There’s a major sh*tfight going on in the Ravelry forums today, and I’ve been watching with interest. It’s about privacy and the expectations people have when they join a social site. The owners basically announced that (as many of us hoped) once the site is out of beta, anyone will be able to visit the site and view your projects, stash, etc. You’ll still have to join in order to get your own Notebook, leave comments, send messages, or post in the forums. Fair enough. (This is exactly how Metafilter works.) The outcry is coming from folks who’ve contributed to groups and forums that they’d rather not be associated with their username (such as atheists, gays, etc.). I don’t get this. Who on the Internet still doesn’t know that you NEVER post anything in the expectation it will be private? It boggles the mind. And I don’t get their insistence that making the site password-protected will matter. Once they open sign-ups, anybody that wants to can join and “stalk” you that way. So what’s the point? *sigh* I’m just glad that Casey and Jess aren’t turning Ravelry into livejournal or Facebook. Down with closed communities!
Susan
October 10, 2007 — 7:49 pm
Good grief! I’ve skimmed a few of the posts and, frankly, I wonder about the maturity of some posters – especially those who claim to have been online since the beginning. As you said, no-one should think they are anonymous on the web. Preventing search engines from indexing the forums should be enough. After all, anyone will be able to register once the backlog is cleared. Do people want new members to prove their knitting credentials before being admitted?
I hate the closed sites. I resent having to register before reading a forum – particularly when you find that the group isn’t what you thought it was. Thank goodness for disposable email addresses!
Kris
October 10, 2007 — 8:34 pm
I also like the “BUT THINK OF THE CHILDREN!” posters who are concerned that some 12-year-old is going to click on a penis warmer pattern and be scarred for life (or that their parents will somehow sue the site owners). It’s a tempest in a teapot.
miftik
October 10, 2007 — 11:55 pm
Oh good grief. I stopped at page four. My blood pressure is going up and I’m going to the doctors in an hour. I’ll check it when I get back.
Kris
October 11, 2007 — 1:00 am
It gets better towards the end, miftik, when everybody realizes that Jess and Casey are getting piled on and rushes to their defense. It’s those first dozen pages that will make your blood boil…
crumpet
October 11, 2007 — 1:38 am
What I really don’t get is all the concern that stash lists will not be private. Huh? How is this even an issue? I keep trying, but I just don’t get it…
miftik
October 11, 2007 — 4:40 am
Thanks, I’m going to start reading the rest in a bit. Crumpet… someone might stalk you to try and steal all of your yarn! Yeah, I don’t get the wanting to hide your stash stuff either. If someone is that worried about their stash, but still want to be organized, I say get a notebook and keep your stash list in there.
Kris
October 11, 2007 — 12:03 pm
Huh. Did somebody delete the whole discussion? I can’t see it anywhere now.
Kris
October 11, 2007 — 12:42 pm
Looks like Casey buried it, in case any of the rest of you are wondering. You can still find it though, by clicking on my posts (or anyone else that contributed).