[5thWall]

Now I don't like to be a downer, and I'm happy for DIC's 8th birthday. But I have to say I'm somewhat surprised at how many people are willing to hand out links to their personal profiles on a public forum.

Now I know a lot of us keep our profiles to those sites on private. So even a link to our profiles will keep most unauthorized people out (most, because with enough will and skill nothing is truly private online). Even so, I don't know about you, but my name is not "John Smith" and a simple Google search for my full name will return me as it's top results. Maybe I'm paranoid, listen to too many security podcasts, but I prefer to keep the amount of information about myself on the web to a minimum.

So my question to you, DICHeads: How do you control access to your personal information online? Privacy settings? Aliases? Don't sign up in the first place? Who cares, if they really want my info they'll get it any way?



As for me, my (admittedly leaky) approach is to separate the web into public and private sections which don't touch as much as possible. Private areas (Facebook) have all privacy settings at or close to max and I only approve people I've met in real life. In public areas (Dream.In.Code) I use aliases and even separate email accounts to sign up.

[no2pencil]

There is nothing wrong with joining groups on those networking sights if you are smart about what information you share.

If you want to post your phone number & home address on your MySpace, it doesn't take joining Dream In Code to share that information, thousands already have it. There is a pretty well defined line between paranoid & stupid in regards to internet activity.

[5thWall]

So I guess I'd fall on the paranoid side then? Like I said, too many security podcasts. Maybe I'll try stalking myself online to see how far I can really get.

[no2pencil]

Just remember, the more you plug your real data into Google... the more routers cache you store that information in. Then you add SEO value to your own name & it gets bumped, making it easier for others to find. By the end of the week you are wearing a tin-foil helmet & talking in Morse-code over walkie-talkies.

Search in moderation.

[KYA]

There is nothing private on the web. Even if you don't get up in the morning, your name goes through 5 or 6 computers, and that was back in 95'.

[Hyper]

My name is Danielle.
I live in Smithville (Bastrop county), Texas, United States of America (that's on the south region of the North American continent).
My area code is 512.
My zip code is 78957
I have posted pictures/videos of myself and personally given them to people (of many variants).

"Security" is rather stupid I think. If you don't want people to know "Who" you are, and "Where" you live, then don't put that information anywhere. If a site "requires" it, feed them a load of shit, because it isn't important, unless it's that sort of site (banking information), in which case security is an issue. But other than that, your "Personal info" is rather stupid.

You walk up and talk to people all the time, any one of them could follow you home without you knowing it. It doesn't really matter. All those people know what your look like, your height, hair color, voice, etc. Even your personality! God forbid. Unless you lie about that.

But peoeple don't think about it like that, you can lie IN PERSON and you can lie NOT IN PERSON (via phone, text, "internet," forums, blogs, this, that, etc).

[PsychoCoder]

Wow, I would have to agree with Hyper (listens to the icicles form in hell lol), I mean I'm a moderator on a large programming forum so my name is on the About Us page. I have a domain that's got my first initial and last name in it. Like Hyper said, I'm more worried about the person looking at me funny at Safeway than I am someone knowing my real name online.

[BigAnt]

If the people want to know my name on the internets let the people know my name on the internets.

The only info I worry about is stuff like Social Security Numbers and banking info, and that I only enter into secure sites, and only when it is necessary.

[no2pencil]

Hyper, on 3 Mar, 2009 - 04:45 PM, said:

My name is Danielle.

Damn it! I wish I had known that before I carved hyper into my leg with a rusty knife.

[Hyper]

BigAnt, on 3 Mar, 2009 - 09:14 PM, said:

If the people want to know my name on the internets let the people know my name on the internets.

The only info I worry about is stuff like Social Security Numbers and banking info, and that I only enter into secure sites, and only when it is necessary.

If you don't want somebody to know something, don't write it down.

no2pencil, Why would you use a rusty blade? Seriously, sherraded blades are way better for cutting flesh.

PsychoCoder, Thank you? Hell froze over. Happens often.