Please be careful out there.....

[omio]

Just want to be everyone's gramma for a minute and offer advice about privacy on the Internet.

As I enjoy everyone's beautiful layouts and heartfelt journaling, it sometimes makes me a little nervous to read so much personally identifying information. I'm a retired computer teacher and I'm also a former volunteer for a group that searches for Internet predators, so I'm relatively well informed and very passionate about this subject.

I don't want to be negative or try to scare people unnecessarily. But the fact is, because this is such a wonderful site and is full of so many positive and helpful people, we start feeling like we're in a private room full of friends. That's true to a great extent, but this room also has a great big satellite dish beaming us to the entire world.

I haven't posted a lot of layouts, but I generally post a "safe" version rather than the real one that I save for the family. Also, if and when I ever get around to creating a signature, it will be equally neutral.

So, may I offer the advice I used to give students and parents? Don't be paranoid, but do be very careful. If you wouldn't be willing to have it published in the newspaper or put on television, don't post it. (Or, better yet, just disguise the personal info so we don't miss sharing your beautiful work.)

Old teachers never die -- they just find new audiences to lecture.

[meldalj]

Thanks for the advice . Ive seen some people smudge faces in photos - do you think that is nesscary or is it just the journaling and signatures you advise to be careful with ?

Ant

[shazzt]

I do have this in the back of my mind all the time when I post - but on the other hand, I try not to be too paranoid. It is a pretty fine line to walk but always important to be reminded that not everyone out there is nice.

[Margie]

good reminder. while we have "only" 66,000 registered members, we also have literally hundreds of thousands of nonregistered members browsing the gallery too!

[omio]

Originally Posted by meldalj

Thanks for the advice . Ive seen some people smudge faces in photos - do you think that is nesscary or is it just the journaling and signatures you advise to be careful with ?

Ant

To be honest, I was tempted to smudge photos at first but decided it really wasn't necessary. (If there were custody issues, etc., I would do it.) It's really mostly text that concerns me -- people often put their children's full names and birth dates, for example. That gives too much info to someone who's looking for it, especially in this day of identity theft.

Basically, I try to avoid complete names, exact locations, and birth dates. For example, the two layouts in my gallery that have both first names and locations because the pictures were taken in places the grandchildren don't live.

When I was trained to "monitor" kids' chat rooms, I was shocked to see how much information kids innocently give out. Even talking about winning Friday night's football game and naming their mascot gives enough info to identify the kid's high school.

The main trick, I think, is to be aware when you post. You're right, shazzt, that it's a very fine line to walk. Kind of like being a parent -- if we don't go too far toward either extreme, things will be good.

[sfoneill]

Thanks Omi! It's always good to be reminded of this.

Whenever I watch that Dateline special(s) on Internet Predators my blood just boils........if only everyone in the world was respectful to each other!

[mariafer]

I really appreciate you posting this. Before I started posting my husband and I had a long chat about what I would and wouldn't do but when I actually got in here I started feeling relaxed but you are right... I will definitely make sure I haven't posted more info than I should. Thanks, Maria

Good points!
I post first names and no locations. The times I do post locations it's from a vacation spot and doesn't given any indication of where we actually live.

For some layouts where I want specifics (such as my son's school, I have two versions - one to post with a fake name and the real one I keep for myself!)

[omio]

You're right, mariafer, that it's easy to feel safe on this site because the moderators do a great job of keeping things positive and friendly. That's why I kind of hated to start this thread, but....

You're right, too, sfoneill. I remember reading one time about a mentally disabled adult. He was asked, "What rules would you make if you were king of the world?" His answer? "Be nice." Guess he was just smarter than most of the world, huh?

[Tina]

Hey, I'm a designer here on the site and I still smudge info that indentifies where we live, names of schools, etc...

You can never be too careful. If I werent a designer, my last name would not be out for public consumption either

[Elisabeth]

As regards to blurring faces - you see that when people have pictures of their own kids in the same photos as other kids, so they blur the other kids' faces or ask permission from the parents to post.

Also remember to blur school names, sports center names like for karate or ballet, anything that is in the background of your child's picture that is too much information. It doesn't take away from the layout and we still get to enjoy it!

[omio]

Originally Posted by Elisabeth

As regards to blurring faces - you see that when people have pictures of their own kids in the same photos as other kids, so they blur the other kids' faces or ask permission from the parents to post.

Also remember to blur school names, sports center names like for karate or ballet, anything that is in the background of your child's picture that is too much information. It doesn't take away from the layout and we still get to enjoy it!

All good points, Elisabeth. The first thing I did when starting DSU 160 was to get "posting permission" from my children and a family friend whose darling baby is in one of my layouts.

Again, I'm not suggesting anyone get paranoid. Just do your best to walk that fine line.

[jhertzog]

I have thought about this also which is why I'd like to chang my login name, but I can't find anywhere to do that. Does anyone know how?

[Tina]

you can email info@dsplace.com

[bugletmom]

thanks for posting this...it inspired me to go back and blur some things out..