What Are We Afraid Of
@just4him (317062)
Green Bay, Wisconsin
February 2, 2016 7:22pm CST
In the past week I've been surprised by several posts and comments I've seen. It all makes me wonder what we're afraid of.
One post I read said how her name and username isn't her own. Another I just read showed how the pictures aren't hers but belong to someone else. I've seen locations for the US when the user is obviously from another country. I've read how using a name from this country gets better attention than to give their real name and location.
Maybe I should be paranoid too. I've never been paranoid about anything, except maybe heights. That I shiver in my boots about. However, to be afraid of saying who I am and where I come from has never been a problem for me. Neither was driving through the park after dark when I was living elsewhere and gave someone a ride home. I thought she was going to have a fit right then and there.
So what is the problem? We are an Internet society. If someone wanted to, and why would they want to, I'm sure it would be easy to figure out where you live. After all, they certainly have my phone number though I never gave it to anyone and I get marketing calls all the time. I even get e-mails from people and places I don't know, of course those all hit spam. I don't open them up, unlike another member of my family who did and got in trouble with his phone for doing so.
So what is the problem? What does it matter where you live, or how many children you have or whether we see their pictures or not?
I have nothing to hide from anyone. My name, my real name is visible for all to see. So is my age and where I live. I don't make a pretense out of my life. I've had my problems, and I've posted those problems. I've had my joys, and I've posted those too.
I read all the time about the different weather situations from all over the world, and it gives me an idea where you live, despite where it says you live on your profile.
I'm not a detective of any kind, but I just want to know - What are you afraid of?
Thanks for reading.
34 people like this
32 responses
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
3 Feb 16
Yes if someone wants to find you then they will do, downside tot he internet.
Me I'm kinda of afraid of deep water where I can see, although last summer I was simmer in the Californian creeks I may have overcome that.
6 people like this
@jstory07 (139717)
• Roseburg, Oregon
3 Feb 16
I do not post pictures of my family for security reasons. My one son works for the United States government and did live in Europe, His wife finally got a job in the USA so now he will live in the USA and work for the government here. His three children are European-American citizens and were born in Great Britain. I hope with there strong British accents the kids will not be made fun of. My other two sons are in the army and I do not want them to be kidnapped because they are Americans so I will not post a picture of them either.
Besides that Patches likes her picture being on here.
4 people like this
I'm glad you still have her.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
3 Feb 16
Well, there are some downsides to telling the whole truth. For instance, a Facebook profile can contain enough information for people to use to guess the answers to your security questions so they can reset passwords on your accounts online. I have more than just social media accounts - I do all my financial business online. So, I don't want to tell anyone anything they might use to access those accounts. I have been online since 1999 and I have learned that caution is not a bad thing.
4 people like this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
3 Feb 16
That I can understand. I don't share that stuff either. It reminds me of the Lifeline or was it Life Lock commercial from a few years ago when you saw their Social Security number blasted on the side of the truck. I'd never do anything like that.
2 people like this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
3 Feb 16
@tallawah See, you know I'm real and you know the house I live in. So the next time the phone rings maybe I better check to see if the caller ID is in country or out. 
I'll still answer the phone no matter what. I just hang up on marketers.
I'll still answer the phone no matter what. I just hang up on marketers.1 person likes this
@mom210 (9117)
• United States
3 Feb 16
I have been told I should not put the pictures of my kids on the net as well. I use my name, Kimberley and post pictures of my kids. My mom is always telling me to lock my doors, I just have not had a reason to be afraid I guess, maybe I should be. I like knowing your name, it makes me feel like we are friends.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
3 Feb 16
@just4him I use a pseudonym, but not to hide, because my real name is on my profile. Online I just have been GardenGerty for so long it would confuse me to be called Heather. Also, there are fewer Gerty people than Heathers. It makes me feel unique.
2 people like this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
3 Feb 16
I worked in computers, and I know how much information people can get, even without people giving out their real information. I have also worked for a victim advocacy agency, and I know how dangerous that information can be in the wrong hands. I am all about my privacy, and I do not intend to make it any easier for anyone to find me.
2 people like this
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
3 Feb 16
@purplealabaster I am completely with you on this one. However, I still need that purple glitter to make the centerpiece... I have two kids and I'm not going to share their information or pictures with just anyone. I have to deal with enough to be worried about who is looking at what and where. It's never a good idea to put too much personal information out there. You never know who is looking at it or why. I'm not worried about anyone finding me. I can take care of myself. I am worried about what people might do with my info. (credit cards, bank loans, loans of any kind, getting in to see drs., using my name for what they do as in true identity theft.)
2 people like this
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
4 Feb 16
@purplealabaster That is a horrible position to be put in. No one should feel like a victim. I have been stalked before so I understand that. I knew my stalker and even approached him on the matter. He said it was a public place and he just happened to be there. I asked and all the other places? I learned not to ever be afraid of anyone. I worry about my kids safety that's why their pictures aren't public. I hope your problem has been taken care of.
2 people like this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
4 Feb 16
@mommaj Unfortunately I was stalked ... and not in the fun and playful way that we do it on here. That in and of itself was enough to make me wary of sharing too much personal information, even with people I meet offline one-on-one, so I certainly do not want to put out too much personal information on a forum where it is accessible to anyone and everyone.
Then, I have to worry about the safety of my children just because they are children. Add to that the knowledge that they are easy targets to someone stalking me, and that only increases the fear and cautiousness that I feel.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
3 Feb 16
I am afraid of snakes, not the Internet. I have been writing for 15 years and shopping on the Internet for even longer. I don't use my real name here but I do on many other sites and I call myself Isabelle all the time. I am cautious but not paranoid about security.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (471508)
• Switzerland
3 Feb 16
I have noticed that some users pretends to be live in the "United States", but they have a broken English and seem not to know the area where they live. I use an avatar, but my name is my real name, Anna and I really live in Switzerland, even if I am Italian and I never lied on this.
3 people like this
@T_gray (7774)
• Salina, Kansas
3 Feb 16
i am not afraid of having my name and picture out there, even though its not, I guess I just like to be a mystery. hehehe. No, I was actually following in my Dad's footsteps when I picked my name and never cared for my photo anyway. Maybe someday, but now I don't want to change my photo as I don't want to confuse anyone. So I just leave it alone.
2 people like this
@T_gray (7774)
• Salina, Kansas
3 Feb 16
@just4him Hehe. I will for sure. I am looking forward to it. I told my roommate about it. I really do want to go up there this summer sometime if I can save up enough. I mean gas money would be little to nothing though with the prices right now.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Feb 16
I don't post a picture of myself for basically one reason, I take horrible pictures lol. I'm not afraid of anyone finding me, I think
2 people like this
@celticeagle (166976)
• Boise, Idaho
8 Feb 16
I wonder about this too. I have a celtic or mystic knot up because it is a part of my heritiage. I have tossed around putting my picture on here but would rather not. I really don't have a reason. I just like the knot and I've had it up for so long I like it.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166976)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Feb 16
@just4him ...Thanks. I do too. I don't really care to change things.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Feb 16
@celticeagle I don't like change either. Though I'm thinking about changing my avatar, but if I do before I get the hard drive information retrieved from the old desktop, I won't have that picture anymore.
1 person likes this
@rosekiss (30414)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Feb 16
I don't use my real name, but not becasue I am afraid to or not afraid to, it is because I like the username that my daughter gave me, so it has stuck with me. I do live in the United States, in the state of Oregon, and my first name is Karen. There I said my name and it didn't hurt one bit.
1 person likes this
@rosekiss (30414)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Feb 16
@just4him It is nice to meet you too. I just posted a discussion about the changing it so feel free to check it out if you wish. I am not afraid, and besides, if someone wants to find me, they can find me easily. as it doesn't take much nowadays, even without putting a lot of information on the internet.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
3 Feb 16
@just4him It is good that you do not have that kind of worry.
2 people like this
@purplealabaster (22091)
• United States
3 Feb 16
I do not think it is "unnecessary worry", especially when you have children. Even when you do not have children, though, it is a valid worry for some people.
4 people like this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
3 Feb 16
@purplealabaster I know. I guess I just don't have that kind of worry.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 Feb 16
I have been debating putting my town down or not, I dont mind it to say USA, or even Texas, I just dont want the town on there. Why? I have an ex I'd rather not know where I live for sure among other things.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 Feb 16
@just4him he used to be online all the time, and I dont know if he does or doesnt, but I feel better him not knowing. another reason I dont use my real name, but still, we still know the same people, I could see him back tracking things
1 person likes this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt I didn't know that wasn't your real name. Interesting.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
3 Feb 16
There is one person I see occasionally that has a California city and state location on his info, like you have Northampton, England, yet the posts he makes and the time he's on is definitely from the Philippines, especially as he will make comments about certain cities and provinces and the climate of the Philippines.
