ForumGarden

Some time ago, a friend of mine who was a moderator on this forum Informed me whilst on the phone that they were looking at my house on google earth.... Now to do this, you need an address. They did actually have the wrong part of the road and was looking at the house where him with the moustache lives but that's not the point.

I must state quite firmly first of all that, I did not have any problems with this person finding out this Information because I trust them however, In light of a recent post on another thread, my suspicions as to where this moderator got my home address from were more or less confirmed. It could not have come from any other forum under the circumstances.

It is acceptable that the owner of a site may have a members home address but In light of not really knowing anyone on the Internet, should ordinary moderators have your personal details?

It's a tricky one I know because as moderator on an angling forum where they bitch and moan more than here, my husband needs a scanner etc to check duplicate accounts.

This once moderator even described the house that another member here lived In.

I find this quite un-nerving.

I'm somewhat puzzled.

The only information available to anyone behind the scenes here which isn't on show to the public at large and which might be relevant to your location are

1. your email address

2. all the IP addresses from which you've ever posted or registered an account

Without applying for a court order to your ISP or email provider I can't see how to convert either of those into a physical location.

Perhaps you'd like to clarify matters.

A few months back I sold a bicycle on Craig's List and was surprised to learn that simply searching my email address gave my name, address and phone number.

The information is out there on the vast majority of us. It's not a big deal IMO. In the past your name could be found in the telephone book along with your address and phone number and people looking it up could then drive by your home and view it.

If anyone can demonstrate here "simply searching my email address gave my name, address and phone number" I'd be interested to see it done. I can imagine circumstances in which a person's put their name, address, phone number and email address all in one web page but that has nothing at all to do with the implication of the opening post here.

The moderators here have no more access to your address than any other member of the public, oscar, for the simple reason that you've never given it to us. Or is it really just your email address you're discussing after all?

spot;1368391 wrote: I'm somewhat puzzled.

The only information available to anyone behind the scenes here which aren't on show to the public at large and which might be relevant to your location are

1. your email address

2. all the IP addresses from which you've ever posted or registered an account

Without applying for a court order to your ISP or email provider I can't see how to convert either of those into a physical location.

Perhaps you'd like to clarify matters. To be honest, I am confused as to what and how exactly this person got my home address hence the reason I put this thread on In the hope of finding some answers.

The night I was on the phone talking to this ex moderator here, they told me they were looking at my house via google earth, albiet the wrong house but certainly the address.

They then told me the description of another members house on this forum.

I do not post on many forums and the only other forum I do post on with this person, they are not a moderator and there-fore would not have access to IP address's etc there.

I posted this to see If some light could be thrown on how a moderator here could obtain my home address and spy on me via google earth not to make accusations on anyone.

Have you ever seen this site?

Spokeo People Search | White Pages | Find People

I haven't looked to see if it covers the UK but it's frighteningly accurate for US info.

oscar;1368394 wrote: I posted this to see If some light could be thrown on how a moderator here could obtain my home address and spy on me via google earth not to make accusations on anyone.


It might take me ten minutes to find enough personal information posted by you on the open forum to locate your address on public Internet search sites, but that has nothing to do with me being a moderator. Anyone else on the planet could do the same. The key to your location is what you've revealed about yourself in the threads, not the fact that you disclosed your email address to the site moderators when you registered here. It's the same process I discussed earlier regarding JJ. The source of the personal information is your own posts, nothing else.

spot;1368393 wrote: If anyone can demonstrate here "simply searching my email address gave my name, address and phone number" I'd be interested to see it done. I can imagine circumstances in which a person's put their name, address, phone number and email address all in one web page but that has nothing at all to do with the implication of the opening post here.

The moderators here have no more access to your address than any other member of the public, oscar, for the simple reason that you've never given it to us. Or is it really just your email address you're discussing after all?
No... I reiterate.... I am not talking about my e mail address but my home address to the extent that someone can search my house via google earth, tell me there Is or was a white car outside my house and describe In detail the cottage of anoteher member here.

Now, one theory I came up with was the newspapers printing my street name but that does not explain how this ex moderator got the home address of another member here to also look at their home via google earth and describe It to me.

oscar;1368390 wrote: Some time ago, a friend of mine who was a moderator on this forum Informed me whilst on the phone that they were looking at my house on google earth.... Now to do this, you need an address. They did actually have the wrong part of the road and was looking at the house where him with the moustache lives but that's not the point.

I must state quite firmly first of all that, I did not have any problems with this person finding out this Information because I trust them however, In light of a recent post on another thread, my suspicions as to where this moderator got my home address from were more or less confirmed. It could not have come from any other forum under the circumstances.

It is acceptable that the owner of a site may have a members home address but In light of not really knowing anyone on the Internet, should ordinary moderators have your personal details?

It's a tricky one I know because as moderator on an angling forum where they bitch and moan more than here, my husband needs a scanner etc to check duplicate accounts.

This once moderator even described the house that another member here lived In.

I find this quite un-nerving.


I can assure you Oscar that I have never looked at your house, I am pretty sure no other mod here has either, why would we want to?

Also, I don't know your address, I'm totally puzzled as to why you would think we would be privy to such information. At no stage in all my membership here have I submitted my home address anywhere, it's not a requirement of the site and nowhere do you get asked for that information.

You say you 'trust' this friend, hmmmm I'd be very wary that this friend actually appears to be trying to stir the **** as far as FG is concerned, all you have been told is codswallop I'm afraid.

spot;1368396 wrote: It might take me ten minutes to find enough personal information posted by you on the open forum to locate your address on public Internet search sites, but that has nothing to do with me being a moderator. Anyone else on the planet could do the same. The key to your location is what you've revealed about yourself in the threads, not the fact that you disclosed your email address to the site moderators when you registered here. It's the same process I discussed earlier regarding JJ. The source of the personal information is your own posts, nothing else.


That's a help Thankyou but as far as I am aware, the other member who's house was described to me, had not posted any links about herself.

SnoozeAgain;1368395 wrote: I haven't looked to see if it covers the UK but it's frighteningly accurate for US info.That's quite a search engine. Two words and three clicks brings you onto the screen.

Betty Boop;1368398 wrote: I can assure you Oscar that I have never looked at your house, I am pretty sure no other mod here has either, why would we want to?

Also, I don't know your address, I'm totally puzzled as to why you would think we would be privy to such information. At no stage in all my membership here have I submitted my home address anywhere, it's not a requirement of the site and nowhere do you get asked for that information.

You say you 'trust' this friend, hmmmm I'd be very wary that this friend actually appears to be trying to stir the **** as far as FG is concerned, all you have been told is codswallop I'm afraid.


BB I said In my opening post that I actually had no problem with It. I have not said at any point that I think any mod here Is privvy to Info or would want to look at my house.

That Is not the point I was making.

The point Is, an ex moderator here DID obtain my home address and that of other members here. My enquiries were merely to ask If It was possible It could have come from here and now Spot has said that is not possible, I am happy with the explanation. I also pointed out that I was not making accusations.

oscar;1368399 wrote: That's a help Thankyou but as far as I am aware, the other member who's house was described to me, had not posted any links about herself.


Then you'll need to ask the ex-moderator, won't you. I've described what information we hold and you know the site's never asked you for anything more than that.

oscar;1368399 wrote: That's a help Thankyou but as far as I am aware, the other member who's house was described to me, had not posted any links about herself.


There is always the chance that this person gave over such information in a PM if they were close friends for instance. Other times addresses have appeared within PM's is when members have experienced hardship and other members have wanted to send cards etc. As moderators if a member chooses to post their private information to a thread we would generally first of all remove the information, then inform that we had done so to protect them, in the end though the decision is theirs, all we can do is advise that it's probably not a good idea.

oscar;1368402 wrote: BB I said In my opening post that I actually had no problem with It. I have not said at any point that I think any mod here Is privvy to Info or would want to look at my house.

That Is not the point I was making.

The point Is, an ex moderator here DID obtain my home address and that of other members here. My enquiries were merely to ask If It was possible It could have come from here and now Spot has said that is not possible, I am happy with the explanation. I also pointed out that I was not making accusations.


I explained that we couldn't have 'found' your address here, as Spot pointed out as did I, that you have never had to submit that sort of information.

I still maintain this person isn't actually to be trusted, sounds like bizarre stalker like behaviour to me.

Betty Boop;1368404 wrote: There is always the chance that this person gave over such information in a PM if they were close friends for instance. Other times addresses have appeared within PM's is when members have experienced hardship and other members have wanted to send cards etc. As moderators if a member chooses to post their private information to a thread we would generally first of all remove the information, then inform that we had done so to protect them, in the end though the decision is theirs, all we can do is advise that it's probably not a good idea. Yes that's possible Boops. Many members here have my home address as some are close friends on facebook BUT, the member who's cottage was described to me via google earth would NEVER EVER give her home address to anyone !!!

Betty Boop;1368405 wrote: I explained that we couldn't have 'found' your address here, as Spot pointed out as did I, that you have never had to submit that sort of information.

I still maintain this person isn't actually to be trusted, sounds like bizarre stalker like behaviour to me. :wah::wah::wah:

spot;1368393 wrote: If anyone can demonstrate here "simply searching my email address gave my name, address and phone number" I'd be interested to see it done. I can imagine circumstances in which a person's put their name, address, phone number and email address all in one web page but that has nothing at all to do with the implication of the opening post here.

The moderators here have no more access to your address than any other member of the public, oscar, for the simple reason that you've never given it to us. Or is it really just your email address you're discussing after all?I see what happened. Searching my email brings up my business info which is my home address.

Searching my email address leads to my wish list on amazon. If anyone would like to buy that duvet for me, I'd consider it an early Christmas gift.

My email brings up my address too,

It is linked to other events, nothing to do with forums, forumsis, forai ?

Forum activity?

Ahso!;1368413 wrote: Forum activity?


That'll do

Bruv;1368412 wrote: My email brings up my address too,

It is linked to other events, nothing to do with forums, forumsis, forai ?


I can see coming up on your email address are hits on the FBI No Fly list and a leaked applicant database for the 2012 X Factor, I don't think we entered you on either.

spot;1368418 wrote: I can see coming up on your email address are hits on the FBI No Fly list and a leaked applicant database for the 2012 X Factor, I don't think we entered you on either.
Can you give me the address of gmc ? I'll pay good money.



























Joke

oscar;1368419 wrote: Can you give me the address of gmc ? I'll pay good money.JokeScots all live in pubs, don't they?

spot;1368418 wrote: I can see coming up on your email address are hits on the FBI No Fly list and a leaked applicant database for the 2012 X Factor, I don't think we entered you on either.
You are right, it wasn't you that entered me (could have phrased that better)

Was one of my fans.

oscar;1368419 wrote: Can you give me the address of gmc ? I'll pay good money.


HRH Prince Charles Duke of Rothesay etc etc

Balmoral Castle

Ballater

Aberdeenshire

AB35 5TB

spot;1368400 wrote: That's quite a search engine. Two words and three clicks brings you onto the screen.


Merely putting in my full first name. middle initial and last name to "SPOKEO" will show my age, registered political affiliation, home address, marital status, addresses live at for the past 20 years, formal education, employment status, email address, economic status on a percentage scale & much much more. ANYONE that has my full and correct name can obtain this data.

Since I have been active on a computer for the past 30 years, done on line banking/investing/purchasing etc. there is a wealth of stored information on me I am sure, and this, irrespective of different web sites claim to not share information. HA----------Frankly it does not bother me in the least

Lon;1368430 wrote: HA----------Frankly it does not bother me in the least It doesn't bother me tbh Lon... That's the chance we take these days but I just wonder what sort of person would feel the need to go looking for all that about some-one they post on a forum with.... Makes you think eh?

If I just typed in your expressed opinions would Spokeo come back with your full first name, middle initial and last name, Lon?

Maybe next year.

spot;1368424 wrote: HRH Prince Charles Duke of Rothesay etc etc

Balmoral Castle

Ballater

Aberdeenshire

AB35 5TB


Thankyou.... Money In post to you.... Dog poo In post to gmc.

oscar;1368435 wrote: Dog poo In post to gmc.
I wonder which of us will end up in the Tower?

spot;1368436 wrote: I wonder which of us will end up in the Tower?


if his dreams of an Independent Scotland become a reality then anything Is possible with our little pheasent botherer.

oscar;1368433 wrote: It doesn't bother me tbh Lon... That's the chance we take these days but I just wonder what sort of person would feel the need to go looking for all that about some-one they post on a forum with.... Makes you think eh?


CURIOSITY----there are many things that I would like to know about other posters to FG, particularly those that do not post anything at all on their FG PROFILE (and most times that info is not real). I am probably one of the more honest participants with the personal info that I share on FG. I just do not want to take the time or make the effort to dig up information on fellow members.

Lon;1368440 wrote: CURIOSITY----there are many things that I would like to know about other posters to FG, particularly those that do not post anything at all on their FG PROFILE (and most times that info is not real). I am probably one of the more honest participants with the personal info that I share on FG. I just do not want to take the time or make the effort to dig up information on fellow members.


I agree and I am not losing any sleep on anyone having my home address either. However, I just don't understand any member going looking for all that Info with people they share a forum with.

What I find disturbing, Is that whilst I know this person got my home address, other members may be totally unaware that the person has theirs... If you're going to be a snoop then be an honest snoop.

Perhaps they were thinking about making you an offer on the house. People go to Zillow to look at houses and not only people looking to purchase. Some people are just curious, that's all. It's all about the mailbox anyway. A person's mailbox says so much about the inhabitants.

Ahso!;1368442 wrote: Perhaps they were thinking about making you an offer on the house. People go to Zillow to look at houses and not only people looking to purchase. Some people are just curious, that's all. It's all about the mailbox anyway. A person's mailbox says so much about the inhabitants.


We just have a hole in our front door for the mail, I guess here it must be all about the front door. :-2

Betty Boop;1368444 wrote: We just have a hole in our front door for the mail, I guess here it must be all about the front door. :-2 We have a mail box outside the fence. On account of Mulder being on two of the 'three strikes and you're out' rule from The Royal Mail.

Betty Boop;1368444 wrote: We just have a hole in our front door for the mail, I guess here it must be all about the front door. :-2OMG! I can't believe you admitted that, BB. I certainly wouldn't have.

Hi Julie,

Do you remember years and years and years ago many of us exchanged holiday cards through the mail. We exchanged addresses. Maybe one of our group gave your address to a mod.

four mile creek road Darriman Victoria ..........I've ordered so much over the net google just puts my info in automatically. I was a little unnerved at first but lots of people have my address .....what are you going to do about it? i rent ...I can always move. If you don't want your info out there always put a PO address.

Kathy Ellen;1368465 wrote: Hi Julie,

Do you remember years and years and years ago many of us exchanged holiday cards through the mail. We exchanged addresses. Maybe one of our group gave your address to a mod.


I considered this also Kathy... but... the members I exchanged address's with sent me cards and I sent them cards In return.

The ex mod here who googled my house was never given my address by myself and I have never exchanged cards or anything else with them because they did not want anyone knowing where they lived.

Also, the member who's house was described to me on the phone, I can state with absolute conviction, has never given her address to anyone here... In fact, when we all swopped address's years back, she was the one member who even stated publically on this forum on the Xmas card thread, that for her own reasons, she would never give her address to anyone. That I know to be true.... so, forget my address... how did this ex mod get hers?

oscar;1368471 wrote: I considered this also Kathy... but... the members I exchanged address's with sent me cards and I sent them cards In return.

The ex mod here who googled my house was never given my address by myself and I have never exchanged cards or anything else with them because they did not want anyone knowing where they lived.

Also, the member who's house was described to me on the phone, I can state with absolute conviction, has never given her address to anyone here... In fact, when we all swopped address's years back, she was the one member who even stated publically on this forum on the Xmas card thread, that for her own reasons, she would never give her address to anyone. That I know to be true.... so, forget my address... how did this ex mod get hers?


All I can say is, with a fair amount of certainty, not from the Mod Panel

Bryn Mawr;1368476 wrote: All I can say is, with a fair amount of certainty, not from the Mod Panel


A mod can get an IP address so Is there any way that person can get an adress any where from an IP address Bryn?

Please excuse my Ignorance on these matters only I have never felt the desire to check out other members houses here although I did make two exceptions.

The first was qsducks who gave me permission to google earth her house. It was a beautiful house.

The second was when a member known as Nomad, Irritated me on facebook so much i threatened to track him down. Unfortunately, my search ended at a shack somewhere In Minnesotta. Apparently, according to Nomad, my search was unsuccessful due to him wearing his tin hat at the time,

Oscar youv'e described your backyard before ...Papers have told us where about you live.. ... A quick search (i can get my boys to do it ) i could have your street in no time at all. Then you have blogs that have your name in them ... voting rolls, council rolls and meetings notes .........it's a just a simple jigsaw puzzle. Easy peasy ...but the question is ...why would someone want to go out of their way to do it. You are one itty bitty person of this world, of no importance ...I couldn't give a toss where you reside just like you don't give a toss where I reside . But you could find me by the same means I've just put up . Well I just made it easier forpeeps in my last post because i discovered anyone could find me anyway .

fuzzywuzzy;1368480 wrote: Oscar youv'e described your backyard before ...Papers have told us where about you live.. ... A quick search (i can get my boys to do it ) i could have your street in no time at all. Then you have blogs that have your name in them ... voting rolls, council rolls and meetings notes .........it's a just a simple jigsaw puzzle. Easy peasy ...but the question is ...why would someone want to go out of their way to do it. You are one itty bitty person of this world, of no importance ...I couldn't give a toss where you reside just like you don't give a toss where I reside . But you could find me by the same means I've just put up . Well I just made it easier forpeeps in my last post because i discovered anyone could find me anyway .
As I have said all through this thread Fizz... I myself coudn't give a toss as your right there but...Is It right when another member who has never been In the papers, made links, described her back yard etc etc, have her address known by other forum members without her knowledge?

Think of the consequences... I could have got her address from that ex mod and gone down to her town, hiding In the bushes, peeping at her In her stockings and suspenders through the window late at night. I could even have set evil Foxes about her back yard. The possibilities are endless.

Actually, now I think of it.......... hmmmmmmmmmmmm

oscar;1368477 wrote: A mod can get an IP address so Is there any way that person can get an adress any where from an IP address Bryn?

Please excuse my Ignorance on these matters only I have never felt the desire to check out other members houses here although I did make two exceptions.

The first was qsducks who gave me permission to google earth her house. It was a beautiful house.

The second was when a member known as Nomad, Irritated me on facebook so much i threatened to track him down. Unfortunately, my search ended at a shack somewhere In Minnesotta. Apparently, according to Nomad, my search was unsuccessful due to him wearing his tin hat at the time,


No. Most mere mortals like us have dynamic IP addresses (when we connect to our ISP we are assigned an IP address from a pool owned by the ISP) and any search of the IP address ends at the ISP. Even for those of us who have reason to get a static IP address from our ISP, the ISP is still registered by the ISP at their address and not linked to a home address. It is only when big corporations buy a range of IP addresses that they may be registered to the corporate address.

MAC addresses can be different. Each computer has it's own MAC address by which it is known to the internet. When Google were driving the streets photographing everybodies home to activate the snoops charter, they "accidentally" recorded the MAC address of every computer with an active wireless link along with the address at which that computer was located. Don't get me wrong, they apologised very nicely when their "mistake" was pointed out to them but it is almost certain that the list still exists and "someone" can access it.

oscar;1368477 wrote: A mod can get an IP address so Is there any way that person can get an adress any where from an IP address Bryn?I dealt with that some posts back. It requires a court order to get a postal address from the service provider who leases the IP address to the end user.

Or police authority - they have their own government-issue lookup database.

Bryn Mawr;1368489 wrote: No. Most mere mortals like us have dynamic IP addresses (when we connect to our ISP we are assigned an IP address from a pool owned by the ISP) and any search of the IP address ends at the ISP. Even for those of us who have reason to get a static IP address from our ISP, the ISP is still registered by the ISP at their address and not linked to a home address. It is only when big corporations buy a range of IP addresses that they may be registered to the corporate address.

MAC addresses can be different. Each computer has it's own MAC address by which it is known to the internet. When Google were driving the streets photographing everybodies home to activate the snoops charter, they "accidentally" recorded the MAC address of every computer with an active wireless link along with the address at which that computer was located. Don't get me wrong, they apologised very nicely when their "mistake" was pointed out to them but it is almost certain that the list still exists and "someone" can access it. Thankyou Bryn ... Most helpful.

spot;1368490 wrote: I dealt with that some posts back. It requires a court order to get a postal address from the service provider who leases the IP address to the end user.

Or police authority - they have their own government-issue lookup database.


Sorry, must have missed your post.

I am aware the police can trace an IP address especially If a forum member Is using multiple accounts. In fact, they are able to do that rather quickly should they want the Information badly enough !!!