Should Websites Disclose Ownership?

[Lancecastor]

A Matter of Trust: What Users Want From Web Sites

A Report on Consumer Concerns About Credibility of Web Sites

Based on responses from a telephone survey of 1,500 U.S. Internet users, less than one third (29%) say they trust Web sites that sell products or services. And just 33 percent say they trust Web sites that provide advice about such purchases or services.

That's surprisingly low when compared to the 58 percent who say they trust newspapers and television news and the 47 percent who say they trust the federal government in Washington.

Whether Web savvy or relatively inexperienced, Internet surfers want the sites they visit to provide easy-to-find and clearly stated information that will help them judge a site's credibility.

Users want to know who runs the site, how to reach those people if there's a problem, to find its privacy policy and how the site deals with mistakes, whether informational or transactional. For example, 80 percent of respondents say it is very important to be able to trust the information on a web site — the same percentage that say that it is very important that a site be easy to navigate.

http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/news/1_abstract.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you think web sites should disclose who owns them in the same way as Magazines, Newspapers, Radio and Television stations all do?

Lance

 

[Cheyenne]

Apples and oranges. Even a monkey could see the difference between a site that you're buying a service or product from and a FREE porn site!

No, I think free porn site owners should have their privacy, too. If you want to play on the free site, play. If not, fuck off.

 

[Lancecastor]

Apples and oranges. Even a monkey could see the difference between a site that you're buying a service or product from and a FREE porn site!

No, I think free porn site owners should have their privacy, too. If you want to play on the free site, play. If not, fuck off.

Broadcast television and radio is also free...what's the difference?

 

[calypso_21]

A Matter of Trust: What Users Want From Web Sites

~

Based on responses from a telephone survey of 1,500 U.S. Internet users, less than one third (29%) say they trust Web sites that sell products or services. And just 33 percent say they trust Web sites that provide advice about such purchases or services.

That's surprisingly low when compared to the 58 percent who say they trust newspapers and television news and the 47 percent who say they trust the federal government in Washington.
~

I find it interesting that while 33 percent state that they don't trust web sites, 73% have either provided an email address, name, or other personal information to a Web site in order to access the site, order a product or receive a newsletter...up from 54% in 2000.

So if people are so distrusting...why are they just giving out their information? Methinks thou doth protest too much...act appalled but go ahead with the very actions you denounce. Gotta love it.

 

[Lancecastor]

Re: Re: Should Websites Disclose Ownership?

So if people are so distrusting...why are they just giving out their information? Methinks thou doth protest too much...act appalled but go ahead with the very actions you denounce. Gotta love it.

I suggest that the mistrust gap you've pointed out extends as far as people's credit card numbers, but not to their personal data.

That is...most people don't understand that their data is to most commercial websites one of three critical sources of revenue:

* sale of advertising

* sale of goods/services

* sale of server logs and user info

If ignornance is bliss, then perhaps it's no surprise there is so much mistrust and fraud online.

Where else can you keep your identity secret while making money selling people's personal information?

Woo-hoo!

 

[Cheyenne]

Broadcast television and radio is also free...what's the difference?

It isn't interactive.

 

[Kuntmode]

n/a

Why do various websites want a name, address or phone number to begin with? I understand this to be the case when purchasing something on the internet by way of credit card or other forms of payment, but if it is a free site, then what fucking business is it of that place?

Yes, it is wise not to give out real information, but surely all that is needed for a website, like Literotica is a username, password and valid email address. They have the tools to log service providers, even if the smart ones like me use other people's, but at the end of the day, if a website wishes to gain personal information from it's users, then information regarding the owners of the site should be made available and clearly at the bottom of the site's front page.

I am setting up a new business and advertising is the key.

Why would I want to conceal information regarding my business address and other contact information? Surely that is promoting my business and providing a service whereby I can be in contact with my clientelle.

Just because this site is free, does not mean Lit doesn't make fucking money out of it.

I want to call up [removed] and tell him what a great guy he is and compliment him on allowing me the freedom to call people like Lavender, Nora, Crysede and Cheyenne do gooding cunts with a hypocritical tongue.

 

[Lancecastor]

It isn't interactive.

Letters To The Editor
Radio Call In Shows
Vote For Tonite's Guys Movie!

Every medium is interactive....the Web is just faster.

Should a site holding data on millions of people retain anonymity while other media companies can't or don't?

If so, do you think ownership secrecy might account for the surveyed mistrust of the web and the people making money off it?

 

[SINthysist]

Apples and oranges. Even a monkey could see the difference between a site that you're buying a service or product from and a FREE porn site!

No, I think free porn site owners should have their privacy, too. If you want to play on the free site, play. If not, fuck off.

No way. It's like putting on a hood and a robe. If you're ashamed of what you do, don't do it.

 

[SINthysist]

This site, for example, sells items.

Should the CEO of Enron be allowed to hide his identity?

CBS?

 

[crysede]

Well I sure as hell don't want to see him without his hood and robe on!

Morning SIN, how's it hanging?

(I meant the robe! Jeeze, get your mind out of the gutter!)

 

[Lancecastor]

Even a monkey could see the difference between a site that you're buying a service or product from and a FREE porn site!

No, I think free porn site owners should have their privacy, too.

It's free to walk into WalMart as well, so perhaps "Free" is a red herring.

Do you make a distinction between ownership disclosure of "Free" porn sites and "Pay" porn sites?

Or do you believe that all businesses on the WWW have a special class of privacy rights compared to others?

Lance

 

[sexy-girl]

well seeing most ISP's give out free web space does that mean anyone who has a website would have to post their personal details on the internet

i think its common sense to say that websites should provide means of contact but no reason why they should show personal details ... how many actual non internet companies would provide personal information beyond having a means of contact ?

 

[Saint Peter]

I parked my truck in a downtown Denver parking lot. There was a board with little slots to stuff money in according to the space in which you park. I did this and went about my day at work. That night when I returned my truck had been towed. I called the tow company and asked wtf? I followed instuctions on the board. I paid. What gives?

The tow company only did as it is told by the OWNER of the lot blah blah blah. They provided me a phone number of the owner. I will be God damned if there was an answering machine at the other end of the phone. Can you believe they never returned my call?

Sometimes a phone number is as useless as an email addy.

 

[Lancecastor]

well seeing most ISP's give out free web space does that mean anyone who has a website would have to post their personal details on the internet

i think its common sense to say that websites should provide means of contact but no reason why they should show personal details ... how many actual non internet companies would provide personal information beyond having a means of contact ?

A Web site like Lit is a business, SG, a business that holds data on millions of people.

Would you bank at a bank with no name and secret owners?

If you have a chance, read the article I linked in the first post about trust issues for users of commercial websites.

I'm not talking about people's "Johnson Family" websites.

And I'm not talking about Lit, though I can if you want.

I'm talking about the Web and the way users perceive businesses online.

Lance

 

[Guest]

I've had four stories stolen from Lit and posted without authorization on other websites (other authors here have, as well). Many authors on Lit have spent time and energy attempting to hunt down ownership of those various sites - and many are hidden behind several phony email addresses.

I think website ownership information should be readily available (beyond what you can find on the swhois search.)

The latest site posting our stories is a pay site - they're making money off our work - and we still cannot track down individual owners. It is frustrating and ridiculous.

 

[tulip2lipservice]

No zings but debating

so stick with topic with me here without the insults can you handle it?

OK I do not think anybody is against the fact that websites free or not free should hide ownership etc. however posting that information on the bulletin board is a violation of the rules stated when we all signed up. Leading us to the site you found such information is not. There is a difference and I do not think anybody is against the fact that you found it but how you posted said information.

Next, it is important that this information is available. To the users to the site in my opinion I do not think so unless that person holds extreme morals. In which case he/she should of done their homework before registering. When I say morals I mean their own beliefs that in posting on such a board would be against everything they believe in. Some examples in the past is when people stopped buying certain tuna fish because of the dolphins or when others stopped buying a certain soft drink cause of Apathide. If this site was runned by people that financially supported certain political actions there might be a problem with some. If that is the situation you are suggesting leave and do not show your support by posting here. I do not feel that is the case.

It is important for that information to be documented by the business owners and the servers using them. My impression is that is already being done. You have shown us your talents of finding said information on the internet so it is not hidden. Such information is there as a mean of reference for if there is a crime committed to related site there has to be a way to trace it all.

Just my opinion.

Peace,
Tulip

 

[sexy-girl]

i read the article it says what the consumers want ... those two words are important ... it didn't say users should ... i will admit literotica is a business ... but we're users here not paying consumers ... if literotica makes money it makes it by attracting users


i think the article is probably more to do with why more people don't use online shopping

 

[Lancecastor]

I parked my truck in a downtown Denver parking lot. There was a board with little slots to stuff money in according to the space in which you park. I did this and went about my day at work. That night when I returned my truck had been towed. I called the tow company and asked wtf? I followed instuctions on the board. I paid. What gives?

The tow company only did as it is told by the OWNER of the lot blah blah blah. They provided me a phone number of the owner. I will be God damned if there was an answering machine at the other end of the phone. Can you believe they never returned my call?

Sometimes a phone number is as useless as an email addy.

Better businesses have always been customer-responsive. Part of being customer-first is providing lots of ways for your customers to reach you.

While the WWW makes it easier for customers/users to reach the company that owns a website...it also makes it easier for the owners to hide from the public due to the Web's lack of regulation.

The very freedom touted during the first public expansion of Cyberspace has become largely the freedom for anonymous web site owners to gather, hold and make money from information on people regardless of the level of disclosure given to the user.

Hence, I suggest, the low levels of trust in the Web as a place to transact. (see article link in the thread starting post)

I further suggest the mistrust engendered by the unregulated commercialization of the internet has created general mistrust online beyond transactions.

Your thoughts?

Lance

 

[Lancecastor]

I think website ownership information should be readily available (beyond what you can find on the swhois search.)

The latest site posting our stories is a pay site - they're making money off our work - and we still cannot track down individual owners. It is frustrating and ridiculous.

A good post to illustrate that Lit is indeed in business and the Users are Customers regardless of whether cash changes hands.

I'd be very interested in knowing the name of the site you're referring to. I hope you'll post the URL so we can all be aware.

Lance

 

[Lancecastor]

Re: No zings but debating

There is a difference and I do not think anybody is against the fact that you found it but how you posted said information.

Next, it is important that this information is available.

It is important for that information to be documented by the business owners and the servers using them.

Just my opinion.

Peace,
Tulip

I see you agree that business ownership information be documented and available.

My view is such information should be readily accessible on the website.

It appears that you hold the view that as long as a savvy person can find the info somewhere out there on the web then that's enough.

I suggest such a policy breeds mistrust.

As for the first line I clipped from your post, I'm uncertain what you mean, as I did not post any personal information at any time about anyone.

Lance

 

[Saint Peter]

There has always been shady biz from the start of time. Cure alls sold off of wagons. Salad Shooters on TV. There was always a phone number/address. Always. Until something broke, did not work, or was not delivered. Suddenly the contact route was closed and the consumer was left holding the bag.

The internet is no different. Ask Joe Smo who bought the gizmo off of Ebay. The web provided him the path to getting fucked. That was all. No more.

When it comes to a free BB site I do not agree with your stance, Lance. My cookies are spread from here to the moon. Everywhere I go I know some corp is taking that info and using it for whatever. Big deal. Same thing happens when you go to WWW.HomeDepot.com or WWW.sheepfuckers.com. (so i heard)

Just my thoughts

Better businesses have always been customer-responsive. Part of being customer-first is providing lots of ways for your customers to reach you.

While the WWW makes it easier for customers/users to reach the company that owns a website...it also makes it easier for the owners to hide from the public due to the Web's lack of regulation.

The very freedom touted during the first public expansion of Cyberspace has become largely the freedom for anonymous web site owners to gather, hold and make money from information on people regardless of the level of disclosure given to the user.

Hence, I suggest, the low levels of trust in the Web as a place to transact. (see article link in the thread starting post)

I further suggest the mistrust engendered by the unregulated commercialization of the internet has created general mistrust online beyond transactions.

Your thoughts?

Lance

 

[alexandraaah]

Here at Lit., for example, you don't have to use any of your actual identifying personal information to register. You could use a fake name and open a free email account with any name you choose.

You can use one of the various services that block your ISP from being viewed.

As for the owners of this site, they have given you as much information as you have given them. You do have names for them: Laurel and Manu, just as they know me as "alexandraaah."

As well, they have supplied you with handfuls of email addresses and pm's in order to contact them. The only difference is that they actually check all their email, where I have hotmail accounts I've used to sign up at websites that have been closed due to inactivity.

I don't understand why you would want anything more?

 

[Lancecastor]

When it comes to a free BB site I do not agree with your stance, Lance.

What is it about a porn business that offers a Free BB as a loss-leader that leads you to conclude that such a business can be conducted in secret while others cannot, St.Peter?

Is it because admission is Free?

Is it because sex business and the sex trade is largely conducted in secret in the USA (as opposed to other businesses)?

I'm curious to know what the differentiator(s) are for you and the others who quickly and firmly say that a free website needn't disclose anything.

You compare non-disclosure to snake oil...do you think it will always be the case that American Sex Bulliten Boards will be seen as Snake Oil regardless of what they do....or can the owners influence the perception by their actions as businesspeople?

Lastly, I hear you suggesting that cookies are irrelevant; I suggest that they are in fact the Price of Admission we Pay to use websites, as cookies do have value to corporations....after all that's why there are cookies in the first place!

Lance

 

[Guest]

A good post to illustrate that Lit is indeed in business and the Users are Customers regardless of whether cash changes hands.

I'd be very interested in knowing the name of the site you're referring to. I hope you'll post the URL so we can all be aware.

Lance

Same owners of two different sites. Laurel and the group of us forced the first site to remove our stories but they just showed up again.

http://www.cashtemptation.com/en/index.html

It is a Strapon-story site - so the stories they pulled from here are of that genre. Jerks!!!

A different site, this one in the Netherlands, has another of my stories. It's difficult to get through to someone when the only English on the entire site is the story section!