The Pros and Cons of Guest Posting.

[Retread]

I thought I'd open a dialog here regarding opinions regarding allowing guests to post. Please note that we'll exclude the 'Guest must log in' function in this discussion as that's an entirely different animal. In that case, guests can't view any of the content on the forum.

On my home forum, we don't allow it except on special occasions on a single board. All other boards can be viewed and accessed by Everyone but starting threads and replying is reserved for members and staff (except the Staff-only boards).

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Pros:

• It facilitates comments from passers-by, such as opinions about the look and content of your forum.

Cons:

• Since anyone can post without creating an account, spam and inappropriate content is more easily added and a Global ID is not associated with the post. (However an IP address is.)

Compromise Possibilities:

• Use the Shoutbox or a third-party chatbox for guest comments. (wildmaven )
  
• Allow guest replies in ONE special board with a single thread.  
  

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Are guests allowed to post on the forums in which you participate or manage?

What are the benefits and problems you've encountered?

(I'll update the pros and cons lists as more reasons are presented.)

[wildmaven]

I do not allow it. It just opens you up to spam. The cbox can suffice for guest questions.

[Retread]

Aug 7, 2018 13:54:57 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

I do not allow it. It just opens you up to spam. The cbox can suffice for guest questions.

Do you mean a third-party chat environment or is that another way of saying shoutbox?

[Kami]

Aug 7, 2018 15:45:25 GMT -8 Retread said:

Aug 7, 2018 13:54:57 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

I do not allow it. It just opens you up to spam. The cbox can suffice for guest questions.

Do you mean a third-party chat environment or is that another way of saying shoutbox?

both. cbox is a brand of shoutbox.

[wildmaven]

Aug 7, 2018 16:21:23 GMT -8 Kami said:

Aug 7, 2018 15:45:25 GMT -8 Retread said:

Do you mean a third-party chat environment or is that another way of saying shoutbox?

both. cbox is a brand of shoutbox.

Actually, cbox is a brand of chat box, just as shoutbox is a brand of chat box. 

[Kami]

Aug 7, 2018 17:18:42 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

Aug 7, 2018 16:21:23 GMT -8 Kami said:

both. cbox is a brand of shoutbox.

Actually, cbox is a brand of chat box, just as shoutbox is a brand of chat box. 

i mean shoutbox is also a general term so

[Retread]

I added some possible compromise strategies to the OP.

[Bugme]

Will NEVER open up to non-member posting. As a matter of fact, they couldn't do it anyhow since no one can see our forum without being an approved registered member. So, I guess that makes the first part of my reply moot.

[Retread]

Aug 9, 2018 3:59:26 GMT -8 Bugme said:

Will NEVER open up to non-member posting. As a matter of fact, they couldn't do it anyhow since no one can see our forum without being an approved registered member. So, I guess that makes the first part of my reply moot.

Yeah, it really does. That's a much higher level of forum privacy.






For what it's worth, I sold the idea of a single board/thread for guest posting to the other Administrators on my home forum. I'll update on the usage and problems encountered, at a later date.

[stewie22]

Aug 7, 2018 7:36:22 GMT -8 Retread said:

I thought I'd open a dialog here regarding opinions regarding allowing guests to post. Please note that we'll exclude the 'Guest must log in' function in this discussion as that's an entirely different animal. In that case, guests can't view any of the content on the forum.

On my home forum, we don't allow it except on special occasions on a single board. All other boards can be viewed and accessed by Everyone but starting threads and replying is reserved for members and staff (except the Staff-only boards).

---

Pros:

• It facilitates comments from passers-by, such as opinions about the look and content of your forum.

Cons:

• Since anyone can post without creating an account, spam and inappropriate content is more easily added and a Global ID is not associated with the post. (However an IP address is.)

Compromise Possibilities:

• Use the Shoutbox or a third-party chatbox for guest comments. (wildmaven )
  
• Allow guest replies in ONE special board with a single thread.  
  

---

Are guests allowed to post on the forums in which you participate or manage?

What are the benefits and problems you've encountered?

(I'll update the pros and cons lists as more reasons are presented.)

Hi Retread I have set up a Guest room where guests can post they can also post in the Shoutbox but they can not read or post into any rooms of the general forum< My reason for setting it up this way was we are a very small forum and I was having up to 70 guests reading but not posting

[Mandoli]

I sort of open up my forum to guest posters. There are only two boards that allow guest posting: Advertising (plus affiliations) and Questions. Other than that, you must be registered in order to post.

Guests on my forum can read most of the boards, but they have to register in order to post.

I think that if a guest wants to ask questions in order to get some sort of knowledge of the forum, they can do that.

[Phear]

Aug 14, 2018 19:16:32 GMT -8 Mandoli said:

I sort of open up my forum to guest posters. There are only two boards that allow guest posting: Advertising (plus affiliations) and Questions. Other than that, you must be registered in order to post.

Guests on my forum can read most of the boards, but they have to register in order to post.

I think that if a guest wants to ask questions in order to get some sort of knowledge of the forum, they can do that.

I'm the same as far as Guest visually goes. I don't allow guest-posting on the board, but the entire board is visible to Guests, so they can read all of the conversations and absorb all of the information, but if they have a question or want to throw their opinion into the mix, they have to register.

The risk of having Guests, complete strangers with no accountability, able to post on the board is just too great. The internet is sadly a very toxic place, and people will generally take advantage of any freedom given to them.

[Former Member]

I leave only one forum open for guests and that's for any Proboards admin to drop off an affiliation banner.