My hubby says to me...it is a very, very, very BAD thing to offer help and or advice, on a web siteor online to a total and complete stranger..and I finally saw his wisdom (even if it is still fun to do it,but, I don't!) but, he says this is a "dangerous" thing to be doing...because people can locate people and sue them....so what do you think about this...and do you think he has a major point..and has this ever happened to you or not?
thanks!
2007-09-03 18:01:20 · 18 answers · asked by ladyk 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I was going to give advice regarding a very serious matter...this woman asked as to what to do, when her hubby to be had been accused by her two and four year old daughters of "Licking them all over"..I wrote originally to consult a pediatrician first...and then or maybe a counselor...as I had been instructed as a teacher that you have to call the authorities..if the kid tells you stuff like this..but, to always first let my bosses know, before I called them..but, that I MUST do this......by law...
But, rather than to jump into anything here...because the kids could have lied...even though , I was still taught to "believe the kids" no matter what!! I still thought that calling her pediatrician might be a "safer" way in dealing with this situation first....
anybody have an answer on that?
and would you have NOT said anything here, or what?
(I finally deleted this answer..to appease the hubby! He was very upset! He told me that I had no business "helping"!)
2007-09-03 18:36:08 · update #1
i personally don't think anyone can sue you for giving them advice. even if you give advice, it is ultimately their choice on whether they take it.
if they are going to take it that personally, they shouldn't be asking total strangers advice to begin with. i really can't see it holding up in court, even if they did try to sue someone.
2007-09-03 18:10:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, your "hubby" sounds like a control freak. Maybe he just wants you to spend more time with him. However, since you're a grown up, you need to tell him that you are fully capable of making your own decisions. And, NO, you aren't going to get sued for giving bad advice here. That's one of the dumbest things I've ever read.
As for your advice regarding possible molestation, you were trained to CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES. Why would you tell someone to take their kids to the doctor? The doctor will just call the police or social services. If you were actually involved in this child's life in a school situation, you WOULD get into trouble for not reporting it if you suspected it was going on.
That woman asked a very serious question about a very serious situation. If we have knowledge of the proper thing to do, it's not our place to give "safe" advice. If we choose to butt into other peoples' lives, then we have the responsibility to give REAL advice, especially when it concerns the possible abuse of children.
2007-09-03 19:47:47 · answer #2 · answered by frankiquilts 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one can sue you for an answer. 1. It would never hold up in court. 2. Yahoo would not let it. They probably have a million disclaimers for just that sort of thing. 3. How is someone going to track you down? Not only that, but the person asking the question is in need of some advice. They know that they may not like all of the answers but they are willing to weed through them just like you are weeding through these, to get an answer that may help their situation.
I don't agree with your husband on this one, but I will tell you what I think concerning his opinion. If he really does not feel comfortable with you giving advice on answers, than you are right in not doing it. It is way better to have the trust and respect of your husband than all of us out here in computer land.
What's really funny is that my husband doesn't get it either. He thinks it's a total waste of time giving strangers advice. But I like it.
Oh, and about the question of the dad licking the kids. If he is licking them anywhere that he wouldn't lick them in public,(and why would anyone even do that?) than he needs to be reported to the police for child molestation. And if the guy wants to track me down and take me to court, I say, "bring it on sicko! You're going down!"
2007-09-10 21:58:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one is going to sue anybody. Its very rare if anyone can be recognized on this site. Unless you use your name as your screen name of course. Be smart. Don't give out too much info. Answer the questions that you know the answers to and make sure that they are harmless answers. If some topics are too much for you to handle then skip it or report it if you think it should not be on this site. This site is considered an open forum for all ages and so material needs to be appropriate for all ages to read. Keep that in mind. Clearly the issue you questioned is not very appropriate for this site and I would have probably not answered it. But since I am helping you out...I'd say you had a good suggestion.
2007-09-03 18:45:53 · answer #4 · answered by SoAZ Gal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a person who asks questions and answers them I see them as a way of gaining different insight or perspective on a given situation that I may need help with. I think the question you answered you gave very sound and reasonable advice. If the person had concerns they should seek out local help. I highly doubt anyone would be sued because the person has freewill to do what they want in their situation but you defenitely should only answer questions you feel comfortable with.
2007-09-03 19:44:40 · answer #5 · answered by MsItSeams 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The internet is the internet. Sites vary, but on this site, yahoo answers, people come to ask for advice from random strangers with random backgrounds. They see what the community has to offer and they wait for a best answer. It is up to them however, to see if the answer is good or if they should follow it. If someone can possibly track you down, (which could illegal in itself if they get caught) and somehow file a claim agaisnt you, the judge would rule it out pretty easily.
2007-09-10 14:43:54 · answer #6 · answered by DIIV 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bad advice is not something you can sue anyone for. People make ill-informed choices all the time. At the end of the day THEY do the deciding and THEY took the action. NOT the person who gave the advice.
No one makes you do anything. Just in case I wasn't clear: You cannot sue someone for giving you bad advice. If you don't like THIS advice, just ask for your money back...
2007-09-03 18:32:24 · answer #7 · answered by J. Digory 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two things about your question comes to mind. First, when I respond to such questions I make sure that the ask-er knows that I am not a professional and am only rendering my "opinion" (not advise) regarding their question. Secondly, "Believe the children" was a mantra of the 80's that was blown out of the water big time as a no-brain-er because children do lie and some are very proficient at it. I would think that you would be on safe ground if you qualified your responses as "opinion" as opposed to "advise." Big difference!
2007-09-11 01:35:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Noone can sue you for giving advice. A person has the freedom to take the advice or not. The only tiny exception, and its still a longshot, might be if its a person who in a profesional capacity is giving advice.
People have minds of their own. They are responsible for their own actions.
2007-09-03 19:36:05 · answer #9 · answered by cadisneygirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm gonna sue you!
(just trying to be funny)
As for a real answer... don't worry about it. If someone asks you specifically, then they want to hear what you have to say, so answer them!
If it's just a generic question, and your husband requests that you don't, then don't. Your relationship with your husband isn't worth jepardizing. Someone else can most likely help.
Use you're discretion for everything inbetween, those are the two main points to consider.
Oh, and I wouldn't worry about anyone sueing you. That's just paranoid.
2007-09-03 18:59:10 · answer #10 · answered by Pierce W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anyone can solicit advice from YA, but it is entirely up to you as to whether or not you follow any given advice. In any situation, taking advice and counsel from others always comes with a small element of risk, but it all comes down to personal responsibility - we are responsible for our own actions. There is nothing legally actionable about it.
2007-09-11 07:14:07 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋