Anonymity

[Cyrano]

I never cease to be amazed at how many people are willing to surrender their anonymity. It seems to me that posting personal information on Facebook and elsewhere is ill advised, and in some cases, could even be dangerous. There are many people who seem to be totally unaware that in revealing personal data, they are opening a peephole on their lives that can lead to -- anything and everything.

Let me pose this question. Would you rather be anonymous,(as far as possible given today’s technology), or would you rather just open up part of your life to complete strangers? Do you really need to think about the answer to that question?

[Brickbat]

1. I share a lot online, but I know who's reading my blog, and I know who I'm friends with on Facebook.

That said, there's a lot I don't disclose, but there's also a lot people could find out about me without what I put online. There's political information in public records, deductions they could make from the phone book and google searches, and so on.

I'm comfortable with what I tell the Internet. If someone wants to find me, they'll find me even if I turned off this computer and never used it again.

[NightWatcher]

2. my fav are the FB'ers who "check in" everywhere

but I do love all the GPS use that is clogging up the intel system.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. Facebook would never abuse that information they collect

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. yeah, I know that's right.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[dmallind]

4. Or...you could just use public fora in a way consistent with how you would act in private and public

I never say anything on here or elsewhere that I am not perfectly willing to defend in person or in a court of either law or public opinion. I certainly have some views that annoy some people, but I have them and will not pretend not to have them - that would be hypocrisy and cowardice of the highest order for no reason. None of my opinions rise to crime or treason or incitement, so I have no reason to fear that they become known.

My name is not hard to work out. It's rare enough that it can be pegged to me personally quite easily. The worst that has ever happened to me are idle death threats from offended Christians based on letters to the editor (that force full disclosure anyway). Not one of them has ever been serious enough to trouble me. The paranoia over anonymity is only useful if it is necessary. If you are dong something that requires anonymity you should seriously question either your actions or your environment.

[Curmudgeoness]

5. I always stayed under the radar as much as possible.

I didn't return surveys, warranty cards, or anything else. I paid for everything with cash and refused to use store savings cards so no one could know about my buying habits.

Then I did a search on my name on the internet, and realized that none of this matters these days. There is so much out there, even on me, that I have to admit this is not something to keep me up at night. I don't like it, but there is nothing that can be done about it.

So let them look into everything about me if anyone thinks I am interesting enough to follow.

[Cyrano]

6. Response to posts #4 and #5

I should have stated that my OP was targeted, for the most part, at very young people who have not yet learned that the world can be a dangerous place.

Both of you know that, but many young people are clueless to that fact. Having said this, I'll opt for as much anonymity as possible in today's world.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. I wish you luck with the anonymity thingie. Just don't have anyone

in the know about researching you show you how much there already is. It is shocking. I agree that young people are too often learning the hard way (isn't that the only way to really learn) about having too much information out in the ether.

But I am no longer sweating things that I don't have control over and will use a store card if it saves me money, although I still have an aversity to credit cards for all my purchases. But no one will ever find naked pictures of me on the internet (yikes) or know when I am on vacation.

Oh, and I am on FB, with little info available even to friends. I am more a watcher on FB than an active participant. Sounds creepy.