The Internet and the Death of Privacy

[Linus]

[Kobi]

I am not tech savy and sometimes not very observant until stuff smacks me in the face.

I am noticing a trend now where products I have looked at or info I have search is turning up as ads on unrelated web pages. For example, yesterday I was checking out headphones on amazon. Today, I have amazon ads featuring the exact headphones I was looking at on unrelated web sites.

Is this a shared tracking cookie thing? Or, something I should be concerned about? Will clearing out cookies daily stop it from happening?

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I am not tech savy and sometimes not very observant until stuff smacks me in the face.

I am noticing a trend now where products I have looked at or info I have search is turning up as ads on unrelated web pages. For example, yesterday I was checking out headphones on amazon. Today, I have amazon ads featuring the exact headphones I was looking at on unrelated web sites.

Is this a shared tracking cookie thing? Or, something I should be concerned about? Will clearing out cookies daily stop it from happening?

yes and it is invasive IMO but almost every platform allows it. It depends which browser you're using but you can turn them off or there is software you can buy to help you do this. I personally think we should be given the choice before hand when we install things and Microsoft should add a feature, that really works, where we know when something is being installed or a setting changed. But then again they are part of the game.

There is lots of info out there if you do a search on google to properly set up your PC. Be forewarned it could slow you down a little

[imperfect_cupcake]

Well... considering I'm a writer and I write autobiographical stuff on sex, relationships, adventures, drugs, exes (no names, nothing identifying), my childhood etc... that can be found in my book and on my blog - I kinda don't have much expectation of privacy. But I made that choice.

Do I care? When I got a letter saying "your book has now been accepted by Barnes&Nobles and WH Smith..." I have to say I blanched a bit. There's some seriously graphic sex I've had in it... then I just thought "fuck it. I write. this is what I write. does it actually affect me if people know I'm multi orgasmic? no. not really." What it does do is leave me open for assholes to take pot shots at me, send me weird emails, call me names (some of the people I know on an english lezzo board HATE me cause I'm very open about sex and talking about it. They think it's boring and I must be mental/seeking attention mental... etc. So I do leave myself open for some pretty venomous asshole remarks, emails, IMs etc. I've had three stalkers and people send me all kinds of weird crap like porn and bizzare requests that I help them have anal sex with their friend. That one was from a girl I had asked out on a date. She found my book, read it then text me and said that she was round her mates and was interested in having anal sex with her but unsure of how to go about it.
I told her "use an oven glove" then blocked her

So being public with private things does bring out the annoying in some people. But the choice I have is to work under a pen name - which I do - and keep my real last name so when I go into massage therapy, that will remain different.
Plus my name on face book isn't mine. it's my pen name.

I also have an entirely different name for my other job.

I think it's easier to compartmentalise one's life with different names....

[Sachita]

In reference to honeybarbara

I don't walk around hiding and its not about who finds what out about me. Many people know my name, my past, where I live yadda yadda. I honestly don't worry about it. I'm queer, I'm kinky, I'm a lot of things- so what? I work for myself, pay my own bills and if someone doesn't want to do business with me because if it then they can go fuck themselves.

BUT I decide.

I do not want my personal privacy while in my own home, on my PERSONAL PC, to collect data to sell me things. Its kind of freaking knowing my shit is being tracked. I think its wrong to collect this data without asking first.

[imperfect_cupcake]

ok... I wasn't really talking about that though... I was just speaking in general about my experiences of "putting myself out there" as a lot of people ARE needing to protect their greater privacy... it's not about shame for many people - they really do have to protect themselves because of their work or because... they just find that info way too personal.

I live in a culture where asking if you are married is considered kinda borderline rude. If I meet someone in a pub, I don't ask what do you do for work, are you married, got any kids... blah blah normal stuff. direct questions of that type are considered rude and personal. I personally have given up on trying to play along cause my brain just can't cope with the tango it has to do in it's head, but I respect their strange notions of what is private.

People need different levels. most people were talking about very tight levels. I was just chipping in what it's like when those security levels are flappin in the breeze

[Sachita]

It is, there is a list of the People's Choice top 5, but I'll put them here too. I have and am liking hidemyass simply because it can be installed on multiple computers and you can have two simultaneous connections and/or you can install it on the router if it is compatible and everything that connects to your router will run through it.

That said, I'm sure the others are also very good. The main thing you don't want to do is get one that charges you for data transfer bandwidth.

The Top 5 People’s Choice VPN providers for 2012 (in order):

1) Hide My Ass VPN - https://hidemyass.com/
2) IP Vanish - http://www.ipvanish.com/
3) Express VPN - https://www.expressvpn.com/order
4) Pure VPN - http://www.purevpn.com/vpn-service/vpnsp-exclusive.php
5) Overplay VPN - https://www.overplay.net/

[tantalizingfemme]

Jumping off of Linus' post about identity theft...

I have recently been trying to file my taxes and they kept getting rejected. The reason for the rejection was that my TIN (Tax information number) did not match what the IRS had on record.

The website I was going through to file only had video chat help available, and I was having trouble getting a live person to talk to. I finally called the IRS yesterday to find out what I was doing wrong, and it turns out that someone else had filed taxes already, using my social security number and personal information.

Now after some googling, I found out that this isn't uncommon, that people's personal information gets stolen and then used to file false tax returns for refunds.

How did they get my info? I have absolutely no idea, yet, someone got my name, ss# and birthdate. This shit is scary. And to think, I only found out by trying to file my taxes.

Now I have to go through all of the steps to protect myself, pretty much for the rest of my life, because who knows who has this info and when in the future it will be used again.

Be safe.

[Kelt]

I actually started carrying identity insurance a few years ago. I use Lifelock.com and have been happy with them. I don't know if I would be having problems without it, but they do all of the routine maintenance around staying on top of things like stopping credit offers, making sure credit reports are ordered, and sending me alerts for possible breaches.

They also provide legal services if something were to happen. Given how much damage and loss could occur if my identity were to be stolen, I like having some peace of mind. Compared to things like car or home insurance it's dirt cheap and for me falls in the same category. There are several companies out there offering similar services.

[Martina]

I have found it really hard to adjust to having to censor myself online. I gave up FB a few months ago for several reasons, but that is one of them. I still have an ersatz account from which I play Farmville (to which -- regrettably -- I am dedicated.)

Anyway, having to be careful about discussing my job really annoys me. Someone threatened to contact my employer and reveal info re my kink life. She no longer knows where I work because I have changed jobs. But she knows my profession and the part of the world I live in.

It's just so annoying having to edit myself. I have a niche within a niche job now. So if I were to be explicit, it would take a few key strokes to locate me. Yet it's hard to share on the education thread without accidentally exposing some aspect of my job.

That I have to even THINK of that is perhaps the worst part of it. And then I wonder whether it is best if I don't share that info on the web. I guess it is.

But when I am reminded of my lack of safety, I become resentful. And I know the person who caused this would delight in that. It makes me sad to never be able to leave all that behind. Well, I could if I did not return to the Planet. But I haven't been willing to do that.

[imperfect_cupcake]

Originally Posted by Martina

I have found it really hard to adjust to having to censor myself online. I gave up FB a few months ago for several reasons, but that is one of them. I still have an ersatz account from which I play Farmville (to which -- regrettably -- I am dedicated.)

Anyway, having to be careful about discussing my job really annoys me. Someone threatened to contact my employer and reveal info re my kink life. She no longer knows where I work because I have changed jobs. But she knows my profession and the part of the world I live in.

It's just so annoying having to edit myself. I have a niche within a niche job now. So if I were to be explicit, it would take a few key strokes to locate me. Yet it's hard to share on the education thread without accidentally exposing some aspect of my job.

That I have to even THINK of that is perhaps the worst part of it. And then I wonder whether it is best if I don't share that info on the web. I guess it is.

But when I am reminded of my lack of safety, I become resentful. And I know the person who caused this would delight in that. It makes me sad to never be able to leave all that behind. Well, I could if I did not return to the Planet. But I haven't been willing to do that.

It's bloody hard, innit.

I'm glad I've got my pen name but I can't mention back inuendo and somewhat cloaked reference what I do for a living on FB. My career will change in two years and those borders don't mix well. that my screen name is fairly linked to me over the past 12 years, I've done a stupid thing to name it on this site. But jesus, I'm not good at closets.
I was going to not be closeted on FB but a couple of my exes freaked on me (one works in new media) and told me to keep my stupid gob shut if I ever wanted to work anything but self self employed.

I hate cloaking even in the slightest way. I can't mention any of my work on my blog and the stuff I would love to say about my job on a daily basis, jesus wept.

I'll have to make a secondary pen name after I move and write the stories to self publish when I get home. Still frustrating that I can't promote it as who I am. it will have to surf on it's own. >

[Linus]

So, something to add to this discussion. Instagram recently updated their TOS and this article (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/1...-mean-for-you/) highlights the main issues. Basically, the issues are as follows:

1. Instagram can share information about its users with Facebook, its parent company, as well as outside affiliates and advertisers.

2. You could star in an advertisement — without your knowledge.

3. Underage users are not exempt.

4. Ads may not be labeled as ads.

5. Want to opt out? Delete your account.

I have a feeling that the TOS might be somewhat different in Canada and other countries (as they have some stringent privacy laws) but the US will definitely be victim to this and most people probably won't even realize it.

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by Linus

So, something to add to this discussion. Instagram recently updated their TOS and this article (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/1...-mean-for-you/) highlights the main issues. Basically, the issues are as follows:

1. Instagram can share information about its users with Facebook, its parent company, as well as outside affiliates and advertisers.

2. You could star in an advertisement — without your knowledge.

3. Underage users are not exempt.

4. Ads may not be labeled as ads.

5. Want to opt out? Delete your account.

I have a feeling that the TOS might be somewhat different in Canada and other countries (as they have some stringent privacy laws) but the US will definitely be victim to this and most people probably won't even realize it.

Thank you for this.

I have Instagram on my phone but have never used it. There are other appps that do the same thing.

Deleting now.