Posted by Tamar on December 6, 2005, at 9:19:26
In reply to Re: privacy of this site and Goggle, posted by Shame on December 6, 2005, at 7:12:50
> Lurkers usually make up a sizeable percentage of any given message board. I would classify myself in the 'lurker' category. I read quite a few posts but rarely reply, and I can count the number of conversational posts I have made on one hand. I occasionally post on the Writing board, but I wouldn't say that I really contribute to anything. Take this post for example. What am I saying here? No one knows. Why haven’t you stopped reading? Pure bloody mindedness perhaps.
Ha ha ha! That really made me laugh! Yeah, bloody mindedness could probably explain most of the things I do.
> But I digress. The practical upshot of this piece of junk is that there will be lurkers on any board, no matter how exclusive and how private. Short of imposing posting quotas, lurkers are a part of internet life.
I think it’s easy to forget that. Perhaps the attraction of a non-googleable board is born of the occasional terror one might feel on suddenly realising that one’s mother-in-law could be reading.
Of course, it wouldn’t actually prevent mothers-in-law from reading. But it would feel safer. Just like wearing a seatbelt on an airplane feels safer. Yeah yeah, I know… turbulence…
> The only work that is being bandied about here that really confounds me is 'privacy'. What kind of expectations does everyone have? I wont bore anyone with geek-speak, but on the internet, 'privacy' is a relative term.
That’s very true. Until I did therapy I’d never felt inclined to search for private information about people, but I found my therapist’s home address and phone number on Google. I’m not actually stalking him, you understand. But it was very easy to find private information about him.
On the other hand, I think there’s a difference between information and ideas. Or at least, it feels that way to me. I’m a teacher and I don’t mind too much if my students find my telephone number (as long as they don’t pester me) but I wouldn’t want them to read what I’ve written here and connect it with me. However, I take the risk because I want to communicate with people here.
I have been very open here about my personal experiences and I suppose I could live with it if people I know were to read my posts. But there have been other things I’ve wanted to post about and I haven’t posted because I know that anyone could read it any time and I’d never know.
I don’t know if there’s a way around that. A members-only non-googleable board would provide a feeling of safety. But maybe it could lull people into a false sense of security…
poster:Tamar
thread:523081
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20051205/msgs/586047.html