This is a general forum issue for which I'd like your input.
A few times each month, I get requests from visitors asking to completely delete old threads they've written. Sometimes they want me to nuke everything they've ever written, even if it amounts to dozens of posts.
In this forum people may disclose a lot of personal information, only to later realize they've revealed more than they're comfortable with. Some people have expressed concern that out their bosses, co-workers, and/or significant others will eventually connect them to their personally revealing posts here.
Old threads become part of the permanent archives, and many threads do show up in search engines.
Here's how I've been handling such requests thus far:
- If a thread only has a single post (or maybe just some very basic one-line replies), I'll usually nuke it upon request of the thread starter. These requests are not common though, since thread starters can delete/modify their own posts for the first 24 hours anyway.
- If there are already serious replies from others, I don't feel right about deleting whole threads simply because the thread starter changed his/her mind. So I've always turned down such requests in the past.
This assumes of course that the thread was legitimate and wasn't spam to begin with.
Typically these deletion requests involve threads that have dozens of legitimate replies. Frequently the thread starter has revealed some personal info and asked for advice, and lots of legitimate discussion has followed.
Even though my own life isn't very private, I am sensitive to people's privacy concerns. My current philosophy, however, is that people must be individually responsible for what they post in public forums, even if their posts have consequences for them later.
Is this a good policy? What would you do in this situation?