Sparkly Unicorn?

[Guest]

Oh man. Thanks for the thread link; a lot of little things make more sense now. I didn't realize something had happened, although I did see someone allude to it once in another thread. I miss our bacon buddy, too.

[Cinder]

I saw the numbers/name and couldn't figure out who it was. I was also unaware of the social groups issue. Thanks for the updates.

[Mimm]

My nine month old will miss her. She got excited about the dancing bacon every time it scrolled across my screen, it was the funniest thing. I had to let her stand on my desk so she could see if she could grab it off the monitor. :)

[DawnM]

Wait.....WHAT?????

 

I was at the Beach this past weekend for a long last weekend getaway and didn't even visit the forums, so I had no idea.  SHOOT!~

 

 

[Guest submarines]

Could someone please PM me about the breach of privacy issues?  I think this happened when my computer crashed and I wasn't on-line. If Sparkly Unicorn, the least dramatic person here, left, I feel I need to know more about what transpired. Thanks.

[Mandylubug]

Not cool. The peeps need to roll back on in here.

[8circles]

Wow, how disappointing. I was completely unaware that this was happening. Now I'm wondering how many more of my friends I'll not be seeing around.

 

If anyone wants to pm with more information I'd love to understand more of what happened. What craptastic news. :(

 

Wendy, I'm sorry you were hurt, or whatever happened. Please come back. I will really miss you.

[umsami]

Even as a Muslim, I loved the dancing bacon.  (Just assumed it was turkey bacon. ;))

 

Hope you come back soon. :)  I loved your posts. :)

[fraidycat]

Could someone please PM me about the breach of privacy issues? I think this happened when my computer crashed and I wasn't on-line. If Sparkly Unicorn, the least dramatic person here, left, I feel I need to know more about what transpired. Thanks.

I'd actually prefer an open dialogue. I'm piecing stuff together here and there re: deleted posts, but that is from someone who is still here. They were supposedly the "only 5/6" deleted posts so I'm not sure where Sparkly fits in there. Could someone who was involved just post the story to avoid all the speculation, rumor, and innuendo re: moderators?

[PrincessMommy]

Wait.....WHAT?????

 

I was at the Beach this past weekend for a long last weekend getaway and didn't even visit the forums, so I had no idea.  SHOOT!~

 

If it's any consolation, I was here all weekend and I still seemed to have missed it.  I must not click on the right threads.

[PrincessMommy]

Wow, how disappointing. I was completely unaware that this was happening. Now I'm wondering how many more of my friends I'll not be seeing around.

 

If anyone wants to pm with more information I'd love to understand more of what happened. What craptastic news. :(

 

Wendy, I'm sorry you were hurt, or whatever happened. Please come back. I will really miss you.

 

I agree...    I wish I knew more. :confused: .. I never even saw the thread where Sparkly said she was leaving.  I just seems sad that people are gone. gone.  :crying:     I really love the diversity here, and starting our own little groups elsewhere on the net will not foster that. 

[Jane in NC]

I too missed the kerfuffle. May I ask (publicly or via PM) who else has left the community?

 

 

[abba12]

Also feeling nervous about the privacy issue, there are a few of us here who feel the need to keep a certain amount of privacy online, and I really dislike it when something apparently as big as this happens, and is covered up and hidden, which it sure seems to be. I am not worried about social groups for myself personally, but what about PMs? There's a few of those I certainly don't want appearing anywhere. 

[Χά�ων]

I'd actually prefer an open dialogue. I'm piecing stuff together here and there re: deleted posts, but that is from someone who is still here. They were supposedly the "only 5/6" deleted posts so I'm not sure where Sparkly fits in there. Could someone who was involved just post the story to avoid all the speculation, rumor, and innuendo re: moderators?

I am the only one who has spoken publicly about the number of post I had deleted. SWB insisted until I proved otherwise that only 5 were deleted. I had 6 deleted and others had posts deleted as well. That is that persons story to tell but all the posts deleted were an ongoing dialog. Up thread there was a link to a now locked post, the information is there.

 

FWIW I am currently in a very very stressful regarding my son's health. It is not life or death but it is severe enough to have me living in survival mode and barely functioning at that. My goals each day involve putting on pants before leaving the house, and getting to the correct appointment. I do not have energy or ability to put into typing and retyping a detailed overview. Other have and are continuing to speak up. Sparkly Unicorn's actions have spoken volumes. 

[Guest]

Also feeling nervous about the privacy issue, there are a few of us here who feel the need to keep a certain amount of privacy online, and I really dislike it when something apparently as big as this happens, and is covered up and hidden, which it sure seems to be. I am not worried about social groups for myself personally, but what about PMs? There's a few of those I certainly don't want appearing anywhere.

Yeah, good point. That would be devastating! Maybe I'll go empty out just in case.

[Jane in NC]

 

FWIW I am currently in a very very stressful regarding my son's health. It is not life or death but it is severe enough to have me living in survival mode and barely functioning at that. My goals each day involve putting on pants before leaving the house, and getting to the correct appointment. I do not have energy or ability to put into typing and retyping a detailed overview. Other have and are continuing to speak up. Sparkly Unicorn's actions have spoken volumes. 

 

Sending you and your son good thoughts in these stressful times.

 

[Heatherwith4]

I would very much like to know more about what is going on, if someone wanted to PM me. I understand if no one has time.

[Unicorn.]

I'd actually prefer an open dialogue. I'm piecing stuff together here and there re: deleted posts, but that is from someone who is still here. They were supposedly the "only 5/6" deleted posts so I'm not sure where Sparkly fits in there. Could someone who was involved just post the story to avoid all the speculation, rumor, and innuendo re: moderators?

 

Nope, because that would result in deleted posts and most likely members being banned. 

[creekland]

Wait.....WHAT?????

 

I was at the Beach this past weekend for a long last weekend getaway and didn't even visit the forums, so I had no idea.  SHOOT!~

 

Hey, the dates the linked to thread were posted included my birthday... you went to the beach on MY birthday and didn't invite me?

 

(And I missed the whole deal too... but there's no way I would leave this place, even if the private group I belong to went public.  I have too thick skin.  I'm sorry others felt otherwise, but I'm a big believer people getting to make choices themselves for what's right for them.  I wish those who left the best in their new abode - and if they opt to return - well, I'd be welcoming them!)

[Jenny in Florida]

Nope, because that would result in deleted posts and most likely members being banned. 

 

The first rule of the WTM club . . .

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Nope, because that would result in deleted posts and most likely members being banned.

Yep.

[Unicorn.]

I am the only one who has spoken publicly about the number of post I had deleted. SWB insisted until I proved otherwise that only 5 were deleted. I had 6 deleted and others had posts deleted as well. That is that persons story to tell but all the posts deleted were an ongoing dialog. Up thread there was a link to a now locked post, the information is there.

 

FWIW I am currently in a very very stressful regarding my son's health. It is not life or death but it is severe enough to have me living in survival mode and barely functioning at that. My goals each day involve putting on pants before leaving the house, and getting to the correct appointment. I do not have energy or ability to put into typing and retyping a detailed overview. Other have and are continuing to speak up. Sparkly Unicorn's actions have spoken volumes. 

 

 I had at least two, possibly three deleted.  

[Mandylubug]

I would be mortified and then pissed if that happened to me. I've considered changing my username already because I feel too transparent just on the public forum alone. Not cool...and I want peeps to not leave me with the babies...I mean don't leave the forum! LOL

[Guest inoubliable]

There is no way that any of us involved can be any more public about it. Please don't ask. There's very few of us left here and I think we'd all rather move on and try to help the moderation here evolve. 

As to how many left? Well, my group had 103 people in it, with several additional people waiting to get their invites. That group is now defunct. Everyone moved on to another place. I can't say whether any of them would come back or not. It's easy enough to come here and search for threads on information you really want to know more about, without having to participate anywhere. Sad, but true. 

[zoobie]

:( Please tell Sparkly I miss her.

[idnib]

There is no way that any of us involved can be any more public about it. Please don't ask. There's very few of us left here and I think we'd all rather move on and try to help the moderation here evolve. 

 

As to how many left? Well, my group had 103 people in it, with several additional people waiting to get their invites. That group is now defunct. Everyone moved on to another place. I can't say whether any of them would come back or not. It's easy enough to come here and search for threads on information you really want to know more about, without having to participate anywhere. Sad, but true. 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug: 

 

I'm so sorry.

[DawnM]

Oh sorry.

 

It was an amazing weekend.  Absolutely gorgeous house with an almost private beach area!  

 

Dawn

 

 

Hey, the dates the linked to thread were posted included my birthday... you went to the beach on MY birthday and didn't invite me?

 

(And I missed the whole deal too... but there's no way I would leave this place, even if the private group I belong to went public.  I have too thick skin.  I'm sorry others felt otherwise, but I'm a big believer people getting to make choices themselves for what's right for them.  I wish those who left the best in their new abode - and if they opt to return - well, I'd be welcoming them!)

 

[Catwoman]

There is no way that any of us involved can be any more public about it. Please don't ask. There's very few of us left here and I think we'd all rather move on and try to help the moderation here evolve. 

As to how many left? Well, my group had 103 people in it, with several additional people waiting to get their invites. That group is now defunct. Everyone moved on to another place. I can't say whether any of them would come back or not. It's easy enough to come here and search for threads on information you really want to know more about, without having to participate anywhere. Sad, but true.

 

Obviously I'm not going to ask anyone to name names, but of those 103 people who left with the group, how many were regularly active on the public forums? Because I feel terrible admitting that the only person I have really noticed was missing was Wendy.

[mommymilkies]

Obviously I'm not going to ask anyone to name names, but of those 103 people who left with the group, how many were regularly active on the public forums? Because I feel terrible admitting that the only person I have really noticed was missing was Wendy.

The entire group left for private forums elsewhere.  Members who left the board entirely-they chose to do so without drama and I will respect that.  Some may come back eventually after a break.

 

Look, we've already had threads closed when we tried to talk about this.  SWB has asked that it continue with PMs and I would really like to keep drama low. I don't like arguing or confrontation (believe it or not).  If you're desperately curious or feel you have been affected by this and would like to talk, you can PM me but I think the better thing at this point would be to take it to the Moderation Suggestions thread with your thoughts. 

[Catwoman]

The entire group left for private forums elsewhere. Members who left the board entirely-they chose to do so without drama and I will respect that. Some may come back eventually after a break.

 

Look, we've already had threads closed when we tried to talk about this. SWB has asked that it continue with PMs and I would really like to keep drama low. I don't like arguing or confrontation (believe it or not). If you're desperately curious or feel you have been affected by this and would like to talk, you can PM me but I think the better thing at this point would be to take it to the Moderation Suggestions thread with your thoughts.

I wasn't asking for details. KK said that 103 people had left and that seemed like such a shockingly high number to me because I'm here a lot and I haven't noticed any sort of mass exodus from the public forums, so that's why I asked.

 

It was just a simple question. I don't think I was being out of line in asking it. I didn't ask for names or details.

[mommymilkies]

I wasn't asking for details. KK said that 103 people had left and that seemed like such a shockingly high number to me because I'm here a lot and I haven't noticed any sort of mass exodus from the public forums, so that's why I asked.

 

It was just a simple question. I don't think I was being out of line in asking it. I didn't ask for names or details.

Sorry!  I didn't mean you in particular, but I had several other people ask and PM. 

[Catwoman]

Sorry! I didn't mean you in particular, but I had several other people ask and PM.

No problem! :)

 

Since you quoted my post, I thought you meant me.

[mommymilkies]

No problem! :)

 

Since you quoted my post, I thought you meant me.

I've been having such a terrible time communicating.  I have to wonder if it's Mercury Retrograde or clowns stole into my room and rearranged my brains for me. 

[Spryte]

I've been having such a terrible time communicating.  I have to wonder if it's Mercury Retrograde or clowns stole into my room and rearranged my brains for me. 

 

It must have been the clowns.

 

It's always the clowns.

[Corraleno]

Not everyone posts on the Chat board; some people stick mostly to the curriculum boards. Since Sparkly was a prolific poster on many boards here, including Chat, her absence has obviously been noticed quite quickly. I'm not sure how anyone could answer your question as to how many of the others were "regularly active" — does occasional posting on the HS board count as active? Or posts in the Accelerated board? I don't know how many people have left permanently, or how many will still occasionally participate here, although perhaps less frequently since the "hang out space" is now elsewhere, and there are education and curriculum threads there as well.

[Guest]

I wasn't asking for details. KK said that 103 people had left and that seemed like such a shockingly high number to me because I'm here a lot and I haven't noticed any sort of mass exodus from the public forums, so that's why I asked.

 

It was just a simple question. I don't think I was being out of line in asking it. I didn't ask for names or details.

I was pretty much assuming some of the missing members were in the linked thread. I haven't investigated, though. It takes me a while to notice people missing; we all go away for a bit now and then when we attempt to do something useful...err, I mean, when we feel we need to focus on other things. ;)

[Guest]

It must have been the clowns.

 

It's always the clowns.

Damn clowns. They think they're so funny.

[SarahW]

I have an active imagination, so right now I am imagining that an extreme-vegan-troll is roaming around writing SWB nasty emails about how she is promoting pig murder by allowing people to promote eating bacon....

 

I wish I knew what really happened. My imagination scares me. I like bacon.  :leaving:

[jewellsmommy]

My dd misses your dancing bacon, Sparkly.

 

Don't be gone too long. :grouphug:

 

My dd too!

 

My dd is always asking why I don't have any dancing bacon. I told her I'm not special enough to have dancing bacon. :tongue_smilie: ;)

 

Where will the dancing bacon live if you don't return, Sparkly?

[Unicorn.]

Obviously I'm not going to ask anyone to name names, but of those 103 people who left with the group, how many were regularly active on the public forums? Because I feel terrible admitting that the only person I have really noticed was missing was Wendy.

 

There are a few who did as Sparkly, and left completely. There are some that left, and haven't decided if they'll be back ever yet, and quite a few who are posting less, as the feeling of security and community is gone.  Kind of like having someone you trust and are completely at home with, stab you in the back. You might still see them, but the trust is gone, making it very uncomfortable.  

 

And the majority were fairly active, but as Mommymilkies said, maybe not on every board. 

[Catwoman]

There are a few who did as Sparkly, and left completely. There are some that left, and haven't decided if they'll be back ever yet, and quite a few who are posting less, as the feeling of security and community is gone. Kind of like having someone you trust and are completely at home with, stab you in the back. You might still see them, but the trust is gone, making it very uncomfortable.

 

And the majority were fairly active, but as Mommymilkies said, maybe not on every board.

Thanks.

 

The problem I'm having here with this whole situation, though, is that it seems to be OK to say negative things about SWB and the moderators, but not to discuss any details of the reasons behind the problems.

 

Quite frankly, SWB didn't make this issue public. The social group(s) did when they complained on the public forum. If they had kept the matter private from the very beginning, none of us would be asking questions right now.

 

I don't want to know the details. As far as I'm concerned, it's a private matter between the group(s), SWB, and the moderators here on this forum. But I don't think it's fair to talk about being "stabbed in the back" if you're also asking people not to ask for details so they can make up their own minds.

 

Again, I would like this whole thing to just go away so we can try to get back to normal.

[mommymilkies]

Thanks.

 

The problem I'm having here with this whole situation, though, is that it seems to be OK to say negative things about SWB and the moderators, but not to discuss any details of the reasons behind the problems.

 

Quite frankly, SWB didn't make this issue public. The social group(s) did when they complained on the public forum. If they had kept the matter private from the very beginning, none of us would be asking questions right now.

 

I don't want to know the details. As far as I'm concerned, it's a private matter between the group(s), SWB, and the moderators here on this forum. But I don't think it's fair to talk about being "stabbed in the back" if you're also asking people not to ask for details so they can make up their own minds.

 

Again, I would like this whole thing to just go away so we can try to get back to normal.

When the complaining happened, it was because we were told those moderation issues would not happen, then there was some backtracking on what actually happened and we were unclear as to what was happening in our group as well as if rules had changed (something surely everyone in SGs would want to know).  We also wanted to warn other social groups that their info may be public if ours was-something we're sure they would want to know.  We're asking people not to ask for details because SWB has specifically asked us not to and we are obeying her wishes the best we can.   We did not post it in a separate thread to cause drama, but in a thread about social group issues.

[Guest submarines]

Thanks.

 

The problem I'm having here with this whole situation, though, is that it seems to be OK to say negative things about SWB and the moderators, but not to discuss any details of the reasons behind the problems.

 

Quite frankly, SWB didn't make this issue public. The social group(s) did when they complained on the public forum. If they had kept the matter private from the very beginning, none of us would be asking questions right now.

 

I don't want to know the details. As far as I'm concerned, it's a private matter between the group(s), SWB, and the moderators here on this forum. But I don't think it's fair to talk about being "stabbed in the back" if you're also asking people not to ask for details so they can make up their own minds.

 

Again, I would like this whole thing to just go away so we can try to get back to normal.

 

I don't think it is should be a private matter because everyone is affected.

 

What I don't understand is that the most affected members, as Cat said, will say publically negative insinuations, but say they will be banned for revealing the details. It seems that the moderators  will rather tolerate insinuations that have an open discussion and reveal the details of what happened, so that members can decide for themselves whether they want to remain here or leave. This seems to be dishonest and manipulative. With such a large community here, many won't even know that the privacy breeches have happened.

 

I'm not even sure what gets one banned those days, but if I won't post again in this thread, that means I was banned. I hope I won't be, obviously. I hope for an open discussion.

 

 

[Guest submarines]

When the complaining happened, it was because we were told those moderation issues would not happen, then there was some backtracking on what actually happened and we were unclear as to what was happening in our group as well as if rules had changed (something surely everyone in SGs would want to know).  We also wanted to warn other social groups that their info may be public if ours was-something we're sure they would want to know.  We're asking people not to ask for details because SWB has specifically asked us not to and we are obeying her wishes the best we can.   We did not post it in a separate thread to cause drama, but in a thread about social group issues.

 

I'm sorry, but this is just adding drama, no matter what the intent. So apparently a huge number of people left over this issue, meaning the issue was important enough to take drastic steps. But not important enough to share the information with other concerned members, out of respect to what / whom? The same entity that they feel violated them. Why the duality?

 

Yeah, I'm socially obtuse.

[mommymilkies]

I'm sorry, but this is just adding drama, no matter what the intent. So apparently a huge number of people left over this issue, meaning the issue was important enough to take drastic steps. But not important enough to share the information with other concerned members, out of respect to what / whom? The same entity that they feel violated them. Why the duality?

 

Yeah, I'm socially obtuse.

One thread was already locked when we tried to discuss it and she requested we take it to PM.  I'm just trying to obey those requests.  I'm not trying to add drama.  Some of us feel a little violated but still want to stay here for those friends we will miss and it's a great source of information.  Some feel more violated and felt it best to leave.  For outsiders, anything you need to know is probably in the link I posted.  It's not some great super mystery where our social security numbers were stolen. :)

[Scarlett]

I am mildly curious about what was so secretive in that group that we can't even discuss it. 103 members......you can bet there isn't much real secrecy with that many.

 

I have tried very hard to be authentic in my posting....meaning even though I post anonymously, I post nothing that I wouldn't 'own' if I was discovered by my IRL world.

[mommymilkies]

I am mildly curious about what was so secretive in that group that we can't even discuss it. 103 members......you can bet there isn't much real secrecy with that many.

 

I have tried very hard to be authentic in my posting....meaning even though I post anonymously, I post nothing that I wouldn't 'own' if I was discovered by my IRL world.

It was a tight knit group where we were all rather familiar with each other.  Two of our members (Moira and Tom) passed this past year and they had some medical and family info in there about dealing with their illness that they desired to keep in a more private setting where Google couldn't get it.  We've dealt with loss, anger, regret, and sensitive issues together and were made to feel secure that we could pretty well trust each other and that it was not supposed to be searchable.  The reasons we were asked not to discuss are mentioned in that thread.  "Vitriol" is subjective.  Everyone needs somewhere to rant.  Like many forums, we had a rant thread and a thread where we shared happy thoughts of the day and positive things to share.  I'll leave it at that. 

[Guest submarines]

My guess is personal information.

I am mildly curious about what was so secretive in that group that we can't even discuss it. 103 members......you can bet there isn't much real secrecy with that many.

I have tried very hard to be authentic in my posting....meaning even though I post anonymously, I post nothing that I wouldn't 'own' if I was discovered by my IRL world.

 

[poppy]

Right. If the group was people who have had abortions, people who are victims of rape, people who stayed when a spouse cheated.... I can think of so many scenarios that are too private to discuss 'openly' but might really want a supportive online home. (I have no clue if that's what this was - ). Wanting some privacy isn't necessarily dishonest!

[Corraleno]

There's really not much more to it than was already discussed in the thread that was linked above — one or more mods went into a private social group and started reading and deleting posts. The reason given was that one particular thread somehow became public, and posts were reported. Various tech people have said that the possibility of a random glitch making one thread in one private social group suddenly public is unlikely. It also doesn't explain why the mod returned later and deleted other posts in other threads. 

 

So what is known is that mods went into a private social group and deleted posts from more than one person in more than one thread, despite assurances that social groups are not moderated. If it's also true that threads in private social groups can go public and become searchable due to random glitches, then that is even more concerning. People posted very personal information in there, including real names and addresses, and there were personal discussions of marital issues, mental health issues, issues concerning children and other relatives, and various things that one would not want "out there" in public.