http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=437x5129Oh my.
MH1 (1000+ posts) Sun Nov-20-11 09:59 AM
Original message
Posting a person's home address, cell phone number, etc.
I have a question about the policy of posting a person's personal information publicly on DU. The post that motivates my question is one currently on the Greatest list about the pepper-spraying of protestors at UC Davis. The information is for the police officer alleged to have done the pepper-spraying.
Sure, the appearance is that what the guy did is heinous, and it also appears that there is no doubt as to the identity of the police officer. That said, we are supposed to have a rule of law in this country, and everyone - EVERYONE - is supposed to have the right to presumption of innocence and a fair trial. Isn't posting someone's personal information an incitement to harassment at least, and potentially vigilante justice?
There is also information in the post about how to file a formal complaint. THAT is appropriate and should be left there.
It is my feeling that a forum the size of DU should have a blanket policy against posting anyone's personal address and phone number, at least in the context where it can be assumed that information is to be used to harass the person. Actually, I thought DU had such a policy.
I am going to alert on the post now for that reason, but since I don't always find out if my alerts are acted on - and often it takes hours anyway - I wanted to ask the question explicitly:
What is DU's policy on the posting of personal information (home address, cell phone number, etc) of another person (regardless of DU membership)?
(and yes, I expect to be identified by some dim bulb who might read this as 'taking the side' of the police officer in question. No, I am taking the side of due process.)
{Edited for boneheadedness on description of the thread}
Skinner ADMIN (1000+ posts) Tue Nov-22-11 11:21 AM
Response to Original message
1. Members are not permitted to post private/personal information about anyone.
Yep, and franksolich must admit his fellow alum does a good job enforcing that rule.
No sarcasm intended; Skins really does.
On the other hand, my fellow alum needs to crack the whip over the moderators so the primitives don't get away so much mentioning conservativecave and the DUmpster, which aren't supposed to be mentioned.
MH1 (1000+ posts) Tue Nov-22-11 12:44 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Thanks, that's what I understood, but it seems a lot of folks don't understand that.
You might find replies to this thread interesting:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
Maybe when a situation like the Pike case arises, it wouldn't hurt to pin a reminder at the top of GD? Just a suggestion.
I will say that it appears that the thread that motivated my question was eventually deleted. I did alert on it. But by the time I got there it had over 80 recs and probably over 100 responses. Some expressing concern at the posting of private info. I assumed that it had been alerted on several times already. Yet here it was, high on the Greatest.
Some have suggested there is a potential liability concern for DU when personal info is posted. If that is true, occasionally posting a reminder might help.
