Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Privacy advice for new residents

So here recently I sat down and started work on a notecard with some privacy advice for new residents.  Mainly on keeping your private RL information away from prying eyes.  I don't name and names or call out any groups with it so nobody should be able to AR me for it.  Hopefully this weekend I'll make a dispenser for the notecard along with something to give out the dispenser itself for any residents who want to set one up on their own land.  Below is the notecard, let me know what you think.
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Privacy advice for new residents.

First off is a simple warning. There are people in Second Life who want your Real Life information. They will do anything they can to get it then use and distribute that info in any way they want. Now why some people don't have a problem with this other do. If you plan on getting involved, in any way, in the adult areas of Second Life than it is a good idea to keep your Real Life information to yourself at every turn.

So here are a few helpful tips on how you can protect your privacy in Second Life.

1 – Do not put anything in your profile you don't want others to know. Either keep your real info tab blank or put up a note that you don't share your Real Life information with anyone.

2 – Do not, under any circumstance, connect your Second Life name with your Real Life name outside of Second Life. Not on facebook, google +, Twitter, forums, anything. If you do a simple Google search can pull everything up for anybody that tries to look.

3 – Do not discuss your Real Life information in local chat. So if you find that special somebody and you have decided to share some details do it in Instant Messages to each other. There are to many devices that can listen into local chat from nearly any distance away. Some folks make quite a bit of money selling spying devices just for this.

4 – Do not drop clever little hints about your Real Life. No matter how smart you may think you are when you do this it's been proven over and over again that nobody is.

5 – Do not associate with any of the self appointed police or vigilante groups. Linden Labs does not support any of these types of groups, they completely act on their own. Some of them have been caught, multiple times, storing any information they can find on people and using it at their own discretion.

6 – If you want to share a certain level of Real Life info then set a limit and do not go over that. For example when somebody asks where you are from only tell them the country but nothing else.

7 – Finally the last bit of advice is to simply stay alert. Pay attention to the questions people ask you and how they react when you won't tell them answers. Also be sure to pass this notecard onto other new residents as you find your way through Second Life.

2 comments:

  1. I would also suggest a couple more things -

    1. Make sure that automatic acceptance of items is turned OFF.

    2. Turn automatic playing of media OFF. If you need to, you can start it from the control bar. This is one way they can collect information from you - if you have it turned on always.

    Just suggestions :)

    Marie

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    Replies
    1. Those are good suggestions Marie. Whenever I write an updated version I'll be sure to add those in. Thank you!

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