Does having a forum generate traffic? - Page 2 - UK Business Labs

**OldWelshGuy** · #26 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 10:30 AM

I was offered £10,000 for my forum the other day

I said no thanks!

paultgreen · #27 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldWelshGuy

I was offered £10,000 for my forum the other day

I said no thanks!

Hmm... what money would I bet that it'd be turned in to a mailing list and a half!!

**Kay** · #28 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 10:52 AM

Dunno about you, but we would have to consider the legal implications if someone offered to buy one of our forums. We clearly state that any email messages are opt-in and that we will never disclose anyone's details to a third party without their express permission. I don't think we could sell our forum without putting that promise at risk.

It makes me wonder about other forums that get sold lock, stock and barrel to new owners. How does that stack up against any privacy policy that might have been in place?

**Mark** · #29 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:00 AM

^ Couldn't agree more. Another forum I'm a member of, was 'sold-off' (along with the entire membership) to a third party. I was was slightly 'concerned' to say the least as I hadn't been notified and given the option to have my details removed.

paultgreen · #30 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:01 AM

Depends how you run it I would guess.. if "we clearly state" means that you as individuals clearly state, then you'd have to consult your membership, but if "we clearly state" means that the forum states as an entity, then I would imagine you could pass over that entity to someone else in it's entirety, including terms of service and database, whilst it may be unethical, I think it would stand up to scrutiny.

OWG, what's your forum, and is it just Welsh teams - is a Wasps fan going to get slated in there?

paultgreen · #31 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:04 AM

This is relevant I promise... When Spirit Group sold Old Orleans to Regent Inns, I received a letter in the post to tell me - not that I cared who owned my least favourite chain of microwave-chef shacks, but they had to inform me under data protection law who the new data controller was for the loyalty card database... If they can shuffle a massive database around companies like this, a forum with a couple of thousand members isn't going to be an issue.

**Mark** · #32 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:12 AM

True. It would have been nice to have been told though. It's a matter of trust.

**OldWelshGuy** · #33 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paultgreen

Hmm... what money would I bet that it'd be turned in to a mailing list and a half!!

The guy organises rugby tours, he knew that 25-50 members were intending going on the lions tour, in fact we organised one for the forumites there. the average lions tour is around £5k so he would have been quids in.

As for Wasps fans, well any friend of Y Sion Edwards (he is Welsh now see) is welcome there

**Kay** · #34 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:50 AM

I understand the point about "we clearly state" being a bit vague. I'll need to look into what we actually have on the site, but I seem to remember a statement from me saying something along the lines of "I promise I will never give your contact details to anyone else". I will stand by that promise. Otherwise I'll lose my integrity and any respect that people might have for me. Sure, we all need money but - as Mark said - TRUST is important.