Anonymous Posting on ATS

What I would like to see is that every anonymous poster be given an assigned number displayed that way I would know I am talking to the same anonymous person in a specific thread. For all I know I may have three, four or more anonymous posters in one of my threads or someone else's thread and I just want to know I am talking to the same person during a thought process or post. Rik Riley

[edit on 3-6-2008 by rikriley]

reply to post by rikriley
i completely agree with you on this one. there was a post from Anonymous ATS but deleted due to contents being against ats rules/regs, i simply wanted to know what was said. we cannot send u2u to ask for clarification. definitely need numbering system.

therefore eliminating a far bit of their anon status. I agree as to why you need it, the numbers but thats not the point of anon and personally my forum is almost no longer functioning due to the issue of over saturation.

First, I would like to know what's the goal for allow anon posting here. It seems to me that if someone needs to disclose important info using this website, other ways could have been implemented besides creating this feature.

Second, I have yet seen one anon post that had blew me away with the kind of info that would make me see the value of this feature. On the other hand I have seen many anon posts that don't add nothing to a discussion or thread in the last bit.

Third, like a concern that other member raised, what about if I had some info that I would like to pass on, but I would like not to use my members name, is the use of this feature going to extended to "real members".

Fourth, the should be something done about having more than one anon poster on the same thread, it creates confusion.

Fifth, it could open the door for more hoaxes to start popping up, specially now that school is out and the young kids are in the house with nothing to do.

Six, I can not speak for other members, but I take pride and ownership of my contribution to these board, even though I don't use my real name, many people that navigate in the area of the website that I post know me, know where I stand on some issues, there is sort of a relationship that gets built overtime between members, the anon posting don't allow for that and to me that's its biggest drag among many.

My suggestion (not that anyone is asking for it, but here it goes nonetheless), use the feature for absolutely critical situations, or people, either current members or nonregister members. In, addition, something else you might want to look at its to create a "lurker posting system", same as the anonymous but with a way to ID the lurkers either by a number or something. Same rules applying as far the hours is concern but no need to review the post by the staff because there would be a way to track those posters.

My point been is that after seen many of the post coming out under the current anonymous posting system, it seems to me that many people that are using the feature are just lurkers that want to say something real quick and then go about their business, I don't have a problem with them coming in a get a say, but to call them anonymous posters to me it dilutes from what an Anon poster should do, that to me is to come in with something solid for the ATS audience to dissect.


[edit on 4-6-2008 by Bunch]

Double post

[edit on 4-6-2008 by Bunch]

Originally posted by musselwhite
reply to post by rikriley

 

i completely agree with you on this one. there was a post from Anonymous ATS but deleted due to contents being against ats rules/regs, i simply wanted to know what was said. we cannot send u2u to ask for clarification. definitely need numbering system.

I'm in complete agreement with the post I have quoted. There may be merits to this method of letting anonymous persons post on ATS but if the majority of them do so just to be a nuisance to the mods and regulars then I fail to see what these merits are.

I really didn't want to participate in this thread 'coz it might sound like I'm whining when ATS has been such a great source of information as well as being the best venue for interaction (and frankly, I just love the sense of community I share with y'all). But its anonymous posts like the one featured on the link below that make me feel like this isn't the same ATS I've grown to love and cherish.



Yes, we can see them.

[edit on 6.4.08 by toreishi]

reply to post by toreishi
how were you able to see that particular post?

reply to post by musselwhite


The link below leads to the pertinent thread.

Mobile Gun System on ATS Weaponry

Once there, click the "Post Reply" button. Now you should be able to see the anonymous post. Or maybe the mods have deleted it by now.

EDIT: don't bother, it's already been deleted. meh.

[edit on 6.4.08 by toreishi]

As you can see in this thread the most recent post was submitted by MrRussell.



but when you try to reply this is what you get:





[edit on 6.4.08 by toreishi]

Originally posted by Skyfloating
Anybody have anything nice to say about anonymous posting?

I was always taught never to talk to strangers.

Besides, what the hell does it matter anyway.

This picture in my avatar is not me. The name Gauncents is not my real name.

So what's the difference between myself and an anonymous poster?

[edit on 4-6-2008 by gauncents]

Thanks for the info on this one. I've had it a few times now on some of my threads. At first i thought somebody had it in for me.I know this not to be the case now.
Thanks for settling this one guys.

reply to post by gauncents



The point some people have been making is that it is difficult to follow the flow of the thread if an anonymous poster adds content because you don't know which anonymous member it is.

Personally, I am ignoring anony's .

I think this could all be rectified if the account was changed to "guest" with a random number, ie, guest4564, guest0335, etc....

REPEAT NOTE TO ALL ANONYMOUS POSTERS READING THIS


WE CANNOT PUBLISH YOUR POST IF IT CONTAINS PRIVATE ADDRESSES


This is to protect the innocent from their phone numbers and names being misused.

If the anonymous posters want to remain anoymous shouldn't they stop using the internet so they cannot be traced ??? & lol

One thing that has got me disturbed over the last few weeks is that the anon poster has a avatar, and to be honest I find most of the anon posts to be asking questions as if searching ATS members for answers to fullfil a questionair.

I wonder am I the only one who thinks that some of the anon replies in a post are akin to a stop n search ??

Wolfie

Thanks for all the suggestions and questions guys.

If I dont answer some of them thats because I do not know the answers or they´ve already been posted in this thread.

The comments here are read by staff though and (in cases that its technically possible) improvements made.

I personally believe that all this anonymous posting is just annoying as well. My I suggest an all annonymous day at ATS. Maybe that would do away with it.

Bottom line is that it needs fixed.

I feel that if it's not important enough to be a member here...

Then it's not important enough to post here!!

Originally posted by Skyfloating

Anybody have anything nice to say about anonymous posting?

All the ANON posts aren't all bad!

I really don't mind them at all!

Here's a link to one ANON poster who did a great job where people were starting to discuss if Obama was a US citizen that qualified to be a US President.

ANON Post

These are people just starting to get the feel of posting on ATS and what it takes to become an actual part of the discussions.

Give 'em time, they'll probably get addicted to posting on here like a lot of us and we'll probably see a bunch of ANON's becoming members.

Maybe I am missing something here -I am baffled by the reasoning behind having an "anonymous" user:
1) Mods can still see the posters IP address, so anonymous does not equal anonymous. So whistleblowers beware...
2) The only difference between anonymous and registering, is picking a name (very seldom do I see a real name) and a valid email address (try yahoo.com, live.com, a multitude more)
3) Someone who cannot take the time or effort to register, typically seems to have little to add to threads.
4) Maybe I am imagining things, but it seems to be anonymous posts that resurrect deadass threads to the front page.
5) Although not limited to anonymous posts, their spelling makes my brain hurt...
6) Sockpuppet syndrome

[edit on 10-6-2008 by FosterVS]

Ok, I'm only bringing this back up cause it's crazy tonight.

Anonymous Posts. Enough Already!

I know this has been brought up before, but it doesn't seem to have been addressed.
Maybe as a relatively new member it's not my place to say this, but if no one is adding to your thread it's because they choose not to.
To keep bringing it up by fake posting through Anonymous ATS just to keep your dead thread at the top of recent posts is wrong.
Don't be so damn selfish and insecure and let people get on with the threads they want to.
There must be something ATS can do about this!