For the security conscious

[entanglement]

I posted this as a reply to Droopy's thread, thought it might be helpful to post it here as well

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE

****LEVEL ZERO PRECAUTIONS****
ONLINE->
Names : NO NAMES UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
Use an obscure login ID
email address : NEVER
State (especially if it's a red-state) & current location: It means passing up the opportunity to bash red states or jumping to their defense
Past / Present Employers
Institutional Affiliations : NEVER
Occupation (yeah, trust me on this one)
Images / photos of self / people you know / your car / neighborhood
No live meetings with anyone
Anonymous donations only (Amazon honor system)
Authoritative information about persons / places / institutions: People WILL make connections
Medical conditions if any

****LEVEL ONE PRECAUTIONS****
REAL WORLD->
Don't discuss DU
Don't even mention it to ANYONE you know
Don't access DU from public access terminals
Don't wear giveaway T-shirts
Don't let ANYONE see you surf DU

****LEVEL TWO PRECAUTIONS****
AUDIT->
Post scan: Before you hit 'post', do a security audit: Ask yourself what the post might reveal about you. Ask yourself if you REALLY want to post. Here's a rule of thumb: If in doubt, DON'T post
If you're post has 'Oh, I've been there as well' or 'I know him / her' or 'I've done that as well', it deserves special scrutiny

****LEVEL THREE PRECAUTIONS****
What to do when someone presses you for info:
Keep a handy 'alternate ident' ready. You won't remember details always (and WILL mess up),so keep it handy in a text file. You can always supply (false) details from this alternate ident. Building a new identity for yourself is an iterative,incremental process, you won't be able to construct an alternate ident in a single afternoon.

****DAMAGE CONTROL****
This is situation dependent; at the very worst you might have to give up visiting someplace altogether

From experience, I've found it's not very useful to try to hide gender (people get to know it eventually) or age group (very hard to play old when you're young and vice-versa)

Hope this helps
entanglement

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. If you want to be this careful,

then just maybe you shouldn't be posting at all...I'm probably too much the other way, but still...What you've written here seems a little much for security reasons. But maybe you've been burned. I have no idea.

[entanglement]

2. Enjoy your freedom to be the 'other way'

:toast:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I am, indeed!

NOW, I'm worried! Actually not very...I'm not entirely all out there! There are some hidden aspects to me...


:toast: back atcha!