But on the other hand if we knew where the spammers were located .... :rofl:

Nudging, that's the way to go. The promise of a carrot rather than a stick.

When this topic started I wondered how many people inhabiting the flip side of the HU coin (Facebook) were including their location in their profiles. The answer (from my 30 sec survey anyway) was ... not that many, and with a noticeable gender bias. Personally I'm not that bothered about including it but if others are and prefer not to say then chalk it up as one small victory against the monolith that is the internet. It's not as if those that really want to know don't already.

I also think most people don't even think of it - MOST people are in a personal bubble - they and all their friends know where they are, always, so it doesn't occur to people that not everyone knows where they are, or remember that there are more than one city with the same name. I live in Vancouver, and an internet search for something in Vancouver often gives me Vancouver Washington USA - REALLY annoying!
All we can do is encourage people to put it in, and that it will HELP THEM and does nothing for any bad guys.
BTW - did anyone notice the new "notice" at the top of the page? OR does it need to be bigger and yellow highlighter?
I have also edited the joining email to highlight this for newbies.

I only found out about Vancouver WA when I bought a train ticket from Fresno to Vancouver only to find out it did not take me all the way to BC and had to buy a supplimentary ticket.

In some ways it's more alarming when Google figures out which one you're interested in and stops giving you leads to the other. I used to search for, say, restaurants in Bellingham (WA) and get results in Bellingham (MA), or even Bellingham (U.K.). Pretty quickly, the Google overlords figured out who I am, where I am, and what I like to eat, and they now only return local results to foods I approve of. They didn't learn that because I posted my location on the HUBB; they learned it because they learn everything, in the end.

Grant, I didn't notice--and probably wouldn't have noticed--the new text at the top of the page. Consider that one very small datapoint, and do with it what you will.

Mark

I can understand why some people don't like putting out this kind of information - and if you make it mandatory, some folks will just lie about it anyhow.