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Suggestion - posters should include state of residence

MarkT

By MarkT,
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MarkT

MarkT

Posted
Posted

Why don't folks who post on the WTM forums include the state of residence in their byline.

Many folks here like to help out but the answer for one state may be worthless for another.

 

I am very protective of my personal information.  I do not belong to Facebook etc.

Your state of resident will not allow much information about you unless you posted under your complete name.

 

What do others think?

 

==============

 

update:  after your children graduate HS and you just post to help others then this would not be needed.

 

update: changed title from "Pet Peeve ..." to "Suggestion - posters should include state of residence" 

Which would have better from the get go.

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creekland

creekland

Posted
Posted

I don't see where it's a problem whether people are pretty open about where they live (as I am) or not even interested in sharing which continent.

 

If they ask for info and it's location dependent, many folks who reply will say that and the person asking will figure out how to google for the specific info they need.  

 

For those of us reading, I know I happen to find the different variations posted quite interesting just to salt away that knowledge, so I don't think anything is lost.

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Butter

Butter

Posted
Posted

I am very open not only about what state I live in, but what city I live in.  I link to my blog that would make identifying the city pretty easy.  But not everyone is open about where they live.  And that's just as okay as revealing where they live.  Most homeschooling help is applicable no matter where people live and if a specific state's information is needed, people generally state that they live in such-and-such state and need input specific to their state.

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Wheres Toto

Wheres Toto

Posted
Posted

Anyone who "knows" me on here probably knows what state I live in and probably even the area, maybe even the county.  But, I live in an extremely densely populated area AND there are at least 6 people in my state with my exact first and last name and within a few years of my age.  So, I'm not that easy to find by someone I don't know IRL.   Anyone who knows me in real life could figure it out from my blog link.

 

I have considered taking my first name and blog link out of my signature here.  I recently started a business that caters to homeschoolers and I occasionally talk about things on here that I won't even go into on Facebook, that might turn some people off using my business - struggles with my kids, my political affiliations, my religious struggles, or similar.   I haven't mainly because I would then also have to carefully watch every reply I make and probably even go back and change old responses for it to make any difference.  I think that would basically ruin these boards for me.

 

But, I also don't have any real reasons to be concerned.  I have friends who had stalkers, are dealing with crazy exes or relatives, who are under CPS investigations (there's a whole thread on that going on right now), or run a business or have some other reason that they wouldn't want their real life associated with every comment they may make on a message board.

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Liz CA

Liz CA

Posted
Posted (edited)

Some of us work in fields where it seems prudent to be careful. One can always PM if necessary.

 

ETA: My username originates with the very old boards 10+ years ago when I did not work in my current field. I have not had any issues with state being disclosed and there are a handful of people that know the general area where I am.

Edited by Liz CA
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marbel

marbel

Posted
Posted

I'm not particularly protective of the information; it just never occurred to me to add it. Seems it would make more sense for the poster looking for state-specific information to include the state they are in or asking about. Which I think people mostly do, right?

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MarkT

MarkT

Posted
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Posted

I'm not particularly protective of the information; it just never occurred to me to add it. Seems it would make more sense for the poster looking for state-specific information to include the state they are in or asking about. Which I think people mostly do, right?

I would agree but it seems to be less than 50% (total guess) especially for questions on charter schools and diploma requirements which are very state dependent so many of the replies can be mis-informative.

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slackermom

slackermom

Posted
Posted

I would agree but it seems to be less than 50% (total guess) especially for questions on charter schools and diploma requirements which are very state dependent so many of the replies can be mis-informative.

 

When I need state specific information like that, I can look up my own state rules. It wouldn't occur to me to look here for that kind of assistance.

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Jean in Newcastle

Jean in Newcastle

Posted
Posted

Why would anyone need to know in general?  If I am asking a state specific question I put it in my OP.  Or I use google to look up my state laws for myself.  Otherwise you really don't need to know my state in order to help me choose a math text.  Or answer my question about history cycles.  Or to give me dinner suggestions.

 

(Most know what state I live by now but there was a "Where in the World is Jean in Newcastle" thread at one point because there are Newcastles around the world.) 

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

Posted
Posted

I don't care if anyone knows where I live but I haven't asked state specific questions. If I were to ask, I'd make sure to let people know where I live. (Although I do live in Florida, a poster's user name isn't a definite indication of where they live. We have some posters who've moved but kept a name that includes their former state.)

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JustEm

JustEm

Posted
Posted

Well seeing as a person on here found out quite easily that we live in the same city when mentioned the state i live in in one post and another post mentioned something about our library system, I can understand why people would be cautious.

 

I've given out enough info on this forum over the last few years that someone could pretty easily identify me I think. But I'm not really worried about keeping my identity private. Other people feel differently

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Catwoman

Catwoman

Posted
Posted

I would agree but it seems to be less than 50% (total guess) especially for questions on charter schools and diploma requirements which are very state dependent so many of the replies can be mis-informative.

But that's not really your problem to deal with.

 

If someone asks a question and you need to know where they're from in order to respond, you can simply ask for the information. If they choose not to share their location and they receive inaccurate information as a result, again, that's not your problem.

 

I realize you're only trying to be helpful, but I see no need for people to reveal where they live on the off-chance that they might some day post a location-specific question.

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Carrie12345

Carrie12345

Posted
Posted

I mention my location frequently, mostly when I think it's relevant. It usually isn't.

 

I don't mind strangers knowing where I live, but I don't feel like I need to make it any easier for people I know IRL to sniff me out.  Someone putting 2 and 2 together because they're actual boardies doesn't bother me. Much, lol.

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bolt.

bolt.

Posted
Posted (edited)

I barely feel good disclosing my country of residence, much less my 'state' (we don't have states anyhow). The internet is forever and I have no way to know who might be researching my wild semi-anonymous opinions from my homeschooling years in the future. The less information people have to connect this online identity with the real me, the better! (Nonetheless I do remind people of my nationality when it is relevant.)

 

If helpful information in a response might be relevant only to specific locations, usually that's the first thing people put in their response. Lots of the time, learning that locations aren't identical in various respects is part of what people learn when they ask questions like that.

 

If a poster only wants information about a certain location, all they need to do is ask, "Does anyone know about (issue) in (location)?" -- which makes sense. Ask the question you want answered; don't ask the whole world then complain that you get worldwide data.

Edited by bolt.
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Retired

Retired

Posted
Posted

maybe some of us have been on this forum before things got fancy LOL.  Ya remember the old forum style.  Also without the person even putting in there profile she mention the state, coop a few other things.  I found where someone lived. I didn't mention it cause I didn't plan on meeting up or anything.     So I agree people have a right to not put there state.  I forever put south east but I'm sure through post people know what state I'm in   My kids are also grown.  I probably post every couple of months these days.  So you young millennial parents want to do things different go for it

 

Generation x person hear started on the internet as a 20 something.  Its funny when email first came out they told us to make them anonymous   LOL.  We now use them in business with full names.

 

So maybe the well trained mind will turn into a facebook type forum in the future.

 

 

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Arcadia

Arcadia

Posted
Posted

If I need to know the state of the OP to give state specific answers, I could just ask for more details. If I need to know state specific information, I’ll just state that in my OP or thread title.

 

I definitely do not reside in the city of Arcadia though we did drove past there last weekend. My username is just part of my long legal name.

 

My county is so big actually that if I want really specific info, I have to go down to the region rather than just the county level.

 

My state would be irrelevant to 99% of the posters here :)

My husband and I have relatives there :)

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Aras

Aras

Posted
Posted (edited)

Why don't folks who post on the WTM forums include the state of residence in their byline.

Many folks here like to help out but the answer for one state may be worthless for another.

 

I am very protective of my personal information.  I do not belong to Facebook etc.

Your state of resident will not allow much information about you unless you posted under your complete name.

 

What do others think?

 

==============

 

update after your children graduate HS and you just post to help others then this would not be needed.

 

 

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

Edited by Aras
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Scarlett

Scarlett

Posted
Posted

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

 

 

Ha, I didn't even realize the OP was a moderator.  That is how observant I am.

 

But he is a human who is allowed to have a question and a pet peeve.  Not sure why it would stop you from posting.  No one is INSISTING you say what state.

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Jean in Newcastle

Jean in Newcastle

Posted
Posted

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

 

I wouldn't worry about him being a moderator.  They are there mainly to deal with spam and posters who blatantly break rules.  And even then a lot of the non-spam things are referred to SWB for her judgment.  Plenty of us have defended your right to post your question and you clarified state anyway when asked on the thread so I don't see how anyone should waste any time worrying about it. 

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HomeAgain

HomeAgain

Posted
Posted

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

 

No, post.  I saw the thread you started but since I didn't have any relevant thoughts other than a passing "I would stick with it.  It's a once a week activity that you can decide at graduation if you want the diploma."  I thought the comment was rude in that thread and rude to make an entire separate thread.  I am going to assume that Mark is having a pretty bad day, since I don't think I've ever seen anything like it before.  Hopefully won't again, but everyone is human.  Goodness knows I've let my mood influence my typing here more than I would like some days.

 

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bolt.

bolt.

Posted
Posted

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

A moderator?

 

I expect better from someone who has a role like that. A moderator should know that it's incredibly intrusive to suggest that people need to disclose personal information online if they'd rather not.

 

I thought it was a peeve being expressed by someone new: someone unfamiliar with our easy ways of dealing with annonomty and location data, trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

 

For a moderator to express this peeve reads a lot more like "I really I think we ought to adopt this new procedure in response to an ongoing problem." I'm not impressed.

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Catwoman

Catwoman

Posted
Posted

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

I hadn't seen your original post so I had no idea that this thread was in response to another thread elsewhere on the forum.

 

Wow.

 

If that's what happened, it seems incredibly inappropriate.

 

I'm very sorry you feel as though you were singled out by a moderator. :grouphug: You did nothing wrong, and I hope you will keep posting.

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Catwoman

Catwoman

Posted
Posted

A moderator?

 

I expect better from someone who has a role like that. A moderator should know that it's incredibly intrusive to suggest that people need to disclose personal information online if they'd rather not.

 

I thought it was a peeve being expressed by someone new: someone unfamiliar with our easy ways of dealing with annonomty and location data, trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

 

For a moderator to express this peeve reads a lot more like "I really I think we ought to adopt this new procedure in response to an ongoing problem." I'm not impressed.

Yes, and if he believes we should all start listing our locations, perhaps he would have been better served by starting a poll and asking people how they felt about the idea, rather than starting a "pet peeve" thread that appears to have been in direct response to another thread -- particularly because he's a moderator and that's what seems to be most upsetting to Aras.

 

I don't think there is anything wrong with him wondering why people don't disclose their location or for him to ask if we would be willing to start doing that, but it would have been very simple to have started a friendly poll, which probably would have been viewed in a far more positive light than a "pet peeve" thread.

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TravelingChris

TravelingChris

Posted
Posted

I am on facebook but keep that private and not open to the public.  People can figure it out where I am from but I do not see any need to keep posting that.  I used to have it in my board name but changed locations too often and so just changed to TransientChris.  I am actually not moving around anymore but don't feel like changing my username again.  (I am transient during parts of the year still :laugh: ((travel)) )

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MarkT

MarkT

Posted
  • Author
Posted

This is in response to my question. I don't see how knowing my state is relevant to my question. I didn't ask about graduation requirements, or specifics about charter schools. It was a general WWYD question, and there are many types of questions like that on this board.

 

I am usually a reader, not a poster, but I can tell you I will really thinking twice about asking a question if a moderator is then going to turn around and post a comment such as this.

Sorry that it appears this way - it was NOT in response to your question - I actually posted it before seeing/replying to your question.

It was based on some posts much earlier in the year and last year. I only recently starting posting here in chat.

 

Sorry to offend so many good folks here.

It was more of a matter of efficiency in my "Engineering mindset"

I stand corrected!

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Arcadia

Arcadia

Posted
Posted

It was more of a matter of efficiency in my "Engineering mindset"

I can’t see signatures on my phone which is what I usually use to read the forums.

 

Efficiency would be more of just declaring the specifics in the first line of the first post of the thread if it is relevant to the question being asked.

 

In engineering, sometimes I want the big picture before digging down to the blueprints. Sometimes I just want the minute details because I already have the big picture.

 

In forum threads, it’s similar in that sometimes location doesn’t matter because I want big picture answers. If I need the nitty gritty details like where are yummy but economical food places near JHU Shriver Hall, I would supply all the relevant details in my first post.

 

I just guess that you probably had a bad day.

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EMS83

EMS83

Posted
Posted

I for one live in a state of confusion. 

 

:lol:   You and me both.  

 

I'm not super worried about it; it just never occurred to me to put it in my signature.  I feel like what is there is more relevant to most of what I might discuss here.

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Shellydon

Shellydon

Posted
Posted

Why don't folks who post on the WTM forums include the state of residence in their byline.

Many folks here like to help out but the answer for one state may be worthless for another.

 

I am very protective of my personal information.  I do not belong to Facebook etc.

Your state of resident will not allow much information about you unless you posted under your complete name.

 

What do others think?

 

==============

 

update after your children graduate HS and you just post to help others then this would not be needed.

 

I disagree, I would never post my state on here. 

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

My biggest pet peeve is when others leave stuff on the couches in Montana so that there is no room to sit. Seriously happens every.single.day. I threaten to throw away the things left on the couch in Montana, but then an hour later, some one else has left something on the seat, but they didn't hear the threat the first time so I let it go, but then later some one else does it.

Does this happen in other states too?

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