04 March 2022, from Gems

Apologies for my absence, sirs. It seemed like the past three weeks went by like a blur to me. And now something has grown in front of my desk, this issue of posted random messages. Reviewing the exchanges these last few days, I realized that, indeed, some rules need to be followed when it comes to the nature of posts here on our viber community.

When our chat community was first created in 2021, only a handful of members, less than 50, got invited and were willing to, I guess, actively participate and get really serious. In fact, I only joined last December 2021 – whereupon I saw how underpopulated we were. Given the starting number, the suitable platform for conversation would have been a simple viber chat group, where everyone knew each other, complete with visible phone numbers, and casually shoot the breeze. But the super administrator who created this was right in his/her design for this as our viber community. 

There are key differences between a viber chat group and a viber community. Online info reveals that group chats are usually smaller (up to 250 members) and are perfect for private connections for family members and friends. Group chats work best when everyone knows each other, and feels safe with the other members of the chat group. Each one’s phone number is visible to the rest, so anyone can message or call another group member privately. However, if new members join a group chat in the middle of a conversation, they won’t see the thread of earlier messages.

Communities are much larger, public-facing groups, usually made up of people who don’t know each other, but who may share a common interest or pursue a common cause. In this sense, the members are like-minded or similarly situated in many respects. A community can have unlimited members, and admins can allow all members to invite their friends to join.

Unlike in a chat group, the entire chat history is available to everyone in a viber community, regardless of when they joined the community. New members can read back through earlier messages, or focus on the current chat and jump right in. Also, everyone in a community (admins included) can choose whether to let other members message them in a hidden-number chat. Even if you have enabled incoming chats from people you don’t know, you still have the choice to accept or decline a message from a new person. Last year, for instance, I couldn’t call up Sir Jimmy, and neither could he, because our numbers were hidden. But we could message each other. 

The downside is, oftentimes the phone numbers and true names of the members of the community are hidden at their preference and control. This is a feature designed by the creators of the viber community to ensure that communities are a safe space for members to meet new people and bond over their shared passions – all without exposing their private phone number. This is also the reason our admin cannot simply sort the names, real or aliases, alphabetically. There is no button that enables this function. For Gigi to arrange real names in order, she will have to ascertain each identity, with the consent of the concerned individual, re-encode the member first in her cell phone, and later upload them in the viber community app. 

Another disadvantage we just found out, in light of the disputed nature of postings, is the inability of members to delete posted messages. Probably this has something to do with the semi-public nature of the community, which calls for any member to first exercise judgment prior to posting any message, knowing they couldn’t just be deleted, or with the way communities need to track exchanges for purposeful ends. In any case, the answer lies with the admins. 

Communities come with special powers for admins to oversee the conversation. Admins can add and remove members, invite admins who can write in the community’s chat, remove people from the community, ban people from joining or rejoining the community, and appoint other admins or super admins to help manage the community. And, yes, the super admin can delete conversations.

So here we are. Following last Wednesday’s posted question by Kenneth Paglinawan, whether “pwede ba natin gamitin itong VG na ito for political exercise?,” which drew different reactions, several suggestions came out. 

Sir Lito Hernandez reminded us that this chat group should remain as a bulletin board for info and enlightenment on Ph 678 matters only and that religious and political inclinations should not be posted here. Sir Vic Guerzon suggested that permission be sought first from the administrator. Sir Gene Senga requested me to go back to the original purpose, but added that relevant info for the general welfare of the members and contributory to our objectives may be considered. Sir Bernie Arcamo stressed that we simply concentrate on the dream and aspiration of each PH678 member. 

Sir Ed Adan urged everyone to strictly limit postings to AFPOVAI matters only; no ifs, no buts. Stating that there are other VGs where members may post other humorous, faith-based, inspirational or political messages, he suggested that before posting anything, we ought to ask ourselves the question: “Will my post help to advance the Group’s objectives of securing their rights and /or ownership of their awards or claims?” 

Sir Jimmy Viernes mentioned that with the recent addition of new members, this was the third time this same issue has come up the surface. Recalling a tacit agreement among members before, he reiterated that only messages related to Ph 678 concerns must be posted. Other posts, particularly with videos that go viral or those tiktok videos that could siphon personal info all the way to the PLA in China, he stressed, must not be allowed. 

Sir Romy Alamillo suggested the enabling by the admins of the “delete for myself” option so that members can delete postings of other members in order to declutter their accounts. Mam Agnes Irriberri encouraged the admin to declutter the thread and leave only the relevant ones.

Sir Lito and Mam Glo Fernande supported the need to declutter the bulletin board, citing that members tend to post the same random messages over and over again. And lastly, Sir Cha requested the posting of report updates on the members’ applications. 

Happy weekend. God bless.