can we post links for other people

November 15, 2001 4:17 AM

What is the policy on "passing on" links to metafilter?
I've been mailed by someone I don't know asking me to post a link for him (apparently he can't because of the "closed policy" ( what is this?) - but he would if he could...)

Anyhow - besides the fact that I've already posted my link for the day and so can't post his - what is the policy on this?
posted by Spoon to etiquette/policy at 4:17 AM (8 comments total)

Here's one thread, posted by rebeccablood, which is pretty illuminating. IMO, she and those who replied just about said it all.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:48 AM on November 15, 2001

I think the closed policy refers to the inablility for anyone currently to join the site. The thread Miguel posted, I believe, occured before this rule was enforced.

So the question is ... subject to the post being of sufficient quality, should a user post for someone else who does not have user access to the site?

Although I could be wrong.
posted by DaRiLo at 6:28 AM on November 15, 2001

Would it be a self-link or a blatant plug for that person? If so, then no. Would you be ashamed to see the link attached to your name? Then no. It's a judgment call. If you think the link stands on its own merits, then go for it. The issue of registration being closed isn't important; links are links.
posted by darukaru at 8:01 AM on November 15, 2001

Spoon, I suspect a lot of the threads posted here are not the posters' original find.
Several of my posts have been links I have been shown by colleagues or sent by friends in emails. No-one asked me to post them, I just thought them interesting enough to show everyone here.
If the link was sent by a friend, I'd ask yourself the following questions:-
Is the link worth posting? Would you be happy to have your name associated with it? Does it fit in with the guidelines? Basically the same questions you (should) ask yourself before posting one of your own finds.

However, since the person is someone you don't know, I'd tell them to contact Matt directly and let him decide. it could be they already did that, got rejected and decided to hit a few members to do it for them.
posted by Markb at 8:06 AM on November 15, 2001

I got an email the other day actually asking me to link to a company's site on my blog. Along the lines of "We thought your readers would appreciate this cool site we have". Could anything make me want to link something less?

Don't think so.
posted by Kafkaesque at 9:03 AM on November 15, 2001

they were just trying to take advantage of the kottke hookups.
speaking of, i've been put on the guest list of some party in new york. twice.
posted by moz at 9:11 AM on November 15, 2001

I know it was an abuse of his time, but I emailed Matt once with a query about a MeTa thread I was thinking of posting and he was kind enough to answer(with a "Nope"). Perhaps, instead of bothering him, emailing MeFi colleagues we trust - might nor know or even like much, but trust - wouldn't be a bad idea. In my experience MeFis are extraordinarily altruistic and don't mind the occasional query from newbies.
There's a lot to be said for email. :)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 12:33 PM on November 15, 2001

i think the closed policy should also refer to the fact that people who dont comment much dont have the right to post. i'm very much a voyeur when it comes to metafilter, but every now and again i have a link to post, and sadly, i havent posted enough comments to place a link. i endeavour to spend what little time i can when not doing a double science major to keeping up on news from a bottom-up perspective, and such a policy is really disturbing
posted by three| at 7:23 PM on November 15, 2001