OUTRAGE!

[Zoins]

IMO, drivers license is a bad idea as it's opening more potential for identity theft in addition to the issue of some collectors not having drivers licenses.

 

How big of a problem is this? CS already requires a non-free email address while ATS doesn't. Some folks ATS say they don't post here b/c they only have free email accounts (how valid is this?).

[michael]

then their parents will have to enroll them/provide their identification as they are the parent and legal guardian

 

and are responible party if for some reason ngc needs to contact the parents for any reason

[TomB]

This must be a much larger problem in the comics section than the coins section since we have very few disturbances. I believe if I had to pay even one cent to post here that you would never read another word posted by me on this site again.

[LuvToCollect]

I agree with you Tom,

[MikeKing]

What about identifying the IP address?

[pendragon1998]

You know, I'd actually consider paying a small fee if I got a couple of grading certificates out of it. $99 is a lot for me to plunk down for a full membership, so I don't submit any coins currently. If I had to pay something like $10-$20 for the use of the board to become a 'lite member' and in exchange got to submit two coins, I'd consider something like that.

 

I think making the board a paid service, however, would hurt the YNs and newcomers to the hobby the most. Perhaps put a limit on the number of posts per month a person can make without upgrading?

[John Martinez]

Being a victim of ID theft, I'll say bye-bye to this board before I turn my drivers license information over.

 

About requiring minimum posts or minimum time frame between posts. Being fairly new to collecting, unless I have something that will contribute meaningfully, I'm not going to post. IMHO, requiring this will only encourage more junk.

 

If you have a paid internet connection, you most likely have a paid e-mail account, so the argument that someone only has a free account may only be applicable to students at college or retired folks using the library. The question that comes to mind is - "if you can't afford a computer or connection, then how can you afford to participate in this hobby- collecting pocket change excepted?" I'm sure that there is an answer that I have not considered.

 

I would not have a problem with either a small fee or if you are a CS member the fee is waved. That said, for folks who just inherited grandpa's coin collection may not pay the fee to come here. As such, they will take the collection to an unscrupulous coin store and they will be ripped off.

 

In closing, thats to CS for soliciting our input before making any changes.

[pendragon1998]

College students almost invariably get an account on their school's server. I used mine to register here.

 

"if you can't afford a computer or connection, then how can you afford to participate in this hobby- collecting pocket change excepted?"

 

As you pointed out, collecting pocket change is one way, and it's an entirely wonderful way for people to start out into the hobby. Secondly, there are people like me who are on a tight budget who save a little here and there to collect, but don't have a couple hundred bucks to join the TPGs. I've only rarely spent more than $100 on a coin or coins to this point. Doesn't make me less of a collector, just makes me dangerous when I start making real money and want to catch up

[XpipedreamR]

I belong to plenty of online forums, coin related and otherwise, that to do just fine without any kind of extensive registration process. But since this is all about preventing the registering of alt ID's, I imagine that established long-time members wouldn't be affected, anyway.

[John Martinez]

As you pointed out, collecting pocket change is one way, and it's an entirely wonderful way for people to start out into the hobby. Secondly, there are people like me who are on a tight budget who save a little here and there to collect, but don't have a couple hundred bucks to join the TPGs. I've only rarely spent more than $100 on a coin or coins to this point. Doesn't make me less of a collector, just makes me dangerous when I start making real money and want to catch up

 

I do not have a large budget either. I have started finishing my Linc's from circulation that I started when I was a kid. The value of what you collect is by no means a reflection on your value as a collector.

[Beijim]

What about identifying the IP address?

Many people have Internet service accounts in which the provider allocates a dynamic IP address from a pool of addresses all controlled by the provider. A given account's IP address therefore changes, sometimes frequently. AOL is an example of such a service. The IP address therefore doesn't provide reliable, low cost accountability because investigating the source of an infraction would require undue cost and third-party (the Internet service provider) cooperation.

 

Beijim

[Stanley]

My suggestion would be:

 

1. All new board members from say March 01, 2007 after public notification via board forum rules and regulations.

2. Guest is allowed a limited visit for free.

3. Guest then has the option of joining for a fee, with the fee being required by credit, debit card or personal check, all which should give reasonable credibility to identity along with the regular application.

 

My reasoning would be to not impose this rule on the current members. This should relieve NGC of most current resistance from current members and the fee charged for membership would be business as normal for the new members.

 

Allowing a free trial membership would solve the problems mentioned about the possible lose of interest from the YN, financially challenged, or just curious guest. And allowing a brief membership pass to a guest should minimize the potential for a negative experience with a trouble maker.

 

Additionally, it would likely be an easier transition with only a portion of the members being required to register and pay the fee which as I understand it would be for the purpose of establishing identity.

 

I would remain a member even if charged a fee.

[DC Dawg]

The issue the Collectors' Society is dealing with is accountability of potentially libelous writings in some posts. It has also been identified that the issue greater within the comics collectors sections of these boards than on the numismatics side. For the most part, we've been good boys and girls.

 

If anyone read what I wrote, giving up some personal information (who you are in-real-life) can be balanced with a privacy policy that protects the information from outside influences. The personal information has to be verifiable to allow the Collectors' Society to take action against violators of the acceptable usage policy they will publish.

 

This does not have to be an onerous process. Identify yourself, identify how to contact you if there are issues, and promise to be a good boy or girl. Nobody is saying that this information is going to be made available to the public--you can still use handles on the boards--but they want you to be accountable for your actions/words.

 

Oh... and John, since you said, "Being a victim of ID theft, I'll say bye-bye to this board before I turn my drivers license information over." Now that I have your name and state of residence, I can find out more information on you from public sources without me having your drivers' license number. You will be surprised at what I can find without knowing more than that! The Collectors' Society should be the least of your problems. Start with your bank if you pay for things with anything other than cash!

 

Now relax and deal with the reality that you are speculating and that the Collectors' Society have not announced anything except Dena's statement that they are looking into the issue.

 

Scott

[cpm9ball]

Now relax and deal with the reality that you are speculating and that the Collectors' Society have not announced anything except Dena's statement that they are looking into the issue.

 

Scott

 

Like "Oddball" (Donald Sutherland) said in Kelly's Heroes..................... "all those negative waves"

 

We have to look at the pros and cons to arrive at a positive solution. So far, Scott's suggestions seem the most plausible.

 

Chris

[Zoins]

giving up some personal information (who you are in-real-life) can be balanced with a privacy policy that protects the information from outside influences.

These are also balanced with the security policies companies that take your information put into place. One question is whether CS will build a secure enough site to house that personal information. Bank websites have lots of security built-in and they still have problems. Does CS really want to beef up their website security to that extent?

Oh... and John, since you said, "Being a victim of ID theft, I'll say bye-bye to this board before I turn my drivers license information over." Now that I have your name and state of residence, I can find out more information on you from public sources without me having your drivers' license number. You will be surprised at what I can find without knowing more than that!

Even so, I think giving out your drivers license, SSN or other private information to participate on a public forum is very bad news. Have you heard of any other forum doing this?

 

This really does not seem to be a problem for the coin side of the forums. If they want to implement invasive policies like this, I think it should kick in only if you want to post where the problems exist (the comics side?). Has anyone who has posted here taken a look at the forums where this is a problem?

[cpm9ball]

giving up some personal information (who you are in-real-life) can be balanced with a privacy policy that protects the information from outside influences.

These are also balanced with the security policies companies that take your information put into place. One question is whether CS will build a secure enough site to house that personal information. Bank websites have lots of security built-in and they still have problems. Does CS really want to beef up their website security to that extent?

Oh... and John, since you said, "Being a victim of ID theft, I'll say bye-bye to this board before I turn my drivers license information over." Now that I have your name and state of residence, I can find out more information on you from public sources without me having your drivers' license number. You will be surprised at what I can find without knowing more than that!

Even so, I think giving out your drivers license, SSN or other private information to participate on a public forum is very bad news. Have you heard of any other forum doing this?

 

This really does not seem to be a problem for the coin side of the forums. If they want to implement invasive policies like this, I think it should kick in only if you want to post where the problems exist (the comics side?). Has anyone who has posted here taken a look at the forums where this is a problem?

 

Let's set the record straight. I was at the NGC Brunch when this issue was mentioned very, very briefly. Never once was anything suggested by any of the NGC staff that they would even consider asking for exremely confidential information. If you read these posts carefully, you will learn that the so-called invasive policies you are referring to were brought up by board members.

 

Chris

[Zoins]

Let's set the record straight. I was at the NGC Brunch when this issue was mentioned very, very briefly. Never once was anything suggested by any of the NGC staff that they would even consider asking for exremely confidential information. If you read these posts carefully, you will learn that the so-called invasive policies you are referring to were brought up by board members.

Thanks for the clarification Chris. My posts are food for thought for NGC when they consider what policies to implement, whether the policies are suggested internally or by board members. The policies in question here happen to be suggested by board members.

[John Martinez]

My concerns raised were in direct reply to what other board members posted. Nothing in my post should indicate that CS is thinking this way. Thanks Chris for reminding us. If another board member will bring up issues, then I will take the liberty to comment on them, especially if I feel the suggestions negatively affect me, which is what I did.

 

Indeed, I have commended CS for considering input from us, the users, by mentioning it at the luncheon in the first place.

 

I agree with zions. Unless security better than banks, whose security has been breached is put in place, other than cursory identification information, i.e. name, e-mail, address, and phone number, nothing more will be given by myself.

 

Oh, and ScottB. "John Martinez" is my screen name, and nom de plume but you can call me John.

[EZ_E]

I imagine many people who first learn about TPGs and slabs first post here because they get or hear about a NGC encapsulated coin. Then they come here to find out more. If they find they can't access the boards without joining, they may lose interest. Just something to think about.

 

That describes me exactly. I collected coins seriously as a kid in the '70's but was very out of touch since 1981. I didn't even know what a slab or TPGS was. Then I began getting an education from "The Coin Vault". But, believe me, I paid for that education with their ridiculously insulting prices. But I first heard of NGC from them, check out their website and joined the forums a few months later.

 

The contacts and knowledge gained here has taken me from the slums to the suberbs in terms of numismatic knowledge.

[Oldtrader3]

I think that eliminating anonymous posters who do not enter any registration information (i.e. name, phone number, email address) or some amount of identification is fine with me. Also, I would guess that most members pay by credit card, so you also have this information from registration and submissions. I also wonder though how much of a problem it is on this coin board. We are mostly pretty sedate here with the occasional anonymous post.