Privacy concerns from [split] AF Hall of Shame (Post Edition)

[Mystical]

Well, the issue was being discussed seriously by the staff, to the point of giving you too much importance to your whining about forum administration. Since you came up with this publicly (yet again), this is my advice: Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

ETA: You never fooled me.

What the %#@! are you talking about?

I'd expect more from a mod. Jacob didn't do anything wrong, and you call his highly legitimate concerns 'whining'. This entire situation is bullshit. Rayaan's conduct has been inappropriate. If that's what satisfies as an apology nowadays, well then Jacob has every right to leave and it isn't his fault at all. Its your job to ensure the comfortability of all members, religious or not, and really that's all the guy wants. To not be online stalked for no reason whatsoever. He just wants Rayaan to say, yeah I went too far, it wont happen again. Honestly, I can't imagine why this is so difficult and I'm a little disconcerted with how the other mods seem to be silent on the issue, or victim blaming. God forbid I have any issue with one of you, I'll just get told to stop whining and not let the door hit me on the way out, apparently.

I quite frankly am in disbelief at how you've handled this case. We lost a good member due to this asshattery, and I don't understand your reaction one bit. I honestly don't think any mods should do any investigations more than comparing IP addresses to ensure sock puppets are controlled. But that's my opinion, and I felt that the rules set forth were adequate, assuming they were followed.
Ban people for their conduct here. People are allowed to be Poe's and trolls. Its to be expected on the in-ter-net. Once they establish themselves as such, just hit the banhammer button. It's really not rocket science, and this excess of moderation has cost us a new member whom I was quite pleased with having as a member of our community.

[Fruity]

I don't think Jacob is being unreasonable. It really makes me think about "privacy" around here and how much it depends on whether or not the mod is bored or not. How much of a threat is a troll anyway that you would go to such measures to investigate? In any case, once you find out the guy is clean, admit it and drop the stalking. I'll be honest. I feel weird about this.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

Are the mods going to give an official answer about what they're planning to do about this? Or is this the end of it? I value my privacy online and I'm not going to be a member of a forum where they use registration information to find out what I had for lunch to see if I'm a troll. That's a pretty shitty excuse.

[NoraBrimstone]

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Dear all

Its been a barrel of fun and I've enjoyed many of my interactions here, but I am, with regret, going to find somewhere else to satisfy my desire for online interaction. I feel it only fair to everyone to explain why.

As some will have been following on this thread, one of the mod team took it upon himself to investigate me because (quote from a pm)

because I suspected that you might be a poe (or a troll perhaps). I've been getting the impression that you are not what you say you are (i.e. a Christian in this case). And I think you know the reasons for my suspicions, because we already discussed those things in our exchanges here.

These investigations included using information I gave over when I registered to find my name, then finding me on another forum (unrelated to religion), then registering on that forum in order to "read those posts" Oh and checking out my youtube account.

Curious about the reasons for this "investigation" I asked if I had broken any forum rules or given any reason to suspect I was a troll. The reply

. You haven't really broken any rules nor caused any disruption (except recently because of what I revealed to you) ... so, we don't plan to take any action against you yet.

Emphasis mine. Yet, rayaan? Do you perhaps mean "unless you break any rules"?

As I've said before on this thread, I think this is a shabby way to behave. However I was willing to try to ignore it and move on, if this was to be the end of it. I asked Rayaan, (by PM)

Simple question. Are you now done "investigating" me? Are you now satisfied that I have a legitimate reason to be posting on AF?

The reply was.

I don't actually think that there is any need to investigate you anymore; I've satisfied my own curiosity also. However, that doesn't mean that wer're never going to perform any investigations of you at all. Whatever investigation we do, know that it's going to be for the purpose of the running of this forum, not to disparage you because of the things you said in a different forum.

Emphasis mine. Delighted that you've finished using your mod privileges to "satisfy your curiosity" rayaan.

Now I agreed to abide by the rules of the forum. No problem there. And I am aware that some people do just flit from place to place to stir up trouble. I understand that. And, sometimes, moderators may wish to cross reference emails or IP addresses with other places to see if members are such individuals. I have no problem with that either.

However I have been here now for 850 odd posts. 29 people have been kind enough to give me reps. The mod team have seen my name, my email, my youtube account, and another forum. Even to the point of registering with that forum to read what I wrote. I don't know what more "investigation" may be required, or to what end, What else about me needs to be discovered online about me in order to keep the forum running smoothly?!

All I'm asking is that having already undertaken such a detailed investigation on me and found nothing, that the mod team (viz, rayaan) now simply enforce the rules on what I actually post here rather than do any further "Investigation" about anything elsewhere. I don't feel that's an unreasonable request. Apparently however, it is.

To reiterate, this level of investigation has taken place in spite of the fact that I have not broken any forum rules. By somebody who in his own words

called you things like disingenuous, hypocrite, double-speaker, munafiq, etc., but you know that those are just my inferences.

He said

I investigated so that I may be able to obtain external evidence to verify my suspicions of you, and to keep those information for future use in case you start crossing the line in this forum as well

Rayaan did not, he tells me, did not actually obtain any such evidence of me crossing any line, on any forum.

So I'm afraid I don't feel comfortable here any longer. I think one way and another I've given more than enough evidence that I am neither poe nor troll. If this is not sufficient, if further "investigation" may still happen, I'd rather leave than have rayaan rummaging through my online dustbins hoping in vain he might find something "to verify my suspicions of you, and to keep those information for future use" (his words) every time I say something he doesn't like. All I was asking was that my actions here are judged here. If I break rules here, that the sanction here is carried out here and that having satisfied themselves that I am what I say I am that rayaan undertake not to do any further "investigation" elsewhere. If that's an unrealistic expectation here then I don't wish to be here.

Apologies to the mod team for the disruption. Tiberius I know you said back on 27th that you'd appreciate it if people would not discuss it until it has been resolved. Rayaan and I have been PM'ing on this since then so I'm assuming that his comments above represent the position of the mod team. Sorry, I think there is something a little bit sinister and creepy about "stalker muslim" (his words). I don't WANT to be stalked "to satisfy his curiousity (his words). Not why I'm here. If it might happen again, I'll pass.

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Holy fucking shit. Is that even legal? Using your personal information to actually stalk you, I mean. Creepy as fuck.

Big Brother eat your fucking heart out!

[pocaracas]

I'm not so sure the mods can access more than the IP addresses we use...
Now, admins, on the other hand... have full access to all our login details, specially e-mail address. That's why I have a special dedicated e-mail address for forums and other places from where I can expect junk and spam.
My main e-mail is out of you people's reach... or should be...

[pineapplebunnybounce]

It reminds me of the NSA agents who were looking into hot girls on the excuse that they might be terrorists or are involved in terrorists activity to be honest.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

As a donator some of my financial information is also known, although I have faith that Tiberius et al would never use that for anything, even if I were suspected of trolling.

A sorry affair this has turned out to be. Jacob always struck me as quite an affable chap, but I don't know all the details.

[Mystical]

I'm not so sure the mods can access more than the IP addresses we use...
Now, admins, on the other hand... have full access to all our login details, specially e-mail address. That's why I have a special dedicated e-mail address for forums and other places from where I can expect junk and spam.
My main e-mail is out of you people's reach... or should be...

Oh its an admin privelage then. I thought all mods had that email info. to be honest I never thought twice about the email I signed up with. Had I known, I would've set one up specifically for the forum. But not in my wildest dreams would I have guessed someone would use that email to investigate me.

[Lemonvariable72]

I do not know what the fuck you read poet but it can't be what I read. Rayaan's being behavior is not only fucking creepy but a total violation of the rules and abuse of his priveledges as a staff member. I personally feel that he should held to a even higher standard of conduct being a staffer. But so far this has been totally bungled and you people should be very ashamed of him. However condemnation seems to be long in coming. I'm not sure that I feel comfortable here anymore either, and I doubt I will as long ad rayaan is on staff.

[Angrboda]

I'd expect more from a mod. Jacob didn't do anything wrong, and you call his highly legitimate concerns 'whining'. This entire situation is bullshit. Rayaan's conduct has been inappropriate.

Well, mods and staff should be allowed to be human and make mistakes, too. We hold them to a higher standard for obvious reasons, but they make mistakes just like everybody else. What is more important is how things are handled once the mistake has been recognized, and in this case, the followup has been anemic at best. And in the case of comments by some staff afterward, arguably the situation has been made worse, not better.



I too am sorry to see you go on account of such reasons, Jacob. It's just really shitty.