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Frustration at no location info. on classifieds

Mike Reed

Mike Reed

pfm Member
Unlike the other two forums, AoS and WW, the profile attachment here rarely gives location; nor do sellers tend to state it, requiring posts from interested parties to ascertain this info. A number of times I've done this, only to find something far too far away.

I am interested in stuff in my catchment area but if I have to enquire every time something catches my eye.........

Don't know if this is the right section to air this, and I know I'm not the first to mention it, but can anything be done to make the classifieds more geographically efficient? Members' locations must surely be on a database somewhere and maybe on the members' list but there could be caveats to publishing this info.; I've no idea.
 
Certainly a nice piece of info for buyers. Could be made mandatory info in all sales adverts, I'm sure.
 
Err, this may not be possible due to Gdpr. Surely the answer is simple, no FS ads without a location, a mandatory field could added? On the other hand, It is hardly a massive issue to ask someone where they are based if interested in the kit? I don't want my location to be flagged as a matter of course as it is not relevant or desirable.
 
thebiglebowski said:
Just click on the username below their avatar and it will give their location (as they have provided it in their profile)
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Just did a random check on your suggestion - clicked on the usernames of the people who started the first ten threads as seen a minute ago.

Three usable locations out of ten i.e. a county or more precise.
Three fanciful or useless (for ads) e.g. "the disputed lands" and "UK"
Four with no location info at all.

FWIW :-(
 
Indeed I've long thought a rough location should be given as with some other forums.... I've sometimes offered my services re the repair of an item only to get the reply "I'd bring it to you if I wasn't in Canada" or something like that!
 
It's not just location info that's often missing. Items are often posted with no mention of age, condition, etc. The seller then has to be pestered for images. I guess some folks just don't want to sell their stuff that badly.
 
Not something that can be mandated IMO. Internet regulation is becoming increasingly authoritarian and the less data I store about people the safer I feel. I would certainly never request or force anyone to publish their location here and I suspect any forums that do will be reversing out of that policy pretty soon.
 
Tony L said:
Not something that can be mandated IMO. Internet regulation is becoming increasingly authoritarian and the less data I store about people the safer I feel. I would certainly never request or force anyone to publish their location here and I suspect any forums that do will be reversing out of that policy pretty soon.
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Yes, you would fall foul of new Gdpr legislation which goes live at the end of May
 
And nothing has really changed with GDPR except they are now enforcing the rules that were there previously.
 
I'm pretty sure it's this May that they start enforcing them & that is what counts. It is a European directive. I've just done a training module on it.
 
Woodface said:
I don't want my location to be flagged as a matter of course as it is not relevant or desirable.
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Desirable it may not be; a personal thing, but relevance is the whole reason for posting. An exact location is unnecessary; a geographical approximation would at least indicate whether a purchase would be collectable or a carriage job, or even local, which would certainly pique my interest. Even vague locations, like East Anglia, West Midlands, Borders etc. would be useful to a potential buyer, I'd've thought, and cannot surely be detailed enough to cause privacy concerns. After all, when asked, most sellers respond on thread with much more geographical accuracy. Am I missing something, apart from o.t.t. and largely irrelevant rules and reg's ?
 
Woodface said:
I'm pretty sure it's this May that they start enforcing them & that is what counts. It is a European directive. I've just done a training module on it.
Click to expand...

No it was last May as Tony said, a simple google search would have confirmed that.
 
Mike Reed said:
Desirable it may not be; a personal thing, but relevance is the whole reason for posting. An exact location is unnecessary; a geographical approximation would at least indicate whether a purchase would be collectable or a carriage job, or even local, which would certainly pique my interest. Even vague locations, like East Anglia, West Midlands, Borders etc. would be useful to a potential buyer, I'd've thought, and cannot surely be detailed enough to cause privacy concerns. After all, when asked, most sellers respond on thread with much more geographical accuracy. Am I missing something, apart from o.t.t. and largely irrelevant rules and reg's ?
Click to expand...
All you need to do is ask the seller? Holding what could be considered personal data is not worth the hassle.
 
I remember a FS thread a few months back for a set of items over £10k where the seller said collection only but wouldn't say from where and got really pissed when people asked for photos in the thread. I think it must be when the seller is looking for an excuse to keep the item. :p
 
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