How do you ensure your privacy online?
 

It seems a few years ago this was a big deal, but now noone seems to care about it.

Do you take steps to protect your privacy and if so (and you feel like sharing) what are they?

when I registrer on pages where I fear my privacy migth be compromised I use a fake name, fake address, spam mail acc and so on.

Yeah, it was a hot button a few years back. Seems to have faded, but even more important today than a few years ago.

I've always done the same thing for the decade or more online. Unless it's a site I MUST disclose information (ebay, paypal, sponsors, or those types of sites as an example) then I never use my real name, address, or even my main e-mail addy's.

I always use a fake name. I never fill out phone numbers, and if it's a requirement, I give them an old pager number. I give them a secondary e-mail address, never my home, or webmaster one because I know the spam will probably be coming. I make sure only to fill out the 'starred' or absolute requirement fields. Nothing more. I use a nearby town, not the one I live in. I give a birthdate in the same year, but not my own. Unless there is a good reason to disclose anything more than the basics, I do not fill those out.

Over the years, this has always kept me clear of the riff raff. All spam, and virus filled e-mails go to a secondary free account. If they are going to crash something, it will be them, not me. Most places you can use as secondary's have virus, and spam guards to catch most shams.

Quick story, back when I was with SBC, a woman had called and she was cussing me out. She had just gotten her phone service set up 2 weeks prior, and claims she did not give her number out to anyone, but was receiving all kinds of solictation calls, and so on. She was positive we had sold her non-published number. I asked her what she had been doing for the past two weeks since the move? She said she had been shopping for cars and stuff online. I asked her how she was filling out the forms on these websites, and if she was including all her information. She replied she filled them out fully, complete with all her information, including telephone numbers. Then her lightbulb went off, and she realized it was her own fucking fault.

I explained that unless you want people at these websites contacting you via e-mail, phone, and so on you should never fill those out. That's really the basic rule. Unless you WANT them to get ahold of you, do not give them the information. If you only want e-mail, give them an e-mail addy. If you want them calling you (and probably selling off their lists) then give them the number, and be prepared.

Unfortunately in today's world, information's power, and companies know this. As soon as they get a new guppy on the line who's provided telephone, e-mail, and alike, the calls and nussances start coming. You should treat online with this approach. I do the same in my personal life when Radio Shack, and Best Buy want my number. I refuse. There is no reason these people need my home number, and by the terms of the 'no-call list', if you give it to them, since you made a purchase, they can call you for up to 90 day after the fact.

:disgust