Personal history for sale!

February 18, 2003 11:01 AM

Personal history for sale!Further evidence that the line between the physical and internet worlds are melting. What aspect of our lives are not for sale?
posted by Birichini (20 comments total)

1-how much did someone pay you to post this?

2-nothing isn't for sale.

3-i think that ebay auction is more about being snarky than anything.

4-i have no reason for number use other than a vague fragmented feeling i have at the moment.
posted by th3ph17 at 11:26 AM on February 18, 2003

I would like to announce that my Metafilter ID is for sale, allowing you to pretend you're as funny, dashing, charming, and hot with the ladies as I am on the Filter.
(warning: some known side effects, like being asian, having small penis, etc.)

Watch how well you'll be received when you make a completely useless Joe Millionaire post, whereas other members would be deleted without hesitation.

Sealed bids via e-mail only please.
posted by Stan Chin at 11:31 AM on February 18, 2003

This is for sale too, if you're into that kinky low-number fetish thing.
posted by stanchin at 11:43 AM on February 18, 2003

Hm. In addition to being dishonest and creepy, this seems like it must be like a violation of the /. T.O.S. to me:

5. NO RESALE OF SERVICE

You agree not to sell, resell or offer for any commercial purposes, any portion of the Services, use of the Services or access to the Services.
posted by Tubes at 11:45 AM on February 18, 2003

Our own mathowie sold a MeFi username about two years ago. I wish I could find the MeTa thread about the sale--if I remember correctly, it went for a fairly good price.
posted by turaho at 11:55 AM on February 18, 2003

for a reasonable price, i will post great comment or nice! after any mefi posters, despite my personal assessment of their post or comment provided payment is made in full a week prior to said response. for a slightly higher rate, i will berate other posters with a choice of that's bullshit or can we delete this topic and why is this on mefi? ..customizable responses can also be arranged, confidentiality assured. italic tags, ALL CAPS or hyperlinks are available with our premium package but vary on a thread by thread arrangement, email for a quote. help me, help you, to become a more recognized part of this online community.
posted by Peter H at 12:12 PM on February 18, 2003

Wow - this seems to have hit a live nerve... Call me easily amused (amused enough to post to mefi at least) by the item for sale and by the idea that people would ever find value in something so fucking pointless.

One aspect that the e-bay item made me think about was the way such transactions would obviate projects like TIA. If an ID can be legitimately sold (which Tubes correctly identified as uncertain), how will computers know that an on-line person is who they thought they were? OK OK - enough trying to think like the spook I'm not.
posted by Birichini at 12:37 PM on February 18, 2003

I'll buy that for a dollar! (I don't know why, but I has to say this)
posted by Nauip at 12:42 PM on February 18, 2003

great comment!
posted by Peter H at 12:53 PM on February 18, 2003

"great comment!"

That's bullshit. Can we delete this topic? Why is this on mefi?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:06 PM on February 18, 2003

You know you're a geek (or a geek wannabe) when you consider buying or selling a slashdot account.
File under farksy.
posted by 111 at 1:11 PM on February 18, 2003

I think the guy knows it's against the rules, which is why he hasn't given the actual name of the account yet. My search didn't find any slashdot users named "motorbikeboy", which is the name of the seller, so it looks like he's more or less anonymous to everyone but the guy buying the account. Everything should go unnoticed unless the guy who buys the account has a totally different posting style and gets noticed, at which point he'll probably be deleted. But that's not any concern to the seller, is it?
posted by Hildago at 2:15 PM on February 18, 2003

I recall low ICQ UINS being advertised for sale. In fact, there are currently four for sale now, though they look as prestigious to me as a McDonald's carry-out wrapper... I guess nothing is new, or original any more.
posted by benzo8 at 2:50 PM on February 18, 2003

Anyone wanna buy a tulip?
posted by linux at 2:58 PM on February 18, 2003

mr.crashdavis - jesus dont just give that shit away, IT'S A BUYERS MARKET!!!
(this post paid for by peter harrison)
posted by Peter H at 3:35 PM on February 18, 2003

I can be bought. I am not cheap, but I am easy.
posted by dg at 4:16 PM on February 18, 2003

MeFi UserID-wise : as I recall, accountingboy became OneBallJay for the princely sum of (under 100 bucks, I think).

[this might be apocryphal]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:53 PM on February 18, 2003

Also.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:56 PM on February 18, 2003

Interesting quandary in terms of the online social dynamic. On the one hand, persistent pseudonymity functions as a sort of encouragement to post quality comments. For instance, while you might not know crash davis or hama7's real-life identity (how superheroesque!), you probably get enough of a glimpse of what they're like from their posts that you'd notice if somebody hacked one of their accounts and posted a bunch of out-of-character stuff. On the other hand, there's lots of examples around of people selling items, and even whole characters, for online RPG's like EverQuest, and people presumably think that the character "ElfBooger the Conjurer" represents a single person, rather than getting passed around like STD's at a biker convention. And if you read Slashdot enough, it's evident a lot of people view it as some sort of karma-accumulating game, rather than trying to add to the discussion for its own sake. Seems kinda wack, though, since most of the really high-profile folks on that board owe their status not to their karma level or UID, but to some "outside" fame (i.e., Bruce Perens' FSF work, Wil Wheaton's inspiring the Citadel BBS "Kill Wesley!" room).

Side thought: Anybody ever try selling an eBay account? Since the reputation system there is almost a form of activity itself, in that people are more likely to deal with somebody with consistent positive feedback, the stakes seem a little higher.

(mental focus... dying! must stop... posting!)
posted by arto at 1:09 AM on February 19, 2003

I put my personal demographics up for sale on eBay back in 1999. Back then, it was a new idea to sell something more ethereal than your grandmother's salt and pepper collection on eBay. But many have now done so, from selling all their possessions to auctioning off gallery space at Cal Arts.

So, the "surprise" value simply isn't as interesting these days. And, as everyone knows, new ideas come and go quickly on the net.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:16 AM on February 19, 2003