Help the Mods develop local policy on Alerts

Alerts and other warnings are probably the most difficult situations on this site.

How do we adequately protect our members while simultaneously protecting the privacy of "presumed innocents?" How do we prevent the use of "false" alerts as personal attacks?

Here are some questions for you to ponder. Please post your thoughts here. I will leave this thread open for the remainder of the week.

You can add items for consideration also, and ask for comment on them. Here are some of my questions to you:

- First, and most importantly, do we really NEED to develop some local guidelines? IMHO, we do. And many of you seem to be confused and concerned by this. But it still needs to be asked. I do not want to over-reach my authority here. But I'm thinking that we could develop some local rules and guidelines that would help reduce confusion and minimize inconsistent practices by the Mods. I need to stress that this would be local, i.e. only for the "Upstate NY" section. And they would be informal. You would not get "points" or anything for violating them unless you were also violating a Board Policy set by the owners of the site.

- Exactly how should we define an "alert?" That is, what is allowed to be posted in the "Alerts" section? Is this just for LE and "safety" concerns? Or are "no-shows" and bad TCB practices allowed there too?

- Should there be different rules for Alerts posted about members of the site (including Verified Providers) vs. people from outside the site (i.e., BP girls, etc.)?

- Should there be standard procedures for "anonymizing" names and phone numbers? Right now, we stick a couple of ***'s into the middle of the name or number, trying to leave enough intact for someone to figure it out with reasonable certainty if they need to.


I have thoughts on many of the above myself, and will comment on them as this thread develops.

But for now, I open it to YOU, dear members. Let's hear it.....

I have thoughts on this topic, but before I share them, I assume the local mods have already taken this subject under review like you said you would a few weeks ago (I hope you guys did). I would like to hear what you guys have come up with so far.

ok, even though don't frequent alerts, the obvious is no outing, which is in the general guidlines,

or using a phone a number in the title. If the offender's phone number is in the owners link, or published by the owner, then i suppose it is ok, but if it is a false, they person may have a shitload of bogus calls.

not sure if this next suggestion will start controversy, but i think "dumping or shitting" in the review section should have been an alert instead. I do not mean a negative review where people agree, but when a client writes a good review, and someone who had a bad experience dumps on the review later in the thread. sometimes I think the person should have did an alert at the time of the issue, and not dump on the review months later, as it looks like revenge, or motivated to turn people away from a provider that they do not like, not sure how this could be corrected, but to address by WK'ing in the review only exasperates the situation, but can lead to more the 2K views of the thread which is good for ratings

last thing, if an alert proves to false, then the initiator should have a warning or discipline, I think this already happens.

the scope of an alert, i am sure it could be broader

LE activities
Provider/Client really bad etitique resulting in no-performance (tcb no-show, or cash and dash, or thievery, or even client brutality (force DT, or unwanted raw dog, drunk and disorderly) though i think the ladies would keep it in the powder room))
First Person - no hearsay
Web/phone good/bad practice discussion when appropriate )

I have thoughts on this topic, but before I share them, I assume the local mods have already taken this subject under review like you said you would a few weeks ago (I hope you guys did). I would like to hear what you guys have come up with so far. Originally Posted by GP

I have passed on the request to them. I will be off the Board for the rest of the evening, so won't be able to check back until sometime later tomorrow A.M.

Most of MY thoughts were already posted in this thread:

http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=472041

Other than that, a big one for me is no hearsay, like lostforkate says. Especially when it involves LE and is in regard to a member or Verified Provider.

I'm really on the fence about the whole phone number thing. Seems dumb, in a lot of ways.


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I have passed on the request to them. Originally Posted by rooster

I assume this means you guys have not discussed this as a group or come to a consensus. Then I am happy to see you bringing this to us peons

I partially agree about the phone number thing seeming dumb. I actually think that it is absolutely STUPID <-----ALL CAPS for added emphasis. A ladies phone number she uses in ads should not even remotely be considered a violation of guideline #5. I invite ANYONE to dispute this one with me. I will debate that until pigs fly. I am still waiting to find out who the original mod was who even made this an issue. Yep, I'm calling him out, in a friendly way of course!

Another thing. Do we argue the use of the term "guideline" as opposed to "rule". Guideline seems a bit more lax where rule seems very strict.

Definition of GUIDELINE

: a line by which one is guided: as
a : a cord or rope to aid a passer over a difficult point or to permit retracing a course
b : an indication or outline of policy or conduct

Definition of RULE

1
a : a prescribed guide for conduct or action
b : the laws or regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for observance by its members
c : an accepted procedure, custom, or habit
d (1) : a usually written order or direction made by a court regulating court practice or the action of parties (2) : a legal precept or doctrine
e : a regulation or bylaw governing procedure or controlling conduct

Pretty much the rest of it should be common sense. I mean really! C'mon!

Alerts should be used for public safety purposes and ripoffs including the phone number.

Ok I withdrawal the phone number thing, there could be lots of reasons to have an alert on a phone number, but a phome number could be a method of outing, and that would be covered under a different guideline or issue.

If it was a personal or home number, then yes (common sense)..... BUT a number that has been used to advertise. NOPE, no way! fair game

Are taint sightings alert worthy?

Are taint sightings alert worthy? Originally Posted by pyramider

Only if it is yours!

- Exactly how should we define an "alert?" That is, what is allowed to be posted in the "Alerts" section? Is this just for LE and "safety" concerns? Or are "no-shows" and bad TCB practices allowed there too?.. Originally Posted by rooster

LE and safety ONLY. Plenty of other options for bad TCB etc.
I like it that "normally" the Alerts section has NOT been updated between my visits. "Alert" conjures up images of importance, and it should remain so. Since the Alerets section is posted less frequently than most other sections -- I always check when I see a new update. I would hate to miss something important because we decided to "overuse" this section of the forum.

ALERT !!!! Get it?
My two pennies.

Alerts should be used for public safety purposes and ripoffs including the phone number. Originally Posted by cravenmorehead

Absolutely.
You just said it with less words.
I need an editor........................ ...

I lean towards tcb not being in the alerts section and agree paul

Correct me if I am wrong, but I would say the majority of guested accounts can be laid at the feet of loose cannon providers. They most definitely are alert worthy. IMHO