Who is in charge at DU?

[erronis]

Maybe I'm missing something in the various menus at the top/side, but I don't see any statement about how this whole blogosphere is owned and being governed.

Please point me to an over-arching statement about ownership, regulations, ownership.

Unfortunately I am starting to distrust even the supposed purveyors of trust.

How can we verify (see the TrueCrypt example) that you are who you say you are?

Who are your funders? What is your raison-d'etre?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. DU was founded in 2001 by Skinner, EarlG and elad.

These 3 men are the Administrators. You can ask questions about the site in their forum, Ask The Administrators.

Here's a link for that:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1259

Our raison-d'etre is to oppose Republicans.

Funding comes from members and from advertisers.

Here's another link on how to contact them:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=contact

[erronis]

6. Thanks for the links - always unanswered/able questions

I've been surfing in the more liberal sphere for many years and have watched several favorite sites fall prey to some strange disease, similar to bumblebee decline or bat white-nose syndrome.

However I think the virus in these sites has been introduced by funding needs (and some benefactor has "requirements" on content), or actually been hijacked by web-savvy infiltrators.

Just to name a few that don't seem to be who they portray themselves to be:
HuffingtonPost, RawStory, CrooksAndLiars

Maybe it's my bias towards evidence-based reporting that has made me keep looking at DU. If something is posted that requires some background, that post is quickly called out for clarification.

It is hard to maintain a balance between supporting the free flow of ideas and the controls needed to prevent abuse and nonsense.

I'll look towards your Administrators Group forum for more clarification.

Still, I think some statement of policy would be welcome at the Help menu level.

[mimi85]

8. You can add

Politico to your list.

What do you mean by statement of policy? Sorry I don't understand what you mean.

[valerief]

2. Here's where you can donate for star membership.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=star

[Ptah]

3. Who is in charge at DU? You are.

[cbayer]

4. Pay no attention to the m(e)n behind the curtain!

But if you insist, here you go:





http://www.democraticunderground.com/12561

[Agschmid]

7. Elad seems so mysterious...

[struggle4progress]

5. Usually I think that would be the folk who own the site, but in less lucid moments I suspect

the Illuminati

When I'm feeling real grouchy I blame the place on Body-Snatching Shape-Shifters, and a while during all the 22 November stuff, I began to wonder if the CIA didn't create this as one of its mirror-puzzles

Today I'm pretty close to believing once again that the site is controlled by the folk who own it, but I should add that I still haven't conclusively ruled out Sasquatch's involvement

[Stuart G]

10. You are correct, body-snatching shifters...

Who decides what goes up or down? .........perhaps that is what the person wants...to know

Questionable posts are decided by "moderators" of the forum..and
and individuals may question any post ..and a jury will decide what stays or goes.

Moderators can remove inappropriate posts for a forum, or move them to another spot.

I do not think the "owners" control what goes up or stays up..The owners seem to be around, and set up forums, ideas, put up posts, (like Earl G) and many other tasks...especially trying to keep the place from being run over by people and groups that would run us over.

Who decides what is posted at DU?

.that is of course...
the body snatching shifters...or the members of DU...that is all folks

[Deep13]

9. the inmates

[ucrdem]

11. [SATIRE]

I've been on this site since Ariana Huffington owned it in the early 1990's but what happened after that I couldn't tell you. Just kidding! There are 3 administrators at DU who also post here frequently. I think the link has been posted but here are their real names, forum usernames, and postal and e-mail addresses:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=contact

[erronis]

12. Thanks for that bit of history about Ariana

I hadn't realized that this was another of her "ventures."

Interestingly this has been the only post of mine that has garnered more than a couple of replies - I'm surprised it bubbled into anyone's zone of interest this late!

[ucrdem]

13. Well ...

The Ariana business is a joke based on a misplaced post a few weeks back and as far as I know she has no connection to DU past or present. Still funny though. Apologies to whoever posted it originally.