h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I found this place via an account created for the group to use when I was doing a spot of ACEing... now as I understand it the purpose for which it was created it failed to forfill...
Perhaps if the loggin and password were made avilable to people that wish to share their past with group but do not wish that past to be associated with their main h2g2 persona, something along the lines of the 'Grim Reaper' account of PR...
???

If you are unfamiliar with the Grim Reaper account it's @ U198667, I and others think the principle outlined there could be addapted for the survivors group...

Feedback please...

Personally, I don't like the idea of a centralised anonymous account for this. If someone wants to post their survivorship details without divulging their identity, it's rather easy to create a new account and use that.

Having a centralised anonymous account would eliminate a good deal of personal responsibility -- people would likely say things that they wouldn't otherwise say if they knew they would face the consequences from their peers. For something like the Grim Reaper account, it's not as big of a deal (although personally, I'm also opposed to its use there as well, for exactly the same reason -- we already have enough people who feel they can be incredibly rude in PR without any consequences). In a survivor's forum, it's far more of an issue, because the matters discussed tend to be things that are much more likely to "push buttons" and "trigger" people, raise upset feelings, etc. I think personal accountability in such a forum is very vital, *even* if the person is only accountable via a completely anonymous user namke.

Just my take.
Mikey

there are some things i would not post under my own id, and yes, i could create a new account but i would prefer not. I think if someone s having difficulty expressing feelings about a traumatic episode then they might like the group persona. Again they could create a new one.

I like the idea.

I originally started this account for group members to edit the front page from, and add any links they felt appropriate. Unfortunately it only seems editable from the writer's account i.e. mine... but I don't get a lot of access these days. All of which will change in 4 weeks time.

it's certainly a good idea and something that h2g2 is in need of. i am coming across so many people that are survivors and finding people to talk to without broadcasting it from the roof tops can be hard. So good on you for starting it

Thanks I wish I had as much faith in my contributions, but yes, it needed to happen.

Mikey I don't think people should have to create a new account to take of the benifits of this group... you mention trigger and pushing buttons... Opening up to this forum is hard for people to do the increased anonymity of a groups account reduces the stress and strain of this...

Let me make it clear that what is being suggested is not an account for offering feedback to the group but for discussing issues that one would desire some detachment from...
I think your concerns of personal responsibility could easily be dealth with by a clear code of conduct related to the use of the account...

Is what I'm getting at clear...?

You can have a code of conduct all you like, but speaking from my experiences from previous survivors groups, I'm telling you that something like this would make me feeling *extremely* uncomfortable. When people who have a past history of abuse have been triggered and are acutely upset, a code of conduct for a group account isn't necessarily something that's going to be closely adhered to, espeically because it can't be strictly enforced -- in such cases, it could only be enforced after it had already become a significant problem, by resetting the password.

There are also people elsewhere on the h2g2 site who would not think twice of using such an account to impersonate one of us, or intentionally push trigger buttons for people in the group, or otherwise cause strife. Because this is such an open, unrestricted group, you're really talking about having the password available to absolutely anyone (like the Grim Reaper password is). Not everyone who would chose to do so would be doing so with good intentions, code of conduct or no. And by the time you get around to enforcing a code of conduct and changing the password, the emotional damage would already have been done -- which is what makes this situation in many ways different than the Grim Reaper situation.

Again, I feel that this is an incredibly unsafe proposal. Personally, if it was brought into play, I would stop reading and posting here altogether, as I would no longer consider this even marginally a safe place.

I absolutely agree with Mikey. I don't think this sounds like something I'd be comfortable with, either, and I could not and would not be able to participate any longer should such a thing be set up. But once again, I don't expect any special concessions to be made on my account. I can look for help and support elsewhere if need be.

From what I remember, the people I originally sent the password details to were Kaz, Richenda and PC. But since I can only edit the page, I can do so on advisement from any participants via the feedback thread, or this, when I get over there, and take more time with it .

So it seems only sensible after what's been discussed, to forego the group account. Thanks for your input folks.

Stealth, Mort, I really hope you could still find a way to be a part of this group ...

I'll remain subscribed...
Though I really think if there were people willing to do the things Mikey suggests we would have heard from them already...

I'm not so sure ... I also know of the existence here of the unsavoury individuals of which Mikey talks, and I think basically what keeps them away is firstly that this group is still very low-profile here on h2g2, which is good in my view and I hope it stays that way, and secondly, that if they come in here without anonymity to protect them they can be identified as scumbags elsewhere on h2g2. If an individual opens an account and uses that account to try and victimise people here that account can be closed. If it's a group account then one person's misbehaviour can cause problems for other people as well.