Things You Should Know about Internet Privacy

Admin · 10-30-2010, 11:31 PM

Here are a few things I think people should know about how the Internet works in regards to privacy, searches, bots, etc.

What are bots and why do you keep mentioning them?
Bots are automated little robots that run around the internet doing various things but mostly, they search for content. A "bot" is not an actual person, but rather an algorithm that looks for certain keywords, phrases, and can even be programmed to look for certain types of conversations. There are billions of bots all over the internet.

Are bots a bad thing?
Bots are neither "bad" nor "good". They are a computer program. When we see bots crawling on our website, for instance, it's actually a good thing because bots help feed our site back to search engines, making us easier to find. They can also help increase our search rankings.

What is a news feed?
News feeds are a way of providing continuously updated data. Some websites are made up solely of content from newsfeeds. Some folks make websites and, rather than creating their own content, will use news feeds to post content. This can be a good thing for people who want to see a wide range of information in one place.

Why does some stuff from BFP show up on Google or other websites?
Our forums are mostly public which means that bots can crawl our forums looking for content and can report back to Google. It's a way to tell search engines like Google and Yahoo, "Hey, this is the information I found over at BFP" so that Google and Yahoo can target certain audiences with search results. News feeds can also pick up our public content.

Why are some areas of BFP public and some private?
We have public forums so that people who don't know what we are about can read a little before signing up. Also, we have to have public content for sites to be able to index us in their search rankings, otherwise newbies would have a hard time finding us. Some areas like the galleries and Inner Sanctum are private because we realize that photos and certain subjects can be personal.

Can my thread about my child's anorexia/my gambling problem/my hemorrhoid be moved to the Inner Sanctum so that I feel safer?
Sure, but you still should be super careful about posting things of an intensely personal nature on the Internet because the Internet still isn't "safe". Anyone can make a screen name on this site and come to view content and photos so ultimately, YOU need to be responsible when posting and assume that everyone in the world will read what you write.

People often get a false sense of security when on social websites and post things that are intensely personal. The bottom line is that we all need to think about our own safety every time we post.

I'll be adding more to this Q&A.

10-30-2010, 11:31 PM	#1
Admin Administrator How Do You Identify?: Queer High Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She/Her Relationship Status: Married to JD. Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: The Planet Posts: 1,686 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 394 Thanked 5,625 Times in 1,013 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Things You Should Know about Internet Privacy Here are a few things I think people should know about how the Internet works in regards to privacy, searches, bots, etc. What are bots and why do you keep mentioning them? Bots are automated little robots that run around the internet doing various things but mostly, they search for content. A "bot" is not an actual person, but rather an algorithm that looks for certain keywords, phrases, and can even be programmed to look for certain types of conversations. There are billions of bots all over the internet. Are bots a bad thing? Bots are neither "bad" nor "good". They are a computer program. When we see bots crawling on our website, for instance, it's actually a good thing because bots help feed our site back to search engines, making us easier to find. They can also help increase our search rankings. What is a news feed? News feeds are a way of providing continuously updated data. Some websites are made up solely of content from newsfeeds. Some folks make websites and, rather than creating their own content, will use news feeds to post content. This can be a good thing for people who want to see a wide range of information in one place. Why does some stuff from BFP show up on Google or other websites? Our forums are mostly public which means that bots can crawl our forums looking for content and can report back to Google. It's a way to tell search engines like Google and Yahoo, "Hey, this is the information I found over at BFP" so that Google and Yahoo can target certain audiences with search results. News feeds can also pick up our public content. Why are some areas of BFP public and some private? We have public forums so that people who don't know what we are about can read a little before signing up. Also, we have to have public content for sites to be able to index us in their search rankings, otherwise newbies would have a hard time finding us. Some areas like the galleries and Inner Sanctum are private because we realize that photos and certain subjects can be personal. Can my thread about my child's anorexia/my gambling problem/my hemorrhoid be moved to the Inner Sanctum so that I feel safer? Sure, but you still should be super careful about posting things of an intensely personal nature on the Internet because the Internet still isn't "safe". Anyone can make a screen name on this site and come to view content and photos so ultimately, YOU need to be responsible when posting and assume that everyone in the world will read what you write. People often get a false sense of security when on social websites and post things that are intensely personal. The bottom line is that we all need to think about our own safety every time we post. I'll be adding more to this Q&A.