Safety for teen users of The Ledge [Archive]

holidayroad

06-09-2010, 11:50 AM

Of course, most people by now know the current situation concerning a Ledgie minor. Whether or not everyone agrees with how that is being handled, it does bring up some concerns about whether The Ledge is safe concerning underage users.
I know that teens (or anyone who posts) Should feel safe, but you never know who is at the other keyboard. I feel that the Ledgies here are trustworthy, but it does concern me that any guest could come here and see anything a minor has posted.
The moderators may or may not agree that anything different needs to be done, but it is something to think about. I think it would be a good idea that if a minor comes to The Ledge and posts something like what school they attend, the city they live in, or a phone number, that it should be able to be deleted by a moderator.
This post is something that LikeAWillow and I have been discussing and hope that other members have ideas they would like to share about how The Ledge can stay safe for all users.
Of course, it is also up to the minors using The Ledge to be sensible and use discretion when posting about themselves. Never share any information that leads to your location

daniellaaarisen

06-09-2010, 12:37 PM

ButterCookie

06-09-2010, 12:44 PM

TrueFaith77

06-09-2010, 12:45 PM

I personally feel that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed on the Internet at all. If I were President. . .

ButterCookie

06-09-2010, 12:48 PM

I personally feel that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed on the Internet at all. If I were President. . .

:laugh: For real?

RickRobert

06-09-2010, 12:54 PM

I personally feel that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed on the Internet at all. If I were President. . .

:shocked: Bye...

No seriously, what about us who don't like most people in our own area? You'd rather us have hardly any friends? :shrug: I probably have four of five friends I actually care about here, where as I have about ten online, most of which I've known since I was 13/14...

HejiraNYC

06-09-2010, 12:55 PM

I have no idea what happened with a Ledgie minor.... is in appropriate to ask?

EDIT: Miranda... got it. I agree that minors should be protected on here, but was it really an issue of Miranda posting anything inappropriate? Or were her parents just uncomfortable with the entire situation in general?

Well, nothing happened, really. Personally I would hate to see this incident (caused by some overzealous parents IMHO) set a precedent for turning this place into even more of a nanny state. Yes, everyone here should adhere to a self-regulated, rational code of conduct, i.e., don't be an ass. But I would hate to see this place become all Disney unicorns and amber waves of grain just to assuage the irrational overreaction by a couple of skittish parents. If you are a minor and you are joining this board, you (or your parents) should have already received an education on the basics of online safety and conduct. If you haven't and you unwittingly or intentionally do something stupid or self-destructive on here, then that is something that needs to be addressed by yourself- don't drag others down with you. There can only be so many safeguards. I think the Ledge as it stands already sufficiently promotes a non-hostile, safe, friendly environment.

I do feel bad for Miranda, and I can only imagine that this will only further strain an already strained relationship with her parents. But as others have mentioned, perhaps there is another side to the story that we haven't heard. :shrug: There are three sides to any story- one side, the other's side and the Truth. The only good news is that she will only have to endure this kind of suppression for a few more years...

HejiraNYC

06-09-2010, 01:02 PM

No, Dani, it's about Miranda's leaving... I think.

However, as a teenager, I do agree with the notion of deleting posts that give away location. I have posted where I live online before then gone back to it and thought "Why the HELL did I do that?" I don't really like the thought of the area for teen ledgies though, that was suggested in another thread. I get on better with people older tham myself and often have trouble communicating with people of my own age. For me an segregated area would make me feel like I was back in school. I like being able to read everyone else's posts and share my view on them in all the parts of The Ledge :wavey:

I agree... it's no fun to sit at the kiddy table away from the grown ups. But I don't understand why it would be dangerous to give away your location. Yes, it would be stupid to give away your street and house number. But what's wrong with stating the name of your city? :shrug: The only thing that makes me cringe a little is seeing pictures of friends of friends of friends. I wonder whether these people would appreciate having their mugs plastered on some anonymous forum on the interwebs, especially if said friends are intoxicated or otherwise not ready for prime time. But, eh, what do I know...

tilthefirefades

06-09-2010, 01:07 PM

Most forums don't allow guests to come and go as they please. Perhaps The Ledge should hide all posts unless you are registered.

HejiraNYC

06-09-2010, 01:10 PM

Most forums don't allow guests to come and go as they please. Perhaps The Ledge should hide all posts unless you are registered.

I'm not sure if michelej1 would be equipped to handle the surge of new registrations in a timely manner!

ButterCookie

06-09-2010, 01:11 PM

I agree... it's no fun to sit at the kiddy table away from the grown ups. But I don't understand why it would be dangerous to give away your location. Yes, it would be stupid to give away your street and house number. But what's wrong with stating the name of your city? :shrug: The only thing that makes me cringe a little is seeing pictures of friends of friends of friends. I wonder whether these people would appreciate having their mugs plastered on some anonymous forum on the interwebs, especially if said friends are intoxicated or otherwise not ready for prime time. But, eh, what do I know...

I don't live in a city. I'm in a little village and I gave it's name away. I'm also the only 16y/o with short hair in this place, that's all (:

LikeAWillow

06-09-2010, 02:07 PM

Most forums don't allow guests to come and go as they please. Perhaps The Ledge should hide all posts unless you are registered.

I really like this idea, although I'm sure implementing it would be tough. I've gotten a few somewhat creepy PMs over the years, but at least I then had a username in mind to stay away from. Also, though I never received anything blatantly report worthy (just the sort of messages that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, even if you can't say why), it was always nice to know that if something really made me uncomfortable, I could report that person. If there's any way the board could become members only without crashing the server and causing Michele a lot of undue hassle....I think it would be a fantastic idea.

Somewhat side-note: I'm not a fan of the teen board either, although to clarify, I think the idea holidayroad had in mind was to have a board that only teens had access to in addition to their access to the rest of the forum. Then it could just be a place where they could feel more comfortable about opening up a little more and sharing details about school/life/etc without worrying that everyone on the internet could see it. I'm sure it would be difficult to manage, though, and even more difficult to patrol (verification, etc.) Having younger kids here and having them be able to mix with the older posters is great. I wouldn't be half as interested in politics as I am if it weren't for how active the political threads were when I first joined the board. 15 year old Marissa gives a belated thank you to disention, irishgirl, strand, etc, though none of you post any more.

nailatixela

06-09-2010, 02:21 PM

I really like this idea, although I'm sure implementing it would be tough.

It would be really easy, actually. You could make all the forum sections viewable only to registered users. Or just Chit Chat. Of course there are pros and cons to doing this - even without considering user safety. But still, anyone can register and just lurk.

But I think the Ledge is a safe place. Even though Miranda isn't allowed on, it's not like anything horrible happened which caused her "banning." I think the safest way to be safe anywhere on the internet is limit the amount of information you put out there. I know if I was a parent, I wouldn't want my child to post their picture on a forum, or give any information such as their city - or anything more detailed than that. In the end it's up to the parents to decide what they want to allow their kid to do online.

LikeAWillow

06-09-2010, 02:28 PM

I meant tough in that there would be a ton of new registsrations over a very short period of time :)

But still, anyone can register and just lurk.

But at least you know there's a name attached to everyone viewing somewhere and that said name can be banned (and the ledge's registration rules make it more difficult than usual to have multiple accounts.) Let's say right now, OnlinePredator23434 sends me a message saying "Hey there, you seem like fun. Let's meet up." I say, "Sorry, buddy, I don't meet up with strangers on here." He says "Like that's going to stop me? You go to Wellesley College. [enter malicious threats here.]" I report this to Michele. Michele is kind enough to ban him. Well, OnlinePredator23434 can still view the ledge and all its happenings as a guest even after he's banned. Change the system and you have a better shot at keeping out people who have proven they need to be kept out.

LikeAWillow

06-09-2010, 02:31 PM

Even though Miranda isn't allowed on, it's not like anything horrible happened which caused her "banning."

Nope, not at all! Miranda was just the spark that started this discussion, she isn't the topic of it.

holidayroad

06-09-2010, 02:32 PM

No, Dani, it's about Miranda's leaving... I think.

However, as a teenager, I do agree with the notion of deleting posts that give away location. I have posted where I live online before then gone back to it and thought "Why the HELL did I do that?" I don't really like the thought of the area for teen ledgies though, that was suggested in another thread. I get on better with people older tham myself and often have trouble communicating with people of my own age. For me an segregated area would make me feel like I was back in school. I like being able to read everyone else's posts and share my view on them in all the parts of The Ledge :wavey:

Actually, I was the one who mentioned a teen area. My idea wasn't that teens should not be allowed on the rest of the board, but that, if a parent thought a teen should only communicate with other teens, there would be a section here that would promote that.

holidayroad

06-09-2010, 02:36 PM

Somewhat side-note: I'm not a fan of the teen board either, although to clarify, I think the idea holidayroad had in mind was to have a board that only teens had access to in addition to their access to the rest of the forum. Then it could just be a place where they could feel more comfortable about opening up a little more and sharing details about school/life/etc without worrying that everyone on the internet could see it.

That is exactly what I had in mind. I should have posted it more clearly when I first said it.

nailatixela

06-09-2010, 02:41 PM

I report this to Michele. Michele is kind enough to ban him. Well, OnlinePredator23434 can still view the ledge and all its happenings as a guest even after he's banned. Change the system and you have a better shot at keeping out people who have proven they need to be kept out.

I agree with your points. But I don't think banned users can actually come back as guests? If you ban their IP - I thought that computer cannot access the site at all? I'm not sure how the ledge is set up.

LukeA

06-09-2010, 02:46 PM

I agree with your points. But I don't think banned users can actually come back as guests? If you ban their IP - I thought that computer cannot access the site at all? I'm not sure how the ledge is set up.

Yes, you can ban an IP, but not everyone has a static IP address. Would be very easy to use another computer, or simply use a proxy of some sort.

I'm all for rendering The Ledge & all of its forums (except maybe the one pertaining to technical questions regarding the operation of the board) visible only to registered users.

tilthefirefades

06-09-2010, 03:09 PM

Alright, new plan!

Require the following:

-Current Driver's license
-Social security card
-Birth certificate
-Background check
-And finally, make them take a short quiz on Fleetwood Mac

Vigilantes of the youth unite! :thumbsup:

hayley

06-09-2010, 04:04 PM

:shocked: Bye...

No seriously, what about us who don't like most people in our own area? You'd rather us have hardly any friends? :shrug: I probably have four of five friends I actually care about here, where as I have about ten online, most of which I've known since I was 13/14...

Sit in your room and listen to the Smiths and the Cure and cry like everyone else had to do before the Internet existed.

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally. It wasn't a good thing. I wish my parents had taken more of an interest in what I was doing, I may have been forced to learn how to actually speak to regular people. Everyone can debate back and forth over whether Miranda's parents were right, but she's a minor and it's their right to do what they did. Sucks for all of you who are losing contact with a friend, but it's not the first time this has happened to a younger member of the Ledge and it won't be the last.

Closing the boards so only registered users can read messages is a really good idea. I'm kinda completely confused as to why it hasn't been done before.

RickRobert

06-09-2010, 04:09 PM

Sit in your room and listen to the Smiths and the Cure and cry like everyone else had to do before the Internet existed.

:laugh: Can I listen to The Wall instead? Seriously though, I can and do talk to dozens of people, I just don't relate to any of them.

chiliD

06-09-2010, 04:14 PM

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally.

You were, what?, seven? nine? when we first started coming here?? :D

And I was just barely 18. ummmm....x 2.35 :lol:

MissLadyLoki

06-09-2010, 04:20 PM

:laugh: Can I listen to The Wall instead? Seriously though, I can and do talk to dozens of people, I just don't relate to any of them.

No, you gotta listen to Wish You Were Here instead! :lol:

Anyways, about the boards being private, that is a very good idea. Most forums (such as IMDb, which I used to post at a lot till a left a few months ago) are private for a reason, and The Ledge should be no exception.

SapphireSister

06-09-2010, 04:25 PM

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally. It wasn't a good thing. I wish my parents had taken more of an interest in what I was doing, I may have been forced to learn how to actually speak to regular people.
Oh but Ledgies are far more interesting than regular people! :nod:

mylittledemon

06-09-2010, 06:54 PM

There's not a whole lot you can do. Anyone can lie about their age.

The moderators may or may not agree that anything different needs to be done, but it is something to think about. I think it would be a good idea that if a minor comes to The Ledge and posts something like what school they attend, the city they live in, or a phone number, that it should be able to be deleted by a moderator.

estranged4life

06-09-2010, 07:30 PM

I personally feel that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed on the Internet at all. If I were President. . .

it just depends on which website a 'minor' is visiting.

My 17 year old niece "Nimrod" (My pet name for Kendra) has/had a myspace account once but some '30-something' year old perv decided to potray himself as a teenager...so once her dad (My older brother Geary) took care of said 'perv' I offered my parental eagle-eye (somewhat odd that I'm NOT yet a parent) to watch her account and to make sure she isnt trying to act older than what she actually is.

Havent had an incident since...

Damn, I hate being old...

chelluversu

06-09-2010, 08:14 PM

Sit in your room and listen to the Smiths and the Cure and cry like everyone else had to do before the Internet existed.

I grew up on the Ledge. Literally. It wasn't a good thing. I wish my parents had taken more of an interest in what I was doing, I may have been forced to learn how to actually speak to regular people. Everyone can debate back and forth over whether Miranda's parents were right, but she's a minor and it's their right to do what they did. Sucks for all of you who are losing contact with a friend, but it's not the first time this has happened to a younger member of the Ledge and it won't be the last.

Closing the boards so only registered users can read messages is a really good idea. I'm kinda completely confused as to why it hasn't been done before.

So, just for my understanding, wouldn't cutting off the board to unregistered members end what led to many of the Ledgies signing up? I mean...I lurked for about a year or something before I actually got to sign up (thanks Arlene :xoxo:).

As a minor I am guilty of a few things: Posting pictures of my friends online (I did this to Jeordy but he doesn't mind...but still), posting my phone number (but it's on a private page that only friends can read...but we all know that fb isn't the safest place ever), telling the name of the school I go to and my daily routine (not smart once I think about it), and a few other things...

I agree that the Ledge should be a safe haven for us minors who are as equal as everyone else here. How to implement that safety is gonna be cause for a good debate. Locking us up in a corner is not a good idea (I know it's not yours...I'm just saying) but we all should be urged to self regulate what we post so that we are safe (there's creepers out there :lol:)...

bucklind17

06-09-2010, 08:14 PM

I started posting on The Ledge when I was 15. I remember trading even, meaning I gave my actual address to people who would then mail me tapes. I'm scratching my brain to whether or not my parents knew about this, they had to have because how else would I get to the post office to mail my trades?

I don't know, I think in a case like this, it's up to the user, not the community. 15 is old enough to know what information should be shared and what shouldn't and honestly, it's also old enough to decide whether or not you want to be posting on a message board. I don't really know much about the 15yo in question, but if she's spending an amount of her limited internet time on The Ledge, she's probably pretty intelligent! ;)

Nathan

06-09-2010, 08:18 PM

I just think this it ridiculous. And I've never even talked to Miranda.

The likelihood of there being people out there who troll Stevie Nicks fan forums for underage pussy, is low.

The person above me who said self regulation, is dead on.

And to quote someone else from the other thread -- 'Are we being serious right now'?

iamnotafraid

06-09-2010, 09:57 PM

Personally I would hate to see this incident set a precedent for turning this place into even more of a nanny state. Yes, everyone here should adhere to a self-regulated, rational code of conduct, i.e., don't be an ass. But I would hate to see this place become all Disney unicorns.

Whoa......Stop the world and let me off, we actually agree on something!!!

I think there are enough filters already in place:

1. Parents (If they are doing there job)
2. Common sense
3. Moderators

And I agree with the other Ledgies that it would be a bad idea to make the
forums only available to registered users. I'm a member of another fansite
that makes you sign in to see some of the post. It just makes it a pain in the
a$$. And I think the Ledge would have less members, at least new ones if
it goes that way. I doubt I would have become a member here if you had to
be registered/sign in to read the posts. Hey....wait a minute, that might be
the reason to change things here.

GypsyBlueEyes

06-09-2010, 10:25 PM

I kind of like the idea of the forums being private. As members, we are the ones that keep the forum going by contributing to it with our posts, pictures, info, demos, art, etc. Meanwhile, anyone coming through can take advantage of all this without putting any effort into keeping the forum going themselves which takes away from the community effort. Anyway, that's just a thought :)

TrueFaith77

06-10-2010, 12:57 PM

I personally feel that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed on the Internet at all. If I were President. . .

:laugh: For real?

Yes, for real. I believe the Internet is, and should remain, a forum with few restrictions (within current legal limits of course). In other words: It's like a night club.

At most, kids should be introduced to using the web at school--and only in educational forums, class-related websites. I don't even think the web should be used as a resource for research materials until college.

You need a license to drive, you need ID to get into bars, you have to 18 to have sex. You should be 18 to get on the Internet.

Besides, I think the Internet is destroying a generation's sensibilities. (And the previous generations had gotten bad enough.)

Really don't get me started. . .

but yes, I never say anything I don't mean.

ButterCookie

06-10-2010, 01:03 PM

Yes, for real. I believe the Internet is, and should remain, a forum with few restrictions (within current legal limits of course). In other words: It's like a night club.

At most, kids should be introduced to using the web at school--and only in educational forums, class-related websites. I don't even think the web should be used as a resource for research materials until college.

You need a license to drive, you need ID to get into bars, you have to 18 to have sex. You should be 18 to get on the Internet.

Besides, I think the Internet is destroying a generation's sensibilities. (And the previous generations had gotten bad enough.)

Really don't get me started. . .

but yes, I never say anything I don't mean.

Oh... okay then. Clears that one up. I'll just go hang around on the corner smoking pot :thumbsup:

RickRobert

06-10-2010, 01:19 PM

If I were President. . .

You'd have to become the Queen too to get us in the UK...

You need a license to drive, you need ID to get into bars, you have to 18 to have sex. You should be 18 to get on the Internet.

Or 16 to have sex in the UK, Australia, The Netherlands, Russia, Finland, New Zealand... America isn't the only country in the world you know.

Nathan

06-10-2010, 01:47 PM

You'd have to become the Queen too to get us in the UK...

Or 16 to have sex in the UK, Australia, The Netherlands, Russia, Finland, New Zealand... America isn't the only country in the world you know.

Is too. :p

ButterCookie

06-10-2010, 01:51 PM

Is too. :p

We'll keep Christine then ;)

RickRobert

06-10-2010, 01:55 PM

And Ringo ;) ... actually on second thought you can have him if you give us back our Beatles memorabilia

soul_drifter333

06-10-2010, 02:27 PM

Are we talking about the same teens that are sending nude pictures of themselves to each other (sextexting) ????? Geez :shrug:

Nathan

06-10-2010, 02:40 PM

Are we talking about the same teens that are sending nude pictures of themselves to each other (sextexting) ????? Geez :shrug:

Good call. :nod:

Nathan

06-10-2010, 02:41 PM

I suppose you can have George, but I do love Christine...

LikeAWillow

06-10-2010, 03:01 PM

Are we talking about the same teens that are sending nude pictures of themselves to each other (sextexting) ????? Geez :shrug:

Those are the only kind, you know! I'd write more, but I just realized I'm looking particularly hot right now, and I should really run for a little photo shoot.

...
....
...

Alright.

Can we get numbers? If the powers that be on the ledge were actually considering this, it could help to get a feel for what the members themselves are thinking.

Would you support the ledge becoming members only?

Yes- 1
No- 0

LukeA

06-10-2010, 03:04 PM

Add me to the "yes" column.

Someone should start a poll.

Tango

06-10-2010, 03:06 PM

The Ledge has always been a free and open to the public and band members board. If you don't post your address, school, photos of yourself, you really shouldn't have any problems with on line predators. If you really want a closed Fleetwood Mac board, there are plenty of them out there.

LikeAWillow

06-10-2010, 03:07 PM

Add me to the "yes" column.

Someone should start a poll.

That is a much better plan, but I'm far too lazy to make it happen :eek:.

Yes- 2
No- 1

HejiraNYC

06-10-2010, 03:18 PM

I think becoming a "members only" forum would pretty much eliminate the Ledge from popping up on Google searches, which would essentially make the Ledge invisible online, thereby largely eliminating the joining of new members. Considering the relative dearth of active posters on here as it is, do we really want that? The history of the Ledge is marked by the constantly changing/evolving cast of players. Without change, the Ledge is done.

I vote NO.

Yes- 2
No- 2

holidayroad

06-10-2010, 03:28 PM

There's not a whole lot you can do. Anyone can lie about their age.

True, but if someone is posting the name of the name of their high school/ junior high, then they are essentially telling their age.

holidayroad

06-10-2010, 03:38 PM

As for The Ledge being members only, I think it would be an excellent idea. I mean, we are all here for a reason to post/talk/enjoy/etc. things to do with Fleetwood Mac. If a 'guest' cares enough about being able to come here, then they will be happy to join! I do think a good idea would be to let the guests know ahead of time that the forum is changing.....say about a month ahead of time. Also, I know some people who have not been here before may like to see how the boards are before they join, if someone is willing to provide their e-mail address to the moderators, then maybe they could have a 'guest pass' for a couple of days to see if they like it here.

Yes-3
No-2

LukeA

06-10-2010, 03:46 PM

Also, I know some people who have not been here before may like to see how the boards are before they join, if someone is willing to provide their e-mail address to the moderators, then maybe they could have a 'guest pass' for a couple of days to see if they like it here.

In other words, registering? ;) (seems kinda pointless to me, in my opinion)

holidayroad

06-10-2010, 04:31 PM

In other words, registering? ;) (seems kinda pointless to me, in my opinion)

Well, not exactly, they could choose to not become a full member. I may not be wording things the best today!:laugh: I mean, when I signed up for here, you had to wait a couple of days before they approved you or let you post on the boards.

iamnotafraid

06-10-2010, 05:11 PM

Would you support the ledge becoming members only?

Yes- 1
No- 0

No, No, No.

LikeAWillow

06-10-2010, 06:06 PM

No, No, No.

Yes- 3
No- 3

Can anyone confirm that what HejiraNYC said is true-- that making the ledge members only would eliminate it from google searches? (Not that I'm doubting you, Hejira, it's just that you said you think, not you know, and you have a really good point if that is the way it works.)

LukeA

06-10-2010, 06:13 PM

Yes, its true.

LikeAWillow

06-10-2010, 06:17 PM

Yes, its true.

Thanks, Luke :) It doesn't change my vote, but it's still good to know.

SapphireSister

06-10-2010, 06:24 PM

Censorship is un-american ;).

holidayroad

06-10-2010, 06:43 PM

Censorship is un-american ;).

Maybe, but I think if anyone said something too off the wall, the Mods would take it out. Even since I've been here, I've seen a couple of pictures deleted by them.

MissLadyLoki

06-10-2010, 06:45 PM

Once upon a time, for many years till I quit a few months ago, I was a member of IMDb's boards and they were private, but did get tons of traffic. The Ledge should be no exception and, like someone else said, someone looking for dirt on the Mac could easily get this site come up in a search and them find us here.

Yes- 5
No- 3

nailatixela

06-10-2010, 06:46 PM

Maybe, but I think if anyone said something too off the wall, the Mods would take it out. Even since I've been here, I've seen a couple of pictures deleted by them.

Right, and the mods are able to allow or disallow anything they want...it is their site. They determine the rules. Same goes for any forum.

I'd think the "homepage" or at least the index of the forums would still show up in a search for "fleetwood mac forum"?

But put me down for a yes.

hayley

06-10-2010, 06:48 PM

Yes!

I'm a member of a couple of boards that have thread topics and sub-forums visible but in order to view threads and profiles you have to be registered. There's middle ground.

holidayroad

06-10-2010, 06:55 PM

Also, situations such as right now tell me it would help for the boards to be private (or at least semi-private). There are 57 people on the boards right now, 17 members and 40 guests!

LikeAWillow

06-10-2010, 07:06 PM

Yes!

I'm a member of a couple of boards that have thread topics and sub-forums visible but in order to view threads and profiles you have to be registered. There's middle ground.

That would be perfect!

Yes- 7
No- 3

vivfox

06-10-2010, 07:08 PM

Also, situations such as right now tell me it would help for the boards to be private (or at least semi-private). There are 57 people on the boards right now, 17 members and 40 guests!

If we were private then those 40 guests would not be able to read what we post or download the music people are uploading to mediafire. I know 2 people who read the site daily but choose to remain lurkers.

I vote NO. Keep the site as it is now.

chelluversu

06-10-2010, 07:11 PM

Put me down as a no...
:(

holidayroad

06-10-2010, 08:16 PM

If we were private then those 40 guests would not be able to read what we post or download the music people are uploading to mediafire. I know 2 people who read the site daily but choose to remain lurkers.

I vote NO. Keep the site as it is now.

But that's the whole point. Why should they get the advantages of The Ledge without letting the moderators see they are here for valid reasons?? When I joined here, I had tell why I wanted to join the forum. The exact e-mail I received follows:

Hello,
I have been processing registrations for The Ledge and I really appreciate your interest. Recently, I have had trouble with spam, bots, and user abuse. Could you please briefly state what your interest in joining the forum is, just for verification purposes? Then, I can go ahead and process the registration. Thank you.

So, at least some of us members have had to show why we are here, shouldn't guests be questioned as well??

bluefox4000

06-10-2010, 09:06 PM

I had to do the same email thing.....i thought very good. So I'm in the yes camp.

Mick

BTFLCHLD

06-10-2010, 10:34 PM

carrie721

06-11-2010, 03:47 AM

^ well, yeah. and encouraging people to register so they can state their (alleged) interest in the forum isn't going to keep any creeps out. nobody's going to say "i'm here because i really want to rape kids but my tracking bracelet keeps going off when i leave the house." they're going to say "i luv steevy.~*"

APerfectLie

06-11-2010, 04:45 AM

I say NO! Making the forum viewable only to registered members will detract new users from joining. We have moderators who should and probably do delete any information pertaining to direct locations of minors. And like Carrie said, the true creeps will easily register! Also, they may strike up a convo with a minor and the minor may have a false sense of security and believe this member has gone thru some kind of validation. You have to register to see direct uploads to the ledge and you must register to post replies which I feel is enough security. The only option I think I would be open to would be giving the option to make your own personal post viewable to everyone or only members, or only members of a certain age. It still wouldn't be completely safe since people can lie about their age and register with no problem, but it would add some security without dropping the forum off into oblivion.

TrueFaith77

06-11-2010, 06:12 AM

My vote is: "No"

I've met many people who are not members and who do not post who utilize the information on this website.

Also someone mentioned that an influx of registrations could take a lot of time for michelej1. Never should she be inconvenienced.

Plus I don't see what that has to do with anything.

If I ran The Ledge, the option would be obvious: no members under 18.

SapphireSister

06-11-2010, 11:10 AM

So guys, I'm a yes after much debate, although not really as a preventative/security measure. As someone just mentioned, if someone does have evil intentions they can easily register and become a member. It's really not about that for me. It's more like we are somewhat of a community here and sometimes it gets intense. Not that I post really personal **** but some of it is only things that Stevie/FM fans would get. I consider us pretty "hard-core" fans and want to keep what we share sacred in some manner. If you want facts go to the Nicksfix or do a google search. Seriously, it's not that much to ask to become a member and you don't have to post if you don't want. Just my 2 cents.

bluefox4000

06-11-2010, 11:37 AM

Yes! if someone cares enough to join they will:nod:

Mick

holidayroad

06-11-2010, 12:10 PM

maybe somebody can explain to me what member/non-member, viewing/non-viewing status have to do with teen safety?

miranda got in trouble with her parents; there are plenty of teens here that don't.

why the call for change? :shrug:

It has to do with teen safety because just anyone can come here. A teen may post info they would want a fellow fan to know and not think about all the guests. In the past, I've even 'forgot' about guests being here.
Yes, Miranda got in trouble, but for all we know, it may have been because of something her parents saw here. We don't really know.
Truly, it's not just about her, it's about any minor posting things here that are personal info. If people think it should not be a members only board, then I respect their opinion, but I do think the mods should delete personal info a minor posts here.

DefDumbandBlond

06-11-2010, 01:48 PM

I see nothing wrong with a 'members only' forum. I post frequently on a forum that allows only registered members to read and post and there's absolutely no problem. People are worried about safety, if anything it IS more safe to have a members only forum, not just for minors but everyone. Some things I post on the other forum I frequent I would prefer only actual members seeing, and not anyone who happens to flow through the website.

Honestly if someone is interested enough in the content they will join, I can't imagine for the majority of people it would deter anyone from signing up if they really did want to read what was posted here. God forbid it be too time consuming to fill out a few things to become a member. :laugh:

ButterCookie

06-11-2010, 02:18 PM

Some things I post on the other forum I frequent I would prefer only actual members seeing, and not anyone who happens to flow through the website.

That's because we're filthy tarts :xoxo:

DefDumbandBlond

06-11-2010, 02:20 PM

That's because we're filthy tarts :xoxo:

HA! That we are, but hey, it's all about Debbie so ya can't blame us. :D

Macfanforever

06-11-2010, 08:52 PM

The only thing I see is bad on here is for the young ones is the cursing,but today that language is normal.Kids use it in school.back in my day ,I would of get detention for a week and my parents would take my entertainment system away for a week,and that means no Stevie/FM and country music for a week,and yes it did happen to me.and it did suck.

I think the under 18 thing wont work on here because we really dont know how old they really are.anyone could sign up saying they are 18 ,but really 13.