Internet misunderstandings

It’s still a mystery to me, I tend towards caution, I would like a Facebook account but to concerned about trolls.

Reported

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Neilspugeon I had a similar experience when the internet was in its infancy. I was on a computer course and the tutor was showing us how to search for items -he typed adult for adult education and some very dodgy stuff came up -again we thought it hilarious but it was an early lesson about being careful what you search for .

I belong to another forum and have made friends with people all over the world, however, I once received a friend request from someone and when I checked his profile he had not entered any details about himself. Trying to be helpful I messaged him and suggested he would be more likely to have his requests accepted if he gave some information about himself. He replied that if I accepted his request and sent him my email address he would tell me anything I wanted to know. (yeah like that was going to happen!) I replied that I didn't accept requests from people without having some information about them and certainly would not divulge my email address. His reply was full of expletives, claimed I was prejudging him as being after my money and telling me he earned a 6 figure sum. I had to report him to the administrators of the forum who cancelled his membership. Now if I get a friend request from someone whose profile is empty, I just ignore it.

gmelon: I did try typing in 'fat balls'. I don't have any settings to censor things, but Google does know all my previous searches and I presume works on that. I got nothing but info on feeding birds.
So I wonder what else your computer thinks you have been looking for

I am pretty sure I've set my tablet not to accept certain photos/images so on the advice of a post on here not to Google ' fat ball's I took a deep breath and ignored the advice and googled just that ! Reader you will be happy that I can report I was inundated with lots of photos of various birdy favourite fat balls some with it without the nets, solo ones or a tastefully arranged collection. I can't remember how I set up not to receive offensive images but I'm sure a quick Google will show you all you need to know

When the Internet first started I was running a course at a local college explaining how ‘search’ worked on a pre-google search site. We typed in “onions” as we’d been talking about food and someone had suggested steak and onions. Now I am pretty broad minded but I had never heard of the use a few odd people clearly use unions for, was my face red....however, they were a lovely group and fortunately an adult ed class, just thought it was hilarious.

In one of his bird watching books Bill Oddie warns against typing in Wildlife - apparently it really is wild!

Try walk4health on the Internet, friendly, usually weekly meetings designated by one two or three Boots fir ‘toughness’. Great fun, social and open, you just turn up and walk, normally end in a cafe or similar if desired but not compulsory

Just as well arm bells started ringing for you.
Check out 'romancescamsurvivor.org'

A lovely lady who was a member of the staff i managed at work often gave me info on feeding the birds in our gardens.
I forgot her instructions on how to make home made bird treats using seeds , nuts,melted fats , paper cups and string.
To remind myself of the procedure I innocently turned to the internet for advice.
Ladies, do not ever Google "fat balls".

I agree with Nedsmum.
Check out The Ramblers Association.
I went on one of their organised walks some years ago, and it was absolutely brilliant. It doesn't matter if you are alone, you will soon make some like minded walking chums.
Good Luck Hopefull.

Once when DS and hos eife had a baby & toddler and had had weeks of sleepless nights we decided to give them al night in a hotel near us while we babysat. This was a surprise Christmas present and I designed a voucher to give them on the lines of 'A good night's sleep' so to find a suitable photo for the voucher I googled "picture of couple in bed.' Well you can imagine what came up!

Try joining The Ramblers. They organise walks at all levels and the participants might be more your cup of tea!

Google "Walking for Health". There are groups all over the country and you should find one near you. Walks of about one hour led by someone who is trained.

I was making a calendar for those I worked with, and googled "Office Ladies" as I wanted some images for the pages. What with 'Delightful Denise on the desk" and various others, my face went very red, and I made sure to erase my search history!

This is a very short answer to the OP question: Yes, I have done something incredibly stupid. I had a few too many, posted something on FB and ended up losing my job, in fact it ended my entire career. Almost ten years ago now, and there was a lot more to it, but that was the needle that broke the camel's back.

To answer your question OP, not on the internet, but years ago when I was young, single and living on my own, I agreed to answer a consumer research questionnaire over the phone. The questions became more and more to do with sex. To this day I do not know whether it was a genuine research project, but I doubt it.

Result was that for weeks I was very careful leaving or entering my flat and opening the door, as this was well before the mobile phone era, so I could work out that any man who had my phone number could quite easily find out where I lived,

Fortunately, I never heard or experienced anything unpleasant connected with it, but it taught me to put the phone down on those purporting to be doing questionnaires.

I keep radio silence when on Words with Friends - and my profile picture is a painting of an old man. I love the anonymity and have a small group of (mostly male) 'friends' who I play with. Works for me!

Yes I paid £1000 to Next instead of paying off my credit card bill!! Thank goodness they were understanding and paid it back

This isn't really the same thing but I have just opened an unsolicited sales booklet, obviously aimed at those of a certain age - riser recliner chairs, walk-in baths, etc and in amongst the loose leaflets including 'who will look after you cat when you die' was a flyer for a spray-on product to enable the man in your life to have at least three consecutive erections. Perish the thought!

Don’t understand your post Emily why is he doing time sounds like he thought he was talking to a young girl in which case he deserves to be doing time

It is very dangerous to look for like minded people on unregulated websites. A friend's son looking for friendship was met on line by a police officer and is now doing a year in prison.

As some of you have found put in for example 'hard core' and you have to shut down the computer. However for just one or so person 'curiosity kills the cat'. they go ahead. It all seems so harmless just to follow up what one has found. The social groups work according to 'key' words. As my friends son found finding a friend was not what he thought it was.

Walking For Health is the group to join: free walks several times a week in most areas.
Most local groups used to be sponsored by their local councils, until most councils ran out of cash.
Just Google it for your area.