Larian Studios Forums General About this website Google search and privacy issue

Yesterday I entered my name as a joke into google. The query lead to the site "my home" of this forum. With my visible e-mail address, my visible name and other private dates.

I´m not paranoid and i don´t want to hide my data from other forum members, but I don´t want all people on the web to see my e-mail address.

Does anyone has an idea of how to avoid this situation without setting everything as hidden?

Try putting your phone number with area code in google. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

It might show a lot more about you.

Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

What do you mean by area code Kyra? When I put in my phone number google doesn´t find anything.

Then you are part of the 50% that is lucky; because, the other 50% who put their phone number in google it'll show their exact address where they live.

At least it does here in America. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />
If our phone number is listed in the telephone book.

Area code I guess is an American thing only.
We have our regular phone number and then there's another numbered code before that for the area we are in.

Example:
Regular phone number * 555-1212
Now add the area code * (555) 555-1212

That's how our phone numbers are listed here in America.

Take Care
Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for Information Kyra!

I´m a bit shocked about this... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

But back to topic, Lynn, Rat, whoever please respond. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

I feared that; yet I don't know any solution.

I fear that it's only a matter of time until , bots begin searching for that; the invasion of Forums through bots has already begun !

My personal counsel would be to never reaveal *anything* private in Forums - only on personal websites, if neccessary.

I made a search and google gives the forum profile of each of us.
You are not alone !
I don't think that there would be a solution except to delete your real name and your mail address in your profile.

In the forum we can use the PM and i think it is enough.
I give my name and mail address to the people only when it is needed.

Barta

according to some security sites I've looked at, most of the current bots can be thwarted fairly easily by, for instance, typing "AT" in your email address instead of using the "@", or by using unicode for the @ and the period (or for the entire address)... or using a bi-directional override, etc.

but if you're worried about a human, I don't know what the answer is.

Thankfully my name is quite common, hence I haven't been too scared at releasing it on the net. I even found myself on IMDb! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


Reverse-search phone directories are illegal in Australia with the exception of the police. I had one before they were illegal and it proved useful several times. I almost got caught out once though when I was invited over to someone's place and said "That's on Auburn Road, isn't it?" "Auburn Road, I haven't lived there in ages! <reminisces>" Bloody phone company not updating it's records...

We have area codes here too, one for each state (or one for two small states). They're an prefix you dial to get an interstate line.

as a matter of fact i think there is a solution, but it will be implying that user profiles and maybe that the threads can't be seen if you're not identified (i don't think rat would be willing to make something like that because it's really restrictive)...

I think you should be able to hide your email address - the profile has two entries,

Email Address (Not available to other users)
= the real one, needed for registration etc.

Email address displayed on posts
= you can remove this

Rat, that wasn´t exactely what I was asking for. There are many members who I definitely want to have access to my e-mail address. I just don´t want it open to the public on the web. It´s not that I ask you to change anything immediately, but I wanted to start a discussion in which you and others could come up with ideas concerning this issue.

Then given the options available, it looks like you're best simply giving it to those you want to give it to.

There is a bot configuration file that any well behaved webbot will look for before starting to crawl through a website. This file can specify not to search certain sections of a site, so presumably anything containing 'showprofile.php' in the URL could be excluded (I didn't check).

Google's Web Crawler FAQ

Sorry bernhard, I was confused for a moment.

To be honest though, not making your email public and then giving it to friends sounds more reasonable than making it public and thinking about a trick to subsequently hide it ?

Spider instructions work in theory, but it's a bit optimistic to rely on everybody out there respecting them. After all, the goal is all about finding some piece of information that the competition missed. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

No Problem Rat, you´re right. I think I will hide my e-mail address and give it to those here, who I want it to have.