Does ATS Track Member Stars and Flags?

I have a friend that I have been trying to persuade to join ATS for about 6 months. He has a degree in computer science and works as a html programmer for insurance companies and such.

He is a truly intelligent person with a passion for conspiracies.

The problem is, since he is a conspiracy-minded kind of guy, that he is worried that ATS keeps track of the stars and flags that each members gives......allowing someone to keep track of member trends and likes/dislikes.

So I must ask the question, even though I am fairly sure of the answer, does ATS have the ability to see which members star/flag a post/thread and do they keep track of all that info?

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Speaking as a member, and not as staff, as far as I am aware, no they do not. SO or Springer can say with 100% certainty, but I've never once heard of them doing that, and don't see why they would honestly.

I've been doing this for years and never even heard of something like this before. I don't know what the purpose would be.

His concern is that the stars and flags can be used to track members with "extreme" views. Including 2nd amendment advocates or Tea Party supporters.

I could possibly see the value in tracking stars/flags for advertising or marketing purposes, but I've tried to pursued him that they do not do that on ATS.

Thanks for the responses!

reply to post by sheepslayer247


If you are familiar with any given forum everyone can tell who starred and flagged stuff.

Every single thing we do online is tracked.

Everything we do in our homes is monitored too. Our cars are tracked. Our conversations too, our mail, our phones, our smart meters, transactions, prescriptions, banking, spending, tvs. It's getting so bad that I even wonder if the fly on my bathroom mirror could be a drone. So your friend is paranoid a little, yes? It sure sounds like he's overdue for his ATS membership.

reply to post by intrepid


I completely agree.

I'm just trying to confirm this or squash it so that he may feel inclined to join ATS. He has a great depth of knowledge and is an amazing writer.....but he is very concerned about his privacy.

All other aspects of privacy have been covered in previous threads, and so this is the final nail for him.

Thanks again brother.

sheepslayer247
but he is very concerned about his privacy.

tell im he does not have to use his real name here - and TPTB are just not interested in him.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Skeptic Overlord did indeed answer this exact question a few years back.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

He may be able to confirm if any adjustments to programming have altered his initial response, which I suspect would still be the same.

reply to post by Sublimecraft


Thanks Sublime! That's what I needed.

reply to post by sheepslayer247

His concern is that the stars and flags can be used to track members with "extreme" views. Including 2nd amendment advocates or Tea Party supporters.

Simple solution...don't star or flag anything.

reply to post by Phage




Always the logical one, huh Phage?

reply to post by sheepslayer247


ATS was approached by someone from NSA (or a contractor for them), and asked if they would allow them to be allowed in for data mining, and the staff flat out refused..

I remember Springer or one of the site owners started a thread on this..

So your friend need not worry, since no one is able to mine data from the inside..

I'm just relating this from memory of these types of questions in the past.. To track threads stars and flags for someone on the outside, they would have to do it all manually by reading every thread and every post from every member.. I doubt they would do that since they like to just bribe people and get the easy way, like downloading entire databases. Just a guess.

I never star or flag anyone because I refuse to partake in that practice that many seem to treat as some sort of popularity game that's best left in high school.

People should be here for the wonderful content and discussion, not to keep score. If you need validation that your post or thread is of merit than you have larger issues that should be dealt with professionally.

I would actually like to see that whole system removed but I imagine I am in the minority on that.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Tell him the fact he signed up for ATS puts him on a list.

worrying about star and flag tracking would be the least of it.

Hell I state "dangerous" political opinions on the daily here... And to say I have seen an increase in positive response to my views would be true.

So if I noticed it on my own, the upswing of stars to my Anti-two party post, I am sure other people with an interest in tracking such things have and do.

Think about it.

You can unflag a thread. You can not star a post more than once.

Doesn't matter the PC or browser.

Your account is tied to who you star or flag.

Now, are they tracking and tallying your likes and dislikes? If this were Google I'd say without a doubt.

But its not, and I just don't see the point in these stats being used here... its just the way the forums work. But that won't stop the ATS IS TEH CIA!!11 brigade from knowing the truth, don't ya know.

No we don't.

I gotta say, if he is that much of a computer nerd/ and quite familiar with HTML, then he can find out quite simple by looking at the html/css and scrips not?

I think this expresses my views on this very well.
Google however is most assuredly watching you.
To sell you stuff.

Springer answered.

Thread closed.