General Discussion

jeff47

(26,549 posts)

105. Take a picture with your cell phone and post it.

Thu Sep 10, 2015, 03:29 PM

Sep 2015

Inside the file is the GPS location where the photo was taken.

Ta-da! I have your address.

Next, we roll on over to that county's tax records web site, and look at who owns the property at that address.

And now I have your name.

That's one example, and there are millions of other variations. We constantly leak personal information onto the Internet. One only has to gather the little bits and pieces to figure out who someone "really" is.

In your case, you just need to accidentally drop a hint that leads me to your name, and I can find you here: http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/TaxCollections/PTS/Pages/PTS.aspx

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Simple question: Is it possible to identify someone [View all] NorthCarolina Sep 2015 OP

Yeah, I saw that too. PatrickforO Sep 2015 #1

Not unless you put personal info in your profile. hobbit709 Sep 2015 #2

Well, that depends on who it is. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2015 #3

Maybe not from the profile. NuclearDem Sep 2015 #4

posssibly this information was previously bbgrunt Sep 2015 #5

That's not a question susceptible of a single answer jberryhill Sep 2015 #6

So, short of intentionally identifying yourself in a post, NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #8

There's a lot of unintentional identifying information jberryhill Sep 2015 #12

I was already warned at work that these sites can get nasty Person 2713 Sep 2015 #82

Don't get too paranoid now nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #87

My rightwing teaparty stalkers found me because I stupidly posted a pic from randys1 Sep 2015 #128

In one of the threads, someone said that she had once posted a link from her FB page. cwydro Sep 2015 #7

That depends on how much information someone makes publicly available Spider Jerusalem Sep 2015 #9

I don't have a Facebook account NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #10

A few years ago, a poster (whom I won't name) was caused a great deal of trouble by members cwydro Sep 2015 #14

It's sad NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #19

I remember that episode dumbcat Sep 2015 #22

Precisely jberryhill Sep 2015 #24

One of many stories nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #46

It doesn't matter jberryhill Sep 2015 #18

Precisely malaise Sep 2015 #17

Not directly, unless you've put that information in your profile. MineralMan Sep 2015 #11

My first thought NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #13

The only people who have any more information are the admins MineralMan Sep 2015 #15

Still, when NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #16

I trust the administrators of this site. cwydro Sep 2015 #20

I don't know the administrators from Adam, NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #23

Nope. Not on DU. The admins here are extremely careful MineralMan Sep 2015 #21

This message was self-deleted by its author notadmblnd Sep 2015 #57

Anything posted on DU is also posted on Google. Downwinder Sep 2015 #25

That doesn't mean anything, unless of course someone uses their real name still_one Sep 2015 #77

Means you do not have to be a DU member. Downwinder Sep 2015 #86

To be technically correct, indexed nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #142

If your DU profile gives hints to your other online info, then sure Orrex Sep 2015 #26

I've had two posters on DU and one Discussionist reveal that they knew my identity Fumesucker Sep 2015 #27

In those instances then, NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #29

I'd disagree. Glassunion Sep 2015 #31

Why? NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #32

I have mentioned my high school reunion Downwinder Sep 2015 #36

First, it's a huge stretch to say that the Admins/Owners of DU are giving out user's personal Glassunion Sep 2015 #38

I didn't even imply NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #40

The folks with access to the pertinent info are the Admins/Owners. Glassunion Sep 2015 #44

Yes, that is true NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #45

So you're indeed saying that it is the Admins/Owners giving out this information? Glassunion Sep 2015 #53

No, I'm saying that I don't know how the info got out, NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #56

Which goes back to my first point. Glassunion Sep 2015 #63

I don't think it's even a DUer, Tipperary Sep 2015 #33

I'm not accusing anyone. NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #34

Everyone has access to the information in question. Decoy of Fenris Sep 2015 #35

I am curious as to why you think it Tipperary Sep 2015 #50

I indicated my reasoning in post #52. eom NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #54

If you have social media accounts, you can be found. Rex Sep 2015 #28

I'm not here everyday so I missed what happened. snagglepuss Sep 2015 #30

Here... NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #37

That letter reads like someone who wants to trash Bernie snagglepuss Sep 2015 #111

I've had DUers try to bully me into giving them my real name. HuckleB Sep 2015 #39

Any electronic emission can be traced to the source YabaDabaNoDinoNo Sep 2015 #41

Perhaps they NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #42

I do not condone what happened but folks need to stop putting themselves out there so much YabaDabaNoDinoNo Sep 2015 #65

And at times it is inversely proportional to age nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #68

I pointed out yesterday that it is ridiculously easy to find people online. nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #43

And don't use the same user name on all of your sites/blogs, etc. B2G Sep 2015 #51

Yup, unless you are running a paper nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #55

In addition to what has been posted in this thread about inadvertent disclosures csziggy Sep 2015 #47

She lists her real name on her blog B2G Sep 2015 #48

It took me two nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #49

OK, now that makes some sense. NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #52

Yup. Ms. Toad Sep 2015 #72

Her real name was in the URL of her photobucket act. that hosted the photo of the unsolicited letter Brother Buzz Sep 2015 #98

Yup. I have a separate photo hosting account, Ms. Toad Sep 2015 #108

until the postmarked envelope is posted here... grasswire Sep 2015 #58

Already been posted here and in a private forum. leftofcool Sep 2015 #60

a private forum? grasswire Sep 2015 #61

Nope leftofcool Sep 2015 #64

I think it was posted in the AA forum, cwydro Sep 2015 #89

Yes and yes. leftofcool Sep 2015 #96

Correct. All we have is a photo of an unsigned letter, and a claim by a poster that the letter Maedhros Sep 2015 #70

The postmark portion was posted on DU Gormy Cuss Sep 2015 #73

Because that doesn't actually mean anything mythology Sep 2015 #146

I was responding to a question about the postmark Gormy Cuss Sep 2015 #162

It was and now the PI and the FBI are involved nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #75

Whoever wrote that letter is clearly very stupid. Zorra Sep 2015 #122

As dirty as postal facilities are nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #124

The fingerprints would be on the letter, which would not have been exposed to Zorra Sep 2015 #129

We shall see what they find. Even sending this nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #133

Postmarks aren't given without return addresses on them, either. I'd like to see that, as well. ancianita Sep 2015 #101

All letters sent through the USPS will have a postmark, but cwydro Sep 2015 #110

My local post office people said the rule is that no posts can be marked without a return address. ancianita Sep 2015 #116

They told you wrong. cwydro Sep 2015 #119

I don't think so. Here's the online rule. ancianita Sep 2015 #121

I have sent mail without return addresses many times. cwydro Sep 2015 #123

The person put Bravenak's address as the return address gollygee Sep 2015 #158

Nope, as others have noted, it is all up to you. Ms. Toad Sep 2015 #59

"I use different handles for each group of social media" B2G Sep 2015 #62

If you care about being identified it is critical. Ms. Toad Sep 2015 #79

It's more possible than most think Gormy Cuss Sep 2015 #66

Sadly not the last nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #71

If, indeed, you are being threatened, your local police are interested. Stinky The Clown Sep 2015 #67

Don't overshare if you want anonymity online Cal Carpenter Sep 2015 #69

Some of us go read the fiction nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #74

At least two ways. If someone provides that information in their profile, or if someone is able to still_one Sep 2015 #76

I know where another DUer lives, I know where another DUer works... demmiblue Sep 2015 #78

Hey I have met real DU'ers for lunch in RL nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #80

That is not what I am talking about. n/t demmiblue Sep 2015 #81

I know, just pointing out that not all are nefarious nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #83

Is it beyond the pale to suggest that the user who Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #84

Authorities are already involved nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #88

I don't think it is either. cwydro Sep 2015 #90

Yup nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #93

I missed the Andy debacle. cwydro Sep 2015 #106

They will laugh right up until the cuffs go on nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #115

I hear what you're saying, and I think it's creepy as hell. cwydro Sep 2015 #118

I have been followed and threatened with a lot more nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #155

I have never seen and posts from "Mr. Citizen" or variants thereof. Maedhros Sep 2015 #147

Which would be another clue for you nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #148

Well, it's being presented as evidence of a cabal of alert stalkers Maedhros Sep 2015 #149

Let's be clear about this nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #150

I think I miscommunicated: Maedhros Sep 2015 #151

That is becuase Partisans are thinking of this only though that lens nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #153

Agreed.[n/t] Maedhros Sep 2015 #154

Yes Renew Deal Sep 2015 #95

Actually it can rise to a felony nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #97

It contains threats, how can that not be considered criminal? eom NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #100

The threat of being "alerted on" on a message board? dumbcat Sep 2015 #103

OK, NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #104

And yet you and others have called for the police and FBI dumbcat Sep 2015 #107

From the postal service nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #135

I read that too. What threat? dumbcat Sep 2015 #138

I will repeat what I said to you belllow nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #140

So again, you can't dumbcat Sep 2015 #143

I feel exactly the same way. hamsterjill Sep 2015 #112

This message was self-deleted by its author Zorra Sep 2015 #131

i wouldn't think they could on DU but on FB and the internet white pages it's possible. Autumn Sep 2015 #85

People who have a presence on the Internet Blue_In_AK Sep 2015 #91

There ways to do it if you've got enough technical expertise Renew Deal Sep 2015 #92

In bs case all that was needed was a simple google search nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #99

In this case if one links something to Facebook that's all it takes Recursion Sep 2015 #94

It's usually not that hard to locate the identity of an "anonymous" person on the internet. leveymg Sep 2015 #102

Take a picture with your cell phone and post it. jeff47 Sep 2015 #105

That's a sobering thought. NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #113

Specifically on the cell phone example, most phones let you disable jeff47 Sep 2015 #117

Thanks for the heads up. NorthCarolina Sep 2015 #120

Among others...your local PD nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #126

El Chapo's son accidentally discovered that last week Brother Buzz Sep 2015 #157

Maybe not through their DU profile... cbdo2007 Sep 2015 #109

Yes. You can accidentally give subtle clues over time. Oneironaut Sep 2015 #114

Depends on how many other places one uses the same User Name and how much identifying info is THERE. WinkyDink Sep 2015 #125

Could be dangerous HassleCat Sep 2015 #127

I think whoever did this really screwed up by using the USPS. stevenleser Sep 2015 #130

What federal crime? nt dumbcat Sep 2015 #132

18 US Code 876 to be specfic nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #134

I read that before. Which offense? dumbcat Sep 2015 #136

IF anybody decides to charge that would be up to the United States Attorney nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #137

So you can find nothing dumbcat Sep 2015 #139

I am not the United States Attorney for Alaska nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #141

And the actions and types of threats that are prohibited dumbcat Sep 2015 #144

Have fun chewing and gnawing on that bone nadinbrzezinski Sep 2015 #145

18 U.S. Code 2261A - Stalking stevenleser Sep 2015 #159

OK, you got me there dumbcat Sep 2015 #160

Just receiving that in the mail would be enough to cause most people substantial emotional distress stevenleser Sep 2015 #161

Anything is possible. mmonk Sep 2015 #152

I would expect that the FBI and other agencies..... grasswire Sep 2015 #156

The cavers know my real name... MrScorpio Sep 2015 #163