Should location be mandatory in user profile when signing up?

[AMB]

I think someone's location should be mandatory in your profile, its often important to know where someone is, when replying to a post, and the question is often asked..."where are you?"
I know some people might be a bit sensitive about giving personal information, but even just knowing a persons nearest city or state is enough.
What do you guys think?

[Poetic Justice]

I think users are entitled to privacy to be honest. If they do not wish to disclose that information it does not disadvantage any other user.

[AMB]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

I think users are entitled to privacy to be honest. If they do not wish to disclose that information it does not disadvantage any other user.

If thats what someone wants, then being inaccurate would be more effective. If I dont want people to know I live in Geelong, then I could put anything else, Melbourne, or Victoria for example.

[LG17]

I understand where AMB is coming from as the 'where are you' question is very prominent when someone is asking for help. The location doesn't have to be specific eg Castle Hill but Sydney would suffice as a general area. As for those wanting to keep it private, what's the first thing you do when someone is trying to help and asks, "Where are you?"

[AMB]

Originally Posted by LG17

.....As for those wanting to keep it private, what's the first thing you do when someone is trying to help and asks, "Where are you?"

If not wanting to disclose that info, they will either ignore the question, or not reply. Or give you a bum steer, which is worse, because the person trying to help will be then wasting their time.

[Poetic Justice]

What's the point of demanding a location if the user has the option to put something false on it?

[Citroënbender]

There will always be plonkers like that - but look at a situation such as your lawn questions, the answers for Swan Hill are going to be different than Cooma (two randomly chosen towns). I think it’s pretty average to ask for help and yet be an appendage about it.

[AMB]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

What's the point of demanding a location if the user has the option to put something false on it?

But you can be as specific or general as you want. If you give a completely false location, that's up to you, but then you'll have to be careful about your questions, in case you trip up, or continue the charade and waste other people's time. People are probably already doing it right now.
Main reason I'm asking this, is because I think its nice to know something about the person I'm talking to, someone in Sydney, Queensland, or South Africa, its the first thing I look at.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

I think there should be a "don't care" voting option. If it's important to the context of the discussion and the person hasn't already disclosed their location, then how hard is it to ask them? If they don't respond, clearly they don't want you to know and it's time for all parties to move on.

But I also don't think it should be mandatory as, as has been pointed out, people will just use a false location which then means we'll either be providing advice for the wrong location or we'll be asking the question again anyway.

[marty351]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

What's the point of demanding a location if the user has the option to put something false on it?

I'm still trying to figure out where Yap-Hoon is.

[LG17]

Originally Posted by marty351

I'm still trying to figure out where Yap-Hoon is.

Obviously you're not a Qldr then...

[73 4V XB]

Originally Posted by marty351

I'm still trying to figure out where Yap-Hoon is.

I’ve heard they have a great RSL and bakeries:

[PG2]

I appreciate where you are coming from AMB and I have asked the "Where are you from?" question many times when their location seems to be relevant.

Where do you stop though. Car details? Age? Sex? For the millennials - whether you are a spaceship or not?

I've been cleaning up some of the areas of AFF recently and I have found God only knows, thousands of posts whereby the poster has asked for help and not even mentioned what sort of car they are asking about.

[T3rminator]

Profile pics

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Profile pics

Nice suggestion..............

[stock1991]

You're not getting my rego, VERB...wait

[Jastel]

Dont see the point unless it is a local specific question...in which case non locals wouldnt know the answer anyway.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Jastel

Dont see the point unless it is a local specific question...in which case non locals wouldnt know the answer anyway.

But you wouldn't know if you're a local if the area in question wasn't posted.

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

But you wouldn't know if you're a local if the area in question wasn't posted.

The Poll is asking should "your location" be mandatory on your profile?
Like so everyone can see where you live...assuming you dont lie.

Not like who is the best mechanic in Melbourne or something.
Which is what I was getting at as a local specific question...which I wouldnt know the answer to.

I dont have a problem with local questions...but I can still help someone in Melbourne without them knowing where I live.

[GO FURTHER]

The problem with making something like "location" mandatory is it can neither be enforced nor verified.

Consider this...

In all popular forms of online social media such as FaceBook, Twitter, and TikTok, there is no mandatory requirement to disclose your location as is with most online forums.
(They can all be made "non-Public" in your account anyway).

Neither can a user's IP address be verified by the site's admin, with so many users now hiding behind a VPN (like Nord) to protect their security online.

While AFF limits this to some extent, by banning users from logging in with IP addresses from certain countries due to spammers, there are many that are still allowed.

The information gathered at the time of registration by AFF has compulsory fields (user name, password, date of birth if under 13 years of age and a valid email address for confirmation of registration).

All other fields are optional and the data within them is subject to AFF's privacy policy and will not be disclosed to anyone without your express written consent except as outlined in the Legal Disclaimer.

Some of this information is visible to other members in your public profile and all this information is visible to the site Administrators.

The only true value of "Location", apart from user statistical information for the site's admin, is in posted questions relating to obtaining help or services in a particular region or state.

If the poster does not give the location required for a suitable answer to be given, then it is more a question of the poster's low mental capacity than something that should be made mandatory.

[AMB]

Well said. That last sentence sums it up. Having to ask someone's location comes second only after having to ask " what model car is it?"