Which forums you can see if you aren't logged in

mariposa · #1 05-23-2009, 09:17 AM

I just had to log in on a computer I hadn't used for awhile. I was looking at the forum and saw that you can see and read all of the forums even if you aren't logged in, you just can't reply to them.

Is there a way to keep the Parent, Gymnast, etc forums private? I think that since you have to be one of those people to post there, it should be the same for reading. We post a lot of stuff in the Parent forum and it would be one step further that someone would have to do to get access to that area.

I actually think that just the Gymnastics News and Gymnastics Competitions should be available for those that don't register.

Many forums I have been on in the past that had to do with children were like this. I know that people could just register and lurk, but many won't do that because then they know their user IP is registered, etc.

Just a suggestion.

mariposa · #2 05-23-2009, 09:30 AM

And OMGosh. I just realized that you can see a persons PROFILE when you aren't even logged in, photo albums and all. I just assumed that the CB was not as "open". Even a Diesel Truck forum I read on doesn't allow that.

That really concerns me.

I know that making people register to read the forums won't stop any crazies, but it can cut down on them because they simply don't want to take the extra step and don't want their user IP tracked down later.

mariposa · #3 05-26-2009, 11:54 AM

Guess I am the only one this bothers. Surprised a little, especially since there are many kids on the forums as well as parents posting about their kids. I really dislike our profiles being available to those not logged in. I can't believe no one else seems to be bugged by this. ???

**bogwoppit** · #4 05-26-2009, 12:34 PM

This is why the rules state and why we constantly remind people not to give too much away about themselves here. We don't have kids aged 13 and under and we police the teens even more then the adults as they are just learning.

Sadly anything we post on the internet is in the public domain, and as you noted all it takes is someone to take a membership in order to read, we have 3000 members and probably only 300 of those post. Check out the members page and click on posts, you will see just who posts and who does not, we have so many members with just a few posts.

We have no way to protect our members from potential stalkers etc.

So as always be careful with your details, but in this gloabl world nothing much is private any more.

I am sure other people do care, but I am also sure that they realise there is little we can do.

mariposa · #5 05-27-2009, 10:49 PM

I totally understand that we have many registered members, but there are millions of people on the internet and having the member profile viewable by anyone is really wrong to me. Many forums I am on that involve parents/kids, etc, are public when it comes to threads, but not on the profile. You can view threads, but not click on User Profile or easily read all threads by a person. Many people won't take the extra step to register, so it is at least a SMALL safety feature. I was hoping it could be taken into consideration to make some forums not seen by general public or AT LEAST make the User Profiles not viewable.

Here is an example of a forum I read/post on. I can read threads when I am not logged in for most forums, but I can't click on a User's Profile. This is a Diesel Truck Forum, not many kids/parents posting and they still have that feature enabled. I can't understand why this can't be voted on by poll or discussed as an option.

Chevy and GMC Duramax Forum

What you see if you aren't logged in and want to click on a User Profile.
Chevy and GMC Duramax Diesel Forum

**Geoffrey Taucer** · #6 05-28-2009, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DA RULES

The Chalk Bucket in a public website. All information posted on the site is viewable by anyone in the world that has access to the internet. Please think twice before you post. If you are posting something that you wouldn't want your friends/teammates/coaches/students/parents/children to read, DON'T POST IT!

It seems to me that making these sections unviewable to people who are not registered would simply create the illusion of privacy where in fact privacy does not exist.

Rather than allow people to feel their posts are private when they are not, I think it would be better for people to constantly keep in mind that this is the world wide web, and that ANYBODY can view ANYTHING they post.

mariposa · #7 05-28-2009, 06:20 AM

I guess we just disagree on this. I still stick to the fact that we could reduce the amount to a couple of thousand or more, by changing a few settings, would be some small level of SAFETY, not PRIVACY. You are right, nothing is private online, but we take SMALL steps everyday to make things safer and just because it doesn't make a huge difference all the time, or protect us from everything, we still use them. Even if they just give us the illusion of safety.

If I had realized that everything was visible (especially the ability to see profiles and find ALL a persons post at the touch of a button) when I registered, I wouldn't have started posting here and would have just lurked. I am on 3 other forums regularly and all 3 of them have this feature, I didn't even think to question it.

**bogwoppit** · #8 05-28-2009, 06:31 AM

I am sure JBS will weigh in on the issue when he sees the post. The forum is run by him and GT and I basically just make sure the rules are applied and everyone is playing nice. JBS is always open to suggestions, just give him some time to see this.

**Geoffrey Taucer** · #9 05-28-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bogwoppit

I am sure JBS will weigh in on the issue when he sees the post. The forum is run by him and GT and I basically just make sure the rules are applied and everyone is playing nice. JBS is always open to suggestions, just give him some time to see this.

Actually, I don't really run things any more than you do -- I helped JBS out with a few things when the community was a lot younger than it is now, but at this point we have pretty much the same status.

Which is as it should be, imo -- there isn't much "running" of the site that needs to be done beyond making sure people are following the rules.

[/tangent]

**JBS** · #10 06-09-2009, 07:21 PM

This forum is for all to learn from. Requiring registration to view does NOT make any website safer. By the way...everyone visiting this site has their IP logged...even guests.