The Internet and the Death of Privacy

[imperfect_cupcake]

I have googled myself. A few years ago it would bring up ONE erotic short story I wrote (about 15 pages in to the search) which used to make me wince; it's not longer there as I think the site has been removed. The rest seemed to prove that women with my name were all either architects or photographers or shoe designers.

When I joined facebook I used a different last name because I work in public service, to ensure employers would not be able to look me up.

as for the rest... I have never filled in forms on line to join anything or any forum etc with my real name. It's always been something silly. I have two email address: one for my emlpoyers or when I look for work or correspond to the government, and one for my daily life. My daily life is a pseudonym, a fun name.

this seems to have taken care of any issues of privacy I might have that would affect employment. the rest I don't really give a shit about.

[ruffryder]

So this topic comes up once again with all the new changes to Facebook. I'm sure you all have opinions. Let's hear it! *bump*bump*bump*

We are all linked to the internet now and the government. Anyone can find us and know what we are doing at any particular time!

So, I'm applying for jobs and the line of work I'm looking at is very public. Everything about me is made public and they want to basically know my life for as far back as it starts, all addresses, friends, acquaintances, aliases, nicknames, websites, etc, etc. So I'm curious as to what they may come across. Low and behold I type in this ID to see what comes up and wow my bfp posts and even the thanks I give to others posts. I was surprised to see this. Because I choose to put myself out there and be a part of this line of work, everything about me should be disclosed. I just sometimes want a bit of privacy especially when it comes to sexual and intimate matters because that shouldn't matter when I apply for a job, but it may to some employers. incredible!

Nothing is safeguarded on the internet anymore and I always hear and must say if you don't want something "shared" on the internet then maybe you should just not post it.

Opinions, comments, perspectives?

[betenoire]

Most of the "Brandy G___" I see on google are people who are not me. Aside from that I see a few hits from the newsletter of the nonprofit I used to work/volunteer for, and a couple of guestbook entries on goth webpages from the 90s. Nothing to see here, carry on.

Originally Posted by Medusa

What do you think? Would you rather know who visited your profile or would you rather wonder about it?

The only thing that I find irritating is that some level's of membership that have the invisibility feature do not show up when they visit people's profiles. I'm all for them being able to have privacy when they are reading the threads - but if they are visiting my profile I like to know. Because for some reason it makes me just about half batshit when I see that the visitor number on my profile has gone up but the names haven't changed.

Also UofMean visits me about 790790870 times a day and she makes me very uncomfortable. When she's not viewing my profile on here she is poking me on facebook. Someone make her stop! (Dear everybody: I am kidding. This is also how rumours get started.)

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Yes. I am such a freak that I didn't even use my dog's real name on his picture here. It is an uncommon name and the one thing a handful of clients know about me is that I have a dog... some of them have asked his name.

I know his real name, I know his real name! *singsong*

Originally Posted by DapperButch

I would think that it would actually help with keeping the "would be stalkers", away. People realize that it is kind of creepy to be looking at people's profiles repeatedly if you are not friends with them and leaving them messages.

Sorry.

[*Anya*]

I just never Googled myself before-real name. At least there are only two of us in the USA but maybe that is not good either.

It is kind of scary. I have been very naive. I did not even know you could sign up on FB with a fake name!

[dixie]

Originally Posted by Anya/Georgia

I just never Googled myself before-real name. At least there are only two of us in the USA but maybe that is not good either.

It is kind of scary. I have been very naive. I did not even know you could sign up on FB with a fake name!

When I type in my regular user name for most sites (which is part of my email addy) most of what comes up is stuff like my eBay page, my YouTube page, Flicker photos, gaycities travel, some product feedback sites I've rated, just regular stuff. However, a couple of b-f dating sites that I used in the past popped up. I'm sure that once I get those deleted they will be gone. Oddly though, someone with my user name is registered as porn. (If I have ever done porn I must have put a huge mental block on it! LOL)

If I put in my real name, all my social sites (fb, twitter, google+, etc) show up, along with my high school alumni stuff.

I'm thinking if I didn't have a pic up on my social sites I could totally deny it was me...lol My reasoning for this: there is a girl who lives in my town with the same exact full name, age and birthday as me. We used to go to the same doctor's office, and they always had a heck of a time trying to keep our records straight.

[dixie]

For the most part, I keep my social sites on a privacy setting. As for the privacy on those sites, I want to share some things with some people. I just don't want to share EVERYTHING with EVERYONE. I know it's the interwebz and that most anything can be found out despite those settings (depending on how bad whoever wants to know), so I know that I take a risk every time I post anything anywhere. *shrug*

[Soft*Silver]

I like the feature that allows us to see who was on our profile. It keeps me aware of when exes drop by....lol

[dykeumentary]

I am happy that I get to publicly stand by everything I've written online. And offline.
This might be unhappy news for people who actually have and use any of the "alias names" I have used through the years, or the same name as on any of my facebook profiles (i think i have like 7 right now).

I'm glad to see who has visited my profile, even if it doesn't happen very often. I'm curious though, what advantage BFP gets from having the threads searchable by google, etc. Thoughts on this, Admin/Owners? I'm sure there is a good reason, you run a good site.

[ruffryder]

Originally Posted by dixielady

However, a couple of b-f dating sites that I used in the past popped up. I'm sure that once I get those deleted they will be gone. ! LOL)

Don't count on it. I often wonder about the time out feature here. Once someone is timed out, there's no going back and deleting yourself. It can screw up the threads and order of posting, I suppose, if one was to get deleted. Maybe admin can answer the question: If one was to delete their ID what happens to old posts? Do they stay in the internet past?

Originally Posted by dykeumentary

I'm curious though, what advantage BFP gets from having the threads searchable by google, etc. Thoughts on this, Admin/Owners? I'm sure there is a good reason, you run a good site.

Could it be for advertising? I was wondering the same thing. BFP is the first thing that popped up when I typed in my ID. . and I thought WOW you have to be a member to look at profiles and some things here, however anyone that searches my ID on the internet can see what I'm doing all over the site without ever coming here.

[Dominique]

Originally Posted by ruffryder_0187

Don't count on it. I often wonder about the time out feature here. Once someone is timed out, there's no going back and deleting yourself. It can screw up the threads and order of posting, I suppose, if one was to get deleted. Maybe admin can answer the question: If one was to delete their ID what happens to old posts? Do they stay in the internet past?

The TOS says nothing gets deleted. period. TOS is on the bottom of every page.



Could it be for advertising? I was wondering the same thing. BFP is the first thing that popped up when I typed in my ID. . and I thought WOW you have to be a member to look at profiles and some things here, however anyone that searches my ID on the internet can see what I'm doing all over the site without ever coming here.

My understanding of this is something called an RSS wheel that runs in the background of internet programs and picks stuff up. I recall using google once to see what the heck an RSS wheel was.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Are you sure about this? I have the invisibility feature activated, and when I go to someones profile, I see my screen name in the calling card box.

When I see the number changing, but no new visitors, I just *assumed* it was one of the same people whom had already called, revisiting. I'm no expert, by any means. So I'm seeking clarification also.

You will see an asterik by your name in the box, but yes you are still invisible and yes your visit does apply to the "count".

Originally Posted by ruffryder_0187

Don't count on it. I often wonder about the time out feature here. Once someone is timed out, there's no going back and deleting yourself. It can screw up the threads and order of posting, I suppose, if one was to get deleted. Maybe admin can answer the question: If one was to delete their ID what happens to old posts? Do they stay in the internet past?


I believe the TOS indicates that they do not delete any accounts here. So be careful what you write!

Could it be for advertising? I was wondering the same thing. BFP is the first thing that popped up when I typed in my ID. . and I thought WOW you have to be a member to look at profiles and some things here, however anyone that searches my ID on the internet can see what I'm doing all over the site without ever coming here.

If you don't have a pic up here than they won't know it is you, right? If you want to remain incognito, considering taking yours down.

That is why I don't have a pic up here. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel I could share very much info. due to my work. It is unfortunate b/c I would like to put up pics!

[Corkey]

A good rule of thumb, if you don't want others to judge your words, be careful with them. There is no privacy on the internet, so it would be kind of silly to think that just because you hide a profile, it doesn't mean people can't find you, see your words or figure out where you've been posting.
You being general you here.

[Dominique]

Originally Posted by Anya/Georgia

I just never Googled myself before-real name. At least there are only two of us in the USA but maybe that is not good either.

It is kind of scary. I have been very naive. I did not even know you could sign up on FB with a fake name!

For occupational reasons, more my job prior to this, than this, I was always looking to see what my name appeared in. Saddly, only obituaries.
To be clear, with the spelling absolutely correct.

I have a very unique name and the spelling is always wrong. There have been some similar versions of my name appear, but the associations of the similar versions were not anything belonging to me.

Have you heard of Linked In? I may have spelled that incorrectly. Once upon a time, out of curiosity, I went to that page and looked at it and put in enough information to get me into the sight. Linked In did what fake book (spelled incorrectly on purpose) does, information gathering based on sites visited, twitter accounts ect.....and completely filled out a Linked In account on me. Very Eye opening. The information *Could* have been true, but none of it was. You may want to check on that while you are checking on yourself.

[Dominique]

[QUOTE=betenoire;423524


The only thing that I find irritating is that some level's of membership that have the invisibility feature do not show up when they visit people's profiles. I'm all for them being able to have privacy when they are reading the threads - but if they are visiting my profile I like to know. Because for some reason it makes me just about half batshit when I see that the visitor number on my profile has gone up but the names haven't changed.
Sorry. [/QUOTE]

Are you sure about this? I have the invisibility feature activated, and when I go to someones profile, I see my screen name in the calling card box.

When I see the number changing, but no new visitors, I just *assumed* it was one of the same people whom had already called, revisiting. I'm no expert, by any means. So I'm seeking clarification also.

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Are you sure about this? I have the invisibility feature activated, and when I go to someones profile, I see my screen name in the calling card box.

I'm pretty positive. Go to my profile and I'll let you know if I see you on the list or not.

[Dominique]

OK, I was there, and I saw my calling card....did you?

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

OK, I was there, and I saw my calling card....did you?

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You're not invisible to yourself, is all. But other people cannot see you on their profile pages.