Posting and Our Privacy Policy

[TampaYankee]

Personal gossip is fun but has no place in an escort forum where reputations and business careers can be unfairly damanged. Fundamental to the escort business are the precepts of confidentiality and personal privacy for both clients and escorts. We strive protect those precepts. We won't lend this site as a forum for anyone with an agenda against individuals whether the facts are based on truth or falsehood.

The thread regarding alleged personal problems of an escort member has been taken down because the thread violated site privacy policy by linking to alledged personal identification information.

In addition, the alleged problem pertains to personal issues, not business issues. We extend the same member-personal-privacy-privleges to escorts as we do members. Only their business related attributes, attitudes and activities are fair game for discussion in this venue.

Any further threads reagarding alleged personal problems of any member will be removed. Violation of the Forums Policy can lead to loss of post privleges.

TY

(This post replaces my earlier post on the topic. TY)

[Lucky]

Personal gossip is fun but has no place in an escort forum where reputations and business careers can be unfairly damanged. Furthermore, we won't lend this site as a forum for anyone with an agenda against individuals whether the facts are based on truth or falsehood.

The thread regarding alleged personal problems of an escort member has been taken down because the thread violated site privacy policy by linking to alledged personal identification information.

In addition, the alleged problem pertains to personal issues, not business issues. We extend the same member-personal-privacy-privleges to escorts as we do members. Only their business related attributes, attitudes and activities are fair game for discussion in this venue.

Any further threads reagarding alleged personal problems of any member will be removed. Violation of the Forums Policy can lead to loss of post privleges.

TY

(This post replaces my earlier post on the topic. TY)

TY, thanks for making the effort to explain the policy and let readers know why the thread was removed.

[TownsendPLocke]

Thanks Tampa Yankee

[MsGuy]

Thanks for the explanation. Personally I think the thread should have come down earlier. A quick skim of the linked blog made it obvious that the poster was pursuing a personal grudge against the escort.

[RA1]

MsGuy-

I am not sure I follow your reasoning. I didn't notice any thing except the poster linked to the blog. The blog either told the truth or it didn't. I think it did. If the poster "obviously" had a grudge against the subject, please enlighten me as to that content.

In addition, regardless of one's motives, isn't the truth the truth?

Well, who knows what any truth really is but, in this case, aren't the facts the facts? I am not willing to abrogate any idea of innocent until proven guilty. But, if the subject is proven guilty, then what do you suggest?

Best regards,

RA1

[TotallyOz]

The post would have been down immediately if there was a Report this Post to Moderators OR if we had seen it. As soon as seen, we took action. One poster alerted us to this and we appreciate it.

If you ever see a thread that you think should not be here, please report it to us. We will then get that and log in and take a look. TY did this as fast as he could and with a great deal of explanation. If I had seen it first, I would have just removed it and then banned the poster. TY had a more sensible approach.

[Guest Matrix]

"If I had seen it first, I would have just removed it and then banned the poster. TY had a more sensible approach."

Excuse me, but why on earth would I be banned for simply sharing a link to a public story regarding an escort who you profile here on your very own website?

I will not debate your policy here - It is not for me to do.

However, banning a poster (who's even new) while thinking maybe this would be of value to others just dumb founds me.

Regards.

[TotallyOz]

"If I had seen it first, I would have just removed it and then banned the poster. TY had a more sensible approach."

Excuse me, but why on earth would I be banned for simply sharing a link to a public story regarding an escort who you profile here on your very own website?

I will not debate your policy here - It is not for me to do.

However, banning a poster (who's even new) while thinking maybe this would be of value to others just dumb founds me.

Regards.

I hate to dumb found anyone. If I had seen the post and saw it was one of the posters first posts on the site, I would have questioned the motives of the post. I would have more of a struggle if it had come from a poster with a long history of posting on the site. I would have written to him and explained the situation and still removed the post. But, I can't imagine anyone that has over 100 posts on this site posting a link to something that could potentially damage someone's reputation and career. Most of the posters on this site would not have done that. IMHO

[Guest Matrix]

"But, I can't imagine anyone that has over 100 posts on this site posting a link to something that could potentially damage someone's reputation and career. Most of the posters on this site would not have done that. IMHO"

I think the actions of the individual at the center of all this has already taken care of that by himself.

I don't believe you ever shut down the threads about Harlow and Joe and their trial. They were escorts who had profiles here too. Where was the concern for them when they were being discussed and dissected?

I'm just sayin'.

I'm assuming you're an owner, so hello.

[Guest StuCotts]

On reading the post in question yesterday, I came away with the impression that I might have seen this forum's first step on the slippery slope to gossip-rag status. I'm so glad I was wrong.

[TotallyOz]

On reading the post in question yesterday, I came away with the impression that I might have seen this forum's first step on the slippery slope to gossip-rag status. I'm so glad I was wrong.

No way are we interested in going down that road.

I'm just sayin'.

LOL. Out of your 5 posts, how many have been on this one subject? I'm just askin'.

[MsGuy]

The post would have been down immediately if there was a Report this Post to Moderators OR if we had seen it. As soon as seen, we took action. One poster alerted us to this and we appreciate it.

TY & OZ, my bad for not reporting the thread as soon as I realized the post was questionable. My default assumption was that you two monitor the board 24/7 and that the post staying up for several days meant y'all were o.k. with it (which assumption seems even sillier now that I've typed it out ). Next time I'll try to be a little better citizen of the board.

[TampaYankee]

... and that the post staying up for several days meant y'all were o.k. with it

The time stamp on the intial post was 2:37 PM yesterday, not several days ago.

[MsGuy]

The time stamp on the intial post was 2:37 PM yesterday, not several days ago. FWIW

Now I know my brain has turned to stinky cheese. My apologies.

P.S. Though it's good to see you're on top of things.

[TampaYankee]

Now I know my brain has turned to stinky cheese. My apologies.

P.S. Though it's good to see you're on top of things.

Not as on top as I wish I had been.

Some people like stinky cheese although the food network has informed me that only one company remains in the US that makes Limberger cheese. Apparently, it was much more popular in the early 20th Century with several cheese companies supplying the aromatic fromage to a much broader consumer base.

[Guest Matrix]

We live in a selective and subjective society. I suppose you can never be sure where that individual line will be for every event that occurs around us.

To have assumed or presumed that my post in question would stir so much controversy, when again, it simply reflected information that "I" would want to have known about if selecting an escort is beyond me.

The inappropriate behavior was not from me; but from the one who was the subject matter of my post. IMHO

Thank you and good night.

[KYTOP]

Since the link to a blog in the thread showed the escort's real name, I think it obviously violated the rules of anonymity that this site has always held as one of the basic foundations of the site. I thought about sending an alert to the moderators but did not. I have a tendency to be much more low key than in the past, sorry, my bad

With that said if the thread had only announced the arrest of the escort and what the arrest was for I might find that useful as a potential client. BUT, with that said what could keep anyone from making up an arrest story just because he was competition or just because they don't like the guy?

In the case of the escorts in the murder case there were links to news sites.

I completely understand your enforcement of the rules and also thank you for an explanation.

[Guest StuCotts]

Oz and TY -- It seems that readers of the offending post assumed that if it was there you must be OK with it. I certainly did. And they may have hesitated to tell lecture you on how you should run your business. Once again, that was my case. If you tell us to say something if we see something, I'm sure it will happen.

[TotallyOz]

Since the link to a blog in the thread showed the escort's real name, I think it obviously violated the rules of anonymity that this site has always held as one of the basic foundations of the site.

Yes, I agree.

Oz and TY -- It seems that readers of the offending post assumed that if it was there you must be OK with it. I certainly did. And they may have hesitated to tell lecture you on how you should run your business. Once again, that was my case. If you tell us to say something if we see something, I'm sure it will happen.

Stu, please never feel bad about lecturing or debating any issue. We may not be on the same side of the argument on all cases but we always appreciate input and debate on any subject.

[manticore]

In addition, the alleged problem pertains to personal issues, not business issues. We extend the same member-personal-privacy-privleges to escorts as we do members. Only their business related attributes, attitudes and activities are fair game for discussion in this venue.

In this business, personal attributes are business-related attributes. I read reviews and forum postings to find out about (among other things) an escort's habits and character.

But, I can't imagine anyone that has over 100 posts on this site posting a link to something that could potentially damage someone's reputation and career.

The way you phrase it, you make it sound like protecting the interests of escorts is a higher priority than protecting the interests of clients -- heaven forbid anyone should advise potential clients about shady characters, lest it "damage their careers". I thought the issue here was a privacy breach, not whether information was uncomplimentary.

I have no problem with the privacy policy. The rule about not blowing an escort or client's cover makes sense, and it makes sense to enforce it uniformly.

[TotallyOz]

The way you phrase it, you make it sound like protecting the interests of escorts is a higher priority than protecting the interests of clients -- heaven forbid anyone should advise potential clients about shady characters, lest it "damage their careers". I thought the issue here was a privacy breach, not whether information was uncomplimentary.

We allow and welcome reviews from those who have had bad experiences with escorts and their career is not the same afterward. However, to link to a site that reveals someone's personal name and file case is a totally different matter and not one I am comfortable with.

If the mainstream media picked up this, that would be a different story as well. But, as long it is in the gossip rags, I do not see the need to send traffic to any of them. Those that wanted to find them have already done so and those that are interested will. I won't be a part of it and it has nothing to do with protecting an escorts interest over that of a client. It has to do with privacy that we afford to everyone on this site.

[TampaYankee]

The way you phrase it, you make it sound like protecting the interests of escorts is a higher priority than protecting the interests of clients -- heaven forbid anyone should advise potential clients about shady characters, lest it "damage their careers". I thought the issue here was a privacy breach, not whether information was uncomplimentary.

Believe me when I say I put the client interest on an equal footing with escorts -- both privacy and business interests. In the past I have taken heat from some members about posts that I have allowed about escorts. I have had members tell me they are leaving the site because I allowed business complaint posts about escorts with personal issue crossover. I have lost several escort profiles because I would not comply with their demands to remove client reviews or posts. Taking heat from both sides is an indicator that I dont favor either side over the other.

I am not omniscient. I usually have no independent way of knowing where truth lies in controversies. I do my best to protect everyone's privacy unless and until personal issues of clients or escort cross over into the business area. When a potentially plausible business related circumstance is reported and I am not confident that I can determine an accurate assessment then I feel compelled to let it be reported and both sides encouraged to have their say. I know no fairer way to each party and to the community.

If there are client complaints about escorts and escort actions, business related, that cross over from their personal life I consider it relevant for discussion. The same is true for escorts complaining about clients actions related to crossover personal life issues. We are all in this together. Escorting is not a relationship between adversaries, but a cooperating arrangement between clients and escorts for mutual benefit. Each deserves the same respect and privacy.

[Guest twinklover]

I very much appreciate the responses of TY and TO to this situation. What I appreciate the most, and I join an online friend and very reliable poster and escort reviewer, StuCotts, with this sentiment. The gentlemen's "pub" (or any other forum here) at MER is NOT the right place to discuss these matters. That is because we all know what is going on here and, with these alternatives, MER is simply not the place to vent our feelings. I will say what I will on the blogs devoted to this matter but I respect the administrators here at MER for not wanting to untidy this site with what is sure to become a nasty, very nasty, interchange among many escorts, clients and observers.

[Guest Conway]

I completely respect the right and responsibility of Oz and TY to run this site per their standards. Had it been my decision to make, the fact that the arrest was a matter of public record would have contributed toward my decision to allow the information to stand here.

I think that it is an issue of credibility where the escort and the "review industry" stands. And, that is important to me. From my perspective, I would have to ask, "Would I want to leave my personal belongings in a room with a person who had been arrested for felony possession with intent to distribute?" In my own mind the answer would be a clear "No".

Like many of you, I have met and developed relationships with many escorts whom I now consider friends. Yet, the truth of the matter is that I know little about them except what they choose to share with me. By publishing the information regarding this escorts arrest, you give the client the clear opportunity to decide if he wants to take the risk associated with someone purportedly involved in serious criminal activity. Just like the client could decide if he trusted an escort's credibility because he once plagarized information he posted in a public blog.

In that regard, the dissemination of that information has value to the client. It is a critical issue to the trust and safety of the client in my opinion. Now, that said, I am certain that the original poster hardly had the best interests of the client in mind when he posted this. He was interested in ruining the escort's reputation. However, whatever his intent was, I'm grateful to have read it.

This particular escort is one that I would be very unlikely to hire anyway because his personal arrogance and catty exchanges with his peers on these message boards was always a real turn off to me.

As a client, the escort himself isn't going to tell you that he has been busted for felony possession of drugs recently. If these forums won't do that, doesn't it leave the client exposed to potential harm from this person?

[Guest jack]

I completely respect the right and responsibility of Oz and TY to run this site per their standards. Had it been my decision to make, the fact that the arrest was a matter of public record would have contributed toward my decision to allow the information to stand here.

This makes perfect sense to me. The alternative only gives rise to those who are now speculating that the site owners/decision-makers who suppress information that exists in the public record are trying to protect the escort as an indirect way of protecting themselves from their own "business" dealings with the escort. Why encourage such foolishness? Why not, as Conway said, seek first to protect the client's safety and security? Who among us wants the risk of hiring an escort for an overnight or multi-day, buying his plane ticket with your charge card, only to have your room (under your name) or home raided by the DEA (ok, potential over-exaggeration used for effect)?

One wouldn't have to reveal personal info about the escort to reveal truthful info about his current status (that is easily verifiable by one inclined to make the effort) for the purpose of protecting this community.

And do you really think yourself qualified or capable of judging between a "gossip-rag blogsite" and "legitimate news organization"? Hell, I don't think Fox News is legitimate.

C'est la vie.