Google

[terambulan]

My sister phoned to say all my questions are on Google ??

Fekin hell! Is their no privacy on here??? C'mon Ansaback I did not give permission for me to be on Google!

[dot.hawkes]

hey, when i google my name i get 15000 hits and they are all ab!!!

[terambulan]

wat is ab?

[terambulan]

how can you count 15000 that fast?

[dot.hawkes]

ab is answerbank and i didn;t need to count cos it tells u the hit number at the top of the screen. why did you not know that ab meant answerbank?

[Buenchico]

Google indexes all websites (or, at least, all that its system can find). It's possible for a webmaster to include HTML code which theoretically excludes their site from inclusion in the results of search engines but this is actually no more than a request not to be included. (i.e. a search engine can still include the website if the owners of the search engine don't respect the request).

Answerbank is a commercial site, which needs to make a profit. It's in the interests of the site owners to ensure that the site gets maximum publicity, so they obviously don't want posts excluded from search engine results.

Chris

[jno]

Privacy? On the internet? Excuse me?

[Rosetta]

Just checked it out myself. Is this not in violation of the Privacy rules?

[Buenchico]

Er, what privacy rules are you referring to, Rosetta?

[Ethel]

Does nobody except me read the terms and conditions before they sign up? They can be found by clicking the link at the bottom of this page, and state:

7. If you make any posting or contribution to The AnswerBank you hereby assign by way of future assignment any copyright in your posting to AnswerBank and you also waive any moral right in such posting or contribution.


So, you are giving AnswerBank the right to do with your post whatever they like.

[Rosetta]

Yeh, for sure. But some of the questions and answers in the other topics are deeply personal and should not be widely accessable, or should carry a warning that it might be viewed more widely than intended

[jno]

they are; that's what anonymous usernames are for.

[Buenchico]

Why on earth should anyone be worried about their privacy if they use a unique username (i.e. not one that they use on other sites) on the Answerbank?

People have been writing to magazines, with national circulations, under pseudonyms such as 'Worried of Brighton' for many years before the internet was invented. Such people would take care not to give out information which would reveal their true identities. The internet simply offers a far quicker (and more interactive) communication system than the 'agony aunts' could offer.

Chris

[Rosetta]

Not the point. Some of these questions are from distressed and/or anxious people who have a genuine worry. They are not aware that theier question can be available to anyone. Sorry but there is some social responsibility here.

[Ethel]

Rosetta - there may be 'personal' information posted here but if people use the site properly - the same way as they should use all sites - nobody should be able to be identified from their posts.

You have no idea who is using AnswerBank, or how many at any time, so it is irrelevant whether the posts are widely available elsewhere or not.

Although some people seem to have the impression they are in a private club amongst known friends only.

[Ethel]

People are responsible for themselves. Who do these 'distressed' people posting on here imagine they are communicating with?

Surely they know it is a random group of strangers - I can't believe they don't.

[Buenchico]

I'm also confused as to why Terambulan and Rosetta should think that someone who posts a personal question (or answer), to be read by total strangers who happen to use the Answerbank, should suddenly be alarmed if that question (or answer) is read by a total stranger who doesn't normally use this site. What's the difference?

Chris

[terambulan]

Hope you're not referring to me as being 'distressed' Ethel as am big enuf to take it. Am just surprised to get the publicity on Google. I probably did get here when Google couldn't answer my question.

Will AB keep my identity secret or can that be revealed somehow.

[Ethel]

Chris, I can only assume that Rosetta has been lulled into a false sense of 'family' by seeing the same names time and again on this site.

I am bemused and baffled.

[Ethel]

I wasn't referring to anybody in particular being distressed - simply referring to Rosetta's post about distressed people posting on this site.

No, AnswerBank are not allowed to pass your personal details on, except by a court order.

Of course, who knows if you use your proper details when you register?