[MartynSinclair]

One of the issues that keeps returning is the authenticity/credibility of some of the posters & content being posted.

We all know this is cyberspace, where some posters need or want to remain anonymous and content is more or less moderated in a self managed manner. This works fine most of the time.

However, on a couple of threads there is some ‘heat’ over the credibility of some thread content, with one poster pressing another about certain content………(the actual thread is not relevant)…

Perhaps as a half way house, would BT consider verifying posters identity strictly on a voluntary & agreed basis. This way, all posters (including controversial ones) will have credibility about what they post.. A mark could be made against their names indicating BT have verified their ID.

I am not asking for anyone to be forced to publicly reveal themselves, I can not see any need for posters to change there Forum names. I see the big advantage being that it will give the Forum additional credibility to sit alongside the IP and email addresses BT already hold.

I will also add, I have met 20 – 30 posters through the years, including controversial posters and there is not one person I have met, that I would not wish to sit around a dinner table talking about what we like to talk about best……….. TRAVEL..

[Tom Otley]

Hello,

It’s an interesting idea.

As you say, it would be voluntary, so the majority would not do it (why should they?).

Setting aside whether the software is capable of indicating such a mark, it would be quite time-consuming to check whatever credentials were offered, and would only mean that we know who they are, not that they know what they are talking about, or even have the facts or information they claim. That would be impossible to verify.

I’m a former barrister, but it doesn’t mean I know much about the law (it was a long time ago).

There are quite a few weekend pilots on the forum, but that doesn’t mean they know much about flying a wide body.

I like reading their opinions, but it doesn’t mean I rely on them, or even believe them sometimes. I certainly wouldn’t quote them in a journalistic piece. (In fact one of the things that this generation will be the last to enjoy is journalists checking facts before they publish something. That horse has bolted. People just want it free and on Facebook, and don’t care who is writing it or why or who is paying them).

I think people tend to give more weight to forum posters over a period of time (or not). They can look back at their previous comments if they want to, or simply remember their positions on previous topics. Even that brings difficulties, however. In the past we’ve had problems when forum posters “investigate” one another and this results in information available on sites such as Linkedin and other forums being brought back here and used against them to discredit what they say , and it gets very messy. I’ve been lightly moderating this forum for 15 years – and many say it’s been far too light a moderation I’ve employed. My defence is that the forum is meant to be where people swap tips and tell stories and argue over travel topics.

Anyway, let’s hear what others think.

Thank you

Tom

[FDOS_UK]

I think Martyn’s idea has merit and would add value to the forum.

When someone is allowed to publish a post containing a defamatory line like this about a large airline operating under under EC oversight, without challenge

Well now they have discovered how to be nice all they need to do is to discover how to clean a cabin, train their staff in safety procedures and fit a decent seat ?

There is something wrong with the forum governance.

Expressing a strong opinion about airline service is okay by me, but the above is libelous and should not be tolerated.

[Henryp1]

[quote quote=814862]Hello,

It’s an interesting idea.

As you say, it would be voluntary, so the majority would not do it (why should they?).

Setting aside whether the software is capable of indicating such a mark, it would be quite time-consuming to check whatever credentials were offered, and would only mean that we know who they are, not that they know what they are talking about, or even have the facts or information they claim. That would be impossible to verify.

I’m a former barrister, but it doesn’t mean I know much about the law (it was a long time ago).

There are quite a few weekend pilots on the forum, but that doesn’t mean they know much about flying a wide body.

I like reading their opinions, but it doesn’t mean I rely on them, or even believe them sometimes. I certainly wouldn’t quote them in a journalistic piece. (In fact one of the things that this generation will be the last to enjoy is journalists checking facts before they publish something. That horse has bolted. People just want it free and on Facebook, and don’t care who is writing it or why or who is paying them).

I think people tend to give more weight to forum posters over a period of time (or not). They can look back at their previous comments if they want to, or simply remember their positions on previous topics. Even that brings difficulties, however. In the past we’ve had problems when forum posters “investigate” one another and this results in information available on sites such as Linkedin and other forums being brought back here and used against them to discredit what they say , and it gets very messy. I’ve been lightly moderating this forum for 15 years – and many say it’s been far too light a moderation I’ve employed. My defence is that the forum is meant to be where people swap tips and tell stories and argue over travel topics.

Anyway, let’s hear what others think.

Thank you

Tom

[/quote]

+ 1

Absolutely, I agree that knowing who has posted does not guarantee accuracy, often there is a common denominator for the ‘heat’ as Martyn posted. With such an open and anonymous forum I’m really surprised that other posters would want to investigate others, if there is something which seems unreal I just ignore and move on, it’s really strange to think that other posters may want to check up on other anonymous posters.

[FDOS_UK]

Henryp1

Absolutely, I agree that knowing who has posted does not guarantee accuracy, often there is a common denominator for the ‘heat’ as Martyn posted. With such an open and anonymous forum I’m really surprised that other posters would want to investigate others, if there is something which seems unreal I just ignore and move on, it’s really strange to think that other posters may want to check up on other anonymous posters.

I think it was before your time, but I do remember one poster trying to investigate NTarrant (who visits infrequently, but has been around for many years). IIRC, he was trying to show NT was a former local politician involved in some minor scandal.

Of course, the hypothesis was false, but it did leave a bad taste in the mouth.

I have never tried to investigate another member and imagine that very few others, if any, have either.

[canucklad]

There’s a lot of merit in Martyn’s suggestion, and Tom and his team are best placed to know the viability of the idea.

What struck me, is that posters are investigating others. For me, if you have the time to go and investigate other anonymous people, I’d suspect that you’re probably less credible than the person you’re supposedly investigating.

And, the reality is this. Anyone who contributes on here, can easily blag their credentials.

For example, I’m going to personally recommend a fantastic hotel in Ulan Bator.
The Hotel Nine on Amir Street,, pleasant and friendly staff, reasonably priced with lovely rooms and the food in the downstairs reception was sensational. Go for the Mongolian lamb. Succulent doesn’t do it justice.

The reality is, the closest I’ve got to staying in that hotel is probably and not sure even if I have overflown Ulan Bator is 38,000 ft on my way to Hong Kong.

The WWW is a wonderfully dangerous invention.

Which means I pretty much rely on naïve trust when reading most comments.

[FDOS_UK]

Canucklad, you’re right.

And even those people who post under names and complain about anonymity miss the point that

– the name may not be the posters real name (i.e. made up – I have met more than one person on BT who uses such a handle and they are amongst the nicest, most genuine people I have ever met and there are good reasons for their choices)

– the poster may be spoofing a real person and pretending to be them

Plus many other reasons why a forum identity could be misleading.

Even LinkedIn has its moments (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34994858) and that is a forum that does not allow anonymity and where most people are genuine.

Like you, I accept what posters write, until there is a pattern of data that leads me to believe there is something incredible.

At the moment, I have strong doubts about one poster, though it may be that the poster is simply having a laugh with the rest of the forum.

[Henryp1]

[quote quote=814874]

And, the reality is this. Anyone who contributes on here, can easily blag their credentials.

[/quote]

+ 1

[seasonedtraveller]

I am more than happy to share my personal details with the BT team.
ST

[FDOS_UK]

That’s good to hear, Seasoned. They are well aware of who I am and one of them has met me.

[jsn55]

A terrific idea, but like so much in life, probably wouldn’t work. Logistically, who would verify the ID? People who aren’t straight-forward would easily evade the verification. As long as we all maintain a moderately skeptical attitude, the system works.

[seasonedtraveller]

I can’t speak for all but in my case, they (BT) can check Linked-In, Facebook and my employers website for verification just based on my business Email address.
Also, since my name forms part of my private Email (i.e. not business), a simple search of Linked-In will verify my identity.
ST

[MartynSinclair]

There is a very simple solution if BT were prepared & more importantly, allowed to hold the information.

A certified copy of a passport and a business card – 2 items I would imagine every single one of us can easily obtain.

Underneath our Forum handle a very simple “BT verified” stamp. This should all be 100% voluntary.

I admit this is not likely to increase the fabulous forum content we all benefit from, but it should remove the credibility of some of the more questionable / imaginative posts…

I would have absolutely no issue at all with BT verifying my ID in this manner….

I see this as a halfway house to making the Forum more credible, without reducing access to anybody around the world who reads the Forum…

[seasonedtraveller]

[quote quote=814958]There is a very simple solution if BT were prepared & more importantly, allowed to hold the information.

A certified copy of a passport and a business card – 2 items I would imagine every single one of us can easily obtain.

Underneath our Forum handle a very simple “BT verified” stamp. This should all be 100% voluntary.

I admit this is not likely to increase the fabulous forum content we all benefit from, but it should remove the credibility of some of the more questionable / imaginative posts…

I would have absolutely no issue at all with BT verifying my ID in this manner….

I see this as a halfway house to making the Forum more credible, without reducing access to anybody around the world who reads the Forum…

[/quote]

Perfect and, easy to apply.

Actually, the only reason I am anon on here, personally, is just in case it turns out that Mr FDOS is the CEO of my company and therefore finds out that it’s actually me who is swanning around the globe in business class, spending way too much company Dollar in the process 🙂

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=814959]

MartynSinclair wrote:

There is a very simple solution if BT were prepared & more importantly, allowed to hold the information.

A certified copy of a passport and a business card – 2 items I would imagine every single one of us can easily obtain.

Underneath our Forum handle a very simple “BT verified” stamp. This should all be 100% voluntary.

I admit this is not likely to increase the fabulous forum content we all benefit from, but it should remove the credibility of some of the more questionable / imaginative posts…

I would have absolutely no issue at all with BT verifying my ID in this manner….

I see this as a halfway house to making the Forum more credible, without reducing access to anybody around the world who reads the Forum…

Perfect and, easy to apply.

Actually, the only reason I am anon on here, personally, is just in case it turns out that Mr FDOS is the CEO of my company and therefore finds out that it’s actually me who is swanning around the globe in business class, spending way too much company Dollar in the process ?

[/quote]
I’m not and Martyn Sinclair will vouch for that 🙂 See how it improves things, when there is some trust.

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