining to you.
(* contrary to what you said earlier you have referred to yourself as an expert since 2011 that I know of ;) )
OK, you found the one press release in which I used the word expert. Congratulations.
Perhaps on the issue of privacy we ought to throw the question out to the forum.
Ladies and gentlemen.
As you browse these forums, information is being logged about the device you are using, the software installed on that device, the Internet Service Provider you use and, in the event that you use a mobile to browse, the model of mobile phone you use and your network provider.
Today, Rob has chosen to post some of this information publicly and without my consent. The question therefore is this.
Do you expect the websites you use to keep the information they hold about
you private and secure (unless compelled to reveal it to law enforcement) or is it fair game for publication?@Rob 8649 wrote:
The inital post was promoting something in a round about way after we had it emailed and tweeted. Incidently by a self proclaimed expert – I know hes said hes never referred to himself like that but his PR emails he sent himself say otherwise.
Anyway, the ‘expert’ and initial poster have shared the same Interner Service Provider at one point. Thus I suspected that it could be the same person, which would put a different slant on things.
I can understand where you are coming from, i have just spent 20 minutes reading up on Mr Conway, it does not take much reading to take a very dim view of his activities, calling himself a professional Internet safety consultant but appears not to hold any formal qualifications in Computer Science and his ridiculous crystal training website, where he claims to have built websites for corporate clients, which is a concern, considering the massive fundamental security flaws in his own, not to mention how basic the code and general outdated appearance of the site.
@Rob 8649 wrote:Interestingly all quite relevant to the thread topic really in terms of knowing perhaps who you are talking to online, and if they are real people.
This is not something you can have any realistic control over though, i will demonstrate this in a bit
@Rob 8649 wrote:Similarly it is handy to have a more direct point of contact that can be relied on rather than going via ISP’s which is a longer process.
Even if you do go via an ISP, you would need a signed court order before an ISP will release any details, but this is not within your domain anyway, that would be a Police matter.
I can understand why you want a more personal accountability approach, much like youtube and facebook, are starting to force people to use real names, i just do not agree with it, because it literally can not be enforced.
@Charles Conway 8661 wrote:
OK, you found the one press release in which I used the word expert. Congratulations.
Why do you consider yourself an expert?
@Charles Conway 8661 wrote:
Perhaps on the issue of privacy we ought to throw the question out to the forum.
Ladies and gentlemen.
As you browse these forums, information is being logged about the device you are using, the software installed on that device, the Internet Service Provider you use and, in the event that you use a mobile to browse, the model of mobile phone you use and your network provider.Data about data, what is your point?
@Charles Conway 8661 wrote:
Today, Rob has chosen to post some of this information publicly and without my consent. The question therefore is this.
No he has not, you should understand what goes on the internet, stays on the internet.
@Charles Conway 8661 wrote:
Do you expect the websites you use to keep the information they hold about you private and secure (unless compelled to reveal it to law enforcement) or is it fair game for publication?
It is non personal, arbitrary information (unless forced by a court order) what point are you trying to make?
@Gas_Man 8662 wrote:
Even if you do go via an ISP, you would need a signed court order before an ISP will release any details, but this is not within your domain anyway, that would be a Police matter.
I can understand why you want a more personal accountability approach, much like youtube and facebook, are starting to force people to use real names, i just do not agree with it, because it literally can not be enforced.
Spot on with the first point, and hopefully these forums will never have a legal request :)
I am all for people using any name they wise and retaining anonimity , there are arguements for and against that. Overall though its personal choice offline and should be online IMHO.
I agree it cant be enforced, steps can be taken eg. Mobile phone verification, email verify, link with facebook or a vouch system etc etc but as with most things if someone wants it to be gamed it will be – and it would penalise those who are legit than those who try and bypass it.
Charles, you have just reported the inital post as spam – and suggested it, and therefore the thread, is removed?
At first I thought it was abit spammy and perhaps posted by someone connected to you but you cleared that up.
Its worth a look at the blinds thread on here for one that can look spammy and turns out not to be.
@Rob 8664 wrote:
I agree it cant be enforced, steps can be taken eg. Mobile phone verification, email verify, link with facebook or a vouch system etc etc but as with most things if someone wants it to be gamed it will be – and it would penalise those who are legit than those who try and bypass it.
The problem i have with this and one which scares me more, is it can unwittingly force kids over to the darkweb/tor/meshnet and although these can and do have valid purposes, we don’t want kids to potentially be subject to the content, Silkroad, for instance.
Planned safety improvements to Ask.fm:
BBC News – Ask.fm unveils changes to safety policy
Some of these changes do seem to require the victim to act proactively as apposed to making it more difficult for the bullies. Although I think the introduction of ‘safety officers’ to keep an eye on the boards is a good idea, not sure how many of them there will be though? I wonder if these changes are being implemented due to a new found sense of duty from Ask.fm’s owners or is it because many of their high profile advertisers were wanting to dissociate themselves with this site?
Brace Yourselves: This Article Might Get a Bit Technical – Cheezburger
This link describes my thoughts on the matter better than any other….
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
