hi bones - I guess you are new to SI. On SI, there is only one moderator and there can be an unlimited number of boards for a stock. The person who started this board is the only person who can change the IBox. That person can't delete posts as a moderator can do on IHub. He can ban posters.
If someone does not like the tenor of the board or its ibox or anything else, one can start a different board with a different perspective. There are 3 boards on PLNI I believe.
Personally, I prefer having 1 board and full discussion and I've stated that a number of times. As for professional pumpers, I am sure there are professional pumpers and I would define that as someone who is paid by a company to post, either directly or from a third person. In terms of disclaimer requirements, there seems to be some grey area as there are very few actual disclaimers posted. Perhaps those who are paid feel that the disclosure requirements only apply with respect to PR's and public releases of that kind. I don't know the answer to that.
As for professional bashers, I do believe that there those who work for hedge funds, perhaps for MM's, perhaps for professional associations. For years, this type of statement was scoffed at (no such thing as paid bashers). However, we have seen over the past few years the trial of Anthony Elgindy where the activities of hedge funds were exposed. Hedge fund managers and employees posted in the active employ of their fund. We also have the recent SEC action against Jeff Thorp. Overstock has claimed in its pending litigation that there were professional bash pieces prepared. I'm sure the discovery in that case will be very interesting. There was an attorney in the Matrixx case who was sanctioned by the judge for bashing on Yahoo.
I'm NOT talking about those who trade and post their opinions. It's common sense that someone who is long a stock will post an opinion that is favorable to his investment. Similarly, it's common sense that someone who is short a stock or wants it to go down for a lower price would post a negative opinion. I have no problem with that, particularly if the post has quality content and not just "going to the moon tomorrow" or "total scam, all are crooks," the latter types of posts being more prevalent, in my opinion, over on IHub, where there is more one line, hit and run stuff. One can get caught on definitions and semantics. Is someone who runs a small hedge fund, perhaps even its sole employee a professional pumper or basher? It's a debatable issue and I do believe that the trend is for more regulation in this area, despite the recent court case where the SEC was rebuffed. Over time, I believe we will see a new statutory framework with a stronger SEC that will reduce the scamming on all sides of the equation, including the pump n dump, insider selling, the Naked Shorting, the MM manipulation, toxic finacing, etc.
Each web site has its proponents and its detractors. I feel that both are head and shoulders above RB and Yahoo, both of which I've given up on, largely because of the fact that one person can dominate a board with multiple aliassses. There is neither administration or moderator in any sense of the world. I've never spent any time on Motley Fool so I can't comment on that. Same with the newer websites and blogs. Most seem to have limited following and minimal substance. The blogs seem to be inhabited by posters, kicked off these boards, who feel slighted or embarrassed and want to get back at others with lies, kind of like beating one's chest in an empty bathroom behind a closed door, hoping someone will open the door and see one's onanistic blathering.
As for the Ibox, I don't believe there is any way to change it now other than a request to the moderator or SI Dave, but I think he would just say, "start your own board."
Hope that helps. |
