Online Security And Personal Info.

[jdmidwest]

Several articles have really got me thinking the last few weeks. With all of the online social networks like Youtube, Facebook, and Myspace, people are posting alot of personal info online that can be used against them.

Take OAF, how many have posted weekend plans on here several weeks in advance, letting the whole world know when you are going to be out of town? How many have used their real names? How many have posted names and pics of our children online? And we have the birthday notification that shows that info. And sometimes, we let out our addresses our even a phone number. Phone numbers should be PM'd, that way only registered users can access them.

I know most of us online are honest and good outdoors people with high morals. There have been a few in the past the assume a different identity to be a jerk, but most are good people. Most have used our real names from time to time, and I have always had a problem with that. I personally have run into a few on here and identified and been identified by my pics and posts. All have been great guys. We usually have a pretty high level of trust on here.

What about the lurkers, the ones that just scan and don't post? The pedophiles and the thieves, the ones that want to take what we love and earn? And think about all of the other stuff you put out online, personal info that could lead to identity theft. Names, addresses, birthdates, etc.

Most of the time on here I like to joke and poke on here, but this is serious. We use the net on our computers and phones daily now, more than ever. Social networks are really getting to be a personal security issue. I even run across an article about copiers storing sensitive info on their hard drives that gets passed along. The information superhighway has a lot of skid marks left behind by us.

[Al Agnew]

Good point!

While I use my real name, and it's easy to find out where I live, I don't usually broadcast when I'm going to be gone for a while. And our house is pretty secure, with a long driveway, neighbors on either side of the driveway who keep watch when we're gone, and an alarm system on the house.

[fishinwrench]

All it takes is to have a divorce on record, or even a speeding ticket (if you have ever hired a lawyer to fight one), and all your personal info is hanging out there for grabs.

Thanks to Casenet, Equifax, and Zaba, we're all fairly easy targets. Remarried females are safer however, the name change confuses things. LOL

[jdmidwest]

I know the thing about Casenet, I have a divorce there. I think you can ask for the info to be hidden.

Here is an article today regarding Facebook.

Facebook users reveal risky details.

[fishinwrench]

I think you can ask for the info to be hidden.

I'm sure a person could ASK all day long. Seeing it actually get removed...is likely another matter.

[jdmidwest]

I saw it disappear on a game violation on a suspect that was pursuing a conservation career 2 years ago. Kid got busted killing a deer and letting a friend tag it then posted it on Myspace as his own. POS got off with a slap on the wrist. He pled out and the info disappeared off Casenet.

[eric1978]

For criminal cases, the information on Casenet goes away after the probation or parole period ends. There will always be an arrest, plea, disposition and a case number, but all other details of the case are hidden to the public.

[fishinwrench]

For criminal cases, the information on Casenet goes away after the probation or parole period ends. There will always be an arrest, plea, disposition and a case number, but all other details of the case are hidden to the public.

I wonder why it's not the same for a divorce ? Details of the case is one thing...but WHY they insist on listing your date of birth, home address, business name (and its address) on there, is beyond me.

That's SO uncool !

[eric1978]

I wonder why it's not the same for a divorce ? Details of the case is one thing...but WHY they insist on listing your date of birth, home address, business name (and its address) on there, is beyond me.

That's SO uncool !

It is.

But like you said, there's no information that any interested person can't get from any number of background check websites. A few clicks and a couple bucks and you can know anyone's history and current information instantly. There's no such thing as privacy anymore. If someone wants to find out bad enough, they're gonna find out.

[flytyer57]

This is the reason most of us use a "username" when posting here.

If I felt that I might be able to trust someone after reading their posts here, I might consider pm-ing my contact info to that person.

I got a notice from the State of Arkansas Dept. of Finance the other day. Appearantly someone had contacted them asking for info about me using "Choice Point." I thought it was nice of them to let me know someone is checking up on me. Apparantly it was just my Auto Insurance checking my driving record.

But how many checks have been made in the past that I was never informed about?

And that "Choice Point" is the largest wholesaler of personal info in the country.