Topic: How anonymous are the votes cast by users in polls here at bitcointalk.org? (Read 606 times)

They're not anonymous.

There are many cryptographic techniques for doing anonymous voting. This is a well-studied topic.

I don't really recommend forum voting for sensitive topics, but if you really want to, you can do something like this:


As the number of respondents increases, the random noise evens out, and at infinity the actual percentages will be exactly the same as if this randomization stuff didn't exist. (Assuming that everyone actually follows the instructions.) You can use statistical techniques to exactly quantify this stuff. But yet each person has plausible deniability. Note that this scheme assumes that everything associated with random.org is perfectly secure, which may not actually be a safe assumption -- it'd be better to use dice or a local CSPRNG, but that's more difficult to get people to do.

I can't speak for what level of access Administrators have, but moderators cannot see individual votes. They can however edit the poll, though I can't think of any instance that has ever been done.

I just searched for a poll so I can show you what kind of options a moderator would have, again no idea if an Admin can see more information or not.

   

So technically speaking, a moderator could mess with the results of the poll by changing the names of what people have already voted for, switching the order, or adding additional options. That said, doing so would probably strip them of their moderator title. But that is a definitive, moderators cannot see what individual users have voted for.

A valid subpoena with a specific request will be answered by Theymos within his obligation. I'm assuming the direction you are going with the poll is, "What have you bought with BTC" with some options being from .onion domains. I highly doubt law enforcement trying to bring someone up on drug charges would ask for poll data. If you had been dealing illegal goods through your PMs,  you are probably screwed though. (Don't do that)

The administrators have access to how each person voted in each poll. In theory, law enforcement could obtain this information from theymos (the head administrator of the forum).

I am not sure that voting a certain way in a poll that is not publicly displayed would be considered an admission of guilt when a court is determining guilt or innocence, however a law enforcement agency might decide to look into a certain person's activities based on how they voted.

Hello, bitcointalk.org keepers, 

     Thank you in advance for answering my questions.

I am creating a poll in general discussion about how people use bitcoin, and I want to understand the policy regarding anonymity and privacy first, since some of the poll options will include sensitive details.  One of the poll questions may involve voter admission to participating in activities that may get them into hot water if the info is ever shared. 

I want to make a disclaimer in the poll description /details that explains to the voters that the aggregated results will be referenced in published articles several times in several places over the course of the life of the poll.   I want users to understand that I personally will not know who voted on what, and I want them to know that none of my readers will know who voted on what. 

What I don't know is how the moderators and / or owners of bitcointalk.org treat the data related to the votes. 
Does anyone have the ability to access the individual votes, to see who votes on what or to alter the votes in any way? If so does the current privacy policy of bitcointalk.org protect this data?   I assume it is protected to The extent of the law, and any details (if they are even available) would only be shared in the event of subpoena by law enforcement agency .... but the privacy policy and terms of use are a lot to read... so can you clairify in simple terms that I may quote in the explaination of the poll to potential voters? 

I want honest poll results and paranoia tends to skew these kinds of results so I aim to ease the minds of poll voters in order to deliver a more accurate picture of the ways people are using their coin.   I aim to shine a positive light into the reputation of bitcoin.  I aim to prove that NOT EVERY user is trolling for a hit man.  We are consumers.


Thank you in advance for your thoughts and explanations.
With respect,
Lori Brown