Caution - Big Brother is watching

Lydia · Post by **Lydia** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:03 pm

Caution - your privacy may be compromised.

The search robots from Google (and others) regularly scan this forum - at least the public part of it. IMHO it is advisable not to give any personal information about yourself - such as your last name, exact location, or anything else that would enable someone with nefarious tendencies to identify you - unless, of course, you want to be identified.

As an example, if I google “Lydia + crossdress”, I find several references to my posts on this forum. You might try this with your name. Try “Silver Lady” + crossdress and you’ll be overwhelmed.

Remember, Big Brother Internet is watching you.

Hugs,

Lydia

Merinda · Post by **Merinda** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:19 pm

This should be considered before posting photos

Once you post a photo , you are no longer in control of the image , it can be downloaded , sent , multiplied , tampered with and turn up on some offensive site.

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:51 pm

Hi girls,

Yes, doing a google search on your screen name will bring results from this forum and any others you may post at. There is also the "wayback" site that collects entire pages of posts. Be aware, these sites are public and become a part of the public domain.

Love always,
Elizabeth

SilverLady(SO) · Post by **SilverLady(SO)** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:36 pm

Hi, ladies -

Okay, take a deep breath, hold it, release slowly. Repeat as necessary until you start to chill out and relax.

Any time anyone posts on a forum, posts a comment to a news article online, etc., or any time an email is sent, there is always a copy of it being archived, even if it's only on that Forum's or ISP's server. {The same is true for printed newspapers, magazines, and the like . . . there's always a copy of it in their archives.} You may have deleted the email from your system, or think you have done so, but it is still there. Yes, there are ways to completely eradicate it, but most do not, or cannot; the only sure way of eliminating them is to take a sledge hammer to the hard drive and destroy it beyond recognition.

In other words, in the age of the internet, never post or email anything that you don't want anyone else to ever possibly be able to read (or photos to be seen)!!

Yes, we do allow the searchbots from Google and Yahoo, and some other sites, to search the public areas of the forum at will. Please note that I said we "allow" them to do so . . . we are fully able to block them but choose not to.

The reason we don't block them is to help those CD's and SO's who are seeking help, information, understanding, and support find our wonderful forum. Think about it! How did most of you find this forum? Were you referred by another member? Or, did you happen to do a Google or Yahoo search and check out the results???

As for the photos, those posted in our gallery are off-limits to the general public and members must be logged in to access them. Technically, photos are the property of those who have taken the photos, and a review of copyright laws will bear that out. Yes, there will always be someone with ill-intent, somewhere in the world, but why worry about something that most likely will never happen?!?

For the record, a Google search of my name, in the manner as Lydia suggested, only brought up a few references, and I used several versions of my name as a test. However, doing a search of just my user name brought up even more results. Am I worried or concerned about it? If I was, then I would never have joined a forum in the first place!

((Hugs))

- SL

Michelle Miller · Post by **Michelle Miller** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:52 pm

So, basically, what we're saying is, if you MUST post personal info, use an address such as "1600 Pennsylvania Ave" and your phone number should always be the number to your local Wal-Mart.

Merinda · Post by **Merinda** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:30 am

SilverLady(SO) wrote:
As for the photos, those posted in our gallery are off-limits to the general public and members must be logged in to access them.

Hi SL ,

Anyone can join as a member and then access the gallery , also , someone with untoward intent will not be detered with copyright.

Lydia's point was to "think" before you post.

Eg: a few years ago I had a photo of myself age 17 in the gallery , I then realized that I could be identified from the image , although I trust our regular members , I decided to remove it just in case it got into the wrong hands.

P.S. my gallery was not emptied for this reason , I just decided that I've turned into an ugly b.... and should be heard and not seen.

Lydia · Post by **Lydia** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:40 am

Merinda says:

Lydia's point was to "think" before you post

Exactly. Silver lady's post was valuable as a reminder to all of us, and we should appreciate the care with which this forum is handled. All I did was to encourage caution. Personally, I think that last names should be avoided. Just the clue of a last name and location can be enough to identify a specific person.

Honest, I am not paranoid - just feel watched every time I get on the internet.

Hugs,
Lydia

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:11 am

I am careful

You know I work with this stuff and I had a highly knowledgeable colleague search for me online. The only thing he could find of me was a website I did back in 1997 of our family's holiday in the SW USA that officially doesn't exist any more.

I agree - be Careful. This is not the place to be giving out personal info.

Azurielle · Post by **Azurielle** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:18 pm

This can be said about anything on the internet. if you wouldn't share it with that hobo on the street, don't share it on the internet.

Lana · Post by **Lana** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:15 am

If I remember correctly, several other sites that many of us have or should I say had frequented in the past, decided to shut down, close up shop. The reasons given was that BIG BROTHER was damanding they disclose who their members were.

SilverLady(SO) · Post by **SilverLady(SO)** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:12 am

Lydia -

Lydia wrote:Silver lady's post was valuable as a reminder to all of us, and we should appreciate the care with which this forum is handled. All I did was to encourage caution. Personally, I think that last names should be avoided. Just the clue of a last name and location can be enough to identify a specific person.

Honest, I am not paranoid - just feel watched every time I get on the internet.

Thank you for the compliment!!

I am extremely pro-active regarding privacy when it comes to the names that members use, and spend a lot of time contacting proposed new members before activating their account. Given that we require only "real or real-sounding names" be used, some members will need to use a surname to distinguish them from someone else with the same first name. Please rest assured that in most cases any surnames are fictitious and used only for the web.

It would be very difficult to identify someone from here based upon their posts, avatars, or photos, unless one already knew them, of course. Regarding locations listed in a member's profile, not all of them are "exact"; some are just a nearby large city, others are a general location (ie, Bay Area), while some are either completely false or purely fictitious. I make it a point to read every post, and if I thought someone was unintentionally giving out too much personal information then I edit it, as is my right as the Site Admin. Please remember that we do have some members that are "out" and have little or no problems with being "discovered" in real life. In addition, most of the 'general public' would have no reason to try to discover the real identity of a member, even if they knew this forum, and others, existed.

Lana -

Lana wrote:If I remember correctly, several other sites that many of us have or should I say had frequented in the past, decided to shut down, close up shop. The reasons given was that BIG BROTHER was damanding they disclose who their members were.

I believe you are referencing the CDDF, for one, and it was my understanding that they were located in Europe (Germany??). They had their own set of problems, over and above anything that may, or may not, have come from the government, and that is the real reason why they shut down.

The "BIG BROTHER" that Lydia was referencing was the searchbots from search engines such as Google and Yahoo, and I've already commented on them in my post, above. Short of any alleged criminal activity, there are no known laws in the USA that would require (ie, 'force') us to reveal our membership list or any other identifying data of our members.

It was my understanding that the CDDF cited financial reasons for shutting down, but they also had a lack of Moderators/Site Admins admitting new members to the forum and just monitoring the forum, in general. Most importantly, they lacked enforcing their own rules which allowed a number of members to run amok, causing a lot of dissension for the rest of the members. Another site with a name similar to ours (in the UK) is experiencing the same thing, and it would be a shame if they ever closed their doors.

That is why we enforce our rules and guidelines at this forum, and the trolls and troublemakers will soon find themselves booted out into cyberspace . . . with pleasure by moi.

Azurielle -

Azurielle wrote:This can be said about anything on the internet. if you wouldn't share it with that hobo on the street, don't share it on the internet.

Exactly!!!

Again, ladies, do be careful about what you post, but please don't go overboard on the paranoia.

(Hugs)

- SL

Carol Ann · Post by **Carol Ann** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:54 pm

I got a shotgun a rifle and a skinning knife this old country girl will survive

Virginia · Post by **Virginia** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:24 pm

Hey Carol Ann,
I will have to send you a copy of the sign I am going to post at the bottom of our driveway!

"IF YOU CAN READ THIS -- YOU'RE IN RANGE!"

Think they will get the hint?

Virginia

Merinda · Post by **Merinda** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:44 am

Virginia wrote:
"IF YOU CAN READ THIS -- YOU'RE IN RANGE!"

I love that !

CJ · Post by CJ » Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:24 am

Hi all,

Yes, this is a vital subject, no doubt. But it's one that can also become entangled in needlessly alarmist hysteria. Use your head, bow to common sense, and--usually--everything should be fine. Frankly, I'm more concerned about privacy in regards to a favorite target of 21st century criminals; namely, identity theft. Fake ATMs and card swipers, keyloggers, phishing, etc., etc. Those are the things to watch out for. Change your passwords and your PINs on a regular basis; give them out to no one; do not write them down anywhere; make sure every official instance or piece of equipment requiring privacy is legitimate.

Believe it or not, as long as you pay your taxes and break no laws, Big Brother doesn't care if you wear Big Sister's panties under your suit trousers.

Variation on a theme:

"If you can read this -- you're in range for a shout-out invite to a cup of coffee!"

Love,
CJ