Changing your vote
Feature: Adjust your vote
Since version 0.18 of the Alternative Voting phpBB MOD, you, the voter, have the option to change your vote later. This option is falcultative.
When casting a ballot for the first time in a poll, you can see below the ballot a checkbox with the mention: I would like to be able to change my vote at a later date.
- If you tick that box, your ballot will be stored in the database together with your name. When viewing the topic with the poll, you will be given the option to change your vote. Should you wish to do so, you will be presented with the ballot as you cast it and you will have the oportunity to modify your vote.
- If you untick that box, your ballot will be taken into account and your vote added, we will remember that you actually voted so that you don't vote a second time, but there will be no record in the data base as to what you voted. Accordingly, you will never have the possiblity to change your ballot in that poll.
- If you first decided to keep the option to change your vote later, but then you modify your vote and you are sure that you won't change your mind anymore, you always have the option to untick the change-ballot option. If you do so, your ballot will be taken into account and your vote added, we will remember that you actually voted so that you don't vote a second time,and we will also delete the previously stored record of what you voted. No record will exist anymore of what you voted and you won't be able to change your vote anymore.
Privacy issue
If don't need to be able to change your vote later, you can uncheck the change-vote option when casting your ballot. There will be no record in the database of what you actually voted.
When you wish to be able to change your vote, there must be a record in the database of what you voted. Your user ID will be linked to the choice you made.
There exists a privacy issue, but it is believed to be minimal at this time.
On the down side, we have the following facts:
- A record exists of what you voted in some database.
- This MOD may be installed in many forums who use phpBB, in many different web sites. An unscrupulous web site administrator may have access to the record of your ballot and use the information of what you voted in some unethical way.
- There could be a security breach. The website and the database could be hacked and the information therein leaked.
On the other side, we can consider the following facts:
- Most systems are usually kept secure, so it is very unlikely that the servers could be hacked.
- Only the webmaster and the site host has direct access to the database. The public doesn't.
- How sensitive do you really think the information your provide by voting is? Most people share freely their opinions on message boards and mailing lists. So, what's the difference of sharing it in a poll?
- The code can never be guaranteed to be fully secure in other sites. At www.masquilier.org, the webmaster does his best to make the board work as advertised. The source is open though, and it can easily be modified by the administrators of other sites who also run this MOD. It cannot be known what runs behind a web interface.
- The people who are really worried about the integrity of their privacy probably wouldn't even want to register to a board and wouldn't probably dream about taking part in a poll.
In conclusion, I believe that the privacy issue is in 99.9% of the cases a non-issue. It cannot be said that any system can ever be 100% secure. When users are really worried about something, they probably would abstain to participate in any related discussion or poll. However, I am of course still willing to make necessary changes or such changes as requested by many users, provided that I have the know-how and the time to do so.
Your comments are always welcome in the appropriate forum in the Agora.
