Even if $25 is given away in that thread there needs a tamper proof and transparent method of selecting the winner.
No, he doesn't need that. I think this is what eddie13 called "regulatory bullying". Bitcointalk is all about freedom, and if someone wants to give away $25 in a non-transparent way, that's fine. If you don't like it, don't join.
What is worse is that most members lined up to participate without even asking for clarity and many of them were here a long time.
I joined. I don't want to annoy a new user with questions and hoops to jump through. If he doesn't select a winner, we'll know it was fake. But I don't want to discourage genuine users from running giveaways.