Star and flag...tracking...?

Ummm...I just had this thought fly in from the matrix...

Does ATS keep track of who I flag and star and in which threads...I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to program...keeping tally of all of the members star and flags correlating to who and which thread...?

If this is true...(not saying it is)...then what would it profit.............Ah...

What a perfectly sneaky form of entrapment that might become...if...such information were...sold...back doored...

I often have a presence in threads that I don't post in...yet...I will star and flag not just the OP but posters as well...
If such is tracked...filed...and profiled...then it would be possible to gauge an individuals temperature...as per politics...beliefs...temperament...ideology...etc...

The real rub is what would one do with such information I wonder...Hmmm...?

Curiouser and curiouser...


YouSir

No and yes/no.

The stars are just too damn much. Hell, they were all screwed up a while back. There used to be an option where threads you flagged showed up in your profile but that went the way of the Dodo a long time back.

a reply to: intrepid


Ummm...so...not for stars in a thread including for the OP...but flags are tied to the one flagging and a database of who flagged who so that there can be a link back to award flags to the one flagging...got it...

Thank you for your reply Intrepid...




YouSir

a reply to: YouSir

Server stats at the page level would reveal the same information.
Years ago many sites used to leave those 777 so anyone could see who visited.

I would imagine there is some sort of tracking software that records your flag and star record. How else could you redeem your stars and flags for the neat prizes, island vacations, and perk packages . Seems like only yesterday, if you got enough stars and flags the annoying advertisement went bye, bye....

There also used to be "views" of your threads. Another bandwidth hog. I liked it though.

a reply to: Cauliflower


Ummm thank you Cauliflower...I just used Firefox developer tools to confirm...

I appreciate it...




YouSir

a reply to: olaru12


Ummm...hello Olaru...I realize that...I was just wondering if such could be used to ascribe behavioral statistics per individual member...a sort of...profiler...

However...I'll take vacation for five thousand...Alex...






YouSir

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: olaru12


Ummm...hello Olaru...I realize that...I was just wondering if such could be used to ascribe behavioral statistics per individual member...a sort of...profiler...

However...I'll take vacation for five thousand...Alex...

YouSir

I have no evidence but I would expect ATS members have some kind of social profile that only a few ubermods can look at.

a reply to: intrepid


Ummm...now that would be helpful...I guess that's what I get for arriving late to the party...

Thanks again Intrepid...




YouSir

a reply to: olaru12

Ys remember the days when n you could cash in you stars and flags for a trip to the TAN office in Barbados, or a cruise down the rive Sienne. Great days!

originally posted by: YouSir
Ummm...I just had this thought fly in from the matrix...

Does ATS keep track of who I flag and star and in which threads...

You can prove that it does. It won't let you star or flag a thread more than once. The only way it can possibly do this is if it keeps track of what you've already starred and flagged, right?

Now, you can star a post (pick one on a slow thread near death so yours will be the only new star added). Navigate away from the thread, then try to add another star to that post. It looks like you can, until you refresh the page and find that the second star you added is gone. None of this would work if it wasn't tracking your stars and flags.

Now whether such information is or can be made available is another question which SO would know the answer to, but ATS is obviously tracking our stars and flags, no question. It could just be buried in the code and nobody ever looks at it, but it's in there.

a reply to: olaru12


Ummm...that begs the question...for what would such information be...used...?

All sorts of scenarios present themselves...to weed out bots...paid trolls etc...




YouSir

a reply to: zazzafrazz


Ummm...Hey Zazz...I tried to cash mine in...but wouldn't you know...it was a damn holiday and the ATS travel office had that closed sign on the door...I could swear I heard some hooplah like noises from behind the door though...

Late to that party too I guess...

Stay frosty my friend...



YouSir

a reply to: Arbitrageur


Ummm...If it's in the code then I'm sure someone is looking at it...their 3 letter Acronym might just not be ATS...

What a gauge that might be for member profiling...

Thank you for your post Arbitrageur...




YouSir

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: olaru12


Ummm...that begs the question...for what would such information be...used...?

All sorts of scenarios present themselves...to weed out bots...paid trolls etc...

YouSir

In my line of work we have a DNC list. "Do not Call List" because some people are divas and slow down projects when time is of the essence.
Time is money and attention whores, the worst kind of offenders, also known as "muggers" find themselves waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the phone to ring and it never does because they are on the DNC list that every casting agent, casting director and extra/background wranglers have a copy of.





But on the other hand their are certain people that always get the jobs because they follow the proper set etiquette, don't bother the cast or crew are always ready when called to the location and don't come to work drunk or stoned. Favoritism being played for the benefit of the project.

The trick is to star and flag a variety of posts and threads so no decipherable pattern can emerge.

Keep a note of each post starred and each thread flagged, then ensure that you star and flag an equal number of posts and threads representing opposing views.

Then to confuse matters, star because you like the poster, the avatar, feel sorry for someone who's posts are getting no attention or just because it's a starry sort of day What you NEVER do is star a post you actually agree with.

So, somewhere in all those posts that you never starred are a few that represent your point of view. But no-one will ever figure out which ones.

a reply to: YouSir

I imagine with the current star system error situation that shows some people with millions and others not, it isn't a system that can correctly profile anything, I don't think you need to be concerned .

a reply to: olaru12


Ummm...I'm not a fan of either favoritism...or...being played...

But that's just the non-conformist in me...gotta let the big guy out to play once in a while...



Yousir

a reply to: berenike


Ummm...Salutations Berenike...............I know..................Right...?

I've just gotten in the habit of Starring and Flagging every post and OP...that way everyone gets to go to Bermuda...




YouSir