Should The Ledge message board be members only?

[holidayroad]

To see more about the issues that have led to this question, please read the threads "A Message From Miranda (StreetAngel95)' and 'Safety issues for teen users of The Ledge'

For anyone who doesn't know how this question came up........It started with finding out that StreetAngel95's parents' said she couldn't come here. This then turned into some people being concerned about teen (or anyone's) safety and privacy here at The Ledge.
Then the discussion also led to opinions on whether guests should be here, since they also see everything we post. Some people said in the other thread that they were for a private board, others said they were against. I figured this vote would be the best way to know how everyone feels.

[bluefox4000]

Yes for me

Mick

[MissLadyLoki]

I voted yes cause there is too many people lurking around and looking and not being members, which can be a problem. Also, it seems perfectly right that if you wanna read the boards, you have gotta be a member, as with many forums (such as IMDb, which I was once a member of).

As for worries about less people coming in, the Penguin comes up in searches a lot if someone is looking for something related to the Mac, and they could easily find this board afterwards.

[BTFLCHLD]

no.


if the true agenda here is teen safety, IMO, a headline or sticky thread with a warning on posting personal information and/or providing personal information within private message is discouraged should be sufficient. In today's age, I would hope the majority of children/adults have been advised of this tid-bit previously. But being as gentle reminders can be good, the above would seem appropriate. As well, moderators can be of assistance in the removal of private information and guidance can be given by members with a possible referral to forum rules/FAQs...should they feel the need to do so.

in reading the Teen Safety Thread it began to read more an exclusion of guests reviewing pics and/or obtaining download links; not quite in-line with teen safety.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by MissLadyLoki

I voted yes cause there is too many people lurking around and looking and not being members, which can be a problem. Also, it seems perfectly right that if you wanna read the boards, you have gotta be a member, as with many forums (such as IMDb, which I was once a member of).

As for worries about less people coming in, the Penguin comes up in searches a lot if someone is looking for something related to the Mac, and they could easily find this board afterwards.

Exactly how are lurkers a "problem." Your post seems to suggest a perjorative meaning to the word "lurker." To me a lurker is a "reader." They are watching the happenings and not participating. Exactly how can that be a problem? Seems to me that most of the moderating issues are caused by those that are signed in and participating, not those that keep their mouths shut.

Some people lurk because they just have nothing current to say. Is that wrong in your mind? There are lots of Fleetwood Mac fans that read the board with no need to comment. It's always been like that here. If you look at The Ledge front page there were 300 + people reading the night a show began. Did that hurt anyone? How would that affect you? There are people that financially support this board that "lurk." Lurking need not be a sinister, evil practive. Actually, it's those that probably display undo familiarity that you probably should be careful with--those who say inappropriate things to you, ask for personal information, (phone numbers, your school, address, etc) etc--not those that keep their mouths shut and merely read The Ledge and other areas of The Penguin. Shall we blindfold people from reading a Fleetwood Mac message board because one 15 year old was told by her parents (for reasons that are not clear) that she can't post here?

btw, 15 year olds are rather hard to "control." There's libraries, and any other number of places were she might also lurk. Either her parents trust her, or they don't. And she is either trustworthy or she's not to her parents demands. In the end, she will be 18 soon, and have to make all her own decisions about life. Meanwhile, shall The Ledge be changed for her?

In terms of safety, is it necessary for minors to post on a board where they are sitting at a show? And post their photos? Anyone could just PM/email those people that you really know and trust. This is the age of the internet. "Kids" are educated quite young in school about "the evil internet," and there has been plenty of education available about it on TV, magazines, and on the internet itself.

A Fleetwood Mac website hardly seems the place for pediphiles to hang out anyhow.

In the end, none of this is really up to us. The board is privately owned. It's not a democracy. The moderators have been doing a tireless job on this website for a number of years now. Isn't that enough policing?

[BTFLCHLD]

Originally Posted by Tango

.

ditto

still scratchin my head over this one...

[LukeA]

I think the teen aspect is only part of a rather compelling argument to make The Ledge accessible to registered members only.

[HomerMcvie]

Tango- excellent post! I agree!

[ButterCookie]

Originally Posted by Tango

A Fleetwood Mac website hardly seems the place for pediphiles to hang out anyhow.

I agree with your post and I voted No. This point in particular, though. The 'creepers' are going to be on Taylor Swift forums where the posters are younger and not necessarily as 'internet savvy' as Ledgie minors. Since beginning to post here I have learned that Fleetwood Mac fans are intelligent and are (mainly) people who I love to sit down and have a meaningful conversation with. People who are too smart to fall into the 'trap' of a paedophile. The 'lurkers' probably just want to avoid the cat fights!

[TrueFaith77]

No, members should be restricted to 18+.

[ButterCookie]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

No, members should be restricted to 18+.

When I signed up to Facebook a few years ago, it was still 18+. I was at least 13 then.

[JWS]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

No, members should be restricted to 18+.

How is that policed? Would you have to scan in your birth certificate? Complete an application?

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by BTFLCHLD

no.


if the true agenda here is teen safety, IMO, a headline or sticky thread with a warning on posting personal information and/or providing personal information within private message is discouraged should be sufficient. In today's age, I would hope the majority of children/adults have been advised of this tid-bit previously. But being as gentle reminders can be good, the above would seem appropriate. As well, moderators can be of assistance in the removal of private information and guidance can be given by members with a possible referral to forum rules/FAQs...should they feel the need to do so.

in reading the Teen Safety Thread it began to read more an exclusion of guests reviewing pics and/or obtaining download links; not quite in-line with teen safety.

I do agree that, at the least, there needs to be a sticky/ advisement to any minor here or one that joins that states to not put private info or info that shows your location on the board. I also think that if a minor Does put the info on the board, it should be deleted. If they want to give a certain Ledgie their address/info/etc., it at least needs to be in a private message. (not the best thing to do either, but better than showing it to everyone).

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by Tango

btw, 15 year olds are rather hard to "control." There's libraries, and any other number of places were she might also lurk. Either her parents trust her, or they don't. And she is either trustworthy or she's not to her parents demands. In the end, she will be 18 soon, and have to make all her own decisions about life. Meanwhile, shall The Ledge be changed for her?

In the end, none of this is really up to us. The board is privately owned. It's not a democracy. The moderators have been doing a tireless job on this website for a number of years now. Isn't that enough policing?

I don't feel the boards should be changed Just because of what happened, it just brought up some underlying issues.
I do agree that none of this is 'up to us', but if a clear majority of people feel the boards should be 'members only', or a majority thinks they should remain public, then at least it will show the moderators how we feel about it

[Musicman408]

No we shouldn't limit it to members only. It isn't necessarily our job to teach about online safety and whatnot- that's a family's job. Though I wouldn't necessarily be against an age limit of 16.