Dear unidentified reader,

you must have experienced it by now. The shock, the joy, the bafflement, the bemusement... (the list goes on) The surprise in many flavours of seeing your username where you didn't expect it. The first time it undoubtedly puzzled you, and then you groaned when you figured it out, and perhaps you were amused, that one time. But, unlike some, you never get used to it. There's still that moment of being stunned that someone has considered you interesting, mean, handsome or beautiful enough to put your name right there in the entry. It's only a tiny moment, but afterwards you feel the resentment growing. 'Will they never stop toying with my mind?'

Now you can protest this horrid non-invasion of your privacy that preys on your mind like the Eagle on Prometheus' liver. Join Viewer-Tag Annoyance League(ViTAL) and show the world you will not bend over and take anything they choose to dish out to you.

For those who haven't understood it yet, here is an example of the deliberate misuse of this so-called feature.

Membership

The Rules

• Members do not have to refrain from the use of the awful tag <VIEWER/>

• Members do not have to hate the tag

• Members do not have to pledge undying allegiance to the founder

• Members do not have to dance naked in the rain at solstices

• Members must want to be listed as members

As you, unidentified reader, can see from this list, ViTAL is a very inclusive organisation. And remember, you may refrain from use of the awful tag, you may hate the tag, you may pledge undying allegiance to the founder, and you may dance naked in the rain at solstices. But you don't have to, or if you do, it's not because of your membership in this organisation.

Joining

If you want to become a member of ViTAL, simply post to the membership thread below, and state how you want your entry on the membership list to read. It must contain a link to your userspace, and it shouldn't be too long. Otherwise you are free to imitate or innovate as you please.

If you prefer membership in exclusive organisations, don't copy the badge you can find at the bottom, it will only draw more members.

If you have a love hate relationship with the tag you could even join the opposition at A1015084 as well, just to even things out. For obvious reasons they also have a more extensive description of how the tag could be used, by the unscrupulous.

Member list

• U75717 - founder - hates the awful tag
• U148580 - a mass of contradictions
• U162344 - of at least two minds on this whole issue
• U192113 - sitting on the fence - sore bum/great view
• U196939 - aghast at this manipulative tag
• U167550 - So what's next? A page hit counter?
• U201497 - I hate the d*mned thing
• U170775 - It's bad enough having eyes everywhere
• U225113 - Why can't I lurk in peace?
• U140245
• U219076 - hates that blasted thing
• U186807 - who finds the tag incredibly annoying and hopes to get back at some of the people who use it by using it herself!
• U100445
• U190397 - it makes me feel like I have been entered into a Readers' Digest Prize Draw
• U290
• U162817 - It's so creepy!
• U178815 - who's still thinking of a witty comment to suffix his name with
• U228615
• U231111
• U129295 - I feel like my privacy has been invaded by a bunch of gimps from a place called leasure district...
• U187372 - Who needs the blasted thing anyway?
• U147203 - Can't abide the bloody thing!

The Badge