Online Integrity

[chipdeblock]

Greetings,

I wanted to drop all of you at PBSO a quick note of thanks for using our site and trusting LEOAFFAIRS.COM. Thanks to you we have 40 pages containing 1,951 topics relating to your issues and we're growing every day. Because we have a good thing going over here, there are always those who would seek to gain by spreading misinformation about our site. This is nothing new. So, if you're ever in doubt, please let me remind you:

LEOAFFAIRS.COM has NEVER been forced to turn over the IP address of any poster, ever! In 2005, when the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office fought to obtain the IP addresses of some of our posters, we fought vigorously in court for a year and won every major legal battle along the way including the 2nd District Court of Appeal. Now we have case law on our side...who else can say that? In addition I personally know what it's like to fight your own department and use the legal system, just read my bio. That's why I co-founded this site. I didn't want a rant site where nothing was accomplished, but I only wanted to do this if we could effect change (and we have). If it can't be printed in the paper, shown on TV or aired on the radio, it has no business being on LEOAFFAIRS.

We have over 500 law enforcement agencies online in 16 countries and generate millions of hits per month. We've been around for over 10 years and have over 400 moderators (yes, you read that correctly). LEOAFFAIRS.COM has been featured regularly on television, radio and in newspapers across the country including MSNBC and The Washington Post because of the way we do things.

Thanks for your support!

Chip DeBlock, Co-Founder
LEOAFFAIRS.COM, LLC

When you soar like an eagle, you attract hunters.

Mr. Deblock,

Thank you for the reassuring words. I read both web sites and I am a fan of each. I, for one, believe you and I took the opportunity to post on another site, calling out the admin to try and get to the bottom of what he posted. He posted the following:

A few months ago, I received a phone call from Chip DeBlock (813-XXX-XXXX), owner of LEO Affairs, who stated someone had posted something on Leo Affairs and Chief Deputy Gauger was not pleased.

Mr. DeBlock stated that he was contacted by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Legal Affairs division who asked to know the IP address. The way Mr. Deblock was talking about it, I suspect he was cooperating with PBSO to find the person responsible for the post.

Incidentally, this is why I provide all my readers with stringent protections and don’t log IP’s; because this is what PBSO will do to those that don’t like them (though I tell EVERYONE never to post ANYTHING they don’t want the entire world knowing they posted).

I had posted this once, however, I was contacted by Mr. DeBlock, asking for me to take this information down. He never denied helping PBSO, but stated this could harm the credibility of his web site.

A few days ago, I was advised by an insider that Leo Affairs was cooperating with PBSO in identification as to who made the post(s). This person would not (or could not – I’m not sure which) be specific as to who LEO Affairs was working with, but I decided to repost this information to save anyone from potential harm in the future.

I have two questions for you.
1. You wrote, "LEOAFFAIRS.COM has NEVER been forced to turn over the IP address of any poster..." This seems to me like word play. Reading the above text from that other site, it seems he got the feeling you were voluntarily helping PBSO. If that's the case, it would make perfect sense for the wording you chose. Otherwise, it would have been better if you would have said you "have never provided IP addresses to anyone." That would have been more to the point, no?

2. I issued a challenge to the admin from the other site to produce proof of these phone calls from you to back up his claim. I am doubting he can do it. It could be for a number of reasons. Perhaps he doesn't have them or perhaps he's just making this all up. What about you? Can you tell us if these phone calls ever took place? If so, was that the general gist of the conversation? Reading above, please advise what part of the post is true and what is not so we know or just answer the following:

a. Were you contacted by any member of PBSO regarding posts which prompted you to make these calls to the other admin? If so, was it by Chief Deputy Gauger?

b. Who contacted you and what was the demeanor? Were they asking you questions in a friendly way or were they threatening you?

c. Did they ask for an IP address or any other information to identify anyone who posted?

d. If so, did you give them an IP address or volunteer any information?

Any information as to what took place would greatly be appreciated and I would like to applaud you on your victories protecting your posters from government intrusion.

Well, I went over to that other "website" and had a look.

First of all, what a joke, how does anyone take anything that guy says seriously? *shrug*

Secondly, I placed a post up asking some questions as well and noticed that the posts has to be approved BEFORE they are allowed to be posted. Ummmm..... huh? Where is the free speech in that?

So I say to myself, ok... lets see what happens. Wake up today... he has posted, but my post somehow gets ignored? Ok, maybe its a mistake.. so I post AGAIN... same thing, another post is approved yet mine fails to see the light of day?

Now keep in mind I wasn't bashing him, or taking sides really, just more of a fact finding post.

My conclusion:

After looking at the way that admin runs his site, placing Nazi images up, pasting the heads of people onto the bodies of gay mens pictures, and so on.... I have no respect for that so called website and its webmaster. No matter how bad that official in question may be, you are supposed to hold yourself to a higher standard, and if you can't, then you are no better than them.

As for leo affairs, and chip deblock. After reading all the info on his about page, and then reading this in the mission statement...

"LEOAFFAIRS.COM™ got its start as an Officer Rights website, but soon became aware of the need for LEOs to talk candidly about law enforcement related topics without the fear of repercussions"

I feel very comfortable in posting here, and that I am secure in doing so.

Lastly, if you feel that you are 100% safe posting on ANY website, you are a fool. Even if the webmaster doesn't keep logs there are always 100 other ways that a court (if they REALLY wanted to) could get any IP address they wanted to.

But my question to everyone involved is this, why are you not protecting YOURSELF? If you are truly worried about your IP then YOU... not the webmasters, need to be proactive in doing so.

So do you want to be secure? and I mean REALLY secure? Learn about proxies, and use them. But for those of you that need a quick fix, here are two easy solutions.

1. HideMyAss.com - High Anonymity

You can use the free web based browser they have, or they offer a pro solution that runs $10 a month I think that allows you to switch IPs randomly.

http://hidemyass.com

Pros - either option is easy to use, and allows for a pretty high level of anonymity

Cons - HMA does keep some logging but getting to it would require the courts to first get the the IP that came into leoaffairs (fat chance) and then go after HMA's records and try and match the two up. Again, needle in a haystack.

2. Tor Project - Extreme Anonymity

This is a piece of software that you install on your computer and just like in the hacker movies it bounces you from anonymous IP to anonymous IP before actually hiting the page you want. So pretty much a needle in a haystack, in a haystack, in a haystack, in a locked barn.

https://www.torproject.org

Pros - Free and VERY secure.

Cons - Have to use the browser they bundle with their software (not a huge con actually), and a little more to setting up this solution.

Just my 2 cents...

[chipdeblock]

Mr. Deblock,

Thank you for the reassuring words. I read both web sites and I am a fan of each. I, for one, believe you and I took the opportunity to post on another site, calling out the admin to try and get to the bottom of what he posted...

First, thanks for being a user and for the questions.

It seems to me that the root of the questions and any reservations about posting are linked to the IP addresses despite the fact that no one from PBSO has ever been disciplined from posting on our site anonymously. While I don't want to get into a Q&A session (especially with an anonymous person) or a "He Said / She Said" scenario for obvious reasons, I did read my post again and saw your point. So, in an attempt to make it more clear, "I have never received a subpoena from the PBSO and I have never released any IP addresses or user information to them." I don't want to imply that we are above the law (because we are not), but our system of moderation has helped keep us out of the grease for over a decade and we are very fortunate. A lot of people have worked very hard so that I can say that, especially Mod 1.

I hope my response is satisfactory and that you can appreciate my position. I am also still an active law enforcement officer. For viewers of this post who want more information, please refer to the following two (2) links:

Terms of Use
http://www.leoaffairs.com/message-boards/terms-of-use/

Chip DeBlock Bio
http://www.leoaffairs.com/about/chip-deblock/

Thanks for your support!