Hey Gang,
Sorry I wasnt real sure where to post this so it ended up here…
Let me start this off by saying Im a computer nerd and systems administrator (more computer nerd stuff), so if Im just over paranoid please let me know, but I know all information is retained and stored in the bits and binary world without exception.
So these threads we post in are open to view from the internet with no requirements username / password or otherwise. I see two sides to this.
1. it opens up the information we share to others who maybe searching the web for said information and we all seem to be about helping others. So thats great.
2. This is the adverse side. Any information we put up here (feelings, test results, complications, etc.) is openly and freely available to anyone who searches it out (ahh the paranoia just kicked in). Im not quite sure how I feel about this and its a real double edge sword with no black and white solution. Not that Im the resolution provider here, mind you. What does this mean? Well, if my work wanted to know indepth about my current health status, come on down! If my insurance company wanted to drop me for some random reason other than the cronic disease, these threads might hold a good excuse. Etc., etc.
How do you all feel about this? Am I just being paranoid?
All input is greatly appreciated.
Yep, being paranoid. (I recognize it because I’m prone to the same in different areas). I don’t know enough about technical stuff to understand just how vulnerable all of us really are, so I’m able to just not think about it too much. I personally don’t care who views my posts, but can understand your concerns. Couldn’t you just prevent this exposure by not inputting any identifying information (maybe a pic of your dog instead of you too…lol)? I know that any computer savy person can trace things back to their source ultimately but thinking anyone would go to that much trouble…well unless you are a cabinet minister or a spy THAT is probably paranoid…lol
I wouldn’t call it paranoid as there is a very real, not just perceived, risk. As a fellow geek (i develop corporate level social networking software), i certainly understand the risks particularity with sharing personal health related info. For me, my profile pic and name are obviously not the me (no i am not a cat, and my name is not bubbaluv). I have never done any specific unit type testing, but a quick search using my profile name in Google returned my TuDiabetes profile as the second result. So the admins at the hosting company do a very good job indexing and structuring their content for search. As you said, good or bad depending on what your intention is (are you a diabetic looking for information, or an employer or insurance company looking for information on a prospective employee/customer)
That said, its all a personal decision, and exercise caution where needed when making posting. Unless the site is structured for it, making specific areas search-able after the fact can be very difficult.
Exactly. Any specific PII (personal identifying information) required at registration (i only recall needing a email which is a pretty standard form of authenticating the validity of user) is protected and not not search-able from your profile.
As well, private messages would likely be not search-able but a TuDiabetes admin would need to confirm). Postings in public area’s of the site i assume are fair game to search engines.
Agreed whole heartedly. Im careful with my wording and saying to much. I am curious how many others do the same though.
I do associate my diabetes with myself very closely. So I may use a ton of random aliases on other sites (from Sam spade to Frank Zappa), As its closer to me I felt I should represent it. Interesting as I reg’ed that way without thinking about it whereas on most other forums I use a good amount of discression.
I say we break into the facility where the Tu servers are located and microwave the server databases!!! Boom, no more 1’s and 0’s 
Totally kidding of course, I love this site!
Dang…I was just file logged wasnt I???
LMAO.
Disclaimer I in no way endorse or support the above suggestions of malice, destruction, and loss of valuable marketing information.
Worse, the guys in dark suits are on their way to grab you as we speak. What you didn’t know is that TuDiabetes is actually a covert NSA website established to root out al-qaeda diabetics living in the US.
As long as its not Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones I’m cool with it. I wanna see how that brain eraser thing works though. I got some past “friends” I wanna use it on!!! I wonder if they will let me play with their service weapons…?
ADHD sucks sometimes lol!!!
Iinsruance companies, employers and the gov have many other ways to get info just as easy…and they can’;t really rely (they will try) that something poset on the web is actually posted by you or even by someoone who knows anything about you…its the world we live in today…still think the good outwieghs the bad…most of the time
The question for me goes beyond simple “this person posted” and it may or may not have been you. Thats the paranoid part. Fallow me here, each time you post, your personal internet address is recorded most likely on the TUD servers, if not on their ISP/hosting company, Your ISP (net service provider) keeps recoreds of when you had what address (they change every so often). If you post something, its traceable to you.
For me thats fine 99% of the time. Its just when I start dumping my emotional baggage about my health issues. I wouldnt want to say x doctor said this only to have my Ins. co dispute it based on a post. Granted thats not likely, but it does sit in my head while I discuss my health issues.
But it does bring up a good point that it may get to that. Its scary, but watch out. Big brother is growing. Heck, I applied for a job recently and they checked my Facebook profile. I got a friends request from the company after they did the search and I “Passed”. And its legal too as its publicly posted info.
I never even thought that “Hmmm maybe I better not post “I peed on my bed last night because I was so high on crack that I thought my bed was the toilet…What a headache”” See, people just don’t see that it is public to ANYONE!!! (By the way I didnt pee on my bed…It was an example) But employers can use that as a “Moral Judgement” tool. Luckily I keep all my crack smoking exploits on another profile 
I just got keylogged by the NSA and DEA on that one didnt I…? DANG!!!
i don’t use my real name or image…although i’m sure i could be found out if someone really wanted the info.
i need support for this disease. its a trade-off. its worth it.
Humor! Now gimmie my crack back!
Boedica, dont get me wrong. Ive been wanting support like this for ages. I just wanted to get thoughts from others. And I guess to guage how nuts Im being. In the end, Im not running for the presidency, so Im not super worried. Although, I might change my info.
and just like that, Im gone.
Interesting. This is probably the most supportive online community I’ve ever been to, so it felt really easy to post more personal information and actually use a picture of me for my profile (Or, is it?). I never thought about the ramifications.
accessing social information is beccoming common place these days. Like Solo posted regarding his perspective employer looking over his facebook. Its totally legal and quite usable for companies and the likes. Let me say this –
I would not ask anyone for a minute to post less or not be supportive of others due to my concerns over privacy.
From my limited experience, I think this is a fantasic forum. I just noticed everything I posted was widely available and frankly came on board feeling just like you FHM. Totally comforatble and the big D is something thats really personally mine and with me all the time. I wouldnt think to associate it with an alias.
I guess I’m paranoid. If you’re like me, 20-something and looking for a job, or a new job, then maybe there’s a risk associated with putting information out over the web via social networking sites. That being said I use relatively discreet pictures in my profile and use my first name… there are hundreds upon hundreds of Peters in the world… if not more. I blog, tweet, and use this site with my first name only.
For Facebook, I use my full name. Lately I have included info about my illness and triumphs over it- but I may scale that back as I start putting applications through again. It is ambiguous gray area. I certainly don’t want to be excluded from the hiring process if I exclude the company I will work for from my Facebook page.
You are not being paranoid. Read the terms of reference. The contents of this board are public. Should you choose to post information about yourself, you lose control. The protections offerred by laws such as HIPAA are ambigous wrt to social media. And this stuff can live forever. Do you really think this is my real face?