privacy

gingersnaps

 I have been reading on this forum but learned very early that things we post can end up on Google and can be researched on the internet. Is there any way to guard against this?   I would like the interact more but for this reason I don't.

CSNSupportTeam

Hi gingersnaps,

While it is possible to remove content posted by constituents to the Cancer Survivor's Network, the Society is not able to change what Google tags and includes on their searches. Whatever information has been tagged by Google will remain on the search engine and display as a match. However, if someone clicks on the link to content removed from CSN, the content will not appear.

The Society does not have influence over Google. You can try contacting Google directly and asking them to remove what they tagged, but we are not sure if they will comply.

These discussion boards are public forums, not private. The following message is posted on the discussion boards page:

"Please remember that these discussion boards are a public forum, which means open to the public (i.e. non-CSN members) and the content can be found via internet search engines. Members are strongly advised not to share personal identifiers such as real names, email address, telephone, street address, etc. can be used to identify you and link you to the content you provide. Other areas of CSN are restricted to members only and cannot be found by search engines."

Kim
CSN Support Team

APny

CSN Support Team said:

Hi gingersnaps,

While it is possible to remove content posted by constituents to the Cancer Survivor's Network, the Society is not able to change what Google tags and includes on their searches. Whatever information has been tagged by Google will remain on the search engine and display as a match. However, if someone clicks on the link to content removed from CSN, the content will not appear.

The Society does not have influence over Google. You can try contacting Google directly and asking them to remove what they tagged, but we are not sure if they will comply.

These discussion boards are public forums, not private. The following message is posted on the discussion boards page:

"Please remember that these discussion boards are a public forum, which means open to the public (i.e. non-CSN members) and the content can be found via internet search engines. Members are strongly advised not to share personal identifiers such as real names, email address, telephone, street address, etc. can be used to identify you and link you to the content you provide. Other areas of CSN are restricted to members only and cannot be found by search engines."

Kim
CSN Support Team

As long as you're using a

As long as you're using a screen name no one in RL is going to know that the post by Gingersnaps pulled up on Google is you. Even if you used your real first name, there are a lot of Ellens, Margarets, and Teds out there so I wouldn't worry. If you're really concerned with privacy then do not reveal any personal identifiers, including photos. Otherwise I would say post away. No one should be able to connect Gingersnaps wtih your real name if it should show up in Google or other search engines.

gingersnaps

APny said:

As long as you're using a

As long as you're using a screen name no one in RL is going to know that the post by Gingersnaps pulled up on Google is you. Even if you used your real first name, there are a lot of Ellens, Margarets, and Teds out there so I wouldn't worry. If you're really concerned with privacy then do not reveal any personal identifiers, including photos. Otherwise I would say post away. No one should be able to connect Gingersnaps wtih your real name if it should show up in Google or other search engines.

posts

  Just wondered what makes them choose certain posts. When I research chromophobe,my posts come up.

a_oaklee

gingersnaps said:

posts

  Just wondered what makes them choose certain posts. When I research chromophobe,my posts come up.

I used to be concerned with

I used to be concerned with it too, but have since relaxed.  I am careful.  I have my reasons for being private.  You can private message someone and that will not be in the public domain.  In another thread someone pointed out that you should not use the same name of gingersnap for other sites online.  People often keep the same familiar name.

sblairc

a_oaklee said:

I used to be concerned with

I used to be concerned with it too, but have since relaxed.  I am careful.  I have my reasons for being private.  You can private message someone and that will not be in the public domain.  In another thread someone pointed out that you should not use the same name of gingersnap for other sites online.  People often keep the same familiar name.

Good point.

About using the same name. Never thought about that before. 

APny

sblairc said:

Good point.

About using the same name. Never thought about that before. 

"Just wondered what makes

"Just wondered what makes them choose certain posts. When I research chromophobe,my posts come up"

Google typically posts the most relevant info when someone searches. But even if I searched for chromophobe and your post popped up, I wouldn't have any idea who Gingersnaps is in real life. Just like when I googled my cancer last year this board came up. But I've no idea who most people are. Of course if I happened to recognize someone from their photo that's different.

gingersnaps

APny said:

"Just wondered what makes

"Just wondered what makes them choose certain posts. When I research chromophobe,my posts come up"

Google typically posts the most relevant info when someone searches. But even if I searched for chromophobe and your post popped up, I wouldn't have any idea who Gingersnaps is in real life. Just like when I googled my cancer last year this board came up. But I've no idea who most people are. Of course if I happened to recognize someone from their photo that's different.

My situation is a little

My situation is a little different because I was not the person who was diagnosed with chromophobe. I am just a mother whos life was changed forever.

APny

gingersnaps said:

My situation is a little

My situation is a little different because I was not the person who was diagnosed with chromophobe. I am just a mother whos life was changed forever.

It really doesn't matter

It really doesn't matter whether you wrote about you or your child. As long as you didn't post any identifying info such as your or your child's name, there's still no way to connect you in RL to Gingersnaps. And honestly, only someone in the same situation would bother searching for cancer info so chances are very good that random people you know in RL would not find you here. Until I got cancer I didn't search for it online and never even knew this forum existed.