The Internet and the Death of Privacy

[Medusa]

I'd like to hear folk's thoughts about the "Who visited my profile" feature here.

We have that feature as a fun way to see who's looking. It was meant as a "calling card" to say "Hey, Ebon stopped by your profile today!"

We have talked a couple of times about turning the feature completely off when frustrated with complaints like "I feel unsafe that so-and-so looked at my profile".

What do you think? Would you rather know who visited your profile or would you rather wonder about it?

My thought has always been that whatever is in your profile on this site is fairly "public" info, that there isn't really a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Curious what others think!

[The_Lady_Snow]

Either way sometimes I like to cruise profiles it let's you get to know people a little...

Either way it's no biggie. Thanks for even asking!

[Gentle Tiger]

I like the feature but I wouldn't lose sleep if it were gone.

I can see how someone might not like someone being able to just pop in. Maybe have it as optional feature. And people decide if they want it or not.

[Ebon]

How am I supposed to stalk people with that feature on there?

No seriously though I keep my work and personal life seperate and my Facebook is on lockdown. There are only a few people on Facebook that I am friends with at work. I try to keep my facebook down to people that I interact with on at least a weekly basis. I don't like having Facebook friends that I never talk to. I don't understand the point of that.

[Liam]

I enjoy the feature.

[Queerasfck]

OMG! (abbreviation for O My G*d)....I love the feature. It's the only way I get any attention at all from complete strangers as well as my closest most intimate friends.

[The_Lady_Snow]

Originally Posted by June

"Validation through Profile Views"

Prime example of this:

Mr Bent almost 10,000 views

AND there's even a thread about said profile.

[Random]

I like being able to see who visits me...

You come see me, I'm going to go see you

Then I'm going to see if there is anything of interest to me in what you post and that could lead me to discover a thread that I hadn't noticed before, or someone that has a way with words that makes me want to read more..

I'm a curious kinda femme... I like information..... I like new discoveries...

It's the lazy womans guild to thread stalking..

[Reader]

I think it would be cool to somehow be able to see who has gone into every thread, but I bet it would be a programming nightmare.

[imperfect_cupcake]

I have googled myself. A few years ago it would bring up ONE erotic short story I wrote (about 15 pages in to the search) which used to make me wince; it's not longer there as I think the site has been removed. The rest seemed to prove that women with my name were all either architects or photographers or shoe designers.

When I joined facebook I used a different last name because I work in public service, to ensure employers would not be able to look me up.

as for the rest... I have never filled in forms on line to join anything or any forum etc with my real name. It's always been something silly. I have two email address: one for my emlpoyers or when I look for work or correspond to the government, and one for my daily life. My daily life is a pseudonym, a fun name.

this seems to have taken care of any issues of privacy I might have that would affect employment. the rest I don't really give a shit about.

[ruffryder]

So this topic comes up once again with all the new changes to Facebook. I'm sure you all have opinions. Let's hear it! *bump*bump*bump*

We are all linked to the internet now and the government. Anyone can find us and know what we are doing at any particular time!

So, I'm applying for jobs and the line of work I'm looking at is very public. Everything about me is made public and they want to basically know my life for as far back as it starts, all addresses, friends, acquaintances, aliases, nicknames, websites, etc, etc. So I'm curious as to what they may come across. Low and behold I type in this ID to see what comes up and wow my bfp posts and even the thanks I give to others posts. I was surprised to see this. Because I choose to put myself out there and be a part of this line of work, everything about me should be disclosed. I just sometimes want a bit of privacy especially when it comes to sexual and intimate matters because that shouldn't matter when I apply for a job, but it may to some employers. incredible!

Nothing is safeguarded on the internet anymore and I always hear and must say if you don't want something "shared" on the internet then maybe you should just not post it.

Opinions, comments, perspectives?

[betenoire]

Most of the "Brandy G___" I see on google are people who are not me. Aside from that I see a few hits from the newsletter of the nonprofit I used to work/volunteer for, and a couple of guestbook entries on goth webpages from the 90s. Nothing to see here, carry on.

Originally Posted by Medusa

What do you think? Would you rather know who visited your profile or would you rather wonder about it?

The only thing that I find irritating is that some level's of membership that have the invisibility feature do not show up when they visit people's profiles. I'm all for them being able to have privacy when they are reading the threads - but if they are visiting my profile I like to know. Because for some reason it makes me just about half batshit when I see that the visitor number on my profile has gone up but the names haven't changed.

Also UofMean visits me about 790790870 times a day and she makes me very uncomfortable. When she's not viewing my profile on here she is poking me on facebook. Someone make her stop! (Dear everybody: I am kidding. This is also how rumours get started.)

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Yes. I am such a freak that I didn't even use my dog's real name on his picture here. It is an uncommon name and the one thing a handful of clients know about me is that I have a dog... some of them have asked his name.

I know his real name, I know his real name! *singsong*

Originally Posted by DapperButch

I would think that it would actually help with keeping the "would be stalkers", away. People realize that it is kind of creepy to be looking at people's profiles repeatedly if you are not friends with them and leaving them messages.

Sorry.

[*Anya*]

I just never Googled myself before-real name. At least there are only two of us in the USA but maybe that is not good either.

It is kind of scary. I have been very naive. I did not even know you could sign up on FB with a fake name!

[Dominique]

[QUOTE=betenoire;423524


The only thing that I find irritating is that some level's of membership that have the invisibility feature do not show up when they visit people's profiles. I'm all for them being able to have privacy when they are reading the threads - but if they are visiting my profile I like to know. Because for some reason it makes me just about half batshit when I see that the visitor number on my profile has gone up but the names haven't changed.
Sorry. [/QUOTE]

Are you sure about this? I have the invisibility feature activated, and when I go to someones profile, I see my screen name in the calling card box.

When I see the number changing, but no new visitors, I just *assumed* it was one of the same people whom had already called, revisiting. I'm no expert, by any means. So I'm seeking clarification also.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Medusa

I'd like to hear folk's thoughts about the "Who visited my profile" feature here.

We have that feature as a fun way to see who's looking. It was meant as a "calling card" to say "Hey, Ebon stopped by your profile today!"

We have talked a couple of times about turning the feature completely off when frustrated with complaints like "I feel unsafe that so-and-so looked at my profile".

What do you think? Would you rather know who visited your profile or would you rather wonder about it?

My thought has always been that whatever is in your profile on this site is fairly "public" info, that there isn't really a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Curious what others think!

I like the feature. I see it as a calling card, as well.

I would think that it would actually help with keeping the "would be stalkers", away. People realize that it is kind of creepy to be looking at people's profiles repeatedly if you are not friends with them and leaving them messages.

[T4Texas]

Originally Posted by Medusa

I'd like to hear folk's thoughts about the "Who visited my profile" feature here.

I personally like the feature because I want to know who is visiting my profile. I also feel if you put yourself out in the public domain, then you are going to have to expect issues with privacy and make some kind of plan as to keeping it locked down.
I do not subscribe to facebook because they seem to have an abundance of privacy issues. I closed my MYSpace account and google myself from time to time to see how accurate the info out there is. I also keep a P.O. Box and rarely have mail sent to my house because my goal is to disappear into the woodwork as far as people finding me goes.

[grenade]

Originally Posted by Medusa

I'd like to hear folk's thoughts about the "Who visited my profile" feature here.

We have that feature as a fun way to see who's looking. It was meant as a "calling card" to say "Hey, Ebon stopped by your profile today!"

We have talked a couple of times about turning the feature completely off when frustrated with complaints like "I feel unsafe that so-and-so looked at my profile".

What do you think? Would you rather know who visited your profile or would you rather wonder about it?

My thought has always been that whatever is in your profile on this site is fairly "public" info, that there isn't really a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Curious what others think!

If you feel unsafe from a profile visit, you should probably log off and call 911.

Just kidding.


Although it may irritate me when I see a certain person logs onto my page daily, I choose to be here. I can't complain when I choose to be here. If it goes beyond irritation, I will log out. (Not really 'cause I have an internet addiction, but in theory, you get the jist.)

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Medusa

I'd like to hear folk's thoughts about the "Who visited my profile" feature here.

We have that feature as a fun way to see who's looking. It was meant as a "calling card" to say "Hey, Ebon stopped by your profile today!"

We have talked a couple of times about turning the feature completely off when frustrated with complaints like "I feel unsafe that so-and-so looked at my profile".

What do you think? Would you rather know who visited your profile or would you rather wonder about it?

My thought has always been that whatever is in your profile on this site is fairly "public" info, that there isn't really a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Curious what others think!

I agree with you tthat my profile here is anything but private. No, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy concerning our profiles here and I think it is up to us as individuals to keep that in mind when setting up our profile.

I don't have a problem with the "Who Visited" feature because of the fact that I think it is silly to have any expectation of privacy about our profiles. In fact, it could be a means for members to demonstrate stalking if they were to run into a serious situation and needed to report abuse- especially outside of the site in legal settings. And hopefully, something like that never arises for anyone here!

I do, however wish there was a feature that went beyond the ignore function that would enable our being able to stop members we don't want to visit our profiles at any time for any reason. Something akin to how FB allows members to block people from seeing any posts etc., even if you share friends. But, I have no idea if that is possible on vbulletin or if it was, would it be cost prohibitive.

I think Corky has some good advice about the fact that we all should exercise caution online with our information. But, the fact is that in the cyber-world, if someone wants to get info about anyone, they can probably find a way to do so. I think this is something we all need to realize and take appropriate action.

[Linus]

And to add further to the erosion of privacy we see this:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/cali...traffic-stops/

..<snip>

The appellate court overturned that ruling, however, on the grounds that the search of the cellphone was part of the inventory check needed to process an impounded car.

Furthermore, the judge ruled that the examination of the cell phone was legal because police were allowed to survey the impounded car for their own safety, and to preserve evidence.

This decision was released solely to create a precedent for future cases, as Nattoli died on September 4th. So the most important outcome of the case is the appellate court’s decision, written by Franklin Elia, which read in part:

“The deputies had unqualified authority under Gant to search the passenger compartment of the vehicle and any container found therein, including Reid’s cell phone. It is up to the US Supreme Court to impose any greater limits on officers’ authority to search incident to arrest.”

We may well see this case head to the Supreme Court, as it appears anytime you are pulled over in the state of California, your entire cell phone is now fair game.

Really? It's ok to go into a locked phone now? local files on that phone are not necessarily meant to be shared. The Court System is showing it's age still at not understanding technology and that someone's privacy on a phone should be the same as a landline.

[SoNotHer]

Not good, Linus. Not good at all.

Originally Posted by Linus

And to add further to the erosion of privacy we see this:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/cali...traffic-stops/


Really? It's ok to go into a locked phone now? local files on that phone are not necessarily meant to be shared. The Court System is showing it's age still at not understanding technology and that someone's privacy on a phone should be the same as a landline.