Author Topic: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)  (Read 8194 times)

Offline nakymaton

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Anyone who's known me for long knows that I'm paranoid about my internet life bleeding into my real life. I don't want casual RL acquaintances to be able to google my name and read all my online conversations. I don't want internet acquaintances to know who I am in real life.

Our internet past does not go away, and employers can find out a lot of things about us if they search hard enough. (One in four employers apparently uses search engines to screen employees.  :o ) There was a story on NPR this morning about start-up companies that, for a fee, will help you clean up your internet record: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6462504.

It sounds complicated. Perhaps it is better to avoid being indiscreet.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2006, 07:30:55 pm by nakymaton »
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Offline Lynne

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2006, 02:42:06 pm »
This is interesting, Mel, and certainly food for thought...

Just for kicks, I googled all versions of my full name.  The only applicable link that was returned was related to a paper I co-authored once - http://www.spie.org/web/abstracts/ircdrom.pdf.

Perhaps more disturbing is the number of hits returned that were not me, including obituary noticies, arrest records, myspace pages, etc.

But when I googled 'Lynne Brokeback' I hit on a link leading me straight to www.bettermost.net/forum, where - you are correct - anybody at all could read everything I've posted publicly here.  I would assume hacker skills would be required to get into emails and PMs.

It certainly seems an invasion of personal privacy, particularly in the case of an employer.  It strikes me as a form of discrimination to base a hiring decision on a candidate's activities outside the workplace - civic/social involvement, political views, sexual orientation, as well as any ubiquitous indiscreet pics that might surface.  But of course none of these are spelled out (yet) as being illegal.

Furthermore, an employer could easily learn answers to questions that are definitely off-limit in a job interview (age, marital status, religion, etc..).  This would clearly be illegal, but how would one go about proving that it had occurred?

One thing is certain - technology is advancing so rapidly in every area (medicine, biotech, high-tech, etc..) that the legal system doesn't have much hope of keeping up.

-Lynne
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2006, 10:15:41 pm »
This is interesting, Mel, and certainly food for thought...

Just for kicks, I googled all versions of my full name.  The only applicable link that was returned was related to a paper I co-authored once - http://www.spie.org/web/abstracts/ircdrom.pdf.

Perhaps more disturbing is the number of hits returned that were not me, including obituary noticies, arrest records, myspace pages, etc.

But when I googled 'Lynne Brokeback' I hit on a link leading me straight to www.bettermost.net/forum, where - you are correct - anybody at all could read everything I've posted publicly here.  I would assume hacker skills would be required to get into emails and PMs.

It certainly seems an invasion of personal privacy, particularly in the case of an employer.  It strikes me as a form of discrimination to base a hiring decision on a candidate's activities outside the workplace - civic/social involvement, political views, sexual orientation, as well as any ubiquitous indiscreet pics that might surface.  But of course none of these are spelled out (yet) as being illegal.

Furthermore, an employer could easily learn answers to questions that are definitely off-limit in a job interview (age, marital status, religion, etc..).  This would clearly be illegal, but how would one go about proving that it had occurred?

One thing is certain - technology is advancing so rapidly in every area (medicine, biotech, high-tech, etc..) that the legal system doesn't have much hope of keeping up.

-Lynne

YOW!  :o :o :o

That was not good to read!  I instantly went and googled myself.   Luckily, I always use a pseudonym on the net except when I have no choice not to.  Nothing came up with my name.  Whew!!

Offline RouxB

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2006, 11:00:55 pm »
That's pretty disturbing. Lynne, when Phil is back and up to speed, you might want to share this with him as this subject came up before and I'm thinking he said that our B'most info should not show up in a search. Looks like that isn't true.

 O0

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Offline Lynne

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2006, 11:38:25 pm »
That's pretty disturbing. Lynne, when Phil is back and up to speed, you might want to share this with him as this subject came up before and I'm thinking he said that our B'most info should not show up in a search. Looks like that isn't true.
 O0

Yes, we'll need to show this to Phillip.  I thought maybe that because I'm a moderator, my name shows up along with the Movie Resources forum heading.  But I just googled 'RouxB Brokeback' and the second hit was the recent posts display.
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Offline nakymaton

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2006, 11:42:12 pm »
I also use pseudonyms on internet groups, though I didn't when I first got involved in online groups. Googling my real name gives three pages of hits that all refer to me. One-third of them come from my first internet activity, over ten years ago. (Fortunately, there were no kegs stands involved, but I'm still not sure they would make me look like an ideal job candidate.)

When I google "nakymaton," I get lots of unrelated pages. When I google "nakymaton Mel," I get a couple old posts from Dave Cullen's forum, but not from here. When I google "nakymaton brokeback," I get a couple DC forum hits, one hit from here, and several livejournal posts that refer to things I've posted here or to my deleted nakymaton livejournal. (That's despite setting up the livejournal so that it isn't indexed on google... other users and communities were googleable.) So it looks to me like this forum is better for privacy than most of the online BBM communities.
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Offline Lynne

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2006, 11:48:50 pm »
Yes, we'll need to show this to Phillip.  I thought maybe that because I'm a moderator, my name shows up along with the Movie Resources forum heading.  But I just googled 'RouxB Brokeback' and the second hit was the recent posts display.

Modified to add that Phillip and John are investigating how this is working.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2006, 12:19:25 pm by Lynne »
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Offline Kelda

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2006, 04:48:15 am »
If I put my name without the _ it came up with a lot of work things & a few brass band things (as I am heavily involved in the brass band movement.) and lots about the kelda water company (who came AFTER me I might add!!)

if I put in kelda_shelton - the first hit was for a consumer action group website... think I may change that to another name as this is something I would be more worried about people finding out about as it details my efforts in reclaiming bank charges.

the brokeback frapper map up 3rd and 4th...

unless I google kelda_shelton brokeback is the only way i get bettermost and then its only one hit.

Thanks for bring that to my attention! off to change the banking website name!
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Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2006, 05:46:37 pm »
You need to retitle this thread - ain't anythin like what I thought I'd be readin'

I'm sure that a lot a members aughta be made aware a this little bit a cyber reality

When I punched up Roland Brokeback, Bettermost came up 4th - not that it matters much ta me as I'm quickly nearin retirement, but maybe I SHOULD be more concerned!

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Offline Lynne

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2006, 06:03:22 pm »
You need to retitle this thread - ain't anythin like what I thought I'd be readin'

I'm sure that a lot a members aughta be made aware a this little bit a cyber reality

When I punched up Roland Brokeback, Bettermost came up 4th - not that it matters much ta me as I'm quickly nearin retirement, but maybe I SHOULD be more concerned!

Sheriff Roland

Ain't you the Sheriff in these parts??  Change the title so it's more meaningful...maybe 'Internet Privacy Concerns' or something like that?

For myself, I am more concerned with the misinformation that comes up googling my name (ya know, the arrest record and all that stuff - I SWEAR I'm innocent  ::)) than I am about anybody reading what I've had to say here.  I think it's always a good policy to try very hard not to post something electronically that you aren't willing to be say on a street corner.  That goes for emails, PMs, chats, everything.  Because you never know...It's a brave new world and getting scarier all the time.  And despite your best efforts, Sheriff, the LAW cain't keep up.  ;)

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Offline nakymaton

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2006, 07:30:21 pm »
Sure, I'll change the thread title. (I thought about saying something about privacy concerns, but was afraid that sounded too paranoid. Because I'm paranoid... my old stuff isn't very embarrassing, but it's still, well, unprofessional.)
Watch out. That poster has a low startle point.

injest

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2006, 08:06:58 pm »
OOOOOOO!! A woman with a tawdry past....where is that durn Google??!!

(are there pictures??)

oh wait!! you said unprofessional..not tawdry... :P :P

Offline nakymaton

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2006, 11:11:11 pm »
OOOOOOO!! A woman with a tawdry past....where is that durn Google??!!

(are there pictures??)

oh wait!! you said unprofessional..not tawdry... :P :P

*snort*

Pseudonyms are key. ;D

(no, there are no pictures... my internet indiscretions pre-date digital cameras.  :o )
Watch out. That poster has a low startle point.

injest

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2006, 09:05:46 am »
good grief!! How old ARE you??!! why digital cameras have been around for what?? five or ten years!

LOL!!

« Last Edit: November 17, 2006, 09:40:41 am by injest »

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: online reputation and real life reputation
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2006, 05:54:22 pm »
For myself, I am more concerned with the misinformation that comes up googling my name (ya know, the arrest record and all that stuff - I SWEAR I'm innocent  ::)) than I am about anybody reading what I've had to say here. 

Yup. Same here. I googled my full name and two girls came up, which had some things in common with me. Like similar age, same school career, similar profession, etc. One of them living just a few miles from me  :o

When I google either Penthesilea or Chrissi and Brokeback Mountain I don't get any results linking to BetterMost.

Offline Kelpersmek

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2006, 06:34:52 pm »
I don't tend to associate my name and my internet nicknames.

I don't even really use the same nickmname from place to place.
There is definitely a very bad picture of me out there that I cannot get rid of, but I don't know anyone here well enough to share that yet!  :laugh:
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injest

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2006, 09:07:19 pm »
good grief!! How old ARE you??!! why digital cameras have been around for what?? five or ten years!

LOL!!



I posted this this morning...and made a rude comment about Roland...and how he predated pencils...

I did delete it but some of you may have seen it..

I was wrong to post that. I apologize to anyone I offended.

I MEANT to say...

he predates clay tablets and sticks....

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
« Last Edit: November 17, 2006, 09:14:13 pm by injest »

injest

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2006, 09:08:24 pm »
I don't tend to associate my name and my internet nicknames.

I don't even really use the same nickmname from place to place.
There is definitely a very bad picture of me out there that I cannot get rid of, but I don't know anyone here well enough to share that yet!  :laugh:

Oh go ahead!! we won't tell! (will we guys?)

Offline nakymaton

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Speaking of online pictures:

From National Geographic newsfeed: "Face Recognition for Online Photo Searches Sparks Privacy Fears"

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/070105-photo-search.html?source=rss

(I might be paranoid, but maybe they really are out to get me...)
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Offline Kelda

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when I google kelda_shelton I get 15 results - 2 of which are from here both links to the suro brokie meet up thread oddly enough!

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injest

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not to be too paranoid...

but there have been two women here locally that have had a bad experience with people they have met on the internet...

one was murdered while on the phone with the police. The man had been talking to her over the internet for several months...and drove all the way from Arizona to kill her.

another went to Florida for a meet and greet and never came back. He claims he put her on a bus. She left four kids behind...

and I know these are isolated incidents and that there are a thousand kazillion people that have GREAT experiences meeting people...but there are dangers out there..

Offline Longhorn32

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #21 on: November 05, 2007, 01:50:15 pm »
hmmm...this is interesting. I was thinking a lot about this sort of thing recently, mainly because after a year and a half, I finally put some actual pics of me up on my facebook/myspace pages....

As far as employers go, and RL vs. internet life....that is terrible to think they would do that. And it could probably be argued that it's discriminatory, of course, but how could you ever prove it....

I wonder if people on here are paranoid, or worried, that someone might "find out" they are on here because of the subject matter....or how they fear people might view them if they did find out.......probably so. But that seems like giving in to fear entirely too much, and letting "them" win.

I used to think that way...a bit at least...but dammit, when you're right, you're right. Which is to say that I stand behind my actions and words, because I know I'm right about this (this meaning bbm, bettermost, lgbt rights, etc). I think I'm also right about not letting fear dominate our lives.

Of course, I have no right to tell anyone else what to do, and that viewpoint above is a little naive when faced with day to day discrimination, internet predators/crazies, etc....another thing (that maybe takes a little away from what I said) is that I feel relatively "safe" in terms of my job - God willing, I will stay in the sweet bosom of academia forever...

 :)

I do think we should all be careful in terms of meeting people in real life after meeting them online. Because you never know a) if they are really who they say there are and b) if they are crazy! And perhaps also when it comes to personal pictures on here....but I dunno. So, to pic or not to pic? That is the question...

 O0

I forgot to say....I found this topic because my computer was loading bettermost so slowly that I thought maybe I could link to it quicker via Google. So, when I googled Bettermost, this thread was the 2nd result!!!
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Offline souxi

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #22 on: November 05, 2007, 03:30:22 pm »
Longhorn some time ago I posted this on Anything goes.
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,13151.0.html

I moderate in chat every day almost, and I know a lot about this kind of thing.

Dagi

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #23 on: November 11, 2007, 06:34:01 am »
I just googled Dagi, and guess what came out: Brokeback Dagi = Brokeback Mountain in turkish!!  :D :D :D

Offline Kelda

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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #24 on: November 11, 2007, 06:41:44 am »
I just googled Dagi, and guess what came out: Brokeback Dagi = Brokeback Mountain in turkish!!  :D :D :D
heeeee!!!!!!
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Re: Internet privacy concerns (was: online reputation and real life reputation)
« Reply #25 on: November 11, 2007, 03:37:59 pm »
Quote
I do think we should all be careful in terms of meeting people in real life after meeting them online. Because you never know a) if they are really who they say there are and b) if they are crazy!

 ;D Gary, a) are you really who you say you are? b) are you as crazy as you say you are? Otherwise I won't come over!  :laugh:

(No offense meant, Longhorn, I share your point of view...)

Dagi