John, I've got a question . . .

Posted By: Jerry kergan (P-15 "Lazy Ka" Concord/San Francisco Bay)
Date: 6/28/09 12:56p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Link to map "unlisted" in Google, to be removed...just ask (John McNeely)

. . . Just exactly how would you know if Bill Nolen’s list of e-mail addresses had been misused? Do you have some access to multiple e-mail servers that you would give you insight into misuse? As one with over 10 years experience in web publishing and server applications, I have no way of determining whether or not an e-mail list has been compromised or misused. I’m curious as to what utilities you have at your disposal to make such a determination. The following is not intended to be critical of any individual, but rather to voice concerns that should be considered when choosing to re-use personal information on the internet. I had not given any thought to Bill Nolen’s list until the subject was raised here. You wrote “WWpotterowners.com site has listed this same information for many years . . . “— I don’t believe this is the case. Nolen’s list has only been public since December 2008, just under 6 months. Consider this; Bill Nolen's list was buried within the Yahoo Groups until December of last year. So listed, these pages are not open to the public at large, and are shielded by Yahoo’s security measures from search engines and the more troublesome web crawlers that search for e-mail addresses. Nolen’s list is no longer so protected. Clearly, an exposure to misuse now exists that did not exist before December. Another question: Did you cull you data from Nolen’s list, or some other? Your response to Bill Payne implies that Nolen’s list was the basis for your map data. I am unclear. Personal security online is a concern to a large number of internet users. Evidence the majority of folks who use pseudonyms or “handles” on bulletin boards, forums, and in their e-mail addresses—this forum being the exception, where most post under their name. It seems that an assumption of implied consent has been applied to the propagation of the list from which you drew your map data. In other words, if a Potter Owner is listed on one list, then he/she certainly would not object to having their information used on your map project. Enter the concept of “Negative Consent” . . . That is, once the data has been entered into the map database, based on the assumed consent as out lined above, consent is inferred unless the individual requests removal. They must give “Negative Consent.” In other words, the individual must take action to withdraw consent that they never gave in the first place. In closing, it seems that Bill Payne is on the right track in suggesting that a plan be put in place to confirm the wishes of each entry on your map project. http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/potter/index.cgi/read/82084 Bill Nolen's original plan to allow those who wish to be included to make entries Jerry