Am I the only one?

jfinnivan
jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
in Chit-Chat
Am I the only one who is reluctant to give out personal information in public forums?
I've given out some, for sure, but there's some info I would never put online.
Some of the information I've seen given out on MFP forums:
The town you grew up in.
The street you lived on.
How long you've been married.
How many times you've been married.
How many kids you have.
Pictures of your kids.
Pictures of your spouse/SO.
The names of your kids.
The nicknames you have for your kids (!)
The pets you have.
The kind of car you drive.
Where you work.
What you do for a living.
How many times each week you have sex.
What you eat.
How much alcohol you consume.

I'm sure there are others I'm missing.
Maybe it's just me, but anything you put online is there FOREVER. Literally.
I work in the industry, and I know this means that with enough effort, ANY individual or organization can access it.
What can they do with this information?
Identity theft, targeted marketing, stalking, etc. Use your imagination.

My biggest concern is the information people disclose about their kids. Personal information can be used to gain a child's trust.
I'm not saying it's going to happen (I hope not), but putting all this info online just increases the chances.

I'll get off my soapbox now...
«1

Replies

  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
    Yup. You're a special snowflake.


    When did alcohol consumption become personal information? The empty cans around me tend to give it away. :drinker:
  • erinfog
    erinfog Posts: 95 Member
    what you eat, lol. so personal.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    When did alcohol consumption become personal information? The empty cans around me tend to give it away. :drinker:

    I was starting to like you... then you blew it by saying you drink from cans. :wink:
  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
    When did alcohol consumption become personal information? The empty cans around me tend to give it away. :drinker:

    I was starting to like you... then you blew it by saying you drink from cans. :wink:


    I didn't say I drink from them;) Just said they're empty around me.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I don't know how the fact I have been married to my husband for 20 years or what type of car I drive is too much personal information. And my husband's picture is a picture of the two of us that I use on FB, too.
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
    As a matter of fact, I am a special snowflake, but that's a topic for a different time....

    I can easily imagine trying to get health insurance at some point, and a quick look up tells them how many twinkies you eat on a regular basis, so you're denied. Doesn't happen now, but it could easily get there in a decade.
  • SmexAppeal
    SmexAppeal Posts: 858 Member
    OP... I suggest you don't look at my profile pic. Since I don't give out personal information like my hometown, street address, number or even state I live in... I think my son is safe.
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
    It's not any individual piece of information that is dangerous. It's that taken as a whole, an complete profile of you is created.
  • katamus
    katamus Posts: 2,363 Member
    So how are you going to find me? What are you going to do when you DO find me?

    Also, how is a potential employer going to find me?

    Just curious. I live in a big place, I don't have my current city listed, and no one knows my real name.

    MAYBE if someone lived close by and ran the "user search" they might recognize me. Do my eating habits tip them off?
  • sydnisd183
    sydnisd183 Posts: 247 Member
    ..............utilizing the same username on multiple forums also makes it easier to garner loads o' info...........jfinnivan

    just sayin'
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    I had sex no times this week..or last....or the week before.....

    hmm

    oh but I got drunk at the weekend and I have a blue *kitten* on my desk at work....I have a cat
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
    You're right, I have lots of stuff out there, but I try to limit the more personal info that I post.
    Look up "Data Mining" for more information about this stuff.
    People have careers devoted to doing this sort of thing.
  • kalawhon
    kalawhon Posts: 162 Member
    Bahahha.. good answer!! Too funny! :)
    I had sex no times this week..or last....or the week before.....

    hmm

    oh but I got drunk at the weekend and I have a blue *kitten* on my desk at work....I have a cat
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    Quit being so paranoid.
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    What are you going to do when you DO find me?

    I can't say here...I don't want there to be any evidence.
  • julimonster
    julimonster Posts: 243 Member
    When did alcohol consumption become personal information? The empty cans around me tend to give it away. :drinker:

    I was starting to like you... then you blew it by saying you drink from cans. :wink:


    I didn't say I drink from them;) Just said they're empty around me.

    the straw sticking out of the cans indicate otherwise:laugh:
  • dbarchus
    dbarchus Posts: 42
    It's not any individual piece of information that is dangerous. It's that taken as a whole, an complete profile of you is created.

    I hear you. I know what you mean, and you are right. But God and the internet gave people the free will to do wha they want. Nod to the effort to be a good samariten.
  • zombie_porno
    zombie_porno Posts: 199 Member
    Some points are valid, such as the nicknames you call your kids, any CURRENT address information or phone numbers, obviously nothing to do with your financial accounts. But some of those are a bit paranoid. Nobody can steal my identity if I reveal that my boyfriend owns a snake or that we had sex last night or that I love Target or any of that kind of stuff.
  • bonniecarbs
    bonniecarbs Posts: 446 Member
    You don't seem to be paranoid to me. I've been in this world 63 years and things have changed with the "information taking" process. I can see where you are coming from, some of the questions are so private and ridiculous that its scary.As far as people having careers that do this *kitten*, you are right. I was told that by the rep who was taking information from me to get health insurance last year. He advised me not to answer a particular question the way I answered it. People who need to find you, like job applications, etc, will find you by what you provide in order to be found. Others can just google you, pay some bucks and get whatever their money is worth. But the information taking process of some is too private.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    Am I the only one who is reluctant to give out personal information in public forums?
    I've given out some, for sure, but there's some info I would never put online.
    Some of the information I've seen given out on MFP forums:
    The town you grew up in.
    The street you lived on.
    How long you've been married.
    How many times you've been married.
    How many kids you have.
    Pictures of your kids.
    Pictures of your spouse/SO.
    The names of your kids.
    The nicknames you have for your kids (!)
    The pets you have.
    The kind of car you drive.
    Where you work.
    What you do for a living.
    How many times each week you have sex.
    What you eat.
    How much alcohol you consume.

    I'm sure there are others I'm missing.
    Maybe it's just me, but anything you put online is there FOREVER. Literally.
    I work in the industry, and I know this means that with enough effort, ANY individual or organization can access it.
    What can they do with this information?
    Identity theft, targeted marketing, stalking, etc. Use your imagination.

    My biggest concern is the information people disclose about their kids. Personal information can be used to gain a child's trust.
    I'm not saying it's going to happen (I hope not), but putting all this info online just increases the chances.

    I'll get off my soapbox now...

    You should google your username some time, jfinnivan.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    Although very much guilty of providing some of the info on your list. I completely agree with the sentiment that in general most people put too much trust in the safety protocols on most social web sites. And, there are way too many internet trolls and people ready to take advantage of the "innocent" & "unsuspecting".

    I guess in the end it is an issue that individuals take an interest in only after being bitten!
  • SVCat
    SVCat Posts: 1,483 Member
    I definitely don't give out birthdate, place of birth, nor do I give out last name. I am leary of those questionnaires that ask for exactly the information "about you" as you listed.

    You aren't crazy and it isn't a soapbox, you're just well informed.

    IMO, good post.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    Unless someone uses their full real name or their SS# as their username, it would be impossible to find someone in real life, even if they do have a picture of themselves. The pic could be a picture of someone else...we have no way to verify it's really the user. I think the odds of anything negative happening from posting personal information are super small.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    Some of the information I would give out...some I wouldn't
  • ukulele2010
    ukulele2010 Posts: 126 Member
    For these forums to work one must give and receive - reciprocity is important. I strive for some anonymity but I suspect someone could figure out my identity.
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    I definitely don't give out birthdate, place of birth, nor do I give out last name. I am leary of those questionnaires that ask for exactly the information "about you" as you listed.

    You aren't crazy and it isn't a soapbox, you're just well informed.

    IMO, good post.

    ^^^ This.
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
    Oh, I definitely have, but that stuff can't be changed. Like I said, it's there forever.
    You should google your username some time, jfinnivan.
  • BamsieEkhaya
    BamsieEkhaya Posts: 657 Member
    alcohol consumption and food doesn't bother me but the rest...never give out, not even the county i live in :)
  • KeegansMomma
    KeegansMomma Posts: 156
    Not to be disrespectful, but the first line in your profile "about you" section, OP is that you are married and have 2 teenage daughters. If I'm not mistaken, those are 2 things you listed in the beginning of your ramble of too much information being listed on the internet.

    I for one NEVER post my address, or phone number...or even the car I drive. But, I do post that I am married and have one son (our only son). I try to keep as much information as I can private here...as well as other social media sites. We do live in a dangerous world...and there are people out there who look up and put together all the personal information they can on us to make us miserable and worry and stress. But, if you know how to set your privacy settings, then that info can not be found.

    Just saying.
  • nbhobbes
    nbhobbes Posts: 284
    Some points are valid, such as the nicknames you call your kids, any CURRENT address information or phone numbers, obviously nothing to do with your financial accounts. But some of those are a bit paranoid. Nobody can steal my identity if I reveal that my boyfriend owns a snake or that we had sex last night or that I love Target or any of that kind of stuff.

    True.. But I'm guessing that I might be able to find ya using Rule 34 (Baised off your user name.) :-p

Categories