The Waiting Game: Careful what you post

Originally posted by WhiteAlice
reply to post by toocoolnc

 

Believe it or not, I'm actually a huge privacy person. I actually make a point of searching and eliminating unauthorized information about me on a regular basis for personal safety reasons. Hazard of having had a rough life. I'm also an avid blogger on privacy issues as I recognize those to be, aside from being very personally important to me, a right that isn't a right really. Madison missed privacy when he wrote the Bill of Rights and any rights to privacy are found through other amendments. That's why we have privacy issues.

That said, I pondered the questions that were being asked and found no reason to be concerned that someone would be able to identify me from the billions of other people living on this planet based on those bits of information. Sure, it asks for my astrological sign but that only narrows down my actual month of birth to two months--not even one. Zodiac signs don't follow the months--they begin around the 20th of one month and run til the 20th of the next. Country of birth/residence--well, that just says what country I'm from. It's not asking me what city/state I live in or where in particular I was born. Blood type--everybody has one. Level of education doesn't equate to age. My grandmother is nearly 90 and her highest level of education is high school. 5-8 offer no personally identifying information still and 9 is a yes/no question that still doesn't tell anybody who I am.

If you want to be concerned about your privacy, then comprehend that google tracks everything you do through them. Cookies track your activities as you go from site to site. This stuff is big money to marketers that want to better understand you so they can figure out how to appeal to you and your interests. And really, at the end of the day, unless you're using a really good proxy, any entity that would be interested in who you are could probably either demand that information via a warrant or buy it. I'm more paranoid about that than anybody knowing that I'm an INTJ Leo living in the US with a couple degrees and O neg blood.

INTJ--nothing unless it was done by a shrink. Leo narrows it down to two months of the year. Couple degrees--I'm very likely over the age of 21. US resident. O neg blood is the most potentially identifying as it's rare--6.6% incidence. That means I'm one of 220.9 million US residents over the age of 21. 6.6% incidence means I'm one of 14.6 million. Times that by 1/6 (two months out of 12 in a year) and that narrows me down to 2,420,825 people.

Not worried. Even when you count the fact that I'm female and shave it in half.

A site such as this is data mine heaven.
I bet they have profiles on all of us. Every search we make, every link we click on, ever post, ect....
With this information I would be willing to bet they could put us into personality type category's witch accurately predict or reactions to a action and our actions to reactions.
They dont have to narrow you down, they all ready know exactly who you are.

Originally posted by jcutler12888
reply to post by jude11

 

Originally posted by jude11
Anyone giving up that type of info on ATS should just spanked, scolded and spanked again...

Are free spankings being offered for answering smyleegrl's questionnaire?!

I love a good scolding!

In all seriousness, though...she posted that thread in conjunction to another thread about a general sense of feeling like something was impending and asked if anyone else got the feeling that "something" was "coming" too. When she got a ridiculously high volume of responses (most of them positive), she made up a basic questionnaire and offered it to the people who responded positively to her original thread to get an idea of what things they might all have in common. Anyway, the questions she asked weren't really all that personal...and anyone who would feel paranoid about putting the type of information asked about in the questionnaire out on the Internet is just a touch too paranoid for my taste.

It's as simple as that. No brainwashing...just curiosity.

Now, about those scoldings and spankings...

edit on 2/27/2013 by jcutler12888 because: (no reason given)

Ok then, its time for your spakin
I am assuming that photo in your avatar is you.

reply to post by Infi8nity


Good, cuz I sure deserve one!

Yes, that's me in my avatar. You like?

I'm putting my "hat" on....just in case.

I don't know if it has been said, but I guarantee you that lucid dreaming is nothing supernatural at all, I have experienced it and anyone can do it just by following 3 or 4 tips for 1 or 2 week(s).

Well, as the person accused of data mining and potentially brainwashing you all, I feel that I should respond.

I'm going to b extremely honest. I hope you will believe me, I think my track record on ATS speaks in my favor.

I wrote the first thread expecting maybe ten or so replies. So imagine my shock when I checked on it the next day and saw how huge it had become.

It got me thinking.....are there commonalities between those of us who understand this feeling?

So I put together the questionnaire. It was off the top of my head, just curiosity.

I asked about the Meyers Briggs personality test because I find it to be a fairly reliable judge of character. The other questions just seemed appropriate.

Ts weekend I plan to compile the answers and see if there are any commonalities. And that's it

No, I'm not writing a paper. And any paper that used anonymous subjects over the Internet, with no control group or way to identify the answers as accurate, would be rejected pretty quickly.

I'm not targeting anyone for drone attacks, selling your inforo google or anyone else.

You're free to take the questionnaire, answer it in whole or in part, or simply say no.

Not everything is a conspiracy.

reply to post by smyleegrl

Don't worry Smylee.There is no such thing as privacy anymore-with or without your threads.Only question is-are folks gonna let them intimidate that into silencing and suffering/keeping quiet like good lil mice?-or face up to the Truth-you can't hide-unless you are willing to consign yourself to a life of being intimidated into isolation and silence.You go,girl.

reply to post by smyleegrl

Originally posted by smyleegrl
Well, as the person accused of data mining and potentially brainwashing you all, I feel that I should respond.

I'm going to b extremely honest. I hope you will believe me, I think my track record on ATS speaks in my favor.

I wrote the first thread expecting maybe ten or so replies. So imagine my shock when I checked on it the next day and saw how huge it had become.

It got me thinking.....are there commonalities between those of us who understand this feeling?

So I put together the questionnaire. It was off the top of my head, just curiosity.

I asked about the Meyers Briggs personality test because I find it to be a fairly reliable judge of character. The other questions just seemed appropriate.

Ts weekend I plan to compile the answers and see if there are any commonalities. And that's it

No, I'm not writing a paper. And any paper that used anonymous subjects over the Internet, with no control group or way to identify the answers as accurate, would be rejected pretty quickly.

I'm not targeting anyone for drone attacks, selling your inforo google or anyone else.

You're free to take the questionnaire, answer it in whole or in part, or simply say no.

Not everything is a conspiracy.

That's exactly what I was trying to tell them, smylee. I'm glad you made it over here to tell them yourself...I bet half of them thought I was defending you and your threads cuz you had me "brainwashed", LMAO.

As far as the privacy thing goes...we're all conspiracy theorists here but you should all be aware by now that there IS NO PRIVACY ANYMORE. They know everything about you, no matter whether you don't ever use your real first name here or don't enter your location or you don't use a picture of yourself for your avatar. If it's the government you're afraid of tracking you, know that not only do they know EVERYTHING about you but also that your posts correspond to your IP address which can be traced...right to your computer in your house where ever the Hell you live, so good luck on hiding from them. As far as being afraid that someone online is gonna track you down and add you to their collection of heads in their freezer, please listen very closely...you (yes, YOU) are NOT that interesting, no one online cares enough about you to stalk you and go to the lengths it would take to find you through your beyond vague Internet info, and 95% of people simply don't have the resources or wherewithal to even be able to track someone down like that...so all your worrying about privacy is in vain. The government already knows all your little secrets and you aren't going to fall prey to some Internet serial killer (unless you voluntarily meet someone in real life that you've spoken with online...then you're just asking for trouble and as an adult, you should know better).

jcutler12888



We should take care what we reveal in an open forum

I think this is a good wake up reminder for anyone anywhere that we should be careful what information we disclose anywhere.
how many people use their username on other forums
How many have a personel bio here or on another forum

Its just gatherable information somebody can use to profile somebody

Thanks for the thread

reply to post by toocoolnc




If the Government wants to find you, they will!


Your every day common chat site automatically pin points your City, State any way.


Come on, people.... if the government wants you, they're comin for ya.

Perhaps you could retitle to "The Internet: Careful what you post"...

The Waiting Game thread was one of the best threads I've seen in a very very long time. Smylee, as she mentions herself about her second WG thread, just expanded on the possible correlations between members.

No harm, no pshing, no data mining, no conspiracy that I personally see.

Again, I might just be reading way too much into things but please be careful of what information you reveal on the internet.

Good advice. Facebook comes to mind.

Originally posted by jude11
Anyone who gives up that type of personal info on the net is asking for trouble down the line IMO.

Anyone giving up that type of info on ATS should just spanked, scolded and spanked again...

Peace

I took it and didn't give away "personal" info. I'm a Virgo. How many people are a Virgo? Place of birth and where do you live now? USA/USA. I say pretty much how I feel on ATS, within the T&C. Not worried about giving away too much to snoopers. If Big Brother wants me, he will find me. As far as brain washed, well, through politics and the mass media, we all are to some degree, we just don't like to admit it.

This is really sort of a superfluous bit of worrying. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Federal government already knows who you are. Posting identifying information online isn't going to tell them anything they don't already know - well provided one isn't stupid enough to confess to things that aren't common knowledge already.

Many will probably pop-up to claim that they use anonymizers such as TOR and that, therefore, this doesn't apply to them at all. I retort, preemptively, by suggesting that TOR isn't what most folks think it is. TOR is only as reliable as the other clients in the bridge one uses - particularly the exit node - nodes that, on many public bridges, are already controlled or compromised by the Feds. That in itself is concerning - and doesn't even begin to touch upon man in the middle surveillance and the fact that no matter how screened one is, ones ISP is still very much aware. Many ISP's flag traffic that is encrypted or connecting to known proxies.

In the long run the real danger is identity thieves piecing together too much personal info on a person. That is a legitimate concern. But one that doesn't require a paranoid approach to deal with at all. My guideline is to carry myself online just as I would in real life. At the end of the day I do protect my credit card numbers, for example... but I will also hand that information to a waitress, at the end of a meal, without thinking twice.

Ultimately privacy is an illusion in the digital age - much to the dismay of Constitutional purists. While I sympathize with their feelings, I also understand that information technology is not something that the Framers could have possibly even conceived of when they wrote the Bill of Rights. Put out what you are comfortable with, keep quiet about what you aren't. But don't think for a second that the NSA or FBI don't already know your vital stats - or could know if a flag came up in your behavior.

reply to post by toocoolnc

Again, I might just be reading way too much into things but please be careful of what information you reveal on the internet.

Your reading to much in.

You have made some real legitimate claims.I don't believe I would respond to the thread with my personal info either.But,some people I guess don't mind.me?I do.

reply to post by AthlonSavage


I don't believe he is.I would feel uncomfortable giving out my personal info so the whole ats could see it along with whomever isn't a member reading it as well.haven't you heard?the world is a mad place man.

reply to post by OzarkIke


I know, and I agree. But some people take it to an extreme. I mean, would you be opposed to sharing your life story in front of a large group of people if you thought it would make a difference? You're almost safer sharing things with people online than you are in real life...in real life, people can follow you home and break in and do as they please if you aren't prepared for such situations. Online...people can troll you and try to start flame wars, they can't come through the computer and get you...and they don't have the resources available to track you down, 99% of the population doesn't, especially in America where the government keeps resources and technology for tracking people down all to themselves and away from the general public. And speaking of the government...there's no use in trying to hide. To be a total nerd and quote the Borg, "Resistance is futile". But honestly, I don't care what the government knows about me...Hell, any of the ABC's could come to my door and drag me off and throw me where ever or even put a bullet in my head and I STILL wouldn't care, but I'm rational enough to know that they would never do that. No, no...they simply wait and watch and listen, and they will do so until they decide to make a move against us all. And then, it really isn't gonna matter what I said in a support group or to my therapist or on an open forum. Neither is anything that anyone else said (or didn't say).

reply to post by jcutler12888


Jennifer
I get the feeling that you know Doomsday lyrics by heart and the music of Tragic Black - True?

I don't think it's a big deal. I participated in the first thread, it was a fun conversation.

I looked at the questionnaire but declined...not because I thought it was "fishing" for too much information, but because I didn't see how the questions could arrive at a legitimate commonality that would be useful in extrapolating a "cause and effect" for the phenomena the original thread was discussing.

Just my opinion.

As others have said...if "Big Brother is watching you"...those questions aren't going to matter anyway...