So why don't you put your location under your avatar?

danpass · Jun 25, 2010, 01:29 PM

The overwhelming majority don't put it there and I was curious about that.

ethical · Jun 25, 2010, 01:42 PM

Many people like to remain as anonymous as possible on the internet. I am one of those people.

Lord Blackadder · Jun 25, 2010, 01:47 PM

It's easy to find information about people if one looks - there's no privacy on the 'net anymore. I'd just prefer to make them work for it.

woosah · Jun 25, 2010, 01:48 PM

Seems a lot of Floridians do put their location.

Jaro65 · Jun 25, 2010, 01:52 PM

I have no issues revealing where I'm at. It's not like I'm listing my address there.

danpass · Jun 25, 2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woosah

Seems a lot of Floridians do put their location.

You know you're right lol

<---- grew up in NY

IndustrialSpace · Jun 25, 2010, 01:58 PM

Anonymity, my friend.

Rodimus Prime · Jun 25, 2010, 02:03 PM

I do not want to mess with it.

Xavier · Jun 25, 2010, 02:16 PM

I do list my location.

MattSepeta · Jun 25, 2010, 02:20 PM

I remember reading a study a few days ago where a web-pro demonstrated that with just three pieces of ino-

D.O.B., zip code, and sex

-you can identify an internet user with like 90% accuracy or something.

Scary stuff.

I cant recall where I saw this, has anyone else heard this before?

lionheartednyhc · Jun 25, 2010, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danpass

The overwhelming majority don't put it there and I was curious about that.

Because you keep moving around and I don't feel like updating it everytime.

-aggie- · Jun 25, 2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattSepeta

I remember reading a study a few days ago where a web-pro demonstrated that with just three pieces of ino-

D.O.B., zip code, and sex

-you can identify an internet user with like 90% accuracy or something.

Scary stuff.

I cant recall where I saw this, has anyone else heard this before?

Quantity or quality of sex?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethical

Many people like to remain as anonymous as possible on the internet. I am one of those people.

OP, duh!

There was one particular user on here that had his full name as a user name, which eventually led to people looking at him on Facebook, emailing his professor (I'm still not sure I believe that), and some other stuff, since he also had his location listed. I'm especially amazed that some of the women do this.

Queso · Jun 25, 2010, 05:45 PM

I sort of do. Down to the country anyway.

JNB · Jun 25, 2010, 05:52 PM

Pick whichever one closes the question for you:

My current location is so secret, if I did divulge it, I'd have to kill you.
My current location is more a state of mind than a physicality.
My current location is sealed by court order. I don't want the US Marshal to have to relocate me again.
My current location is none of your business.

leomac08 · Jun 25, 2010, 05:58 PM

it's all a conspiracy........ man!

i live in 3 places.....but when you might be in one place i'll be in the other.

danpass · Jun 25, 2010, 06:10 PM

ah so it is paranoia

State is good enough. sure the full name, etc is pushing it. Sometimes its tough to know where someone is coming from in their post if there is no idea of their location.

.

andalusia · Jun 26, 2010, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -aggie-

OP, duh!

There was one particular user on here that had his full name as a user name, which eventually led to people looking at him on Facebook, emailing his professor (I'm still not sure I believe that), and some other stuff, since he also had his location listed. I'm especially amazed that some of the women do this.

...

Nah my privacy settings are so tight on Facebook, I'm not worried...

Cabbit · Jun 26, 2010, 06:19 AM

My location gives indication of when to expect a reply, and when i should expect a reply.

I know some people in the sub-forums i frequent will not reply until it is the middle of the night for me and i expect they know i wont reply till i get up.

Abstract · Jun 26, 2010, 07:34 AM

I'm posting just so that I can see what my location is. I never really look at my location, or anyone elses.

EDIT: Haha, I like mine. Not changing it.

Besides, I mention my location in threads when appropriate.

Mr. McMac · Jun 26, 2010, 07:44 AM

What kind of information can you find out about Mr. McMac. It's not my real name and I don't use it in any other forums? Just curious..

Melrose · Jun 26, 2010, 08:03 AM

No, really, that's where I am.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethical

Many people like to remain as anonymous as possible on the internet. I am one of those people.

Ceiling Cat, is that you?

Tomorrow · Jun 26, 2010, 08:07 AM

There are actually a handful of people here who like me. Announcing that I'm from Texas might just reduce that number to zero.

Oh, snap....

jpyc7 · Jun 26, 2010, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. McMac

What kind of information can you find out about Mr. McMac. It's not my real name and I don't use it in any other forums? Just curious..

It depends on information in your posts, not just your profile. If you say you watched a semi-unpopular movie and then someone has that 'anonymized' Netflix data with movies and zipcodes, they could correlate the two to find potential matches. Even if you never gave your timezone, someone might look at all the timestamps of your webposts and make a guess on that. So that could limit the number of zipcodes to a specific timezone.

This sort of 'data mining' is or can be automated. Basically, someone does research first to find the sort of 'revealing' information that can help correlate things. Some of this would be like the 'statistical improbable phrase' on Amazon, but some of it would just be a list of all job descriptions. They dump your messages, and filter for those to see which ones pop up. The most common one might be what you actually do for a living.

I think if you limit yourself to revealing information in a narrow area per website (and use different identifiers), you're pretty safe. If you're posting in 'community' discussions, you'll probably reveal something that can be correlated to another website where you've said the same thing.

Just me typing this sort of response, marks me as someone who probably thinks about data processing. (In fact, if you look at my past posts, you'll see I mostly reply in the Programmer's forum.)

GFLPraxis · Jun 26, 2010, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -aggie-

OP, duh!

There was one particular user on here that had his full name as a user name, which eventually led to people looking at him on Facebook, emailing his professor (I'm still not sure I believe that), and some other stuff, since he also had his location listed. I'm especially amazed that some of the women do this.

Women will look me up on Facebook and email my professor if I use my real name? Woah!

Arn, can I get a name change??

ranguvar · Jun 26, 2010, 09:48 AM

I try to stay as anonymous as possible on the internet. Although anybody who has my IP (e.g. arn) could track me really precisely via GeoIP services very easily.

Jun 25, 2010, 01:29 PM	#1
danpass macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Miami, FL	So why don't you put your location under your avatar? The overwhelming majority don't put it there and I was curious about that. __________________ iPhone 5 iPad Mini B32V iPad Mini - A 3 month review iMovie in iPad Mini - Tips Tips and Tricks for iMovie for iPhone
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 01:42 PM	#2
ethical macrumors 68000 Join Date: Dec 2007	Many people like to remain as anonymous as possible on the internet. I am one of those people. __________________ "MacRumors IRC....it's like a conversation gangbang." - Leareth Join the fun irc.krono.net, #macrumors
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 01:47 PM	#3
Lord Blackadder macrumors G4 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sod off	It's easy to find information about people if one looks - there's no privacy on the 'net anymore. I'd just prefer to make them work for it. __________________ Oh, God, God, God! What on earth was I drinking last night? My head feels like there's a Frenchman living in it. - Edmund Blackadder
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 01:48 PM	#4
woosah macrumors regular Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: FL	Seems a lot of Floridians do put their location. __________________ MacBook Pro 2.4GHz - iPhone 8GB - iPhone4 16 GB - iPod Nano 2GB
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 01:52 PM	#5
Jaro65 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle, WA	I have no issues revealing where I'm at. It's not like I'm listing my address there. __________________ rMBP \| MBP \| MBA \| ACD \| iPad \| iPhone \| ATV \| iPods \| Senn HD 650
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 01:58 PM	#7
IndustrialSpace macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: somewhere	Anonymity, my friend.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:03 PM	#8
Rodimus Prime Banned Join Date: Oct 2006	I do not want to mess with it.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:16 PM	#9
Xavier macrumors 68020 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Columbus	I do list my location.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:20 PM	#10
MattSepeta macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: 375th St. Y	Study I remember reading a study a few days ago where a web-pro demonstrated that with just three pieces of ino- D.O.B., zip code, and sex -you can identify an internet user with like 90% accuracy or something. Scary stuff. I cant recall where I saw this, has anyone else heard this before? __________________ busy, busy busy.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 05:45 PM	#13
Queso macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2006	I sort of do. Down to the country anyway.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 05:52 PM	#14
JNB macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: In a Hell predominately of my own making	Pick whichever one closes the question for you: My current location is so secret, if I did divulge it, I'd have to kill you. My current location is more a state of mind than a physicality. My current location is sealed by court order. I don't want the US Marshal to have to relocate me again. My current location is none of your business. __________________
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 05:58 PM	#15
leomac08 macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Irvine, CA & San Salvador, El Salvador & Inglewood, CA	it's all a conspiracy........ man! i live in 3 places.....but when you might be in one place i'll be in the other. __________________ UC IRVINE ANTEATERS LOS LAKERS USC TROJANS Fight on!
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 06:10 PM	#16
danpass Thread Starter macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Miami, FL	ah so it is paranoia State is good enough. sure the full name, etc is pushing it. Sometimes its tough to know where someone is coming from in their post if there is no idea of their location. . __________________ iPhone 5 iPad Mini B32V iPad Mini - A 3 month review iMovie in iPad Mini - Tips Tips and Tricks for iMovie for iPhone
	0

Jun 26, 2010, 06:19 AM	#18
Cabbit macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Scotland	My location gives indication of when to expect a reply, and when i should expect a reply. I know some people in the sub-forums i frequent will not reply until it is the middle of the night for me and i expect they know i wont reply till i get up. __________________ Nom nom nom eating cake!
	0

Jun 26, 2010, 07:34 AM	#19
Abstract macrumors G3 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Location Location	I'm posting just so that I can see what my location is. I never really look at my location, or anyone elses. EDIT: Haha, I like mine. Not changing it. Besides, I mention my location in threads when appropriate. __________________ "Hard? It's supposed to be hard. Hard is what makes it great!" - Tom Hanks.
	0

Jun 26, 2010, 07:44 AM	#20
Mr. McMac macrumors 68000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Long Island, New York	What kind of information can you find out about Mr. McMac. It's not my real name and I don't use it in any other forums? Just curious.. __________________ 2009 24" iMac, 2011 & 2007 Mac Mini's, 4th generation iPod Shuffle Custom built Windows 7 gaming capable PC, Acer Aspire One 722 Netbook, Western Digital TV Play
	0

Jun 26, 2010, 08:07 AM	#22
Tomorrow macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Always a day away	There are actually a handful of people here who like me. Announcing that I'm from Texas might just reduce that number to zero. Oh, snap.... __________________ I would scream just to be heard, as if yelling at the stars - I was bleeding just to feel. You would never say a word, kept me reaching in the dark - always something to conceal.
	0

Jun 26, 2010, 09:48 AM	#25
ranguvar macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2009	I try to stay as anonymous as possible on the internet. Although anybody who has my IP (e.g. arn) could track me really precisely via GeoIP services very easily.
	0

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Do you put your music on your iPad?	shortman	iPad	62	Mar 28, 2011 04:22 PM
So.....If you get home delivery, how do you activate your phone under your account?	Vegeta-san	iPhone	3	Jun 11, 2010 01:17 PM
I Love my 13" MBP, so why don't you ?	mac8867	MacBook Pro	4	Apr 14, 2010 11:07 AM
how do you get the location under your name?	iOrlando	Site and Forum Feedback	1	Aug 14, 2008 01:39 PM
"cuz i'm a whiner baby, so why don't you kill me..."	jvaska	Mac Help/Tips	1	Oct 21, 2002 10:37 PM