Privacy
I was recently involved in a comment on a gun control issue on a Facebook post and one of the other people who commented demanded I give my real name. I would never use my real name on Facebook and I question the sanity of anyone who does. I immediately checked out this person's Facebook account and came back with this reply: " I took a quick look at your Facebook page and you not only list your date of birth and where you are from, and when you went to high school and your husband's name and the names of your children. You are leaving yourself open for identity fraud. Do you really want that?"
One could easily mine the information she provided and be well on their way to identity theft which will be a lot harder to mop up after the fact.
Facebook is basically data collection service in which people volunteer the most intimate portions of their lives. The funny thing is that a lot of gun owners who refuse to register their guns are giving freely giving all sorts of info on themselves to the Internet where just about anyone can see it.
I had another instance recently where a Facebook friend posted the date when he would be going on vacation. I saw him after that post and asked if he had lost his mind. He is a pretty well known person and I'm sure there are people that read his posts who could easily take advantage of his absence. He told me that few people know where he lives, but I'm sure it a public record that is find-able in less than a few minutes on the Internet.
People, you need to start paying attention. Are you setting yourself up for exposure that could ruin your life? I know Facebook is fun and your intentions for setting up your account was so you could connect with people you know or have known in the past but in reality you are volunteering all your information for free. Remember on Facebook you think you are getting a great free product, but in reality you are the product.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 10:06 AM
12 Comments:
Sage advice Guy and I should do more to protect my online presence. I don't list my birthday and do not advertise going on vacation.
I know I have given too much information in the past though.
There is a big difference though regarding the analogy you make with registering guns vs information on FB. You have the choice on FB. Guns, not so much. I personally don't care because my job requires that I do a comprehensive background check so I can work on Federal facilities. I am mug shot and finger printed so the govt knows who I am. I do not believe the govt has a right to know who you are simply because you own a weapon.
As we have already debated, gun related deaths are a very small (although emotional) blip on the death screen.
I do respect and appreciate your debate on these topics though!
g, let'as just say you'll never be able to run for political office again...except in Warrenton where a guy who lynched Obama in effigy got elected. You know what I say about Warrenton...Come for breakfast, stay for lynch...
Never be "able" to? How about never want to. Looking back, I was part of a team who accomplished a lot. I have no regrets on that. What I regret is trying to help a community who didn't really give a shit. Fuck them (especially the Daily A). So yeah, I won't be running again and can now speak my mind. Kind of like you :-) I fight for a cause now. Getting rid of liberalism and promoting the constitution.
Facespacelifebook SUUUUCKS!!!
I see no benifit to it at all.
Furthermore, I don't want to reconnect with anyone I am not presently connected with.
If you ever turn over the xxxxxxxxx's page to me to manage, I will unfriend all but about 6 people immediatly. Who are these Kooks?
g said: I fight for a cause now. Getting rid of liberalism and promoting the constitution.
I'm right there with you, g!
You two are living in the wrong place if you ever think conservative values will ever mean anything here.
Gearhead, Facebook isn't like the Message board. The point isn't to control the content and ban people. The point is to get an audience to see the stuff you post. I could hide what all the conservative a-holes are saying, but it's more fun to sit back and wonder how these knuckle dragging-mouth breathers actually came up with enough smarts to actually turn a computer on.
I was on Facebook years ago, once with my real name which I changed quickly later to a pseudonym. I have seen too many instances lately where people have been playing games on there, putting their private lives out for all the world to see. Just recently that played a role in a rather tragic event which I won't go into here.
It seems to me that even if people develop a filter for their mouths, they have none at all when it comes to the internet.
i love this.
i can find out most anything about anyone in about 10 minutes. people are very dumb.
i am not on facebook or twitter or any other social media whatsoever.
i find it pointless.
i have friends. i call them, even email them... i don't need to know what they ate for breakfast.
and for sure i don't want to go poking around for people from my past.
then again...i am sure i could find them if i wanted to anyway :)
Darev, you may want to delete your account because your name pops up often endorsing products.
Weese, so good to see you are still out there even with a low profile. I do love it when you post. While I have you here, are you still in touch with Sid? If so please send her my love.
I swear I will never forget the day your email got hacked and some random link got sent to me with your real name as the signature. I sat there like "Who? I thought his name really WAS Guy!"
*chuckle*
Amy ; )
Yes. i am still here :)
don't hear from Syd... she's on facebook now :P
most of the old blogger gang is doing the same.
that probagly has alot to do with my lax blog effort these days.
Post a Comment
<< Home