Facebook Banned from DIS!

[stitchlovestink]

Exactly...I do research extremely well and I easily could find anyone on here if it came to that.. Google is your search friend.. Have pictures on your trip report? Google Image search is your search friend... I am just surprised as to how the few here that think that posting on a private FB page is worse.. So not the case.. At least somewhere private it is only for those people, as opposed to a place for anyone to see.

. Yup!
After that episode I "wised" up BIG TIME!! LOL
the person who found me had done IT security and taught me alot. I am much more cautious now. I don't stick my head in the sand thinking just because I am using a screen name I am not "traceable"!!

 

[SeattleSuz]

Exactly...I do research extremely well and I easily could find anyone on here if it came to that.. Google is your search friend.. Have pictures on your trip report? Google Image search is your search friend... I am just surprised as to how the few here that think that posting on a private FB page is worse.. So not the case.. At least somewhere private it is only for those people, as opposed to a place for anyone to see.

Yep, exactly!!!

 

[Soccermom-Cheri]

I actively use FB but will never give up the DIS. We met our best friends here and have had a blast planning many many cruises here. I just feel more at home here and like the atmosphere (usually). Part of cruise planning is spending time on DIS. Just my unsolicited 2 cents.

 

[Donald Applecore]

HE is one of the creators. Yes, he is a TA. But his agency does not sponsor the site. The other creator has no affiliation to the travel industry. The bulk of the admins are not TAs either.

Sooo... I am fairly confident that someone at the Disney Cruising facebook page is monitoring this thread. (Nobody says they can't, this is a public forum after all.)

First, it appears that I have been banned from that group, even though I have not posted a single word on their page.
I was a member of the group - added by a fellow cruiser - but I never actively participated. I enjoyed reading some of the Disney Cruising discussions in my facebook news feed. Once I started mentioning the business side of their page on this thread through their connection to a TA (Mark Kechula), I suddenly cant access the page & am no longer listed as a member. At first I thought the page went away, but I was able to access their page by using DW's facebook account. As several of you have mentioned, it would not take a rocket scientist to figure out who I was over there based on the info you can find out about me on DIS. (Perhaps this should be a bit of a wake up call for me as well, although I never thought this was some super-secure site)

Secondly, There has been some debate over Disney Cruising's relationship with a TA. When I pulled up their page yesterday with my wife's account, the "about" section did list Mark Kechula as the sponsor of the site. Today, I checked again after reading some of the debate over this, and the "about" section no longer mentions him at all. Personally, I don't really care. I'm not a TA, I don't use a TA, I'm not related to a TA - HECK - I dont even know any TAs. But I do think that little change that occurred today is very interesting. (Full disclosure - obviously at this point I have no way to PROVE they made this edit, but I really have no reason to make it up)

Regardless, they definitely have had some relationship with the TA whether formal or informal despite their own policy against promotions. Now maybe he does not actively promote, but even as a casual member of that site, I knew he was a TA & specialized in Disney. It would not be much of a leap for a member to beleive that he was the official TA for Disney Cruising FB. I even recall a few discussions/complaints on their page concerning a double standard toward other TAs that were members vs Mark Kechula.

 

[Donald Applecore]

No one is trying to sell things on the cruise meet page though.It is simply a place that the cruise meet people can get together and talk freely..I have referred many people to the sponsors of this site because they saw my pictures of my room with the gift basket on another site. When they PM'd me, I told them about the gift basket as well as OBC from the sponsor that they were not getting from their TA's.. MANY switched because of this.. (And yes, my TA can back this up.)

Understood, but my point is should we really be surprised if DIS doesn't want the FB groups coming onto DIS soliciting new members to join their meet? To build on the previous Disneyworld/Universal example of a previous poster: No you will not get kicked out of DisneyWorld for talking about Universal, but you probably would if you stood right inside the front gate handing out Flyers promoting the newest rides at Univeral.

In a way, when the second or third post on Dis Cruise Meet thread is "come join this FB meet for the cruise" isn't that pretty similar to the person handing out Universal Studio promotional flyers right inside Disneyworld?

 

[jlemieu1]

Understood, but my point is should we really be surprised if DIS doesn't want the FB groups coming onto DIS soliciting new members to join their meet? To build on the previous Disneyworld/Universal example of a previous poster: No you will not get kicked out of DisneyWorld for talking about Universal, but you probably would if you stood right inside the front gate handing out Flyers promoting the newest rides at Univeral.

In a way, when the second or third post on Dis Cruise Meet thread is "come join this FB meet for the cruise" isn't that pretty similar to the person handing out Universal Studio promotional flyers right inside Disneyworld?

I completely agree with this using FB as another tool like using MS Excel. I can understand banning FB groups that try to emulate DISBoards if they span different cruise groups. For example I would ban links to a group Disney Cruise discussion group, etc...

But I can completely understand losing Ad revenue to people using FB more. On techinal note, I think people would us Disboards more for groups meetings if the version of the forum site software was upgraded to a new version of vBulletin® Version 3.8.4. The newer version have subthreading which would bring a lot of traffic back. AND I completely understand that is NOT an easy task on a site this large. Maybe XenForo????? in the future.

 

[Snowwhyt]

SO TRUE! THIS was the only place I posted for years!! When I registered I used my 'real' information not realizing at the time (because i was not that tech savy!) that it could be searched so easily. Well guess what!! Through some Google searches of my name my posts on the Dis popped up and someone who was looking for me found me! They started reading the Dis and we're able to match up my screen name based on their Google searches! Creepy! So don't think you have total anonymity here. Nope you don't!

I know what you are talking about. I too googled my name and my daughter and our last name came up. I edited the post that had that info and now know to PM anyone who needs that info. I've never been listed again.

I think all my FB info is off from anyone now. I think I'm all private now. I hope.

 

[robin19871]

Understood, but my point is should we really be surprised if DIS doesn't want the FB groups coming onto DIS soliciting new members to join their meet? To build on the previous Disneyworld/Universal example of a previous poster: No you will not get kicked out of DisneyWorld for talking about Universal, but you probably would if you stood right inside the front gate handing out Flyers promoting the newest rides at Univeral.

In a way, when the second or third post on Dis Cruise Meet thread is "come join this FB meet for the cruise" isn't that pretty similar to the person handing out Universal Studio promotional flyers right inside Disneyworld?

But no one was soliciting people..FB private cruise meets were available as soon as I started sailing DCL in 2010. Back then, individuals would just create their own FB pages and continue the cruise meets there.. The place where the current meets are listed is just a meeting spot that makes it easier for all to find.. Nothing more.. Nada, zero, zilch. And I have to again wonder how is business being taken away from this site because of FB? I myself provide links to this site for at least 1/2 of our cruise meet members that have never heard of the DIS. I provide pictures on certain websites of my concierge rooms and people always ask about the gift baskets that the sponsors here (Whom I really like) provide. I have given MANY referrals to the sponsors because of this..So who wins? Those that refuse to let anyone share or those that would like to share but are banned from it.. I know the answer...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

But no one was soliciting people..FB private cruise meets were available as soon as I started sailing DCL in 2010. Back then, individuals would just create their own FB pages and continue the cruise meets there.. The place where the current meets are listed is just a meeting spot that makes it easier for all to find.. Nothing more.. Nada, zero, zilch. And I have to again wonder how is business being taken away from this site because of FB? I myself provide links to this site for at least 1/2 of our cruise meet members that have never heard of the DIS. I provide pictures on certain websites of my concierge rooms and people always ask about the gift baskets that the sponsors here (Whom I really like) provide. I have given MANY referrals to the sponsors because of this..So who wins? Those that refuse to let anyone share or those that would like to share but are banned from it.. I know the answer...

When we first started cruising (and participating in Cruise Meet threads), FB was pretty much just a place where some of the people on the meet thread would get together to discuss more private things individually, not so much what the group was doing. The group information/activities were planned and talked about on the DIS.

By the time we took our cruises in 2011, our cruise meet threads were pretty much decimated by posts (generally as soon as the meet thread was posted) directing people to FB. I think when someone posts on a DISboards cruise meet thread "come over to FB, that's where everything is happening" it's solicitation.

I don't have a problem with FB, or anyone else having a Disney cruise group. In fact, on one of our cruises, I participated in 2 different groups, on 2 different boards for the same cruise. There were people that were in both groups (like me), and people in only one or the other. But, they were separate entities unto themselves. That's how I think FB groups should be.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

You do know that the FE quickly spread after that 2005 cruise to other message boards when people left the DIS, for one reason or the other, right? It's crazy to say that the FB groups got the idea strictly from the DIS.

My point is it ORIGINATED on the DIS. Period. Can't argue that. 100% DISboards born. Not other forums, not FB.

 

[Grammy4Lizzy]

I would like to know how a "gatekeeper" can verify if you are on a certain cruise? This bothers me alot.

 

[robin19871]

When we first started cruising (and participating in Cruise Meet threads), FB was pretty much just a place where some of the people on the meet thread would get together to discuss more private things individually, not so much what the group was doing. The group information/activities were planned and talked about on the DIS.

By the time we took our cruises in 2011, our cruise meet threads were pretty much decimated by posts (generally as soon as the meet thread was posted) directing people to FB. I think when someone posts on a DISboards cruise meet thread "come over to FB, that's where everything is happening" it's solicitation.

I don't have a problem with FB, or anyone else having a Disney cruise group. In fact, on one of our cruises, I participated in 2 different groups, on 2 different boards for the same cruise. There were people that were in both groups (like me), and people in only one or the other. But, they were separate entities unto themselves. That's how I think FB groups should be.

It is not solicitation if they are not offering goods or services.A cruise meet in a private FB page is not a solicitation. A different meeting place that most of society has evolved to is just evolving.. People from other boards have come here because of other sites.. People from here on cruise meets in other places are ONLY having a place where most can talk freely, Posts can be followed much easier and it is MUCH more private.. Strictly for those in the group rather than all of the boards to see. I am not saying that everyone has to be there or here.. We should have choices.. I prefer both but FB more for meets and the DIS for information. I just hate when someone says that you have to be here but you can't be there.. I am an adult and I make my own choices..

 

[robin19871]

My point is it ORIGINATED on the DIS. Period. Can't argue that. 100% DISboards born. Not other forums, not FB.

The difference is that it was originated by a person and not a site.. The DIS will always be where I heard about cruise meets but it certainly was not created by any site..

 

[calypso726]

I would like to know how a "gatekeeper" can verify if you are on a certain cruise? This bothers me alot.

There is no way to know 100%. I get requests daily to join one of the FB groups that I am gatekeeper/admin for. I never automatically add anyone. I do PM each one and explain that I received their request to join the group, the group is only for people on the sailing, if they found us via Disboards (prior to the ban on linking FB groups on the cruise meet threads) they need to give me their Disboard name or post on the meet thread to let me know. People who are truly on the sailing will usually respond and explain when they booked or how they found our group. Those who do respond but aren't on the sailing just say. "Oh sorry didn't realize that." Spammers won't reply. I will also ask the rest of the group if they happen to know the person requesting to join and sometimes someone does know the person.

 

[Donald Applecore]

But no one was soliciting people..FB private cruise meets were available as soon as I started sailing DCL in 2010. Back then, individuals would just create their own FB pages and continue the cruise meets there.. The place where the current meets are listed is just a meeting spot that makes it easier for all to find.. Nothing more.. Nada, zero, zilch. And I have to again wonder how is business being taken away from this site because of FB? I myself provide links to this site for at least 1/2 of our cruise meet members that have never heard of the DIS. I provide pictures on certain websites of my concierge rooms and people always ask about the gift baskets that the sponsors here (Whom I really like) provide. I have given MANY referrals to the sponsors because of this..So who wins? Those that refuse to let anyone share or those that would like to share but are banned from it.. I know the answer...

I think you are getting hung up in the "business" aspects that have been brought up. Also, let me put out there that I don't necessarily think banning is the correct decision, but it is a reasonable decision.

Lets say I started a free book club that meets every Wednesday at the local library. It proves very popular, and next thing you know there are dozens of book clubs just like mine around town meeting at the exact same time on the exact same day. Some people like those other book clubs so they leave mine & join those - this is just the way of the world. But if people from the other book clubs started showing up at my book club with a hand full of promotional flyers to pass out to my book club's members, I don't think it would be unreasonable to ban that practice.

At one point, I think the Facebook groups were exactly what you experienced. An organic evolution of the dismeets that added to the dismeet experience. But as several people have mentioned, now often once the dismeet thread is established, someone posts within the first few posts an invite to the FB meet page that started even before the dimeet thread began.

Now lets muddy the water a little more with the fact there is a "Disney Cruising" facebook page that maintains links to all of these facebook cruise pages & encourages its members to find the link to their cruise's page. (There is apparently some debate as to what level of involvement a competitor TA has with the "disney cruising" FB page - so I wont even get into that side of it) But again, leaving out the "Business" aspects, and just focusing on two communities of DCL fans, I don't think it is unreasonable Disboards bans these facebook groups from promoting themselves on Dismeet threads. May not fix the problem - facebook meet pages may already be 100 times more popular than dismeets these days - but I don't think the ban is unreasonable.

 

[robin19871]

I think you are getting hung up in the "business" aspects that have been brought up. Also, let me put out there that I don't necessarily think banning is the correct decision, but it is a reasonable decision.

Lets say I started a free book club that meets every Wednesday at the local library. It proves very popular, and next thing you know there are dozens of book clubs just like mine around town meeting at the exact same time on the exact same day. Some people like those other book clubs so they leave mine & join those - this is just the way of the world. But if people from the other book clubs started showing up at my book club with a hand full of promotional flyers to pass out to my book club's members, I don't think it would be unreasonable to ban that practice.

At one point, I think the Facebook groups were exactly what you experienced. An organic evolution of the dismeets that added to the dismeet experience. But as several people have mentioned, now often once the dismeet thread is established, someone has posts within the first few threads an invite to the FB meet page that started even before the dimeet thread began.

Now lets muddy the water a little more with the fact there is a "Disney Cruising" facebook page that maintains links to all of these facebook cruise pages & encourages its members to find the link to their cruise's page. (There is apparently some debate as to what level of involvement a competitor TA has with the "disney cruising" FB page - so I wont even get into that side of it) But again, leaving out the "Business" aspects, and just focusing on two communities of DCL fans, I don't think it is unreasonable Disboards bans these facebook groups from promoting themselves on Dismeet threads. May not fix the problem - facebook meet pages may already be 100 times more popular than dismeets these days - but I don't think the ban is unreasonable.

I am not getting hung up on business at all.. Lets say that you as an individual started a book club as you say.. Then the place where you have your book club took ownership of YOUR book club.. The said book club is no longer yours. Then that place said that you are not allowed to share this book club with others. (Your analogy, not mine.) They told you that they have allowed you to share for a while but we insist that you stop.. However, because they took ownership, some people see it as theirs when it reality it was yours to begin with.

Not sure why you are bringing up other Fb sites that you may disagree with.. This whole topic started originally because a few complained that most were on private FB pages instead of strictly here.. It is not going to change.. Most will still be there and less will be here. It was much nicer when I could direct those there that have never been here to come and check it out.. It seems with the chain reaction that even that is stopping.

 

[Donald Applecore]

I am not getting hung up on business at all.. Lets say that you as an individual started a book club as you say.. Then the place where you have your book club took ownership of YOUR book club.. The said book club is no longer yours. Then that place said that you are not allowed to share this book club with others. (Your analogy, not mine.) They told you that they have allowed you to share for a while but we insist that you stop.. However, because they took ownership, some people see it as theirs when it reality it was yours to begin with.

Not sure why you are bringing up other Fb sites that you may disagree with.. This whole topic started originally because a few complained that most were on private FB pages instead of strictly here.. It is not going to change.. Most will still be there and less will be here. It was much nicer when I could direct those there that have never been here to come and check it out.. It seems with the chain reaction that even that is stopping.

Maybe I am a little dense, but I'm not following your take on the book club analogy. In my analogy the original book club = Disboards, and the new book clubs = the FB groups. The people who start the FB groups, and then come & link to them on disboards are arguably no different than the people from the other book clubs that show up at the original book club with fliers promoting the new book clubs. Some people may not see anything wrong with that, But I would certainly understand if the original book club banned that practice.

So in your take on the analogy, are you saying someone new took over disboards?

Regardless, as I said - It may not be the best move on the part of disboards, but I don't think it is unreasonable.

 

[Donald Applecore]

Not sure why you are bringing up other Fb sites that you may disagree with...

I actually don't disagree with the Facebook cruising page. I never even posted there, so there was never any interaction with anyone for me to disagree with.

But, as they do appear to be the main promotors of the Facebook meet groups(they link to all of the meet groups and encourage their members to join), I do feel the Disney Cruising Facebook page is at least pertinent to the conversation.

 

[iloverags2]

Sounds like an unfortunate group that soured you. I wish you could've experienced a DisMeet group like we had for the May 2012 Magic sailing we went on. It was soooooo wonderful in every way.

Again, I will say...best cruise group evah!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Again, I will say...best cruise group evah!

Truly! I'll shoot you an email about your other message.