Internet 'safety'

[Martin Gardner]

I thought I'd bring this up now in relation to the 'dress code' thread. I've been using some form of Internet communication now for 10 years. It all started with Yahoo! Chess in 1999, in fact I can find the probable start date; I'm not too far off my tenth anniversary now. Anyway, I've always put my real name in my profile, or whatever. And so far, I've quite literally never had a problem with it. As Charlie says, if you compare that to real life, in a way, real life is much less 'safe'. If I meet someone at uni they can see what I look like, my approximate age, etc.

I'm not saying total honest is a great policy either. You don't want to put too much personal information on the web, for fear of fraud or ridicule or whatever. But like I said, I've had precisely zero problems so far, in ten years.

[Phil Reynolds]

I broadly agree with Martin, and likewise have had no problems whatsoever in considerably more than ten years of Internet presence. Like crossing the road, posting stuff about yourself on the web involves an element of risk; but if you let risk rule your life, you'd never do anything.

It would be relatively easy for anyone who wanted to to use my name and location, as given in my C4C profile, to find out my full address, phone number and so on; and there is always the possibility that some nutter could use that information to harass me - but the same is true if I appear on Countdown, or write a column in a newspaper.

Common sense dictates that you shouldn't reveal anything about yourself in a public forum (whether on the web, in print or whatever) that you'd be uncomfortable with some people knowing. And saying something like, "I'm really excited - we're off on holiday tomorrow!" is just asking for trouble.

[Jon O'Neill]

My address is on Facebook, and just googling various internet aliases will lead to a massive back catalogue of racist, sexist, homophobic remarks.

I've never had a single problem.

But then again, I'm not an utter fucking twat, so I probably wouldn't.

[Kirk Bevins]

But then again, I'm not an utter fucking twat, so I probably wouldn't.

Haha. Brilliant.

[Charlie Reams]

I'm not an utter fucking twat

Poll topic?

[Phil Reynolds]

But then again, I'm not an utter fucking twat

If you were one, how would you know?

[Jon O'Neill]

But then again, I'm not an utter fucking twat

If you were one, how would you know?

Stop sexually intimidating me you pervert.

That's how I know.

[Martin Gardner]

I've recently started to wonder how easy it would be to get people's passwords and PIN numbers by using CCTV. I'm sure every time I use a computer or get money out in public, there's at least a couple of cameras watching (or anyone else, for that matter).

[Michael Wallace]

I've recently started to wonder how easy it would be to get people's passwords and PIN numbers by using CCTV. I'm sure every time I use a computer or get money out in public, there's at least a couple of cameras watching (or anyone else, for that matter).

What I find astonishing is how few people cover the pad when they're entering their personal PIN number (at a shop or whatever). If I'm standing behind you and can tell you what your personal PIN number is, then you're really doing it wrong, because my eyesight is *awful*. I always just cover my hand with my wallet when I'm doing it, as far as I can tell that reduces it to people who can work it out from how my hand is moving what numbers I'm pushing (and even then I sometimes try and obfuscate it a bit).

[Jason Larsen]

Saying my name is Jason hasn't bothered very many people, I'll tell you that!

[Ian Volante]

13.5 years online now, and I don't recall any major problems at all. I remember the good old days when chat rooms were so basic as to have your handle in the URL. This of course allowed it to be changed manually, and of course changing it to match someone else's was always amusing, especially when a room full of people did it...

[Jason Larsen]

Now, it's much different and that's no surprise.

[Julie T]

Some forums I've belonged to have some topic areas not visible to non-members.
Some also have an area visible only to members of a year or more standing, plus a minimum number of posts.
There was, though, some discussion that this might lead to a false sense of security, leading to people disclosing information they shouldn't really on t'internet.

IMHO I feel that most of the reasons for a special area don't really apply on this forum, since it's not the sort of forum where we bare our innermost secrets.

However (re: Phil's holiday point) does anyone else agree with me that it would be a good idea for the Events topic area to only be visible to members, to cut down on the potential for strangers or enemies knowing who's away from home when?

[Jason Larsen]

Of course, Julie!

We're very open!

[Julie T]

Of course, Julie!

We're very open!

Thanks, Jason!
And, of course, that openness doesn't really matter when we're only chatting about Countdown games, or poetry, music, etc.
Might encourage new people to join!

[Jason Larsen]

Maybe!