This is just a quick post about safety on the internet. Though these forums are a really great place to be connected, talk about what's going on for you, and get the support that you need, you've also got to be careful about what information you provide on the internet.
The majority of these forums are public forums, and therefore you have to consider the personal information you are posting can be viewed by everyone on the internet.
As such, it's a great idea not to share personal details on either the forums / chat / private messages. This includes avoid sharing your;
E-mail addresses, including msn addresses.
Your full name, phone number, details about your specific location.
What school/college you attend.
Images of yourself [try not to include images of others, unless you have their permission]
Any other information that could be used by people at your detriment.
The moderators here at RYL have a lot of systems [and a strange amount of time] to invest into keeping our members safe, and that is what we are working towards with this post.
While we can make sure banned members remained banned, and troublesome members are kept away, there is only so much we can do to personally protect you. That's why we ask you think before you post, especially on the public forums.
Of course, we're not saying you shouldn't make friends here, we like friends :) but we are saying you should be wary of the internet and that you don't always 'know' who people are. There are by far more genuine people and friends here than there are people you need to avoid, but it is worth making sure you can keep yourself safe.
Also remember, that if someone has added you onto msn and is behaving in a manner you don't like, or that makes you feel uncomfortable, by being rude or inappropriate, block them. If the matter is serious you can contact the moderators here, and if you're doing so it's great to have copies of the log. [Remember, though, that we do not control of everything. However you can report such instances to an online agency, and we can help out with that.]
Of course, if you have any questions / comments / concerns about any of this, please get in contact with a moderator either by contacting them directly (See staff listing), or emailing the team at moderator@recoveryourlife.com.
Thanks for posting that Aimee, I think it's something we should all be aware of. RYL might give you opportunity to display your e-mail address and other such info, but it doesn't mean you have to do it :)
I can't understand people who keep their bebo/myspace profile's public either :/ Madness. Future employers can access that info!
Really though, isn't it all just using a bit of common sense and not being an idiot and sharing more than you'd like people to know?
Then again, some people do need reminders to use their brains.
Fi, to be fair I think you'd be surprised :P Even things like photos of you in your school uniform...it doesn't take much to google what school you're at and find where abouts you live. People really aren't careful enough I don't think anyway.
Really though, isn't it all just using a bit of common sense and not being an idiot and sharing more than you'd like people to know?
Then again, some people do need reminders to use their brains.
That was a bit harsh. This isn't meant to be patronising. Some people are very naive and don't think of these things. It's a failing of the young for the most part, and given that this site has alot of young girls then I feel reminders like this are completly needed.
I think even the grown-ups still need reminding sometimes to be careful :)
Thank yoooouu Aimee and all the other moddys :) xx
My RYL Family: xXx_Dying2BePerfect_xXx is my adoptive mum. CrimsonTears and Field Of Paper Flowers are my big sisters; Void_Walker is my big brother, poison is my little brother, Cakey is my aunt, ickle-baybee-stacey and miss understud are my daughters.
.....I'm smiling like there is nothing wrong. I'm talking like everything's perfect. I'm acting like it's all just a dream. And pretending he's not hurting me....
Really though, isn't it all just using a bit of common sense and not being an idiot and sharing more than you'd like people to know?
Then again, some people do need reminders to use their brains.
You don't like these? You take the responsibility if something bad happens.
Although it may be common sense for most people, it doesn't hurt to have a reminder every once in a while. The majority of RYL is safe; but that doesn't mean that all of it is. It's easy to forget that, especially when you find somewhere that you can finally talk about your problems that you've been bottling up, or find friends that you can relate to. People can so easily fall into a trap; if you meet a group of people from the internet and it's okay, where's the harm with meeting one person on their own, or a small group?
Things can escalate. And people can forget; it's not always lack of common sense, it can be the comfort and trust that comes with finding somewhere like this, a sort-of perverted transferrence, like when people comment on finding their therapist attractive.
RYL is a place of trust. That doesn't mean that everybody is trustworthy, and sometimes it's just positive for that to be reinforced.
There are some newer members on here, too, who perhaps aren't as forum-wise as some older people.
Just because it doesn't relate to you, doesn't mean that nobody will find it at all useful.
Em, I thought of the same thing myself (about the profiles) but I think that's a bit different to posting it on the forum. The main thing I was trying to pick up on was the information on a forum is public, and therefore anyone can read it. Information in a profile is less-public, and you've got to be a member to read them.
And yeah, people can join and read profiles and at that point it comes down to what you feel comfortable putting in your profile, and what you don't. I've personally only got my LJ / Myspace because I can monitor who I add, but my e-mail address has been left off.
I see your concern though :]
Fi, if you don't like them then don't read them. It's relatively obvious from the title it's going to be a post about internet safety, patronising as you think it may be, it is still important, and other members may need these reminders. There are reasons these posts are made and it's not just because I've got wonderful free time on my hands.
Do you, Maja? It was prompted by something that happened on another forum. For our members safety, we thought we would follow it up with the Internet Safety Advice here.
It was, afterall, time we had one of these posts anyway as I don't think there are any on the forum.
"Be nice. Think happy thoughts. Champion silver linings. Love all things (not just cute things like babies and kittens) & when you do love - love like they do in power ballads (you know like on a cliff with the wind in your hair and your eyes shut, knowing you'll never know love like this). Watch out for dog poo. Smile at people - even grumpy ones. Remember anything is possible & whatever you do always try to look on the bright side."
Thanks for the reminder. Id also like to say that i think that if it wasnt for the moderators posting these reminders like the one that was created not long ago in the first aid sections, it was about reminding us that we are not aloud to post amounts. If they hadnt of posted that then there could well be loads of tipsharing going on now and people would have forgotten that your not allowed to post amounts. So i think its good to have these reminders. :) I also think its very important to have these reminders now and then.
A difference with e-mails and MySpace links in profiles is that they don't show up in Google searches. It's amazing how much info you can dredge up using emails and IM names. I'm sure people that appreciate the wisdom behind having some limited access areas that limit viewing and Google, also appreciate the wisdom of not posting their emails/IM names in the public forums to be cached for months. I know the other day I saw a kid post contact info in public forum to a person with one post. Considering that info would be recorded, that the person getting info was unknown, and that anyone reading could have intercepted info and pretended to be new person - it makes sense to remind against posting private info in public places. Some kids are new or caught up in the support thing and forget they aren't in private space. Plus, members aside, its good for owners to have protocols in place that protect themselves and to demonstrate there is security awareness here and we aren't just a bunch of giddy tomatoes knocking around willy-nilly.
I would add to original post that people are best off using one email addy and username etc for a forum like this in case your worried about people following you here and perhaps getting privy bits.
