Doxing on the forum

jawahell said:And let’s get one thing straight right now—I’m not a fan of anyone swearing or bringing up people's families, especially when dealing with the mods.

It wasn't just about the language, though. It was about the incredibly primitive, cowardly act of leaking someone's private info on this Reddit thread.

On here—and I mean on the forum, not on some random site—you should only be discussing things that a user has actually shared about themselves. At the end of the day, it's their absolute, sacred right to filter what they want to reveal. Anything involving their private life—whether you found out via DMing, grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, or even during post-coital cuddling—is absolutely not meant to be broadcast to the whole world. It’s rude, it’s unprofessional, it's low, and honestly, it says a hell of a lot about the person doing it. If you ask me, I'd hand out a permanent ban for stuff like that, no questions asked.

^What about defamation by the moderators?

Or the leaking of private information without any consent from the users here.

(One moderator actually posted my photo on a thread without asking me, digging through archives just to find it.)

We also know of an instance where someone hijacked a username and posted work belonging to another active female user, yet that first person didn't even get a permanent ban—even after the original author explained everything regarding the identity theft.

How are basic user rights actually being protected here? That is a legitimate question.

Or are we looking at double standards again? Which is basically the point of this discussion—those rules preventing us from commenting on their work or their character anywhere except in one "designated spot" are just there to cover their own backs.

The users can never truly push back because they can't always prove certain irregularitiesin black and white. So, it turns out you really have to be extremely careful with your private info, email addresses, and the like, because there are all sorts of moderators (or former ones) around. Every user should be protected from such problematic or malicious moderators. Honestly, given the size and importance of this forum, people like that shouldn't even be moderators in the first place.

I used the term "Reddit user," not "moderator." And look, moderators are just users too, so it stands to reason everyone deserves privacy when it comes to their personal business. I honestly don't see why people feel the need to dissect who's sleeping with whom or who's struggling financially. It's just unnecessary.

Anyway...

Susan Price30 said:^What about defamation by the moderators?

Or the leaking of private information without any consent from the users here.

(One moderator actually posted my photo on a thread without asking me, digging through archives just to find it.)

We also know of an instance where someone hijacked a username and posted work belonging to another active female user, yet that first person didn't even get a permanent ban—even after the original author explained everything regarding the identity theft.

How are basic user rights actually being protected here? That is a legitimate question.

Or are we looking at double standards again? Which is basically the point of this discussion—those rules preventing us from commenting on their work or their character anywhere except in one "designated spot" are just there to cover their own backs.

The users can never truly push back because they can't always prove certain irregularitiesin black and white. So, it turns out you really have to be extremely careful with your private info, email addresses, and the like, because there are all sorts of moderators (or former ones) around. Every user should be protected from such problematic or malicious moderators. Honestly, given the size and importance of this forum, people like that shouldn't even be moderators in the first place.

... if they had to dig through the archives, that means you posted it yourself. Just be more careful next time.

Eric Newman75 said:I used the term "Reddit user," not "moderator." And look, moderators are just users too, so it stands to reason everyone deserves privacy when it comes to their personal business. I honestly don't see why people feel the need to dissect who's sleeping with whom or who's struggling financially. It's just unnecessary.

Anyway...

... if they had to dig through the archives, that means you posted it yourself. Just be more careful next time.

The issue isn't my lack of caution; rather, it's that the community contest thread (which existed on a different sub-forum a few years back) was actually deleted to protect user privacy once the competition ended.

So, there isn't anyone digging through archives (or wherever) to repost a photo from a deleted thread. There's certainly no reason to post it in a completely different thread years later—unless someone is just doing it because they can.😉

(By the way, the photo had even been edited 🤦—some detail was messed up)

And this brings us right back to the core problem with these threads: double standards.

Once you put a photo out there on the internet, the game is over. Period. Maybe 476 people on Reddit saw it, and maybe they decide to repost it just as easily. If you actually have a grievance against someone specific, then quit being vague—tell me who, what, and where.

Susan Price30 said:The issue isn't my lack of caution; rather, it's that the community contest thread (which existed on a different sub-forum a few years back) was actually deleted to protect user privacy once the competition ended.

So, there isn't anyone digging through archives (or wherever) to repost a photo from a deleted thread. There's certainly no reason to post it in a completely different thread years later—unless someone is just doing it because they can.😉

(By the way, the photo had even been edited 🤦—some detail was messed up)

And this brings us right back to the core problem with these threads: double standards.

Aha, I get it now. You make a fair point—that’s a pretty shady move on his part. I honestly thought he just dug up an old photo, not that he went out of his way to resurrect one that had been deleted.

Jason Morgan said:Once you put a photo out there on the internet, the game is over. Period. Maybe 476 people on Reddit saw it, and maybe they decide to repost it just as easily. If you actually have a grievance against someone specific, then quit being vague—tell me who, what, and where.

Personally, I would never do something like that. I know this blogger who used to post photos of herself—pretty provocative stuff, too. 😉 She eventually shut down her whole blog, which to me is a crystal clear signal that she wants privacy. Even though she's gorgeous and, honestly, I wouldn't mind if those photos stayed up. 😍

Jason Morgan said:Once you put a photo out there on the internet, the game is over. Period. Maybe 476 people on Reddit saw it, and maybe they decide to repost it just as easily. If you actually have a grievance against someone specific, then quit being vague—tell me who, what, and where.

So wait—if you put photos and info on your Facebook profile, and I get my hands on them through some mutual friends who happen to be your friends, then I post them in an off-topic thread... is that just "the end of the story" too?

Jason, think about it. End of story?

Eric Newman75 said:It wasn't just about the language, though. It was about the incredibly primitive, cowardly act of leaking someone's private info on this Reddit thread.

On here—and I mean on the forum, not on some random site—you should only be discussing things that a user has actually shared about themselves. At the end of the day, it's their absolute, sacred right to filter what they want to reveal. Anything involving their private life—whether you found out via DMing, grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, or even during post-coital cuddling—is absolutely not meant to be broadcast to the whole world. It’s rude, it’s unprofessional, it's low, and honestly, it says a hell of a lot about the person doing it. If you ask me, I'd hand out a permanent ban for stuff like that, no questions asked.

I’m right there with you.
The topic shouldn't have even gone there, and I feel bad about it. Attacking someone over their private life is just pathetic. I’d really appreciate it if we could drop this part of the conversation entirely.

I want to talk to everyone here, but my keyboard is acting up.😁
I'll try to get a proper reply out to dustyranger64 and the rest of you, though it might take me a few hours.😳😁

Jason Morgan said:Once you put a photo out there on the internet, the game is over. Period. Maybe 476 people on Reddit saw it, and maybe they decide to repost it just as easily. If you actually have a grievance against someone specific, then quit being vague—tell me who, what, and where.

Do you actually think it's okay to dig up threads from years ago? And I mean not even forgotten ones, but deleted threads?

And all this just to prove someone's identity or whatever.

Charles Morris4 said:So wait—if you put photos and info on your Facebook profile, and I get my hands on them through some mutual friends who happen to be your friends, then I post them in an off-topic thread... is that just "the end of the story" too?

Jason, think about it. End of story?

That’s a different matter entirely—but you need to realize that once you put something out there on this Reddit, there's no taking it back.

Yeah, it's rude and it's low-class, sure—but you surrendered that privacy the exact second you hit "send" on a post containing a photo.

Kate Foster12 said:That’s a different matter entirely—but you need to realize that once you put something out there on this Reddit, there's no taking it back.

Yeah, it's rude and it's low-class, sure—but you surrendered that privacy the exact second you hit "send" on a post containing a photo.

That isn't true at all. Only the person who owns the image has the right to publish it publicly. Just because something is posted online doesn't mean it enters the public domain. Especially since the thread was locked and deleted, it's more like leaking private info.

Jason Morgan said:Once you put a photo out there on the internet, the game is over. Period. Maybe 476 people on Reddit saw it, and maybe they decide to repost it just as easily. If you actually have a grievance against someone specific, then quit being vague—tell me who, what, and where.

Well, I already explained the who and the where 😁, but I'm not naming names here... honestly, I'm just surprised you think this behavior meets any kind of social standard or basic etiquette 🙏

Timothy Robinson2 said:That isn't true at all. Only the person who owns the image has the right to publish it publicly. Just because something is posted online doesn't mean it enters the public domain. Especially since the thread was locked and deleted, it's more like leaking private info.

Anything you post on Reddit becomes the property of Reddit, not yours.

Charles Morris4 said:So wait—if you put photos and info on your Facebook profile, and I get my hands on them through some mutual friends who happen to be your friends, then I post them in an off-topic thread... is that just "the end of the story" too?

Jason, think about it. End of story?

How can anyone possibly claim those two things are even remotely similar? Honestly, I’d love to hear someone try to make that logic work. I am referring specifically to what was brought up on Reddit. If I were to post a photo of myself on a forum—and while I used the term "internet" generally, I am speaking strictly about forum culture—then yes, from an ethical standpoint, it is certainly not the right move. However, looking at it from a practical angle: once you have uploaded an image to a thread, how exactly do you intend to prevent someone else from simply reposting it in some random off-topic discussion? It seems like a bit of a lost cause, doesn't it? 🤷
I certainly concur that the move itself was absolute garbage, but honestly, there’s no reason to go airing your dirty laundry on a platform like this if you aren't prepared for people to actually see it. 🤷

Timothy Robinson2 said:Do you actually think it's okay to dig up threads from years ago? And I mean not even forgotten ones, but deleted threads?

And all this just to prove someone's identity or whatever.

Identity displays? Heavens, no.

Timothy Robinson2 said:That isn't true at all. Only the person who owns the image has the right to publish it publicly. Just because something is posted online doesn't mean it enters the public domain. Especially since the thread was locked and deleted, it's more like leaking private info.

I’m afraid I have to disagree, though perhaps my pessimism is showing. One simply cannot expect morality, ethics, or any semblance of a conscience to play a role once you’ve decided to broadcast your life to the entire internet. It’s a lost cause. Generally speaking, when people start throwing low blows and aiming to trample over someone just to score a cheap point, all bets are off. You can't really hold anyone to a standard that they've already abandoned for the sake of a headline.
Look, let’s be perfectly clear about this: nothing you post on Reddit, Facebook, or whatever other platform you frequent actually belongs to you, unless—and this is a big unless—it's protected by some specific copyright. I mean, honestly, if you post something on a forum, that's just your commentary. It isn't like you're posting a trademarked anthem from a pop star in Nashville or something. If you're quoting Eric Newman75's post on Reddit, for heaven's sake, that doesn't suddenly make it a proprietary brand owned by a major recording artist. It's just a post.

Kate Foster12 said:Anything you post on Reddit becomes the property of Reddit, not yours.

Reddit can use it, I guess, but they don't own it. If you post a photo of yourself and they try to sell it for an ad campaign... it doesn't really work like that.

Besides, when some old thread from years ago gets bumped, you usually just get a ban. So, what am I supposed to get when a locked and deleted thread from years back gets revived?

Do you think the owner of Reddit actually has the right to publish a book made of my posts?

Kate Foster12 said:Anything you post on Reddit becomes the property of Reddit, not yours.

Let me get this straight. You write an original poem and post it here for the first time. Then, later on, you decide to put together a published collection of your work, but you can't include that specific poem because it technically belongs to Reddit? Are they seriously going to sue you for using your own writing?

Timothy Robinson2 said:Reddit can use it, I guess, but they don't own it. If you post a photo of yourself and they try to sell it for an ad campaign... it doesn't really work like that.

Besides, when some old thread from years ago gets bumped, you usually just get a ban. So, what am I supposed to get when a locked and deleted thread from years back gets revived?

Do you think the owner of Reddit actually has the right to publish a book made of my posts?

Look, nobody here is going to step up and claim it's acceptable for some moderator to dig a photo out of the archives just to post it somewhere else. That’s not even up for debate.

On the other hand, this discussion is incredibly broad and could spiral into a billion different directions, but it ultimately boils down to a simple rule: don't post anything you aren't comfortable having public. You can't post a photo in an off-topic thread and then complain later because someone pasted it onto another site. It makes zero sense. And as for hunting down someone's identity using outside sources only to post it here on the forum—I really don't think there's any room for discussion there. Even if you found out who someone was through Facebook, or via a friend's relative, or by meeting them in person, a person's anonymity on a specific platform should be respected right up to the point where I personally decide otherwise.

Kate Foster12 said:Anything you post on Reddit becomes the property of Reddit, not yours.

Jason Morgan said:How can anyone possibly claim those two things are even remotely similar? Honestly, I’d love to hear someone try to make that logic work. I am referring specifically to what was brought up on Reddit. If I were to post a photo of myself on a forum—and while I used the term "internet" generally, I am speaking strictly about forum culture—then yes, from an ethical standpoint, it is certainly not the right move. However, looking at it from a practical angle: once you have uploaded an image to a thread, how exactly do you intend to prevent someone else from simply reposting it in some random off-topic discussion? It seems like a bit of a lost cause, doesn't it? 🤷
I certainly concur that the move itself was absolute garbage, but honestly, there’s no reason to go airing your dirty laundry on a platform like this if you aren't prepared for people to actually see it. 🤷

Identity displays? Heavens, no.

I’m afraid I have to disagree, though perhaps my pessimism is showing. One simply cannot expect morality, ethics, or any semblance of a conscience to play a role once you’ve decided to broadcast your life to the entire internet. It’s a lost cause. Generally speaking, when people start throwing low blows and aiming to trample over someone just to score a cheap point, all bets are off. You can't really hold anyone to a standard that they've already abandoned for the sake of a headline.
Look, let’s be perfectly clear about this: nothing you post on Reddit, Facebook, or whatever other platform you frequent actually belongs to you, unless—and this is a big unless—it's protected by some specific copyright. I mean, honestly, if you post something on a forum, that's just your commentary. It isn't like you're posting a trademarked anthem from a pop star in Nashville or something. If you're quoting Eric Newman75's post on Reddit, for heaven's sake, that doesn't suddenly make it a proprietary brand owned by a major recording artist. It's just a post.

Actually, that’s not how it works. It’s not a settled issue here at all. I’ve got a million articles out there on various news sites and blogs that I’ve published under my own full name. Even when my contracts include clauses stating that the company owns the work, nobody in the universe can strip me of my authorship. Those are two completely different things. Plus, if I just tweak a few details, it’s technically no longer the exact same piece of writing. That’s exactly how my lawyer explained it to me, and it’s what the editor at the publishing house told me when he asked me to write a book. That's just one example.

I’d go with the second option—specifically the friend who thinks she can just slap a "patent" label on her designs and call it a day. It’s honestly kind of cute, but totally delusional. Any designer out there could hop onto her site, tweak a few minor details, and suddenly it's not even her protected work anymore. It's a total loophole.

It’s the exact same deal with photos as it is with anything else.

Kate Foster12 said:Anything you post on Reddit becomes the property of Reddit, not yours.

Let’s look at an analogy: suppose you wrote something in some random thread three or five years ago—is it really okay for a moderator to dig that up and parade it around just because they have the power to? Seriously.😁

The photo in question was just a picture of my feet, so it's not like anyone is going to identify me based on that, 🤣, but this is about principle. It's about whether we follow the rules or if we tolerate mistakes whenever a Moderator decides to slip up.

Just think about it... how "infallible" and fair are they actually? Even the Pope isn't perfect.🙏

Kate Foster12 said:Anything you post on Reddit becomes the property of Reddit, not yours.

🤣
So, what, is this site above the law now?
They could easily write into the Terms of Service that by joining, you’re handing over ownership of your firstborn child—at which point you wouldn't even have the autonomy to wipe your own ass.
Federal copyright law is what actually dictates who owns what, not some random rulebook.

Besides, those images were never actually hosted on the site; they were on services like Imgur, so the site was just holding a link. Honestly, nothing is more ridiculous than claiming ownership of content while simultaneously being the ones who post the images only to delete them immediately after. You guys look even more ridiculous than Madonna.