A while back I was considering closing large portions of the forum to unregistered users to help protect (to some extent) the privacy of our members. That idea was opposed my many (most?) here so I decided not to do it.

I just received a message from a member who is concerned because she Googled her screen name and the results included some of her posts here. She asked if it was possible for me to shut the forum to non-members. The answer, of course, is yes, it is possible but I'm not going to do it for the reasons we've all been over before.

I need to remind everyone: DO NOT use a screen name here that you use on other boards if you don't want people to find you. I think using the same name across boards where we all have a presence (like at MYO) is fine. But don't use the same name you use on your kid's PTA web site!

RV

I just googled my screen name to check and found a qote from a post here .
I supose nothing can be done and it doesn't matter .
But ......
How exactly did it get there ?
I don't know how ? I used this name at MWo and very briefly MM

Good thing my name is used for so many different things and places.

As I said it doesn't matter . But how did it get there ??!

The good news is that material from this board showing up on Google means that the board is growing in popularity with Google searchers. The mixed news is that we are out there for all the world to see.

I am concerned, sometimes to the point of paranoia, about posting personal information that could identify me. I often erase my history when I log out just in case one of my kids happens to "borrow" my computer. It's a hassle to log in every time but I thought it was worth it until I realized that it just takes one time for someone to get on and with a couple clicks stumble onto all my personal info here. As I mentioned in Virgil's thread aboud choice of name, I chose something entirely random.

Several of us are concerned about being "spied on" here by family members or others. That's why N101CS considered the members-only plan. Of course, that would not stop a determined lurker, who simply could register. Some of you suspect that we have registered poseurs, and I agree.

When posting info, ask yourself if you would mind if the whole world could read your post. Your daughter? Spouse? Ex's attorney? Doctor? High school student doing a science project? Any random stranger? Little things like user name, location, occupation, etc. can add up in a hurry. If this is not an issue for you, swell. But it seems to be for some of us.

For those who regret any posting in light of our growing popularity, you can take several steps. These are a limited list of SUGGESTIONS ONLY. Please jump in and add your own suggestions.

--Tell yourself WTF; let the whole world read and figure out who you are if they have that much time on their hands (not MY choice but perfectly acceptable for many).

--Change your profile and delete personal info such as profession and location.

--Go over old posts and decide if you want to edit or delete them, for any reason.

--Start over with a new user name that is more anonymous. Not worth the effort if you don't keep your posts anonymous.

--Rely on pm's for personal information you wish to share. We don't have chat on this board but, as I've mentioned to some, we're welcome to "meet up" elsewhere such as google talk. This allows more control over visibility and participation than member chat utilities such as the one on MWO. Just remember to respect the privacy of others when you post here.

PLEASE don't let any of this lead you to feel inhibited about posting information relevant to your TSM progress. And if posting freely is not an issue for you, ignore all the above and consider yourself fortunate.

Input, anyone?

P.S. If you wish to take some action and need technical help, pm N101CS or me and we will help.

Admin~

Is it possible to change your screen name? How does one do this if, say, they've used their name on other sites?

If only one person is helped by my experience here, I will be a happy man. I would have never even tried this method if it wasn't for my ability to view all the posts.

When this method works for me, this forum's openness will be credited. I hope others can gain from my experience and the open experiences of others. We just should not post personal information.

Personally, I only identify myself as a male from Florida, which narrows it down to several million people. looking through my public posts, I have revealed other details which could narrow it down to several thousand people. I think being cured far outweighs the infinitesimal chance that some malicious person will discover our "dirty laundry".

Bob

Don't be too sure. I think I ran into you the last time I was in Tampa.

Wow! I just googled my name too and my posts came up! I thought I had seen something like that before but it never registered with me. Hummmmmmm?????