The majority of the people who post to this blog are adults. But a few members of this blog community are a little younger. We treat them with the respect that they deserve and I don't believe that any of the regulars in this blog circle would ever seek to hurt them.
However, let me tell you about an experience I had a while ago. I have a youthful friend in Oregon, not a member of this blog circle. Just by knowing Her name and Her town, in all of about five minutes --- and I'm no tech expert -- I was able to Google up a map right to Her front door. Of course, I was just testing out the theory that it could be done -- most computer literate people have heard about such a thing by now. I've done it with myself and even my grandfather. But what if I had been someone else, with dark intentions?
I visited a certain blog recently and someone had filled out a survey there that revealed quite a lot of personal information about themselves. Information that might be useful to a a person of malicious intent.
It got me to thinking -- I would never want anyone in my blog circle -- well, any human being for that matter -- to be hurt, especially by someone who lurked on this blog of mine and then followed it up to somewhere else.
I recently posted a laudatory link to a young writer's work in this blog circle and She received well-deserved applause. But I am questioning my wisdom now in having done that. Have I increased the chances that someone -- not one of you but a lurker, a sick person -- might stalk Her or some such thing? Should I refrain from mentioning any of Her future posts and erase the one that I put up? But if I do, then Her work remains known only to Her immediate friends and people lucky enough to stumble upon Her blog.
What are your thoughts, dear readers?
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Urgent safety questions
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19 comments:
You have to follow your heart, and mine tells me to believe in the goodness in people first. It is a way of life that has served me well over the years.
Wiccans believe in the "Rule of Three," which states whatever you do, say, or think will come back to you 3-fold. Classic metaphysics. Really keeps your karma good if you follow it.
All you can do is good in the world. You posted that link with the intention of doing good. You are not responsible for the positive or negative energy of everyone else on the web, and what they choose to do with it.
So just live your life from the goodness of your heart, and all will work out much better than you might imagine. To do anything else makes life much too complicated.
Sending many faery xoxox your way today!
You know, I've had some time to think about this subject, and perhaps an Adena-approach is best in this situation.
Namely, not to appoint myself as Alexis' Internet nanny. I've praised Her intelligence before, so I can trust that She will use that intelligence to delete and ban any Internet creep who visits Her site.
And I can believe that She won't shatter like glass if some "anonymous" freak posts something disgusting there. She'll kick his Internet a^% the way it should be kicked, again in true Adena-fashion.
However, I would still caution anyone -- male or Female, young or old -- to never post your address along with your full name online. Etc., etc., Nanny signing off.
I think it behooves us all to be reminded CONTINUOUSLY that www stands for WORLD WIDE WEB, not just the United States, and not just what we perceive the web to be.
WORLD WIDE! Everybody, everywhere, 24-7!
We are first and formost, as internet contributors, EACH, mini-diplomats for our culture, gender, political leanings, religious feelings, morals, and preferences.
We need to behave with EXTREME manners. If ever there was a forum for please and thank you, this is it.
Don't get me wrong...I am a "cuss like a sailor, tell it like it is, open to all comers" type of mind set. I am so anti-censorship, I could explode.
But very common sense has to prevail here.
Be circumspect in your disclosure of names. Be circumspect in disclosure of locations.
I am in a unique position of having a business website, and by default, have to tell people how to contact me. But I entered into that circumstance with full awareness of what I was doing, and of the risks involved. I am vigilant.
Ask her what she thinks, and what her comfort level is. Do it in a public forum, like this, to keep yourself un-suspect.
And realize that if she is posting on the internet, you can only do a small part to be protective.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
Laura: "Believe in the goodness of people first." Those are brave and beautiful words.
Leslie: "We are first and formost, as internet contributors, EACH, mini-diplomats for our culture, gender, political leanings, religious feelings, morals, and preferences."
Your words are wise enough to be carved in stone. That has to be the most profound, thoughtful, intelligent statement about the Internet that I have ever read -- and I'd say that even if You were a man, not the lovely Lady that You are!
lol, internet nanny. =D
Eh, I do my best to stay safe anyway. I'm pretty careful about the personal info on my blog so I'm sure I'll be fine.
Hey Alexis! Don't you love the way all of us 'clucking hens' are 'talking' about you, like you aren't going to 'hear' what we are saying? :)
express your concerns directly to this person via email if possible.
help her to understand there is identity theft afoot as well.
nice entry
It is nice to remind people of the dangers of the Internet. We all need to be careful of what we post up about our personal lives.
Sometimes I want to know more about the bloggers I come across, for instance, I don't even know your real name. Yet, I consider you to be a good friend.
I don't think you need to do anything different. Keep posting links and writing like you have been.
Unfortunately, there will always been people out there who would try to take advantage of people online. And fortunately, we have some really smart, computer-savy people in our blog circle. I don't think we need to worry about them as much as we do.
I am just amazed that we have seemingly become friends and look out for each other, even though we know very little about each other. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Alexis, I apologize for talking about You as if You weren't here.
I didn't mention You by name at first because I didn't want to make it that much easier for any lurkers to figure out what I was talking about.
But they wouldn't have had to read too many posts further down to figure it out anyway.
And once I reconsidered my whole worry-state, there was no longer any reason to speak in generalities and not specifically about You.
I hope that makes sense. I wasn't trying to be patronizing.
Hey, Eastcoastdweller,
You can worry about me any time you want to. I need all the help I can get! It feels good to know your blog has created this accountability to one another.
Heck, now NONE of us are going to be able to get away with anything... :)
Leslie: I know! Isn't it annoying -- maybe I'll pull the plug on this whole blog and start over as a new person untroubled by ethics or any sense of responsibility.
ecd,
your first comment says it all. I think people appreciate that you promote their sites and it is their own responsibility to display common sense on the display of personal info. As you say, you credit her as a very intelegent and capable person so you needn't lose sleep in worrying.....though I suspect she appreciates the sentiment.
Chase and Lone Grey Squirrel:
Thank you both for your comments.
Hi, ECD! Thanks for visiting my blog, and I'm thrilled you enjoyed it. Yes, you may excerpt as much as you would like from any of my posts for your wonderful blog, for those readers who aren't familiar with my Empowering blog yet. Thanks! You are a sweetheart. :)
I love hearing from you, and you can email me anytime at laurastamps@mindspring.com
Wishing you a day filled with flowers, joy, and many faery xoxoxoxo!!
You know, I think it's always been the case. Even before the internet, if you wanted to find someone you could do it fairly easily. In fact, someone told me once it was easier because people weren't as guarded with their information.
My big sis is concerned about privacy issues big time and safety. She cautioned me early on about one photograph of my truck.... (which perhaps with a magnifying glass and 20/20 vision in my opinion)...that someone would be able to read its license plate. I further cropped the photo.
Early on, more as a joke/a lark/as fun fiction I invented a Husband for myself and made a few references to "my man" so as not to appear alone out here...as I am....but I shelved him, came clean to my best blog buddies, shelved Chuck for good.
My sis worries more than me but I think she worries more about me discussing her and posting photos of her without her permission. I do not go there. I think she looks at my blog more to see if I do that than out of any real interest in my day to day.... she is so private that she doesn't comment on my blog :-( and fails to even ever mention things to me by phone or email....golly. What is the point of sharing without a little feedback now and then? I will remain as reasonably private as I can...there is no need to identify so precisely who what where I am.....
Well, yes this can happen but I'd rather not to be paranoic, stressed or worried at this very moment ;-)
And if this happens I will find the way to learn from it and be wiser.
Ah, it's fine ECD. I understand where you're coming from.
Laura S: Thank You and I will do that.
Everyone else (because I'm rushed this morning): Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
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