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profile on web

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in Help Desk
I don't have a problem with some information in the profile. It could be a bit more discrete about what your msn address and such is, but oh well. One thing I do have a problem with is that you can search online and get the information off somebodies personal profile on google or whatever you use. Any information in your profile is right there on the front page.

I find it weird enough when random people add to their msn, but for these unknown people, then, to go out and be able to find, such as, my birthdate, the fact that I post on here and my user name is a bit unnecessary. Is there any way you can privitaze that a bit more? Or should anybody freaked out by weirdos on the internet just have a blank profile :\
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    You shouldn't have your MSN address on display if people aren't meant to find it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Surely you tweak your profile to show what you want to be found, and when you pm people you're more friendly with give them better info?

    I sign my pm's with my real name and sometimes stick my msn on there too, but my profile doesn't give much away.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think we're on the same page at all.

    I'm talking about, if you go on google, yahoo, msn or any other search engine, for example, I typed in my email address out of boredem and the only link it found was to this page. On that first page with the links and descriptions of the page it listed my user name here, my email address, my birthdate and all the information on the profile.

    I find it disturbing that anybody that knows my email address could type it in and find out all that information because thesite is not secure enough with personal profiles.

    I'm fine if people on thesite can see it, but for it to be available to anybody using a search engine I find unnecessary. I think that should be a little more secure.

    Fuitcakes already randomly add people to their msn that they don't know. All they have to do is type the email addy into a search engine and it will come up with all the other information that is on this site, thesite and now these nutjobs know where I post and my name and all that.

    Now my profile is blank, as I don't need that, nor do alot more people I should only assume.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well your profile on here is 'public' hence it being called your 'public profile'. I would kind of hope that it was obvious that information you submit to a public forum area could be searched for?

    I can appreciate that you may want your privacy etc, but that's for you to control.
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    I think Manda's point is that her email isn't actually shown on her public profile, yet if I search for her email then her profile is shown. The email isn't actually listed on her profile (you can check) but when searched it brings up her profile.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well I don't know Manda's email address, but my quick attempt at searching her username brings it up, so I'll assume that her email address is very similar to her username and that is probably what the search engines are finding.

    Certainly searching my email doesn't give you anything, but then my email address isn't Scary Monster!
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    I think Manda's point is that her email isn't actually shown on her public profile, yet if I search for her email then her profile is shown. The email isn't actually listed on her profile (you can check) but when searched it brings up her profile.
    It was.

    She's removed it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think any info you have in your profile can be searched for on google etc.

    which is why there are no results for my email address anywhere :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Replicant wrote:
    which is why there are no results for my email address anywhere :)
    same. i put my email address into google and the site / my profile didn't come up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Google caches information, if you choose to have an email up on your profile, google will find it and remember it. After removing it from your profile you have to wait for google to re-cache the page before it'll go away. It's this way with all content on the web, and I can't tell you how long google caching takes to update - they don't tell you that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And I'm afraid profiles are public on the boards, rather than only visable to people who are members, given there is a lot of information and advice read by non-members it's important people can see who it is who has provided that information.

    If you choose to put something on the profile, you choose to make it public, though I'd be interested to know if anyone has actually added anyone at random due to the information being on the profile.

    Ultimately, it's down to an issue of personal responsibility, if you don't want it public, please, as always, don't add it to a public profile.
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