RE: aussiefrenchcars Forum

I don't know who the instigator is - a detail at this stage of no interest to myself - but I request you "cease and desist" now with the imitation Aussiefrogs website.

The assumption of multiple user identities, together with attributed posts that weakly mimic the least serious moments of affected people, is not impressive. Many members worked hard under the AussieFrogs mantra of "sharing the knowledge" and created an admirably diverse internet fabric. Yes, humour was an integral part of that, as were misadventures, processes of discovery and a whole lot of intelligent DIY remedies for everything from lock buttons to steering racks and major collision repairs.

The imposter site can never possess a social facet, as its creators will ever have to hide. As Trevor G commented, it will rely on the curious or misinformed for any ongoing conspicuity. If the creator(s?) imagined they might be friends of mine - evidenced by the lightweight posts in my assumed username - they have burnt their bridges well beyond anything an apology may traverse.

To be blunt: Stop now, before it hurts you.

Unfortunately A I don't think the creator of that site is man enough to do the ethical and responsible thing and abort that site to the cyber ether.
I don't think they understand that something that is born of ego and ill will is never likely to rise above that level unless a full disclosure and apology is forthcomming.
Based upon the evidence so far...don't hold your breath for it.

...one lesson that they might take from the whole debarcle though, is that 'humour' that is based upon exploiting and abusing the good will of others is actually not funny. It's juvenile.

You ain't got nothing if you ain't got integrity!

+1 Di and "chippie bloke"
Just posted on another thread regarding this very lame and possibly damaging cyber identity theft.
For theft it is, even our lame courts will find that true!

Hi Di,

Again I'm in complete agreement.

Whilst I can see the majority the new user names are close enough to recognised by word and deed. I'm left scratching my head about these, presumably old members, who have chosen to imitate their peers and mods.

I'm almost of the opinion, after the humorless charade that has resulted and when it's least needed, that once AF returns maybe admin should:

Log IPs silently
and/or
Insist or real names being used in profiles - many other Forums do this.

Better still I wonder if IPs can be logged NOW and the data collected ?

Because we are "temporarily relocated" humour has been a major topic rather than the more normal "sharing the knowledge"

It would be most disappointing if this kind of rubbish persists when we have our familiar house back.

It's a case of thougtless few spoiling it for the majority.

Anyway that's my view my FWIW.

cheers


Robert

How is it identity theft????
DO you go around asking every person called brendan to have your name back and an exclusiveity clause be placed on it???

As far as I know, your identity is your full name in combination with your DOB.
Drivers licence, pasport and medicare numbers embellish this identity.
Finger prints and dental records are another version of physical identity.

If someone logs onto your net bank, steals your dentures or dermis, or has the same drivers licence numbers as your thats identity theft, but if someone impersonates a nick name and talks shit, thats .....a big nothing.

What was more of a concern was that the site was up for sale therefore someone was buying all our AF identities, at least as far as the site was concerned.

AT the end of the day, they can have my name, I dont care, but I couldn't agree less with ROB that AF should have a criteria of legitimacy of names.




Jp

I understand our "fake" website has done the respectable thing.

That's good to hear.

So do I have the rather dubious distinction of having the only deleted thread?
At my age I should be thoroughly ashamed.




Mike.

On contraire - I dips me lid. Well done sir.

JP I wish to put this scenario to you.
You are OS/on tour or otherwise not on the net and by devious means I become you via another website or worse on the normal websites. Would you not be offended?
If taken just a step further say I pick up a gig under your guise and act like a complete pratt!
Is this not what theft identity is even in cyberspace?
I can google my name and it seems that there are three hits. Two in Australia and one in America, of course I'd like to keep my name, by whatever guise I chose to be un-sullied and I think you do to.
Whilst this is taking things to the limit at what point do you want the limit to be reached?
Hopefully we can agree that with global communication as it is, identity theft may not mean personal loss but an image tarnished that could lead to loss by other means. We all have an ego and a standard in which we follow but I'm sure we don't want anybody making our lives harder for some "sh!ts and giggles".
Trust me it's something I could react to in negative way, I just hope I'm never provoked.
And on a happier note, 'Go you beaut thing Mike" on the thread deletion. Really did you threaten to re-incarnate an All Yorkshire pace attack on the Aussies this summer?

Brendan,
I suppose each person needs to set their own standards.
As far as logging on to a forum in a suspect name,
If its for giggles, i dont see any more harm than that which occurs to a celebrity or politician when someone lampoons them.
Addo correctly describes it....."The assumption of multiple user identities, together with attributed posts that weakly mimic the least serious moments of affected people".
Mimicking is not quite theft.

I'm from a generation where things like log-ons on a computer are considered as private as a sealed envelope (which is perhaps why people dont think twice about leaving me the keys to valuable things), so it came as a huge surprise to me a few month back when I was hanging out with some 19 year old waitresses who were talking about the chaos that they caused each other when they found their mates facebook account logged on.
I was flabergasted that someone would jump to some else's account on its host's computer.
That is identity theft as is your hypothetical.
Creating a log-on in the same name is not.
Its just like those clever dicks who registered 'www....'insert company name' before the rightfull owners cottoned on to the net.
Its not nice and its not polite, but its not identity theft.

Jo