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You are here: Home > Forum > A Place of Safety > General Talk > I have concerns about internet provacy
I have concerns about internet provacy  [message #45647] Tue, 02 October 2007 09:34 Go to previous message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13818



I was speaking at a conference last week in London on matters of digital privacy. There was a great deal of concern from the floor of the conference about the traces we leave when online. One specific area was privacy in social networks.

I had not thought of it this way before, but this board is one of many social networks.

They have hit the news recently because there is now the start of a trend to allow search engines to index them. The thing is, we should always treat any place where we put personal information as if it is already indexed by search engines.

One major thing that came up is the carelessness of people in placing personal details online. They put things online that they would not want anyone close to them to know. And then they give all sorts of clues which allow anyone with half a brain and a few minutes to search to find out who they are. It is the user's responsibility to give or withhold information

This is especially important when you have, for example, a sexual orientation that your friends are unaware of, when being outed would be extremely unwise. In some parts of the world being outed could be fatal.

It's also very unwise when you are that immortal thing, the teenager. Please take it as a fact that the teenager is more attractive than the old man. You just are. So leaving information online about your sexual orientation and whereabouts and name and age and body size/type is unwise. It's like saying "Hi, I'm 5'2" tall, blond with big green eyes. I'm slim, have a little patch of blond pubic hair, but I shave it sometimes to make myself look younger. I'm gay as they come and boy do I find old guys attractive. Take me and bend me to your will. Oh, I quite like being tied up in soft rope, too. I live at 25 Wayside Drive...."

I don't think Marc had that in mind when he suggested introductions. I think he had in mind the "Hi, I'm timmy" sort. Not much detail, just enough, if you choose, to mean those who need it can empathise with you.

Now I am truly nervous of the level of exposure some of you have given yourselves. Please remember that search engines visit here, and consider edits.

[Updated on: Tue, 02 October 2007 09:43]




Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
 
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