West Central Alberta Coldest, wettest edge | Always lots of complaints about posters with no location, email or name, outrageous claims etc. Personally I could care less, if they bring a unique perspective and more info to the table, then I will read it, if not it is easy to avoid. But the forum gets polluted with responses to posts that are better left ignored, full of accusations and unanswered questions about credibility.
I've considered of a way to keep every poster's anonymity, yet lend some credibility to their claims. Based on the theory of seven degrees of separation. The moderators can verify any poster who they know personally, those verified posters can then verify any other posters who they know personally etc. All the process would need to entail would be an automatic form, with the acknowledgement that:
I __Ag talk name_____, know personally the poster known as _____________ in the _______________ region/country, who is a ____________________(check all that apply). Where the region would need to be vague enough to not compromise any ones anonymity, such as Midwest, Southeast, Central Brazil, Eastern Canada etc. The last blank would be equally vague, with a choice of crop producer, livestock producer, end user, trader, retired, student, ag professional, supplier etc.
No one would be kicked off for not being verified, but it would lend credibility. If someone is claiming to own 100,000 hogs for example, yet no one on the forum can verify his existence, then readers may use that knowledge to take the information with a grain of salt. The moderators may also use this info in enforcing their existing policies. No one except the moderators would need to ever know who has verified any other poster. If there really are paid posters( which I highly doubt), they would be exposed easily
I do not know what if any legal implications there may be. |