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Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

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Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#71

Post by brobinson »

lordnacho wrote: post #37
DonHopkins wrote: post #11

I had big problems with the "Angel List" web site, because it was extremely flakey and appeared to be a typical piece of garbage that some dime-a-dozen huckster with very little experience had just thrown together after watching the Ruby on Rails Make Your Own Trendy Dot Com Crud Web Site in 10 Minutes screencast. Major features were totally broken. Many things about the design were devoid of thought and just haphaza…

I regularly get messages from startups who are interested in me on AL. Every time I answer, I click the "I'm interested" button, and I add a message saying that there might be something up with the site. I never hear anything back even though the other side initiated the interest. I also get an email from an AL engineer now and again asking if things are working. Not sure they are getting my responses, because they s…

As a counterpoint, I've emailed/responded to emails from AL on a few occasions and received non-automated responses in a reasonable timeframe. I reported a company for posting false salary ranges and previously had some questions about a "top n% of profiles" thing I was apparently bucketed into.

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#72

Post by svckr »

OJFord wrote: post #58
robzyb wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is, of course, perfectly legal to do that with permission. The problem here is that it was done without permission. The OP is claiming that the impersonation without permission is a crime, and that it is impossible to waive the crime-ness of it through a contract.

Parent is replying to a comment stating: > If an offence is criminal it can't be magically made OK > by a contract. I think this must be mistaken (IANAL either). Boxing, assisted suicide, and voting by proxy come to mind.

The quote sounds right to me. If the act of impersonating someone is indeed a criminal offense, you can not smooth that over with a contract.

Voting by proxy is not impersonation, you give someone the right to act (vote in this case) in your name. Thus, no criminal offense.

The other cases: Assisted suicide is a criminal offense in many countries. For example (similar, but not the same), there has been some legal struggle over "Sterbehilfe" here in Germany which garnered quite some media attention.

Boxing – I might be mistaken, but perhaps "beating someone" is not a criminal offense as long as it is not against the other persons will?

All these things hinge on very subtle differences in wording. For example the terms might say: "AngelList reserves the right to send mails on your behalf" which grants them the right to send mails to third parties in your name, but I'd be surprised if law would allow them to state "AngelList reserves the right to claim your identity".

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#73

Post by throwaway049 »

OJFord wrote: post #58
robzyb wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is, of course, perfectly legal to do that with permission. The problem here is that it was done without permission. The OP is claiming that the impersonation without permission is a crime, and that it is impossible to waive the crime-ness of it through a contract.

Parent is replying to a comment stating: > If an offence is criminal it can't be magically made OK > by a contract. I think this must be mistaken (IANAL either). Boxing, assisted suicide, and voting by proxy come to mind.

Are you saying assisted suicide is illegal, but _can_ be made OK by a contract? That's not the case in England. By contrast, proxy voting is fine if you register your proxy with the local electoral office in advance.

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#74

Post by gedrap »

OoTheNigerian wrote: post #68
uniclaude wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's a semi prison if you are not allowed to update your profile at a job you work. It's not disallowed, it's just not good. You might not pay attention when your employees are looking for other jobs, but most business owners do, and react rather negatively to it. > it is not such a scandal as OP makes it out to be OP posted a one-line "Tell HN" comment, you're actually the one calling it a scandal.

Well, to each organization his to his or her own. You are right re: the second part. I projected the "WHAT A SCANDAL??!!" comment thread to the OP. As an aside though. Is there something wring for an employer to know ahead of time if their employee is planning to leave? Of course if an employee updating their profile gets you panicked, then you are not doing something right. So I am speaking of non paranoid situation…

In the ideal world, you probably should have enough redundancy in terms of human resources so that one person leaving is just slightly inconvenient. Also, as an employer, you should be realistic that it's just a job to most of the people and they will leave whenever a better offer comes, just a matter of time.

So in the ideal world, there's nothing wrong.

However, we don't live in such a world, unfortunately, and should adjust accordingly.

There are many small companies that would struggle horribly if one of the key employees would leave, and eventually they will. Also, some employers expect loyalty and treat it very personally if they know that someone's is definitely looking to jump the ship.

It's right, I agree, but that's how it is usually.

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#75

Post by mlvljr »

natrius wrote: post #38
DonHopkins wrote: post #11

I had big problems with the "Angel List" web site, because it was extremely flakey and appeared to be a typical piece of garbage that some dime-a-dozen huckster with very little experience had just thrown together after watching the Ruby on Rails Make Your Own Trendy Dot Com Crud Web Site in 10 Minutes screencast. Major features were totally broken. Many things about the design were devoid of thought and just haphaza…

Personal insults are poor form, especially when the people you're insulting have added tons of value to this community with their advice. I know this is the internet, but you're talking about real people, man.

You and the other downvoted guy below are the bad persons in this thread!

You should admit to that :|

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#76

Post by iopq »

dchest wrote: post #43
Karunamon wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, you cannot contract your way out of criminal law.

In this case, every giving would be stealing. If I gave you something, you didn't steal it from me. Likewise, if I gave you the right to impersonate me in particular circumstances, it's not a criminal offense if you do.

If your Windows EULA said "Microsoft can take any of your property" they still can't steal from you just because you agreed to it.

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#78

Post by OJFord »

throwaway049 wrote: post #73
OJFord wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parent is replying to a comment stating: > If an offence is criminal it can't be magically made OK > by a contract. I think this must be mistaken (IANAL either). Boxing, assisted suicide, and voting by proxy come to mind.

Are you saying assisted suicide is illegal, but _can_ be made OK by a contract? That's not the case in England. By contrast, proxy voting is fine if you register your proxy with the local electoral office in advance.

No, I'm wondering why would there be a separate law if it was automatically covered by not being able to consent your way out of being murdered.

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#79

Post by JupiterMoon »

abritishguy wrote: post #59
robzyb wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is, of course, perfectly legal to do that with permission. The problem here is that it was done without permission. The OP is claiming that the impersonation without permission is a crime, and that it is impossible to waive the crime-ness of it through a contract.

Agreeing to the terms could be giving permission though...

That would be for a court to decide and I doubt that any of us are qualified to advise the GP (I certainly am not!).

Re: Tell HN: AngelList told my employer that I'd updated my profile

#80

Post by donatj »

JupiterMoon wrote: post #35
nakedrobot2 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless you have authorized them to do this under the Terms and Conditions of course.....

No! If an offence is criminal it can't be magically made OK by a contract. I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice.

There are many things that would be illegal without a contract that are legal with one. That's kind of the point.
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