Lawana Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) If someone posts on a public message board, are his/her posts fair play? Is it considered rude/bad mannered/indiscreet to refer to what someone has posted? Does it in any way matter if poster has made known his/her user name and which board he/she participates on? Edited November 12, 2011 by Lawana grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Do you mean someone you know in real life? Would it be wrong to out their participation and/or user name? I think it would be OK to ask one-on-one, privately if that person is the person on the board. I wouldn't out them to others though, as some people like to maintain boards as an oasis from real life and don't want to feel like they live in a glass house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 If someone posts on a public message board, is his/her posts fair play? Is it considered rude/bad mannered/indiscreet to refer to what someone has posted? Does it in any way matter if poster has made known his/her user name and which board he/she participates on? Are you asking if it is okay to discuss a message posted on another public forum? It should be okay, if that post is not used to vilify or carry out a hate campaign. If one truly finds an interesting perspective on another forum or blog and wishes to discuss it, then I should see no reason why it would be not okay (as long as it was not on a private board). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 If someone posts on a public message board, is his/her posts fair play? Is it considered rude/bad mannered/indiscreet to refer to what someone has posted? Does it in any way matter if poster has made known his/her user name and which board he/she participates on? I dunno. If you fawned all over their genius post and wanted to share it with the world, I bet they'd be flattered. But I'm guessing that might not be the intent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Do you mean someone you know in real life? Would it be wrong to out their participation and/or user name? I think it would be OK to ask one-on-one, privately if that person is the person on the board. I wouldn't out them to others though, as some people like to maintain boards as an oasis from real life and don't want to feel like they live in a glass house. That's the thing. I completely understand the desire to have a message board as a community. But if someone I know IRL has gone so far as to provide me with a link to a post on a message board, and openly acknowledged participation on such mb, am I then free to assume that subsequent posts are not to be regarded as private? Are you asking if it is okay to discuss a message posted on another public forum? It should be okay, if that post is not used to vilify or carry out a hate campaign. If one truly finds an interesting perspective on another forum or blog and wishes to discuss it, then I should see no reason why it would be not okay (as long as it was not on a private board). Thank you. I dunno. If you fawned all over their genius post and wanted to share it with the world, I bet they'd be flattered. But I'm guessing that might not be the intent? Well, in the situation at hand, the person involved is quite an accomplished writer. S/he has posted, however, about a situation in which I am involved, and I am not sure how to respond. I can only imagine that s/he was venting to/asking advice from a perceived supportive community. In a way, it seems like eavesdropping. But on the other hand, it is a public message board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I don't know. I kind of use the board room mentality about message boards. What happens in the board room maybe be known throughout the company, but it stays in the company. It's hard to explain (mainly because I'm still working on coffee :tongue_smilie:), but I might discuss this board with other members of the company, but I don't run home and tell my mother everything. Does that even make sense? Also whatever is shared in private, stays in private. I may know something about person X who posts here because of private conversations, but I won't reveal that knowledge in a public post. IOW I respect the privacy of others because I understand the level they operate on the forum. Also if I use post about something IRL, I try to be protective of that outside person who doesn't post here. In your case if she/he pointed you toward the message board and you saw a post, if you need to follow up with that person, I might do so via a private exchange on that board, so they understand you may be a newer member, not just a stalker. Not sure that makes sense, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 If I had an issue with something they said, then I might go to them. I might also discuss it with another real life friend who was also on the board. I would not alert our circle of friends who were not on the board to what they said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 That's the thing. I completely understand the desire to have a message board as a community. But if someone I know IRL has gone so far as to provide me with a link to a post on a message board, and openly acknowledged participation on such mb, am I then free to assume that subsequent posts are not to be regarded as private? Well, in the situation at hand, the person involved is quite an accomplished writer. S/he has posted, however, about a situation in which I am involved, and I am not sure how to respond. I can only imagine that s/he was venting to/asking advice from a perceived supportive community. In a way, it seems like eavesdropping. But on the other hand, it is a public message board. This is tricky, I think. Did she let you know about her participation a while back, wanting you to see something but now it's clear that she wouldn't want you to see? It would be very naive of her to think that you couldn't/wouldn't see any subsequent posts. If she didn't want you to see what she posts regularly, she really opened a can of worms up for herself. If this situation involved me and she is the one who directed me to her posting to begin with, I would probably respond. Depending on the nature of the posts, I might respond with PM first before responding to the thread directly. It's hard to say without knowing more specifics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I would not alert our circle of friends who were not on the board to what they said. :iagree: ETA: Unless, of course, she's seriously evil, manipulative, a total fraud, etc. and needs to be outed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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