| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Tapestry |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 01:02:50 AM
Hi  I think this might be for Gabe but not sure. Tonight while chatting with a friend she asked me if I had ever googled myself to see how safe my real name was on the internet. So I tried it. I was very surprised to see it come up on Mary Jane's and when I clicked on the link I saw a list of every sister's first and last names on the site via Google. I wish I didn't have a concern about this but I do. Because of identity theft today is there a way our names can remain private and not viewable via a search on google or other internet search engines? I find this scary.
Thanks!
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles
http://fantasm01.imagekind.com/
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Gabe |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 2:23:05 PM
I don't doubt there's lots of information out there to grab; I'm just pointing out that as far as I know or can tell, you can't grab it from here (although you can start gathering more if you are a registered member, since that allows you to start seeing more pieces).
I would point out that having your name posted here in a list would be the same as having it posted in an awards list or a news article on any given site. Sure, it can be searched, and someone can do a reverse lookup, and there's a more immediate association with your likely usage of this forum, but one could probably garner as much useful info from newspaper content posted online. And for here, it's not even associated with your username.
As far as the Farmgirl Sisterhood list, we aren't going to make that hidden, because part of the point is that we're announcing to the world the members of our Sisterhood.
If it's the information in your profile, you have control of that, because you're able to put only as much in there as you want: you could simply give us only the username you'd like to use, and that plus an email address is all we would ever know of you. And no search engine can catalog anything you put in your profile, because it would have to be a member to pull up the information on those pages, which is not in the scope of what search engines do.
Regardless, it is your information and that's the bottom line, so we'll handle it the way you'd like us to handle it. |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 1:29:29 PM
Cheryl, I did a searched on my name and it wasn't me that showed up. I see others with my very own name. I guess that happens. LOL MB
http://www.smallcityscenes.blogspot.com
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| Tapestry |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 10:55:16 AM
Hi Gabe,
Thanks for your quick response. My biggest concern is the whacko's out there who use reverse look up to take your name type it in a reverse look up engine and punch search. Couple seconds later there you are with all of your personal home information. Address, phone number and name. Now they have much more personal information on you and that is when it starts getting scary. Who would do this you might ask? Anyone with a grudge, too much time on their hands, nefarious reasons to get enough information to hurt you financially, credit records, etc. I'm very proud to be a sister and love knowing how many of us there are but I will contact the address Alee supplied to see if I can just be listed as Tapestry. A last thought, is it possible to put those names in a folder in the database called "unreadable" so that search engines can't access that information? I know I'm able to do that on a site I built. Anyway, thank you so much for your quick response
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles
http://fantasm01.imagekind.com/
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
| dutchy |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 10:49:30 AM
I am not Cheryl, but thanks Gabe. I also think it is the internet nowadays. You can find ALL kinds of info on there. If someone really REALLY wants to know more about you they can always find it. I just try not to mention my address anywhere, nor my "real" email addy. (have an extra one for online info)
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
My personal blog:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me and mine :)
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| Gabe |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 10:06:56 AM
It does appear to only be the Sisterhood list, upon a briefer search anyway. So long as it's not some of the members lists that I know of... ! *phew*
Like Alee said, it is just a name disassociated from any other personal information; and there're even several Cheryl's on that list. (I only mention that since that's the only name on your profile.)
Nothing from your actual profile came up, and if it did it would only be related to posts that accounts with the name Cheryl have made.
You do have to be a registered member to search through members. I think that's important. And nobody other than a select few of us here at the farm can even pair up your email address with your name, unless you or someone else who knows has posted it somewhere.
And I believe the search engine bots can't search through anything they can't get to by simply following links i.e. without being logged in; and they only bother searching so far in from the home page, if nobody else has linked directly to a deeper page; and even if they did get to some of those pages, if they're anything other than posts they should get a "You need to be logged in before you're able to view this page" message. Google and Yahoo and the others have plenty of sites to catalog without trying to pry into difficult corners of the web.
So, I don't know if any of that makes you feel better. If your name is posted as text out there on the web in public areas, then it is searchable; but as Alee said, so long as it's not associated with any other personal info, you're basically safe, as far as searches go. |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 06:54:34 AM
Cheryl- Unfortunatly the search engine bots can read this site because it is public domain. Anyone can read, but you have to be a member to post. I don't think there is any way for the farm to change this. Cheryl- the post that you saw that had the sister's name- was it the Sisterhood roll call post? If it is, and if you are concerned, please email brianogle@maryjanesfarm.org to discuss options. Perhaps they could modify the post so your forum name was used instead of your real name.
I personally feel fine with my name being there seeing how it isn't paired with any other information. Now if I started posting my address or phone number online, then I would start worrying as that would enable spam and phishing scams to start calling me or sending me information. And we all know that those scams are only trying to get you to give up more personal information to steal your money or identity or both!
But like I said- I would suggest you see which post has the name list that you are worried about and contact brianogle@maryjanesfarm.org and discuss it with him as he can help.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| dutchy |
Posted - Jul 28 2009 : 03:02:01 AM
I knew about this. but thanks anyways. It IS scary indeed. But that is the internet for ya
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
My personal blog:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me and mine :)
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