Poster beware!

On another forum that I am on which has been going since 1999 you can click on anyone's name at the top of their post in a thread and it takes you to their page which lists all the conversations they are on. So I consider this quite normal. No need to faff about googling.

Thats a good point, J52.

However, having met a number of grans at meet ups, I am happy to trust them.

Primrose not everyone is tech savvy. You would be surprised how naive some posters are.

Another thing to be aware of is that people might not be who they appear to be. On some of the threads that offer friendships and support, members do give personal information and would appear to PM frequently.
GN has a huge membership and it wouldn’t be difficult to post long term to gain people’s trust and abuse that trust, by not being who you say you are.

If you don’t post photos or give out any personal details and don’t use your real name you have nothing to worry about.

Surprised people have only just discovered this.

Oh didn't know that

It’s a public forum
I suppose most people are not that interested in Gransnet tbh but good to alert ppl who don’t know

you will get all their posts

No you will not! you will get a most recent two or three depending on how often they post on here.

Hetty58

I really can't see a problem. Nobody knows my username, I'd never divulge my address, holiday dates etc. - so why the worry?

Somebody compared the perceived 'risk' as being similar to telling a taxi driver your holiday plans. But, they have your address - and you tell them a relative is housesitting, don't you?

Another poster was wary of stating her political views - why?

You are on your toes Hetty a lot are not. After my friend was burgled I was told to turn in the taxi and wave at the empty house. I have been bugled in the past and the things the police told us to do for security were quite a list.
The taxi driver had used an alias and had not been vetted properly and was never found he left the company while my friend was away . It had been a very well-planned burglary.

fancythat

I once heard/read that it is publishing.
When we put something on social media, we have published it.

exactly.
and this is relevant both for personal privacy and ID security reasons, and also possible
legal liabilities, both civil and criminal, eg contempt of court, prejudicial comments, and defamation.
these liabilities can put both the individual poster as author (anonymity notwithstanding),
and GN/MN as publisher,
in jeopardy of legal proceedings.

I once heard/read that it is publishing.
When we put something on social media, we have published it.

There are circumstances, whether you like it or not, your personal information is available online.
If I type in my actual name, there are a fair number of items, which give information about me: e.g voluntary work I do, school handbooks, school newsletters, conferences, I have spoken at, education documents etc, etc.
None of which I have any control over.

I was heavily involved in Internet security in my LA and was often shocked at the naivity of certain teachers and their public posts on Facebook.

It never fails to concern me, how naive
grandparents are, who post pictures of grandchildren, where they are identifiable.
I often wonder if they have the parents permission to do so.

The rule when posting on our school website, was side or back views and no names.

In all my years on GN, I have only once posted a picture of my grandchild and that was with the permission of the parents.

Once on the internet, it is there for ever.

I have seen examples of all three I cited on Gransnet, but not recently.

Yes, a useful reminder that although we may think that we're just involved in a harmless discussion, that may not always be the case. Particularly when we are perhaps referring to our own personal experiences it's easy to let slip certain details which when added to the growing file of information that the internet is inexorably gathering on each and every one of us whether we like it or not, may well turn out not to be in our best interests. My son is an IT professional, and from what he has shown me I am in no doubt as to the risks. Loads of info out there about how to stay safe on line. Just Google it.

Yes, I understand about not posting pictures of children - I can't say I've ever seen anyone do that, but maybe it happens on threads I don't look at. I would never do that, or post identifiable photos of my house or any people I know. And foster children, or anything to do with safeguarding is surely a given?

I don't know what smart meters have to do with identity on GN though, but maybe I'm being dim - it wouldn't be the first time.

Doodledog Another example. Once upon a time, for a short while, I used to work/volunteer with foster children. We were taught to be very careful about that sort of thing. As eazybee says.

Hetty58

I really can't see a problem. Nobody knows my username, I'd never divulge my address, holiday dates etc. - so why the worry?

Somebody compared the perceived 'risk' as being similar to telling a taxi driver your holiday plans. But, they have your address - and you tell them a relative is housesitting, don't you?

Another poster was wary of stating her political views - why?

I really can't see a problem. Nobody knows my username, I'd never divulge my address, holiday dates etc. - so why the worry?

Because people do do that Hetty58

Doodledog. Companies. One example. A smart meter records/shows pattern changes. For eg, going on holiday so house is empty. Or maybe when a person is out for the day.
I dont want to hyjack thread with other examples.

That IS very serious eazybee and not something to be flippant about.
Good to have a reminder.

At the end of each page there are links to share threads outside of gransnet too

This is very much a public forum

I share all sorts of things but then, everyone knows I am on gransnet and if anyone I know finds me, I'm not bothered about that

In a security talk when I was teaching a policewoman showed how easy it was to track children from estranged parents by following grandparents on Facebook , and mumsnet.
Grandparents would post pictures of their grandchildren wearing school sweatshirts with the name of the school clearly visible. plus details of the area where these children lived: (off to Wales to stay with the grandkids) Occasionally they printed photographs with the children holding up certificates of merit with their full name written on them.

I really can't see a problem. Nobody knows my username, I'd never divulge my address, holiday dates etc. - so why the worry?

Somebody compared the perceived 'risk' as being similar to telling a taxi driver your holiday plans. But, they have your address - and you tell them a relative is housesitting, don't you?

Another poster was wary of stating her political views - why?

No, I haven't said anything I don't want on Gransnet anymore. Though I know of people who do. I'm sure from my posts that people have worked out the rough area of where I live and what I think of others. I hope I was being careful but it is easy to get complacent.
I said on the other post the very true scenario that in the past someone I know was completely cleared out in their house. They had talked to a taxi driver taking them to the airport to go on holiday.
I live in a part of the country amongst lots of farms that are very conscious for the next few months of where equipment is left and doors double locked where there will be a big influx of people. Also, an air B&B just down the road was completely cleared out last year down to the bath mats.
Perhaps that and being contacted by Gransnetters leaving because of the lack of anonymity has made me jumpy and alert.

My dogs might be my giveaway!
Oh dear, I've even said on here that I'm off to France next week, but beware the house will be occupied by friends coming down from London, and they're used to dealing with any trouble!

Doodledog, posters do give a lot of information about where they live, photos and say when they’re away on holiday.
I know exactly where at least 3 posters live (nowhere near me) just from the information they’ve given out. Also some give out personal information about DCs and DGCs which wouldn’t make them difficult to find.
It has always amazed me.

It’s always wise to be wary of anything you commit to paper also. Probably why I never liked doing a diary, as I could never put all in.

Beware of what, though?

I am fully aware of the potential for being googled, but who is going to know that the poster known as
Doodledog is Mrs Smith of Hometown in real life? People post on Twitter and Facebook in their real name, and many of us can be googled in a professional capacity under our real names, too. Knowing that Doodledog made a Biscoff cheesecake and watches Corrie doesn't give much away. So long as people don't give their actual address and then say they are off on holiday or something, what harm can be done?

It's true that if a friend or family member recognises a poster from something they've said, they could check out other posts for confirmation, but again, so what, unless you've posted negative things about them? If people are worried you can change something about yourself to put snoopers off the scent - saying you have 4 children instead of 2, or that you live in a bungalow when you don't - that sort of thing. It needn't alter the sense of your posts.

Do you have a scenario in mind, Yammy? If you've posted something you don't want to be held against you you could ask HQ to delete it.

As regards companies knowing things - what could they do with that information other than target ads? That doesn't't worry me at all - if I have to have adverts thrust at me I'd rather they were for things I might actually want than otherwise.