My ethical dilemma for today. I know, because I'm the site admin, that a particular user is posting things under multiple names, agreeing with himself to lend credibility to a position that nobody else holds.
So, the question is, when users have an expectation of anonymity, and one user is intentionally exploiting that anonymity to be cruel, can I "out" this user, because it's my site?
I dunno, but he's seriously making me angry, and I suppose I should just take the moral high ground and ignore him, but I'm finding that very hard to do.
Contact that person privately and tell them to stop or that you will out him or her. If it doesn't stop, then it is that persons choice to be outed.
-Brian
Do you have to violate that person's anonymity in order to "out" him? I don't know much about site administration, but I wouldn't think so. Is his anonymity the only ethical dilemma?
IMHO you'd really only be violating his privacy if you were to go and say: "all these postings are made by XXX" - if you just note that all postings are made by one person, then I don't see the problem.
If the name on the first posting just happens to lead to that person, that can't be your problem because he volunteered it.
The only alternative would be to delete all the faked postings and I really don't think that would be a better solution...
Well, I'm pretty sure that such activity is against the TOS (or "forum rules") for most established forums (something along the lines of "Multiple accounts not allowed"), and I've seen users banned for it on several forums. It's not out of line to control your own forum.
C'on it's your site. Trust your feelings.
Nobody messes with you on your site.
Give that chap a good slap bellow his back.
Other users need not know why one of his alter egos has been expelled.
I don't have any expectations of anonimity when posting to a personal blog, particularily not when doing something silly.
I agree with paul, he seems like a pretty smart guy, his book was awesome too!
Dear Sir,,
i want to know about the site admin hr responsibilities, please send me a maill.
with best regards
venu gopal AQ.