ID on Internet Forums- How Safe?

[psycho1]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I just saw a TV clip on the safety of one's identity posting on Internet forums like SDN. The piece mentioned that programs are coming out that allow tracing of posters. I guess that every computer has some address (IP) that can be used to locate a poster. There are suppose to be laws preventing Internet service Providers from releasing these addresses but I wonder how secure that is. Even more concerning is that many of the posters on the SDN are students, residents, and physicians at hospitals and major health providers. I would imagine that these powerful entities could get around this. If a poster makes a opinion that a major hospital doesn't agree with how hard is it for them to find out IPs and other information about forum members? Since this is considered an anonymous forum how able are the moderators of SDN able to locate and identify members? If this piece is accurate throw freedom of speech out the door especially on the web.

 

[HCE]

I just saw a TV clip on the safety of one's identity posting on Internet forums like SDN. The piece mentioned that programs are coming out that allow tracing of posters. I guess that every computer has some address (IP) that can be used to locate a poster. There are suppose to be laws preventing Internet service Providers from releasing these addresses but I wonder how secure that is. Even more concerning is that many of the posters on the SDN are students, residents, and physicians at hospitals and major health providers. I would imagine that these powerful entities could get around this. If a poster makes a opinion that a major hospital doesn't agree with how hard is it for them to find out IPs and other information about forum members? Since this is considered an anonymous forum how able are the moderators of SDN able to locate and identify members? If this piece is accurate throw freedom of speech out the door especially on the web.

I've always proceded on this and other forums under the assumption that someone somewhere can trace me. I think that is the safest approach...I believe our freedom of speech, like other freedoms, are freedoms from government action rather than private action...thus SDN is within its rights to limit or suspend membership to the forum based on conversation content, but the government can't pass a law limiting the political content. Now, if someone would just explain this idea to the current administration...

 

[TysonCook]

Nobody will ever know that I'm TysonCook 🙂
To each their own...
I guess that if you have the ball$ to say it on a forum, you should have the integrity to back it up in real life.
Just my $0.02
(that doesn't mean don't use a handle, just I personally don't believe in one)