I'm with Jon, and I don't think it's elitist to say so. At the time, and still, it seemed like an administrative matter. We got email that was obviously an empty threat, we doublechecked with a couple of Buffista-lawyers to make sure it was, and we told the threateners to stuff it. It was as clear a matter of applying the existing don't-be-a-demon policy as the sporking of christiandollarstore.

OK-- this doesn't have much to do with the vote, but I think it is generally unclear whether or not you can e-mail the stompies with some sort of complaint. From the prior procedural vote, it is clear that official action is taken in thread and in Bureacracy and you need to complain in the open about it.

However-- what to do in the case of a complaint about something that is occuring via email (harrassing of posters) or if someone does use "email an admin" to complain about a problem poster.

I'm more concerned that we had to handle the response backchannel because we didn't want them seeing the debate on what to do about it.

Really? If we'd had a locked thread, I'd have not wanted to bring it frontchannel because it was primarily the business of the poster involved. Frankly, I could have made my case in front of the complainants (well, perhaps using different words) -- it was only the response-crafting that was not board-suitable, and that's more because I think response crafting isn't board-suitable, and has less to do with the specifics of the letter.

I'm of the opinion that locking the thread protects nothing. I can register, read, change my e-mail address to something invalid, and go on a harassment spree and you'll never know who it was.

What is this thing response whatever that was handled backchannel? Is it the Anathema leaving thing?

I don't think having a closed thread is going to do much except create a false sense of security. I think we need to explore options of having some things that need security handled back channel and not have people getting angry about it.

I don't get angry, I get curious!

There was some backchannel crafting of emails/responses to Anathema, but I think the one we're talking about is when two unregistered lurkers wrote the admins to complain that a poster was talking trash about them and that they would try to seek a legal remedy.

two unregistered lurkers

Was that confirmed?

Was that confirmed?

No. I'm just guessing. Good point.

Thanks!

Barn door, horse, at this point.

While it would be nice to have a user-only channel, I don't see it as practical, and agree with the "false sense of security" people.

They were threatening legal action against the admins and posters on the board because they didn't like what they were reading.

Gah. ... and in the time it took me to read to the end of the thread I see that it was resolved. Yay. (Although I'm beginning to think it might be good to have a lawyer as a Stompy, if we don't already. Just for a certain comfort-level. And no, I'm not volunteering to be that individual since I'm not an active bar member at this time. Still, something to consider.)

Maybe we should set up an email address like security@buffistas.org? Which is purely for those sorts of situations? And am I completely off topic?