WHO IS ONLINE

[Jamiet99uk]

I recently discovered, to my surprise, that the WHO IS ONLINE thing in the "STATISTICS" box at the bottom of the forum is actually a *link* which opens up another page.

That page displays not only who is online but what they are doing. For every person on the forum when you click it, it tells you which specific sub-forum they're reading or posting in or, more worryingly, if they're using the Private Messages facility, it tells you whether they are reading, composing, or replying to a Private Message at that precise moment in time.

I think this is an unjustified breach of users' privacy and should be disabled. I can see no reason why ordinary users need to be able to see this information about each other's activities.

I would also, frankly, like to know why webDip decided to include or turn on this stupid feature? Like who thought this was necessary or a good idea?

I would hope that disabling this feature would be a straightforward task, since I notice that tricolor.x-tk.ru, the forum that you copied, has this feature disabled.

Please can I therefore suggest that this unjustified feature is removed or disabled as soon as possible?

[nesdunk14]

Oh wow that's pretty gross.

[ubercacher16]

I open the link and see like 5 people "viewing who is online"

[yavuzovic]

I open the link and see like 5 people "viewing who is online"

Creepy

[yavuzovic]

Everybody gangsta until Bing[bot] starts writing on Announcements

[e.m.c^42]

To be honest, I don't think it's particularly any more of a privacy breach than a "someone is online", "someone is typing", or "seen" notification, which are staples of almost all messaging applications.

Private messages are essentially user-specific forum threads, so it's no different from the "viewing/replying in topic".

Besides, it's not like there isn't an option to opt out on a personal basis if someone doesn't like it. Just set [Hide my online status] in Forum Settings to [Yes].

[Jamiet99uk]

To be honest, I don't think it's particularly any more of a privacy breach than a "someone is online", "someone is typing", or "seen" notification, which are staples of almost all messaging applications.

Private messages are essentially user-specific forum threads, so it's no different from the "viewing/replying in topic".

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

[dargorygel]

I'd like this to be disabled, although I admit to not having enough coding information to grasp the effects of the law of unintended consequences. We DO, of course, have the option of always 'hiding' our presence. But that has the effect of un-communitying our community.

It is TMI, imo.

[e.m.c^42]

To be honest, I don't think it's particularly any more of a privacy breach than a "someone is online", "someone is typing", or "seen" notification, which are staples of almost all messaging applications.

Private messages are essentially user-specific forum threads, so it's no different from the "viewing/replying in topic".

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

The public forum is merely one large group chat, is sort of point I am making.

[Jamiet99uk]

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

The public forum is merely one large group chat, is sort of point I am making.

Yes, and I disagree with your point.

[worcej]

I'd like this to be disabled, although I admit to not having enough coding information to grasp the effects of the law of unintended consequences. We DO, of course, have the option of always 'hiding' our presence. But that has the effect of un-communitying our community.

It is TMI, imo.

Similar mindset here - I don't need to know what people are actually doing on the forum if they keep their online status visible.

[kgray]

To be honest, I don't think it's particularly any more of a privacy breach than a "someone is online", "someone is typing", or "seen" notification, which are staples of almost all messaging applications.

Private messages are essentially user-specific forum threads, so it's no different from the "viewing/replying in topic".

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

Right, but it's not like the "who's online" feature tells you who anybody is actually messaging. I agree that it seems unnecessary (and for Mafia games is certainly not ideal) but I don't see how it's a breach of privacy. Especially since you can just hide your online status altogether if you want to.

[BunnyGo]

To be honest, I don't think it's particularly any more of a privacy breach than a "someone is online", "someone is typing", or "seen" notification, which are staples of almost all messaging applications.

Private messages are essentially user-specific forum threads, so it's no different from the "viewing/replying in topic".

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

Right, but it's not like the "who's online" feature tells you who anybody is actually messaging. I agree that it seems unnecessary (and for Mafia games is certainly not ideal) but I don't see how it's a breach of privacy. Especially since you can just hide your online status altogether if you want to.

I have no opinion to contribute one way or the other. I have been noticing the opinions largely seem based on “side of the Atlantic”.

[Jamiet99uk]

To be honest, I don't think it's particularly any more of a privacy breach than a "someone is online", "someone is typing", or "seen" notification, which are staples of almost all messaging applications.

Private messages are essentially user-specific forum threads, so it's no different from the "viewing/replying in topic".

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

Right, but it's not like the "who's online" feature tells you who anybody is actually messaging. I agree that it seems unnecessary (and for Mafia games is certainly not ideal) but I don't see how it's a breach of privacy. Especially since you can just hide your online status altogether if you want to.

But it is totally unnecessary, and you know I'm not the only one who's expressed concern about it, so can you (and by "you" I mean the webDip authorities, not you kgray personally) turn it off?

[kgray]

I don't think it's the same at all. A public forum, where everyone can see what you post, is not the same as a messaging app, where you decide who you're exchanging messages with.

Right, but it's not like the "who's online" feature tells you who anybody is actually messaging. I agree that it seems unnecessary (and for Mafia games is certainly not ideal) but I don't see how it's a breach of privacy. Especially since you can just hide your online status altogether if you want to.

But it is totally unnecessary, and you know I'm not the only one who's expressed concern about it, so can you (and by "you" I mean the webDip authorities, not you kgray personally) turn it off?

I have no idea, sorry. I (kgray personally) am not the right person to ask... I have never looked at the site's code and I have no plans to.

[Jamiet99uk]

Right, but it's not like the "who's online" feature tells you who anybody is actually messaging. I agree that it seems unnecessary (and for Mafia games is certainly not ideal) but I don't see how it's a breach of privacy. Especially since you can just hide your online status altogether if you want to.

But it is totally unnecessary, and you know I'm not the only one who's expressed concern about it, so can you (and by "you" I mean the webDip authorities, not you kgray personally) turn it off?

I have no idea, sorry. I (kgray personally) am not the right person to ask... I have never looked at the site's code and I have no plans to.

Yes but that is why I created this thread.

This is the correct area of the forum for this type of thing, yes?

[kgray]

But it is totally unnecessary, and you know I'm not the only one who's expressed concern about it, so can you (and by "you" I mean the webDip authorities, not you kgray personally) turn it off?

I have no idea, sorry. I (kgray personally) am not the right person to ask... I have never looked at the site's code and I have no plans to.

Yes but that is why I created this thread.

This is the correct area of the forum for this type of thing, yes?

Yes... And? You're obviously welcome to bring this up and I wasn't trying to shut you down. I don't see any need for that feature and I'd support getting rid of it. I just think it's a little extreme to say it's a breach of privacy.

[Tom Bombadil]

Can’t you as a user just turn off the option to appear online already?

[dargorygel]

Can’t you as a user just turn off the option to appear online already?

Yes, Tom... The minor downside of this is that we lose some small sense of community. IF a switch can be thrown downtown, it seems like a worthwhile thing. If it takes major code stuff, I understand not doing it. At least without doubling mod/admin salaries... Or time in the condo in the Congo.

[jmo1121109]

I recently discovered, to my surprise, that the WHO IS ONLINE thing in the "STATISTICS" box at the bottom of the forum is actually a *link* which opens up another page.

That page displays not only who is online but what they are doing. For every person on the forum when you click it, it tells you which specific sub-forum they're reading or posting in or, more worryingly, if they're using the Private Messages facility, it tells you whether they are reading, composing, or replying to a Private Message at that precise moment in time.

I think this is an unjustified breach of users' privacy and should be disabled. I can see no reason why ordinary users need to be able to see this information about each other's activities.

I would also, frankly, like to know why webDip decided to include or turn on this stupid feature? Like who thought this was necessary or a good idea?

I would hope that disabling this feature would be a straightforward task, since I notice that tricolor.x-tk.ru, the forum that you copied, has this feature disabled.

Please can I therefore suggest that this unjustified feature is removed or disabled as soon as possible?

Account->Forum Settings->Board Preferences Tab->Hide my online status->choose yes.

This feature is from phpbb3 forums, not something we did. But they provide you a way to hide your presence if you find the feature uncomfortable.