Feature to track answerers has been relaunched
Thread poster: Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 13:41
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
Apr 16, 2009

Dear members,

As Henry had announced here, the feature that allows users to track the answers and reference comments of specific answerers has been relaunched with the following characteristics:

Users will be able to ask for permission to track a colleague's answers. Sending an optional message with the request will also be possible.

It will be possible to select among three option
... See more
Dear members,

As Henry had announced here, the feature that allows users to track the answers and reference comments of specific answerers has been relaunched with the following characteristics:

Users will be able to ask for permission to track a colleague's answers. Sending an optional message with the request will also be possible.

It will be possible to select among three options:
* Allow anyone to track my answers.
* Ask me for permission on a case-by-case basis. (This is the default option)
* Do not allow anyone to track my answers. Note: No notifications will be sent to accepted trackers.

In the second case (default option), the receiver of the tracking request will be able to approve or decline the request.

Even when tracking has been allowed, it can be revoked at a later date.

The page for tracking answers will display both the requests for tracking you've made and the permissions to track you have received. Requests approved and pending will be shown permanently. Declined requests will be shown during a week.

The dedicated page can be found at
My ProZ.com -> My dashboard -> Answerer tracking.

Thanks again to our members for their support to the site.

Kind regards,
Enrique
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Katalin Horváth McClure
Katalin Horváth McClure  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:41
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Could the same modification be done for tracking askers? Apr 16, 2009

Based on the extensive discussion and the conclusions regarding the tracking of answerers, it seems logical to me to expect the same treatment for the function of "tracking askers".
I think the same concerns apply there, too, and the same solution would be good.
It would be logical and consistent from everybody's point of view.

Thanks
Katalin


 
Attila Piróth
Attila Piróth  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 17:41
Member
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Treating "Flag asker" on the same footing Apr 16, 2009

Thanks for implementing the changes requested by many on the basis of privacy issues. As has been raised by several users, the same privacy issues apply to flagging askers. It would therefore be logical and welcome to treat the "Flag asker" feature on the same footing, by implementing the same opt-in scheme. (The "Filter asker" function need not be addressed, as privacy is not concerned by it.)

Kind regards,
Attila


 
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 13:41
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
TOPIC STARTER
Questions are normally notified Apr 16, 2009

Hi Katalin and Attila,

I believe that there is at least a significant differences between tracking askers and tracking answerers: notifications are a standard feature when questions are posted. The tracking and filtering of askers are basically additional conditions to be added to the normal notifications feature.

Regards,
Enrique


 
Katalin Horváth McClure
Katalin Horváth McClure  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:41
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
It could be used for tracking only specific askers - same as with answerers Apr 16, 2009

Enrique,
As far as I understand, one can turn off notifications of KudoZ questions altogether, but still "flag" an asker and receive notifications of that person's activities.
This allows specific tracking of a single person, which brings up the same concerns as tracking askers.
Here is what it says on the KudoZ Dashboard:

If you wish to direct special attention to a particular KudoZ asker, you may do so by "flagging" that colleague. Notification will be sent to you of flagged askers' questions, even when they do not match your notification settings.


Please correct me if my understanding is not right about how the function works.
Katalin


 
Attila Piróth
Attila Piróth  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 17:41
Member
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Difference between tracking a user and tracking a language pair Apr 16, 2009

Hi Enrique,

Enrique wrote:
I believe that there is at least a significant differences between tracking askers and tracking answerers: notifications are a standard feature when questions are posted.


By default, users are notified about every question in their working language pairs, posted by any user (except for filtered askers). Using the "Track asker" function, they are notified about every question by a particular user, posted in any language pair. I see a great difference between the two.

In his article dating back to April 2005, Confessions of a 'KudoZ point grabber, Mats Wiman writes:
I am sure that "clever" "outsourcers" certainly read KudoZ and trace eventual candidates (if they do not, then their intellectual level is not too high ).


Some translators would feel quite uneasy about being tracked this way. Most of the privacy concerns raised about the "flag answerer" function apply to the "flag asker" function, too.

Attila


 
Gina W
Gina W
United States
Local time: 12:41
Member (2003)
French to English
Yes, the same should be true for tracking askers Apr 16, 2009

Katalin Horvath McClure wrote:

Based on the extensive discussion and the conclusions regarding the tracking of answerers, it seems logical to me to expect the same treatment for the function of "tracking askers".
I think the same concerns apply there, too, and the same solution would be good.
It would be logical and consistent from everybody's point of view.

Thanks
Katalin


Yes, it would be logical and consistent - and fair.

[Edited at 2009-04-16 15:26 GMT]


 
Ralf Lemster
Ralf Lemster  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:41
English to German
+ ...
Features like this should be strictly 'opt-in' Apr 16, 2009

Hi Enrique,
I believe that features with potential implications on users' privacy should be strictly opt-in.


Users will be able to ask for permission to track a colleague's answers. Sending an optional message with the request will also be possible.

It will be possible to select among three options:
* Allow anyone to track my answers.
* Ask me for permission on a case-by-case basis. (This is the default option)
* Do not allow anyone to track my answers. Note: No notifications will be sent to accepted trackers.

Option 3 should be the default option.

The dedicated page can be found at
My ProZ.com -> My dashboard -> Answerer tracking.

Needless to say, I opted out straight away - I don't wish to be in a situation where I would need to explain why I don't want anyone to track answers.

Regards,
Ralf


 
Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Local time: 12:41
SITE FOUNDER
OK Apr 16, 2009

Doing the same thing for asker tracking ("flagging") makes sense. We'll do it... but it will not be a high priority. The feature has been in operation for several years and, to my knowledge, we have not had any reports of problems.

 
Giuliana Buscaglione
Giuliana Buscaglione  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:41
Member (2001)
German to Italian
+ ...
Opting out - > tracking others deactivated automatically Apr 17, 2009

Hi Quique,

thanks for implementing it. Personally, I think that the opting out ought to deactivate automatically the answer tracking option for answers provided by colleagues. It'd be fair IMHO. (I've just opted out, but I see that I could still track my colleagues' answers, not that I wish to...)

Giuliana


 
Katalin Horváth McClure
Katalin Horváth McClure  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:41
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Yes, opting out should mean full opt-out Apr 18, 2009

Giuliana is right.
I thought it was obvious, just like the WWA-Blue Board pairing, where if you opt out of the WWA system, you cannot make BB entries either.
If you completely opt out of being tracked (3rd option selected), then you should not be able to track anyone.
I believe the forum discussion that led to the changes about this function included this discussion as well.
So yes, the tracking function should be completely disabled in case of full opt-out.
Katalin


 
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 13:41
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
TOPIC STARTER
Non essential condition Apr 18, 2009

Katalin Horvath McClure wrote:

I thought it was obvious, just like the WWA-Blue Board pairing, where if you opt out of the WWA system, you cannot make BB entries either.
If you completely opt out of being tracked (3rd option selected), then you should not be able to track anyone.
I believe the forum discussion that led to the changes about this function included this discussion as well.
So yes, the tracking function should be completely disabled in case of full opt-out.
Katalin


This condition was evaluated and discarded. As long as candidates for tracking are free to reject the tracking request, the system seems to be fair enough.

Regards,
Enrique


 
Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
Aniello Scognamiglio (X)  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:41
English to German
+ ...
Who likes to be rejected? Apr 18, 2009

Enrique wrote:

This condition was evaluated and discarded. As long as candidates for tracking are free to reject the tracking request, the system seems to be fair enough.

Regards,
Enrique


Many thanks for implementing the feature.

While it is true that candidates for tracking are free to reject the tracking request, it may also be true that turning down a tracking request could have "unwanted or unexpected effects", from a psychological point of view. Example: 20 "users" want to track my answers, I have to reject 20 requests saying "no, thanks".

I also do not wish to be in a situation where I would need to explain why I do not want anyone to track my answers. A full opt-out helps to avoid unpleasant situations.

Regarding the tracking of askers: I fully agree with Ralf that features with potential implications on users' privacy should be strictly opt-in. Taking "privacy and data protection" very seriously should be standard practice.


 
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 13:41
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
TOPIC STARTER
Option already implemented Apr 18, 2009

italengger wrote:

Enrique wrote:

This condition was evaluated and discarded. As long as candidates for tracking are free to reject the tracking request, the system seems to be fair enough.

Regards,
Enrique


Many thanks for implementing the feature.

While it is true that candidates for tracking are free to reject the tracking request, it may also be true that turning down a tracking request could have "unwanted or unexpected effects", from a psychological point of view. Example: 20 "users" want to track my answers, I have to reject 20 requests saying "no, thanks".

I also do not wish to be in a situation where I would need to explain why I do not want anyone to track my answers. A full opt-out helps to avoid unpleasant situations.


Please note that such opt-out has been implemented. You can select among three options:
    * Allow anyone to track my answers.
    * Ask me for permission on a case-by-case basis.
    * Do not allow anyone to track my answers.


If you select the last option, users wishing to track your answers will receive an automatic message informing them that you have opted for not being tracked as an answerer, so you will not need to explain anything.

Regards,
Enrique


 


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Feature to track answerers has been relaunched






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