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.
Giving away in a non-transparent way is fine by you but not fine by all. Some members want transparency. As may have been noticed by others, I did not join for those precise reasons.
In that thread we get to post #6 before a suggestion is made on how to select the winner and the OP replies in post #7 that he will spin a wheel or mayb ask a
trustworthy member to do it. There is no clarity on exactly what is happening but the benefit of the doubt is given because they are a newbie. To a point I can understand that but it is down to members participating in the giveaway to ask the most basic of questions.
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.
Yes you did join, that is a decision for you and mentioned in your joining post that you had some communication with them therefore you might be more inclined to believe them (though there is no evidence to disbelieve them either).
I have seen newbies get tagged red for simply asking for a loan in the Lending board yet there seems to be a different mindset when it comes to giveaways.
If a newbie comes along and says he is giving away 10 BTC, will you avoid asking questions (and expect others to not ask questions) purely on the basis you do not want them to jump through hoops just in the event he is genuinely going to give away 10 BTC? If that is your stance then that is for you but not everybody feels that way.
I have seen newbies get tagged red for simply asking for a loan in the Lending board yet there seems to be a different mindset when it comes to giveaways.