Moderators and Privacy Concerns

If you post from a work network or computer you can be identified by your employer.

If you register a user name, unless you include any identifying information in the user name, email address, or profile, it is the same as posting anonymously.

Moderators are anonymous to protect them from pressure from administration as well as their peers. Previously, Chip, one of the co-founders, selected the moderators. Now, I select the moderators for the Message Boards. I don't want to go into all the details of it, but I will say that I do consider the person's position in the agency when making a decision. I'm not going to put the fox in charge of the hen house.

The way I look at it, the Terms of Use and moderators are here to protect the posters. By enforcing the Terms of Use and deleting posts which might be considered libelous or defamation of character, the moderators are removing the opportunity for lawsuits to be filed seeking the IP addresses of posters.

No board moderators have access to view IP addresses. Only Sysop/Chip, Admin1/Jim, Mod 2 and I have the capability to view IP addresses. Generally the only time we view IP addresses is when a poster is suspected of violating the Terms of Use.

LEO Affairs has never released IP addresses to any one. We have been to court to prevent the release of IP addresses. When the Hillsborough County Sheriff sued John Doe and Jane Doe Deputies for posts on LEO Affairs, he had subpoenas served. LEO Affairs fought these subpoenas and won on the Circuit Court level. The Sheriff appealed and the 2nd DCA upheld the Circuit Court rulings.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Mod 1