Over at VA's blog she mentioned that (cue sinister music) The Government is rummaging around in so-called 'social messaging' sites.
Well considering that this is an antisocial messaging site I thought I'd chime in with my 2 cents worth.
Her post is: 'Fake people' on social networks? And it doesn't surprise me one bit. Are there 'Fake people' on the 'net? Yup, and I am one. YIH is not my name or initials, its the acronym for the name of this (and my old) blog.
I avoid my real name online like the plague. Nor does it surprise me that the Government is rummaging around in 'social networks' (for anyone's flunky that reads this 'bookmark' this, OK?).
About five years ago I began reading about employers visiting such 'social networks' to dig up info on potential/current employees (and often finding stuff that many would find disturbing such as their sex or drug habits) and making use of that info.
It's why when I began blogging all I said was ''Yeah, I have a job'' and nothing else. I didn't want to go into my boss's office and being handed something printed out and being told ''OK, dude, explain this...''. I can truthfully answer: ''How do you know that's me?'' and ''How do you even know this is about you/this company?'' then say ''Is there anything else? Then have a nice day'' and go about my business. Same with the Gov.
As I and VA know, you don't want what you write coming back to haunt you.
OTOH, If someone 'breaks' their pseudonym (reveals it on their own) that's different. Such as Chris Roach, Vox Day or Sam Clemons/Mark Twain. Otherwise the real name is 'off limits' and rightly so.
BTW, I'm not a twit or have any interest in Farcebook. I tried Cryspace and quickly lost interest in it. As apparently everyone else did.
I am a bit paranoid, but I understand tech as well. Can you 'trace' me? Sure, and you can as well! Or at least where your ISP is. See that globe over there? That's where your ISP is. I found it over at Rick Darby's blog and thought ''Hey, that is cool! Wonder if I can put that here?''. The answer as you can see is yes.
I might do a form of 'social networking' here in fact. It won't be Farcebook and you won't have to be a twit. But it'll kinda work like the twits (short messages). I not promising anything, but I'm considering it.
Clicky for
IIRC, it was AT&T and it was an 'app' that they hid in iPhones that sends the location from it's built-in GPS to 'track' it and it's owner.
Simple solution; get a prepaid cell phone that is only a phone!
If I wanted GPS, I'd get a GPS unit. If I wanted web/email, that's what I have a computer for! With Tor all you can be tracked to is the city where your ISP is located. So far, so good for me. I can be located in FL, just not exactly where (gadgets like Clustrmaps and Revolver Maps use that to locate you).
They can locate me in the same FL County as NASA. I'm looking forward to see Discovery launch from where I now live tomorrow.
BTW, I've seen this type of software in use before. As 'comment spam', poker/prescription/pr0n. Even one from a light fixture company that hit Rick Darby due to the word 'light' in the name of his blog. All a 'bot' would have to do is forward WSJ articles to this, that or several other blogs. And if/when that happens I can block them. I like that...

Posted by: YIH at 11:24 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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