Just read about FullTilt Redhead's problem, and that's a bit of a coincidence because I was getting ready to post this thread.

I so enjoy and appreciate those of you who post photos and share the really important aspects of your lives, both good and bad. I'm afraid to do that, especially now, and yet that means that none of you will get to know me as well as I know you.

In addition to the many I consider friends on this site, though I've never met one of you, there are unknown others. Some creepy. At least one, creepy.

What will you/won't you put on the World Wide Web? I need to know!

What ISN'T already, on the world wide, web? We shop online. We converse, online. We post photos, online. Celebs are all over the internet, both in and out of clothes. The net has become a way of life. You don't have to post a photo of yourself, but if ever you send someone a photo, that person can scan it, and post it, FOR YOU. And send it, wherever that person, wants to send it. As for what I write online . . . I tell my 'real life' friends, the same things . . . who knows how many people, they've told already?

Sometimes I think I'm naive. I just innately trust people. I post alot of personal photos and information. I never considered anyone trying to 'lift' my identity. I guess it does happen all the time, though. Sad world we live in.

It hasn't stopped me yet but...........................................................................

I have a love/hate relationship with computers.
As of today, I think we've finally dug out of another disk crash of some sort.
McAfee antivirus was more pain than it is worth, IMHO. It wouldn't let me reinstall..OY the problems...finally resolved.

I try to be aware of security via internet/websites, but it is sad that there are tons smarter people than I...willing to use all that brain power for evil. Just makes me angry that someone would spend that much time trying to harm someone else (or their computer)---and much of it is just to say they can. I detest the ones trying to steal identities, but the worm stuff is just as annoying.

I never post pics of myself. I never register an account with my business email, it's always done with a free email account that has a bogus name on it. And I learned the hard way that trusting someone online can mean that your personal info (full name, address, info on spouse and such) can wind up being posted by some sociopathic freakazoid with a fondness for internet stalking.

And believe me... fighting back gets REALLY ugly.

CV, that's good advice and I wish I had known to do the protective things you've done. I suppose I'm naive - especially when it comes to a place like POL, where I feel I've come to know people through their posts.

Anything I wouldn't mind seeing as a headline in the New York Times.

Oh but that's just the thing: We DON'T know people through posts, do we?
The person who stalked me was acting so supportive on board, it's to barf for, I swear... Phony, hypocritical, full of it... Oh I was royally played all right.
But you know what they say: LIVE AND LEARN. And learn, I did.

I get especially nervous for some women who post photos of their children. If that isn't asking for trouble these days, I don't know what is. It's like any crime, most people think "It can't happen to me." It's just as well I am a technophobe.

Well, it's wise to err on the side of caution. Sometimes you might think you can trust somebody who later turns on you. It's just like real offline life. We make mistakes about peoples characters. The more trustworthy you are, the more likely it is you can be taken advantage of. Good people don't seem to understand that some characters are mean and/or just plain nutty, so we learned our lessons the HARD WAY. Recently my best friend found out she couldn't trust somebody she'd trusted in a fiduciary capacity for 8 years (!) and is facing a difficult situation. If she tries to pursue her rights she digs herself in deeper, because unscrupulous sorts always lie. Sadly, in REAL LIFE sometimes you can't trust people you think you know, so why trust anybody online?

Never post anything online which you wouldn't say in person, I have found. Internet anonymity makes the best of people behave foolishly at times. BTW, on one board a guy posted for years under a certain name. A year ago he decided to run for a city council office. Some clever opposition researcher traced him all over the internet and found a forum on which the man had made many stupid somewhat offensive posts. His political ambitions were sunk. LOL

In short, you just can't be too careful. Don't post personal pics online. Swap frags with people here who appear to have a good track record. Most POL regulars do, and are well known by others for honesty and integrity.

I am always amazed that people think of the web as this great fantasy land. There are real people behind every site,every post,every thought and every comment. If you wouldn't say it or do it in your real life then don't do it online,it will come back and bite you on the backside! Your secrets are not safe,your fantasies are not safe,if you wouldn't tell your best friend then don't tell the world on the web.

No photos of me,well I don't have a ditigal camera so there you go. Told dummy webcams etcs.

On the first forum I was ever on, I thought that only the people who were registered on that forum could read what I posted.

Am I the only one who was that naive?

Why not post your picture online? Is somebody actually going to come to your house and kidnap you? Come on now.


Hey! Come on over.

No, but if you consider what has happened to FTR, myself and countless others, online, it's not so much about physical safety as it is about defamation of character, slander, whatever you want to call it.
Plus internet laws are very fuzzy on this, if they exist at all.

It's easy to kick the head off of anyone who would try to actually come to your house and ###### with you.
It's not so easy to clear your name, esp. when the damaged is cause from behind the safety of anonymity.

I don't post anything that I wouldn't holler out in my town square.

Yep. Nothing to hide here anyway.

Perfumeo's photo, is right up there, for us to see . . . GOOD FOR YOU, Mr. Dame . . .

I'm trying to figure out how I feel about this issue. To be honest, I'm too tired right now to give it proper consideration.

But I do agree with Catie; there is nothing I would write here, or on my blog, that I wouldn't say to anyone in person, including my mother.

As for my photo...I might pull it. Maybe not. I dunno.

OMG, I'm missing something here, what happened to FTR?

And just when I decided to post PART of a picture of me for the first time ever.....

I am somewhat cautious about what I post online. I am shy about putting my picture up, and I always insist on phoning my SSN to the places where I sell my work, rather than sending it via email.

However, I agree with Armanis that none of us really have any secrets in this day and age. It is the easiest thing in the world to track down the personal information of ANYONE. Just as it's foolish to be completely naive about internet whackos, it's silly to waste too much time and thought trying to thwart them. The waiter who processes your credit card in a restaurant can steal your identity just as readily as some online crook. Back in the days of long-distance calling cards, my husband had his number stolen repeatedly. How did they do it? By hanging around the payphone kiosks where business travellers were making calls, and copying down the numbers as they saw them punched in...ingenius, huh?

Yup.

I am a privacy freak. Yet after years of living like that online I know that the trail of breadcrumbs a diligent pursuer would find makes me in the end traceable. Also my husband has slobbed his whole name all over the internet at varying times and there are certain forums who know we are married (we met on a forum). This bothers me a fair bit, though not for any real reasons. I'm just that way lol.

I love privacy too, teacake, but the way I read it, privacy went out when the Age of Aquarius came in (a time of breaking down of barriers, group communication, things that were formerly closed to others now opened). It's a losing battle.

Well, my pic has been posted on POL many, many times. I use my real name. Many of you have met me and vice versa. A lot know my home address and office address. I suppose a mitigating factor is that I work for a Madison Avenue law firm and have two rottweiler bosses who will tack and kill anything which lays a virtual hand on me (I will not add an LOL because I'm dead serious about them). So I don't worry too much about it. But the above points are well taken and you should err on the side of caution.

That's correct, Susan . . . I have a close friend, who is a nationally known, attorney. I have only to apprise him of any threats or slander . . . and he'll help. Many lawyers as friends, and family members, too. If necessary, I'd leave everything to them.

Again, slander laws concerning anonymous, username protected, internet posting, are way different than slander in real life.
And lawyer who tells you differently needs to brush up on his knowledge of internet laws, they are not nearly as airtight and/or clear cut as real life, by-the-book, laws.

That is why internet stalking and slander can be such a problem, and that is why those who partake in such sleazy practices are such despicable pieces of subhuman refuse: they don't even have the ###### to get in the face of their target and speak up. They're basically more cowardly and dirty minded than most.

Dahling...who said anything about by the book? My guys are pitbulls, they can find a thousand ways to Sunday to burn you, book or no book. And they know a lot of people. Suddenly...your landlord wants you out. Suddenly...the IRS is doing an audit. Suddenly...HR calls you down for a "talk." Both of them are in their sixties and have been practicing since Harvard Law School. If you need any futher ideas, pm me, I'll be happy to share!

... Aaaaaaaaah, yes, of course, if you put it THAT way... ;-)
But THAT way is something I am sworn to secrecy about. The power behind that shares my bed every night, therefore I am not about to blab about his retaliating tactics. Mwaaaahahahahaaaaa.

And yes: gotta love those crafty lawyers, they really are quite endearing, aren't they?
Because you're right: the only way to fight back against someone who plays dirty... is to play dirtier.

However, for some, it might not be that simple. As you know, it involves... connections. ;-)