And I suppose the SAPS should withhold area crime statistics from the public, in case criminals use it to identify soft targets?
Information, like power, can be used for anything, and trying to keep it secret generally does more harm than good. Rather make the ONW information as readily available as possible to the 99.whatsit % of the public that want to prevent crime, who can see the group messages and want to reply, and increase awareness. Making it private you will lose many of those new members. The claim that keeping the ONW group public would increase Obs crime is entirely unjustified, merely a phobia. Graham On Apr 30, 12:45 pm, Boughies <[email protected]> wrote: > Miss Marple is right, this should by no means be available for random > public perusal, even given the fact that most "perps" are brain-fried > semi-illiterates. > > On Apr 29, 6:13 pm, Miss Marple <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I take your point Trev.....yet I am relieved that it is no longer open > > to all...... > > Perhaps we shld go the democratic route..... > > and put it to the vote ? > > > I would also like input from other neighbourhood watches..... > > > Maybe I'll try to contact one or two of them. > > > On Apr 29, 4:35 pm, Trevor Hughes <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 4:21 PM, Miss Marple <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Very many thanks Andrew. > > > > It's a relief..... > > > > KIndly > > > > Bev > > > > Maybe false security actually if you are that concerned. > > > > I am one of the moderators so when people sign up for the list they get > > > asked to say who they are before being admitted. > > > > If a crook was sophisticated enough to be following the google groups > > > instead of smoking crack all he will have to do is create a nice gmail > > > account say [email protected] and tell me he lives in 34 Nuttal > > > Road > > > and that he has just moved to Obs and wants to know about whats going on. > > > > That would be good enough for me - accepted! > > > > I still think the main valid reason for password restricted areas is > > > becasue > > > they would provide value for people and be a reason why someone would WANT > > > to become a member. > > > > Jonathan has made mention of the free flow of information and I am also a > > > firm believer in the free flow of information. > > > > It will be interesting to see the stats of the already password protected > > > areas of the obz.org.za site and see how much traffic they get. > > > > I am just being pragmatic saying that it will not stop the criminal that > > > is > > > dead set on using the information available, and that it will serioulsy > > > curtail the free flow of information to those who are unwilling or just > > > could not be bothered to register for yet another site. > > > > But I suppose if it works for other areas it could work for Obs. > > > > Trev --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
