Checking others' profiles privately isn't a sure thing.

I'm primarily a forum surfer. I like to visit a person's profile before I comment on their posting. It's better to know your audience, and their profile may give an idea of where they're coming from.

Unfortunately, VIPs know when you've checked them out, yet they have the ability to mask their VIP status. Also unfortunate is that they may take my looking as more than it is. So I get cold-call messages from them hopeful that I'm up for chatting, friendship, or something other than just me prepping before making a forum comment.

This makes me reluctant to click on profiles altogether, which makes me less likely to post comments. Lose-Lose.

SW officials: is it really a good idea giving VIPs this ability to monitor the rest of us in this way--secretly, no less?

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PerfectionOfTheHeart · 46-50, F

Well, it’s a good idea to them because it’s a way for them to make the money needed to run the site. It benefits them where it matters most ($) and it benefits certain members willing to pay for that privilege because the whole idea feeds on a person’s desire to see who’s interested enough in them to check out their profile. But what many forget is that there is an array of reasons to click on someone’s profile, like your reasoning. More often than not, the only reason I’m taken to someone’s profile is because I misclick, but a desperate for attention/conversation person will instantly misconstrue that as an invitation to something more. Unfortunately it’s just going to be something that happens in the attention starved environment that this place can be.

gailo · 61-69, F

@PerfectionOfTheHeart Thanks, and yes, the site's business plan does apply and with good reason.