AAGGHH!

Please tell me you're not trying to put the blame on us for not making a forum private.

An internet user, and ONLY that internet user, is responsible for the amount of private information they share on the internet and this webpage. Nothing is disclosed against their will, nor is any information required. It is the user's choice as to what to disclose and what not to disclose. When they put personal information on a PUBLICALLY VIEWABLE profile, they're opening themselves up to all sorts of potential danger and harassment. This website takes no responsibility for the amount of private information a member discloses, as it is completely up to them as to what they want to share.

If somebody wants to take that chance, then it's up to them. But we're not going to coddle and babysit each member who should know better when it comes to sharing private information. Disclose at your own risk, we take no responsibility for whatever you put in your profiles. And rightfully so.

It IS her fault. She was careless enough to share the information that, as Tomi showed, was very easily traceable. These are the risks you take. You don't blame a car company for getting a speeding ticket. She's learned her lesson and I hope she's smart enough not to repeat the same mistake.

 

We made the information private, so if this guy registered, it would be easier for us to get an IP and track him. It is very difficult to work with anonymous users on a forum. That is the sole reason I made it private, to entice him to register. It doesn't matter if we have it private or public. It takes 30 seconds to register, so if someone wanted the info, they could still get it even if it was private. Making the info private all along would not have stopped anything.

Plus, why the hell are you posting such personal info anyways? This is the internet. 6 billion people around the world can read anything you post on your MySpace, or your Xanga, or your LiveJournal, or in the forums you visit. I know people like the close-knit community we have here, and having friends online they can talk to about just about anything, but the openness of some members here has always been a concern of mine because I knew things like this would happen. It's serious business. Right now, the only consequence is some kid with too much time on his hands is bothering you on AIM. But keep posting this sort of stuff, and there are harsh consequences such as identity theft which can just completely ruin your financial life and destroy any hopes you have of buying a house, car or any other sort of loan.

Yes, I want this disturbed fuck off this site just as much as everyone else. But frankly, if members here aren't even going cut back on the amount of personal info they post online, then I'm not going to waste my time going through server logs and banning IPs.

Everyone, continue sharing your life story on the LPA and the rest of the internet if you want. I don't care. Just don't be upset when someone uses that info to their advantage.

 

Sorry Louis, but if you are going to blame us for a member's lack of discretion then that's just unacceptable. When you put information about yourself on the internet, even a telephone number to register for a website, you are making yourself publicly available to anyone who wants that information. Most websites, while they may not want to admit it, sell your information to third party sources so that you can be spammed, called, or sold a product/service that you have really no particular interest in.

For those who have private numbers, you ever sit and look at your caller ID and wonder how all these 1800 numbers are contacting you when your phone number is unlisted (like mine)? The internet, that's how. Any information you provide on the internet can EASILY be found for free and therefore you all need to be just a little more careful.

In addition, due to the fact this situation is getting 'touchy' I would like to let you know that when you sign up to our website, you completely relinquish us of all responsibility for whatever YOU say on here, and we certainly will not stand idly while someone tries to state that is OUR fault for not making profiles private to guests. The fact remains that, even though I hate this stalker as much as you guys do, perhaps if members would explore a little bit more discretion, we would not be having this discussion in the first place.

Plain and simple, this situation is involving some of my closest friends and I want to track this guy down and get to the bottom of the problems, which is why profiles are now switched to registration only. This guy will no doubt try to register and see the profile, and when he does? We'll get his IP and he'll be blocked from accessing not just LPA's forums but the main site as well.

However, I would like to say that I've noticed a huge attitude problem from you lately Amanda and that kind of stuff needs to stop. You need to be grateful and THANKFUL that we are going to all these lengths to stop this guy for you, even though you still have all your information publicly accessible on your profile.

We are continuing to hunt him down even though you're being incredibly disrespectful to whoever offers you a hand, and therefore I believe you need to chill.

I may be your friend, but I'm also a administrator and I have a job to do on these boards.