[CALDWELL-L] Re:The Living
by PowerSpec Valued Customer
Hello,
I too would like to add my thoughts on this subject. Though I realize
it is courteous to ask before publishing "Private Information" I think many
people blow this way out of proportion. Most of the Genealogical information
I see exchanged on the net has to do with names, ages, and general
locations. I sometimes see specific addresses but most people have enough
sense & courtesy not to publish those.
Yes, I would be irritated if someone published really private information
about me without asking first but the only way most people I know of who get
my really private info is if they are family members or if I have given them
the information myself, snail mail, e-mail, etc. For the most part I don't
see the problem with posting names, ages, lineage, and general locations
such as cities, etc. Many of us are listed in city phone books aren't we?
I'm sure that at one time or another someone has looked our names and
numbers up there and given them to someone else without our knowledge. Many
of us are unlisted but how many times have you ordered something from a
catalogue only to find out your name and address was added to a mailing list
sold to every mail order retailer in North America? I don't like that either
but it happens.
Our names, ages, addresses, motor vehicle registrations, Social
Security account information, bank account #s and balances, and even our
educational histories and information about our lifestyle habits are out
there on the net whether we want them to be or not.
True, they are on "closed" INTRANET sites that are firewalled to block
INTERNET access but those firewalls have been broken by hackers before and
will be again. As the old saying goes, "If they want in badly enough,
they'll get in". Your "Private" information is already out there folks and
"secure encryption" programs though good, can still be cracked. We are all
vunerable so lets please use courtesy and common sense in posting or not
posting information but let's please, please realize that we were already
vunerable before that newbie we just flamed posted our information. Let's
work TOGETHER to try to retain as much privacy as we can but lets keep the
privacy issue in perspective. On the internet there really is no such thing
as complete privacy of information for any of us, living or dead.
I apologize for such a long diatribe but this is a really important issue
for me. Though the folks on this list are good about teaching newbies I have
seen many lists disentegrate into squabbling matches over this issue and I'm
tired of it. Thanks for your time in reading this.
Ruth Foster