I have a stupid question. Which I know some will say there is no stupid questions here... Why do some of the profiles show nothing at all in them...or show very little?? I know when doing your profile some things are required...but checking some profiles these required things are not there. Maybe a stupid question, but just curious???

By Karen~moderator on Sunday, April 3, 2005 - 09:56 pm:

Kathy, most people deleted stuff from their profiles after they are approved for privacy reasons.

By Sunny on Sunday, April 3, 2005 - 10:33 pm:

Mine is empty, perhaps you checked?

I used to have my profile filled out, but deleted it a long time ago. I think it's been so long that I had the information in there that most here don't remember what my real name is!

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, April 4, 2005 - 06:33 am:

Kate, if you read the notice at the top of the board (when it is the Topics board, not "last day") people are warned to edit their profiles after becoming members, especially to remove their registration email address, if they wish to - the internet being the public place it is. We have had problems occasionally with vendors scanning profiles and skimming email addresses so a lot of people remove their emails to avoid some spam (can't avoid it all, darn it). Still others don't want to list the ages or number of children, or where they live, being cautious. Personally, I changed my email address to my Mom-Mail address (which is for Momsview moderators) to be available to any member who wants to email me and yes, I do get spam at that address), and kept the rest of the information because I don't have young children and so don't feel they or I am at risk. But it is a personal decision and the moderators encourage members to decide what they do and don't want in their profiles. (I do wish, though, that people would keep their "real" first names in their profiles - it just seems nicer, sometimes, to address a post to someone's real name instead of their username. Personal idiosyncracy.)

(And it is not a stupid question, and very nicely gives an opportunity to again explain Momsview's concern for people's privacy.)

By Jennln on Monday, April 4, 2005 - 03:48 pm:

Why not just make members profiles "private" readable only by members? Of course I'm sure some would still feel safer without all information fields filled out, but at least that way personal information about members wouldn't surface through an internet search.

*Just thinking out loud here lol...I'm not sure if the software you are using is capable of this or not....the majority of forum programs are though so that's why I thought I'd ask ;) *

By Trina~moderator on Monday, April 4, 2005 - 04:12 pm:

Hey Jenn! Where have you been, stranger?! We've missed you.

By Kernkate on Monday, April 4, 2005 - 05:47 pm:

Sunny just now I looked at yours. I was just curious as I have seen others that have nothing in them at all but some things on the profile say it required and when you put a check next to it it will say required.
If anyone understands what I am asking??? Just don't know how to word it exactly.

By John on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 - 03:32 pm:

Unfortunately, this board software can only turn profiles ON or OFF, not restrict viewing to only members.

By Fraggle on Tuesday, April 5, 2005 - 06:42 pm:

Sunny, that is funny about your real name. I actually had no clue that your name wasn't "Sunny" until I read a post a little while ago where we all re-introduced ourselves-do you remember it? So now you need to fill me in, where did Sunny come from?