Blaze
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Blaze
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obieglo
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Post by Blaze on Jul 7, 2008 9:15:26 GMT -8
Only don't know what to call it. And I think that if you select that, you can get problems because most people aren't fully accepting this new gender and will ignore you or worse. Best solution: Undisclosed option. Also, those people that are very against filling this in because they think it dangerous. I think those people are really paranoia. They probably don't use there real e-mail address, because people could find out. They are also not using there home computer because when they go here, there ip is logged. Those things can do a lot more harm that a simple gender specification. I use a valid email and home computer, but have always had my gender set to undisclosed. I am not paranoid about it, I just prefer to have as little data about me as possible stored on servers. While some people are over the top with how careful they are, there are plenty of people like me, who are NOT paranoid, just enter minimal data. Just because some people don't want to enter some data, doesn't mean that they will go to extremes to be anonymous. I don't care about IPs, as mine is way off. Well, what is then the problem about setting your gender??? And that your ip is of, I think you use a program for that, meaning paranoia. Or you are engaged in very illegal activity. But I'll stop myself now before this thread becomes really ugly and to prevent we go way of topic. I gave my opinion and that's what you'll all have to do with.
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brian333
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Post by brian333 on Jul 7, 2008 11:19:00 GMT -8
Yes, I'm paranoid, because I have been a victim of identity theft. When it happens to you you too will become paranoid, as the companies who issued credit in your name will expect payment from you, and you have to prove you didn't ask for or use the credit account, something extremely difficult and expensive to do.
Gender is one minor bit of data, useful to advertisers to target their advertisements, (which is the real reason ProBoards wants the information,) but it also fills out a profile for someone seeking to steal your identity. Data mining is an operation in which thousands upon thousands of bits of information are collected from around the internet. When enough of a user's information has been collected the data miner can then perform any function you might be able to do on the internet, including issuing false identity documents and false credit accounts for which you are then legally and financially responsible.
The 'hide' function is irrelevant. If the information is there, someone who wants it can get it.
If I am forced to reveal gender in one place, age in another, and location in yet another site, I soon have all my personal info on the web, which can easily be tracked by someone who's got a cookie on my computer. This information can then be used for simple things like requests for birth certificates from my local records office.
It's not that Proboards wants my info that bothers me: it's the millions and millions of bots and cookies being used by predatory criminals that bothers me. Like the bears, the only thing you can do is to not feed them.
It is not entirely true that I use ProBoards free: to use it I must accept the advertisements I see on every page. Fair enough. I do this with radio and television already, but nobody on the television ever required me to enter personal information to use it. These entities do fine with voluntary viewer profiles to help them target their advertisements.
I don't have to stop using the internet: I've taken measures to protect my identity online. One of the measures I've taken is to never enter information about myself in any form, no matter how trivial you may consider it. For ProBoards, this means there's some small insignificant bit of error in their statistical reports to their prospective advertising clients. I don't like it, but ProBoards has left me no other choice.
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Bark Different.
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RedBassett
I'm a Marxist/Lennonist of the Groucho/John variety.
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applecomputer
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Post by RedBassett on Jul 7, 2008 11:51:15 GMT -8
Best solution: Undisclosed option. I use a valid email and home computer, but have always had my gender set to undisclosed. I am not paranoid about it, I just prefer to have as little data about me as possible stored on servers. While some people are over the top with how careful they are, there are plenty of people like me, who are NOT paranoid, just enter minimal data. Just because some people don't want to enter some data, doesn't mean that they will go to extremes to be anonymous. I don't care about IPs, as mine is way off. Well, what is then the problem about setting your gender??? And that your ip is of, I think you use a program for that, meaning paranoia. Or you are engaged in very illegal activity. But I'll stop myself now before this thread becomes really ugly and to prevent we go way of topic. I gave my opinion and that's what you'll all have to do with. Don't worry, I am not trying to start an argument, I am just debating this Actually, my IP is off because my ISP's servers that my connection comes through is there, but I am not there (no, I am not trying to hide IP location, though I would not be too happy if it revealed my actual location). As stated in the post above this one, though the data about me is harmless just sitting on a PB server, it still exists somewhere on the Internet. I really agree with the post above (and I repeat myself ) the fact that my data exists on the web is bad enough, no matter how reliable the source that has it. The Internet is a huge pool of data... but does it contain to much?
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bunjy
New Member
Posts: 36
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May 10, 2012 6:36:43 GMT -8
bunjy
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Post by bunjy on Jul 7, 2008 18:40:46 GMT -8
Yes, I'm paranoid, because I have been a victim of identity theft. When it happens to you you too will become paranoid, as the companies who issued credit in your name will expect payment from you, and you have to prove you didn't ask for or use the credit account, something extremely difficult and expensive to do. Gender is one minor bit of data, useful to advertisers to target their advertisements, (which is the real reason ProBoards wants the information,) but it also fills out a profile for someone seeking to steal your identity. Data mining is an operation in which thousands upon thousands of bits of information are collected from around the internet. When enough of a user's information has been collected the data miner can then perform any function you might be able to do on the internet, including issuing false identity documents and false credit accounts for which you are then legally and financially responsible. The 'hide' function is irrelevant. If the information is there, someone who wants it can get it. If I am forced to reveal gender in one place, age in another, and location in yet another site, I soon have all my personal info on the web, which can easily be tracked by someone who's got a cookie on my computer. This information can then be used for simple things like requests for birth certificates from my local records office. It's not that Proboards wants my info that bothers me: it's the millions and millions of bots and cookies being used by predatory criminals that bothers me. Like the bears, the only thing you can do is to not feed them. It is not entirely true that I use ProBoards free: to use it I must accept the advertisements I see on every page. Fair enough. I do this with radio and television already, but nobody on the television ever required me to enter personal information to use it. These entities do fine with voluntary viewer profiles to help them target their advertisements. I don't have to stop using the internet: I've taken measures to protect my identity online. One of the measures I've taken is to never enter information about myself in any form, no matter how trivial you may consider it. For ProBoards, this means there's some small insignificant bit of error in their statistical reports to their prospective advertising clients. I don't like it, but ProBoards has left me no other choice. Why don't you choose the opposite of whatever gender you associate yourself with, or choose the opposite's opposite? However many layers you have to use flip-flopping to protect your true gender from disclosure, you can use. And then hide it.
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Post by Malfoy_jr on Jul 9, 2008 6:01:27 GMT -8
OMG! I can not believe a handful of folks are having a hissy fit over such a minor change. It is a free site! Accept the changes or leave and go to another site if you can't deal with it. There are so many other things you could put your energy into, to complain about, in this world other than whine about your gender!! An Admin is the "owner" of their forum. I think they have the right to know their members gender. If you are that paranoid, turn your computer off and unplug it. Proboards improvements and the freedom to set up your forum as you like it is awesome. They are more than generous with tweaking it to please you, but it is just wrong to insist the change be eliminated completely. Stop being so selfish and self absorbed. So now basically we see people who have expressed worthy points & concerns in intelligently written posts being shot down with being called selfish whingers and told to shut up and just be grateful and get a life. Nice! I'm not desperately against or for the actual feature itself - what I hate to see is dismissing of people's justified worries & views in an agressive, insulting manner. I also don't agree that an admin has a 'right' to know a member's gender - it isn't needed for moderation and it protects against sexual discrimination (yes, there might be sexists admins out there in this day and age!). Unless you have gender specific sections on your board, I don't see how it's needed info and should be at the individual admin's discretion whether to ask for it or not. I just am pro-choice, that's all. No one is denying that Proboards is an excellent service here & being told if I don't like one small part of Proboards that I should bugger off to another host is patronising (my boards & activity makes Proboards money, so doubt they'd appreciate your suggestion), and I don't appreciate seeing people judging others on what is considered trivial or not. Like to see you admining my boards by telling people who have genuine, constructive concerns about something to shut up and stop whinging and be grateful and see how far you get! Am a bit shocked by the above attitude shown on this thread, it's not by any staff here who haven't been at all dismissive and tried to explain things better - but by just the average member who've felt the need to be insulting and 'whinging' about the 'whingers' themselves; in my book that's just as sad as whinging. Disclaimer. This was not a whinge about whingers whinging about whinging, this was a genuine, thought-out post with true concerns. Thank you. ;D
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Post by pawl on Jul 9, 2008 6:24:09 GMT -8
Yes, I'm paranoid, because I have been a victim of identity theft. When it happens to you you too will become paranoid, as the companies who issued credit in your name will expect payment from you, and you have to prove you didn't ask for or use the credit account, something extremely difficult and expensive to do. Gender is one minor bit of data, useful to advertisers to target their advertisements, (which is the real reason ProBoards wants the information,) but it also fills out a profile for someone seeking to steal your identity. Data mining is an operation in which thousands upon thousands of bits of information are collected from around the internet. When enough of a user's information has been collected the data miner can then perform any function you might be able to do on the internet, including issuing false identity documents and false credit accounts for which you are then legally and financially responsible. The 'hide' function is irrelevant. If the information is there, someone who wants it can get it. If I am forced to reveal gender in one place, age in another, and location in yet another site, I soon have all my personal info on the web, which can easily be tracked by someone who's got a cookie on my computer. This information can then be used for simple things like requests for birth certificates from my local records office. It's not that Proboards wants my info that bothers me: it's the millions and millions of bots and cookies being used by predatory criminals that bothers me. Like the bears, the only thing you can do is to not feed them. It is not entirely true that I use ProBoards free: to use it I must accept the advertisements I see on every page. Fair enough. I do this with radio and television already, but nobody on the television ever required me to enter personal information to use it. These entities do fine with voluntary viewer profiles to help them target their advertisements. I don't have to stop using the internet: I've taken measures to protect my identity online. One of the measures I've taken is to never enter information about myself in any form, no matter how trivial you may consider it. For ProBoards, this means there's some small insignificant bit of error in their statistical reports to their prospective advertising clients. I don't like it, but ProBoards has left me no other choice. Just to point something out to you. As far as I'm aware, ProBoards doesn't want the information so that they can target ads at you at all. They want it so that they can run new coding, which operates on your gender. Messages will be personalised and can say "him/her" instead of "this member". It's just adding a personal touch. Also, if you make your gender private, noone but ProBoards.com staff (ie Pat, Martyn & Craig) can see it. No 'data miners' are going to find it, no matter how hard they try.
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Post by CHECKMATE,dear. on Jul 13, 2008 17:54:13 GMT -8
So now basically we see people who have expressed worthy points & concerns in intelligently written posts being shot down with being called selfish whingers and told to shut up and just be grateful and get a life. Nice! I'm not desperately against or for the actual feature itself - what I hate to see is dismissing of people's justified worries & views in an agressive, insulting manner. I also don't agree that an admin has a 'right' to know a member's gender - it isn't needed for moderation and it protects against sexual discrimination (yes, there might be sexists admins out there in this day and age!). Unless you have gender specific sections on your board, I don't see how it's needed info and should be at the individual admin's discretion whether to ask for it or not. I just am pro-choice, that's all. No one is denying that Proboards is an excellent service here & being told if I don't like one small part of Proboards that I should bugger off to another host is patronising (my boards & activity makes Proboards money, so doubt they'd appreciate your suggestion), and I don't appreciate seeing people judging others on what is considered trivial or not. Like to see you admining my boards by telling people who have genuine, constructive concerns about something to shut up and stop whinging and be grateful and see how far you get! Am a bit shocked by the above attitude shown on this thread, it's not by any staff here who haven't been at all dismissive and tried to explain things better - but by just the average member who've felt the need to be insulting and 'whinging' about the 'whingers' themselves; in my book that's just as sad as whinging. Disclaimer. This was not a whinge about whingers whinging about whinging, this was a genuine, thought-out post with true concerns. Thank you. ;D Yes; thank you. Personally, I don't mind giving out my gender; it just doesn't bother me. But what ticks me off about this whole "issue" is the fact that users are being forced to give out information that really isn't all that necessary. Yes, I know, there's new coding and it makes the board more personal and everything, but honestly ... how necessary is it for users to give out their gender? Yes there is a hide option, I understand that, but as is stated in above posts, there ARE people who would rather not give out their gender at all--regardless of what a few of you may think. There are reasons for users out there to not wish to give out information, and those reasons are their own. A third option--undisclosed--would easily solve problems and quench the anger sparked by this whole thing. I just don't get why this hasn't been realized. It's not a big deal? Maybe not to some of you, but it is every users RIGHT to decide what they do and do not show, whether to normal users or proboards administrators.
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/\/\/\/WALLS OF WAR\/\/\/\/
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centurywar
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Post by /\/\/\/WALLS OF WAR\/\/\/\/ on Jul 13, 2008 17:57:58 GMT -8
So now basically we see people who have expressed worthy points & concerns in intelligently written posts being shot down with being called selfish whingers and told to shut up and just be grateful and get a life. Nice! I'm not desperately against or for the actual feature itself - what I hate to see is dismissing of people's justified worries & views in an agressive, insulting manner. I also don't agree that an admin has a 'right' to know a member's gender - it isn't needed for moderation and it protects against sexual discrimination (yes, there might be sexists admins out there in this day and age!). Unless you have gender specific sections on your board, I don't see how it's needed info and should be at the individual admin's discretion whether to ask for it or not. I just am pro-choice, that's all. No one is denying that Proboards is an excellent service here & being told if I don't like one small part of Proboards that I should bugger off to another host is patronising (my boards & activity makes Proboards money, so doubt they'd appreciate your suggestion), and I don't appreciate seeing people judging others on what is considered trivial or not. Like to see you admining my boards by telling people who have genuine, constructive concerns about something to shut up and stop whinging and be grateful and see how far you get! Am a bit shocked by the above attitude shown on this thread, it's not by any staff here who haven't been at all dismissive and tried to explain things better - but by just the average member who've felt the need to be insulting and 'whinging' about the 'whingers' themselves; in my book that's just as sad as whinging. Disclaimer. This was not a whinge about whingers whinging about whinging, this was a genuine, thought-out post with true concerns. Thank you. ;D Yes; thank you. Personally, I don't mind giving out my gender; it just doesn't bother me. But what ticks me off about this whole "issue" is the fact that users are being forced to give out information that really isn't all that necessary. Yes, I know, there's new coding and it makes the board more personal and everything, but honestly ... how necessary is it for users to give out their gender? Yes there is a hide option, I understand that, but as is stated in above posts, there ARE people who would rather not give out their gender at all--regardless of what a few of you may think. There are reasons for users out there to not wish to give out information, and those reasons are their own. A third option--undisclosed--would easily solve problems and quench the anger sparked by this whole thing. I just don't get why this hasn't been realized. It's not a big deal? Maybe not to some of you, but it is every users RIGHT to decide what they do and do not show, whether to normal users or proboards administrators. From what i see hide your gender and e-mail and get this this...i have it and stopped 3 identity thefts . honestly this is turning into a riot...they need your info...you don't want to give it to them...just hide it if...i say a person hides it it should not be available to the admin of the site but to Patrick himself only...thus making the gender unable to be found by the admin or members themselfs
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rainmanct
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Post by rainmanct on Aug 14, 2009 4:31:14 GMT -8
I have hidden my gender to show my support for my brothers, sisters and in-between who do not wish to disclose theirs. Somewhat misleading that my profile shows gender as being "undislosed" rather than hidden.
While it can be argued whether it is "easy" for these people to select one or the other and then hide it (I can't get inside their heads, so how would I know?) it is certainly just as easy to give the option not to disclose it in the first place.
It's a big wide world out there and not every culture has 2 clearly defined genders.
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farquart
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farquart
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Post by farquart on Aug 14, 2009 5:11:16 GMT -8
IMO dont think it is anyones business
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Patrick [ASE]
Ancient Geek
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allseeingeyes2
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Post by Patrick [ASE] on Aug 14, 2009 5:30:38 GMT -8
This is an old topic from last year, please don't bump old topics.
Final answer:
Stating your gender on signup (which can be hidden), ensures the right ads are displayed for you, this also applies to age. If you are male, you wouldn't want a load of ads for female products or services.
Locking
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