to delete or not to delete?

it's not *that* bad...

[LifeinAsia]

Got a message from a person asking how to remove a posting form our message board because it is damaging her reputation and it's showing up in Google (e.g., Google has indexed the post).

I took a look at the postings. Basically, the first poster mentions a certain bar and more or less admits to having an affair with the owner. The second post berates the OP for being so stupid, given the reputation for bar owners in that area. The third says the bar owner has ruined the lives of other guys (and may be the wife or ex-wife of the OP).

The messages are 1-2 years old and certainly tamer than others I've seen. Oh, the person writing to me hasn't ever denied anything in the posts, just that they're hurting her reputation. :)

Usually we just delete posts that are blatently offensive or nothing but rants. These don't really cross the line. I'm debating whether to suggest she register and write her own rebuttal if she feels that strongly about it. Given the age of the posts, I don't think it's that likely it would spawn a flame war, although her rebuttal may bring some other jilted lovers out of the woodwork. I suppose I could always delete the thread later on if things get out of hand.

So, what are your votes for:
A) Delete the thread
B) Suggest she write a rebuttal
C) Say it's against our policy to remove someone else's posts and hope she gives up and goes away
D) other

[londrum]

i would delete it. you can't be sure of the truth of the matter yourself, and if it's affecting her like she says it is then you should give her the benefit of the doubt. it's no skin off your nose either way.

[King_Fisher]

Delete the thread. Let sleeping dogs lay!...KF

[jtara]

Sounds like the basis for a sitcom.

Oh, it's been done. :)

[rogerd]

I'll usually honor requests for removal of a single revealing thread. I don't do, "delete all my posts."

[Maxnpaddy]

This is a clear cut case here, so remove the entire thread. No point in damaging your forum's rep, in favour of an extra thread or a few more comments by posters. I'm not sure where the law stands on this, but her business's reputation could be at stake, so better off being the nice guy and stop this situation from progressing further.

[edited by: Maxnpaddy at 1:35 pm (utc) on Nov. 11, 2007]

[Habtom]

I say, delete the thread for no other reason except if it had happened to me, I would have loved to see it gone from the forums.

[LifeinAsia]

Yeah, I will probably delete it. I just hate to see people getting away with having truthful posts deleted just because they present themselves as an injured party. With the warning deleted, others may fall prey to her because they weren't forewarned.

Like I said, she's never denied anything in the post was false. And knowing the area and the types of people who own bars there, that type of behavior is far from uncommon.

[lynder]

Yeah delete it. What's not that bad for you is hell for someone else