[MUD-Dev] The morality of logfiles [was 'Wild west']

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 26 Dec 97 at 18:54, Greg Munt wrote:
> > JC Lawrence wrote:
> > > On Sat, 20 Dec 1997 19:20:57 GMT "Jon A. Lambert"
> > > <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > > > I do NOT believe the logging of communications to be an immoral
> > > > action at all.  However, some possible actions taken on this
> > > > information CAN be immoral.  Any actions taken on log information
> > > > should be done with the with the highest regard to privacy, ethics
> > > > and morals.
> > > 
> > > Another approach of courae has making all logs public and
> > > un-editable.  It then becomes difficult to define any action derived
> > > from log contents as improper as that data is know "in the puiblic
> > > domain" as it were.
> 
> Some logs are too sensitive to be made public (logs of private 
> conversations, etc - these may need to be kept private IC - as Vadim has
> stated, in another post).
> 

It is interesting that all of the mud conversation logs I have read 
whether on this list, the WEB, or in Usenet were made public by 
players/users of the system using their own clients rather than 
administrators using server provided mechanisms.

I think there is greater _danger_ (perhaps not a good word choice)
of personal information being used in an offensive, vindictive or
harassing nature by another player rather than a benevolent, just and
dictatorial big-brother administrator, like myself. :P

> What this all comes down to is the trustworthiness of the administration.
> There is a simple answer to this. If you don't trust the admin, either
> live with it, or stop playing.
> 
> It's that simple.
>

Right. I believe owners of a server are less inclined to abuse than your
average player or promoted player.  I think a distinction might be made 
between the implementor/owner/adminstrator of a mud and someone who has 
been promoted/given administrator powers, perhaps unwisely.

--
Jon A. Lambert
"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant" - Plato