Just curious about the confidentiality of this forum. Last time I posed something (very personal) to another forum it was all over Facebook!

As said, the confidentiality is all up to you. You post no personal info.

I agree cookies is a problem. I see more and more a pop up saying cookies are being used and to continue on the site I must agree I saw the pop up. Cleaning out your History on a regular basis will cut down on cookies. Also, helps your computer run faster.

Yes, things posted here can end up all over the internet. I found this forum by Googling for information about caregiving.

.

Hi! I see that admin hasn't responded to this post. I think many of us are interested in the answer. My personal approach to the issue is, be careful what you write on the internet. Protect your privacy. Intentionally, or unintentionally, some people might do bad things with information.

Just be aware that you must actively seek ways to reduce your footprint on line otherwise cookies follow you like gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe, and too many of us are willing to shrug and go with the attitude that it's no big deal. Anyone can take the time to figure out how to increase security on all of your devices - beginner steps don't require any special skill set and might include deleting cookies routinely, denying 3rd party cookies, using search engines like duck duck go and more secure browsers like Firefox.

I think that it needs to be understood that FB is data gathering for a purpose, exploiting human need for sociality, and leveraging it. If you participate, expect that your data will find its way to sources that can also leverage it, even if it's just harassment calling.

I have never been and never will participate in something like FB. I prefer private relationships with personal friends and families.

Facebook had 1.6 billion users in 2021. Nothing is “all over” Facebook, unless it’s something huge worldwide, like 9/11.

I agree with FregFlyer that when we post ANYTHING online no matter where it is we are posting it out to the world. We can have little expectation of privacy. Has anyone ever noticed that you mention or do a search for anything, and ads regarding it appear in Facebook almost immediately. Today everything is connected.

AgingCare has a Facebook page and comments here are often reposted there, it's one of the ways they reach a wider audience and draw new people to the forum. Read the terms and conditions
https://www.agingcare.com/aboutus

I have found my Topics that I have posted here on AgingCare show up on a Google search.

I learned long time ago not to write anything that I wouldn't want seen on the front page of a newspaper, that could be read by my Mom and/or Grandmother.

Google your name. You will be surprised to see your name, address, telephone number, your age, and other previous addresses, and who have lived with you, be available to anyone. I had to chuckle, some such websites show that I live with my ex-husband, his wife, and their daughter.... THINK NOT.

Anytime anyone puts anything in writing, they are publishing it just as they would by putting it in the paper. Which means anyone can discuss anything here on or off fb, Instagram, next door, tiktok, other php derivative forums like this one. Once you publish something in public, it becomes public information.

I can only say that I have been on this forum for some years now, and have not had anything follow me to Facebook at all.
I am reporting my post to draw attention to Admins to answer this for you.

Actually, I can think of a good reason to copy/paste someone's post and put it on a Facebook group or somewhere where the words would HELP. Let's say OP that you wrote some profound post about your narcissistic mother and how you managed to find coping mechanisms to deal with the abuse you were being dealt. Now that might be something worthy of sharing, especially since your username is anonymous. Your words could easily help others in the same situation and have a trickle down effect. You wouldn't even have to be given credit for the words at all; just as 'someone who posted this on AgingCare' type of thing.

I love that we still have freedoms such as to post or not to post.
Celebrating the 4th of July in America has me sentimental, but thinking a minor change in the words to this song might suffice to explain the strangeness of these times:

I thank my lucky stars
To be living here today
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away
And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

Change?
I am proud to be an American
Where at least I once was free....

- make sure your profile name is NOT your actual name
- don't mention your LO's name
- don't post where your address or where you live unless it is relevent to an answer you seek
- don't reveal anything about yourself that you don't want commented on by other AG forum participants -- TMI is a thing

Someone could repost what you've written here on another forum but no one would know who you really are, so...no worries?

Your FB debacle was a result you not understanding how that forum works. I think this forum has rules and policies about the information posted here, so maybe investigate that on your own.

Have you read the terms & conditions of using this forum? Frankly speaking, there is no privacy, unless some might exist in PMs. However, in my experience, that isn't the case.

If you take the time to read the actual T&C, you might be surprised. Last time I read them, authority was granted to the forum management to use data posted here.

Try Googling some of the post titles (you'll have to retype them b/c they can't be copied, at least I haven't been able to.) You'll find that they're often listed at the beginning of a Google search.

And if you think FB protects privacy, you're very, very wrong.

Humans, what we say, write and do are the basis of some commodities. We're very "sellable".

If you want another example of this kind of exploitation, read the T&C of any health care site, especially if the doctors have hired a company to manage data uploaded by patients. I did some extensive research a few years ago and learned that a particular health care firm had hired to manage its uploaded patient profiles a firm which included people who were also involved in data management, "data silos", and marketing health care information. What do you think is done with that information?

I would NEVER post anything on any forum, on any site that I did not want the world to know. Once you hit "post" or "send" or "enter" it is out there forever.....
Personally I never post anything on this site that I would feel bad about seeing someplace else.
You can limit your personal information so that it is more difficult for someone to find out "who you are". **If there is any part of your username or any info in your profile that might be revealing change it. Give enough information to get questions answered. If more info is needed we might ask for it.
I am gobsmacked when I see someone post their name, their email address, the town and state they live in. It is so easy for someone to find out the "missing" information to glean the rest.
But keep in mind that anything you post could end up elsewhere. (that goes for this site as well as others.)

Ever since the invention of the computer and the Internet, nothing is 100% confidential anymore. With the advances in electronic technology, we all have lost the privacy we used to have. There is no escape.

I'm not sure what you are asking? I can copy/paste anything you post here and put it on Facebook. Nobody would know who you are based on an anonymous profile name, of course. And why I would want to do that is another question entirely.

"Confidentiality" on a public internet forum is as 'confidential' as your username. Which is why we don't use our real names here, and are expressly told not to do so.