Personal Information

[Andiamo1]

Talk about an invasion of privacy! I don't know if they are referring to this forum or not.

News Alert
from The Wall Street Journal

The market for personal data about Internet users is booming, and in the vanguard is the practice of "scraping." Firms offer to harvest online conversations and collect personal details from social-networking sites, résumé sites and online forums where people might discuss their lives. In May, Nielsen Co. scraped private forums where patients discuss illnesses.

The seventh installation in the Wall Street Journal's series on Internet-tracking technology:

[mikesimon]

Thanks so much trish. You've been really helpful.
You're just wonderful to spend so much time guiding us through this intricate subject.
Thanks again.
Mike

[Trish77]

"There is a lot of very valuable information and insight in this thread. Since this issue is so complex the extensive elaboration is very instructive. This libel concept is simply fascinating. Who would have known?"

Clearly not a lawyer, obviously.
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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/07/12/nb-moncton-court-anonymous-commenter-disclosure-554.html

Robert Currie, a law professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said the Moncton court case illustrates that privacy on the internet has its limits.

Currie said he's seeing a diminishing appetite on the part of websites and internet providers to protect people who anonymously post.

"If you defame somebody on the internet, the courts can compel anybody who has your [identity] to reveal it and a civil action can be brought against you for defamation," Currie said.

Currie said people should think twice before posting anything on the internet and more people are using the courts to compel media companies to hand over the names of anonymous commenters.

....................................

"On the internet, there is very little privacy, although people feel like they have a great deal of privacy because when you're sitting at your computer, it feels very anonymous," Currie said.

"And yet, you can always be identified, unless you're very, very skillful."

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/07/12/nb-moncton-court-anonymous-commenter-disclosure-554.html#ixzz12TQcSRMx
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http://www.lawyersweekly.ca/index.php?section=article&articleid=1010

"Still, ISPs can link IP addresses to customers, says Dimock, and anyone assuming they can hide their identity forever while posting defamatory statements on the Internet is mistaken.

“No one is truly anonymous,” says Dimock. "

Etc...etc....etc.

[nygirl7]

Or that ask the same question 69 times assuming that the answer will finally be different if they don't give up. Like we'll just cave and say oh yeah positive doesn't really mean positive it means wow good luck!

[mikesimon]

I agree with you 100%.

Mike

[GSDgirl]

Along those lines, I don't like the people that show up out of nowhere, know just about everything (or think they do)..stir the pot, cause trouble and pooff they're gone.

[nygirl7]

How do you even know I am really me?  Maybe I'm some guy at 'Debs' job who has access to her facebook account and I'm really some sicko who makes up crap like how many kids and a whole fake story.  Who would really know?  Maybe I am really Steven Tyler after all - certainly that would take me out of the poor little inadequate group and lump me into something relevent anyways :)

Sadly though, those freakazoids will always exist on the internet (not Steven - just to be clear there).

Since I don't work at the FBI or CIA or something or claim to have a relative who does...I will never know who is legit and who is not so it's best to just act like they all are not.  Much safer.