This is a repeat of my posting on brownstoner. I recently bought an apartment. Some time later, I found that Blockshopper posted a news story on its website that listed purchase price, my name, my picture, my education, address (including apartment number), a sattelite picture of my building, and my employment, company name included. Now, I am sure it is very uncomfortable for anyone to find... [more]
This is a repeat of my posting on brownstoner.
I recently bought an apartment. Some time later, I found that Blockshopper posted a news story on its website that listed purchase price, my name, my picture, my education, address (including apartment number), a sattelite picture of my building, and my employment, company name included. Now, I am sure it is very uncomfortable for anyone to find themselves the subject of such a news story. I am a woman in my twenties and feel that this is not only uncomfortable but is a safety concern. Blockshopper is essentially creating a database of women (pictures included) listing their address (apartment numbers and map/satellite picture of the home) and places of employment. As they expand their database, this is bound to become an issue and it will be just a matter of time until some nut, stalker, or simply a robber uses this information to search for potential victims.
I understand that this is all public information that is being combined in one place. But not all public information has the same level of accessibility. For example, before the internet, any marriage announcement in a newspaper would go to dust, public records were kept in the basement of a county building and so your picture and the description of what you and yours do combined with your address would be difficult to obtain, even if technically public. Imagine some crazy person from your past trying to find you under those circumstances. Even in the more modern internet age, most people from out of state would not know to go to ACRIS. The reason why women don't hand out their photographs and apartment numbers to any person who asks for it is the same reason why they feel uncomfortable having a website do it for them. If this is the new state of privacy or lack of it fine- but I think that it is worth public.
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Response by currenttime
almost 16 years ago
Posts: 64
Member since: Nov 2008
Of course, people may not want all this information in one place for any number of reasons. To finish my thought- it is worth public discussion.
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Response by inonada
almost 16 years ago
Posts: 7946
Member since: Oct 2008
Who cares about public discussion? There are thousands of pages out there proclaiming their sleazy behavior, and they seem to show little self-restraint in finding an acceptable medium in terms of privacy.
One possible route is to work the Google angle: e.g., get them to stop indexing BS. The problem there is that they don't want to be playing a higher authority than the U.S. Constitution and the laws that emanate from it, so they'd probably tell you to take it up with Uncle Sam, and they'd be happy to comply. I'm sure Google has already discussed the issue.
Your other option is the legal route. Take a look at the Jones Day case that they settled on because they didn't want to pay the court costs. Sue them in enough ways in enough places, refusing to settle and driving up costs, and they'll have a change of heart. Where do you get the money? Just scrape their website for names and addresses, send a letter. Where do you get the pro bono lawyers to scrape the listings for cases & prosecute? Put it in the letter. How do you keep them involved if they don't want to donate? Have them sign up to get info any time their page is updated. Hell, I bet you can start with Google employees if you want a good group to hit up first to get things rolling.
My point is discussing won't do much of anything. Committing yourself to the cause will.
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Response by kiz10014
almost 16 years ago
Posts: 357
Member since: Apr 2009
I'm not disagreeing with you but it seems like its just a conglomeration of info somebody could otherwise quickly assemble on you by doing a google search. If i google myself i can find pics, employers, and addresses from so long ago I forgot i ever lived there, as well as all known relatives names and addresses.
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Response by nyc10023
almost 16 years ago
Posts: 7614
Member since: Nov 2008
How long has the Internet been around? 15+ years? And this is news to you? Unless the pictures of you on the Internet are absolutely necessary, get them taken off. If you are a Biglawyer, this is a little bit more difficult. Get yourself off linkedin and pipl, etc. If there are bits and pieces of you mentioned in newsletters, etc. get them taken off too. Over time, cached copies should disappear. Nothing you can do
about your purchase price and address. That is public record. As is maps.google.com. Even prior to blockshopper, your stalker would already have gotten all this information pretty easily.
Also get yourself off genealogical websites. I've lost count of the number of people I know who have their entire family tree on the web.
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Response by nyc10023
almost 16 years ago
Posts: 7614
Member since: Nov 2008
Oh, and Intelius has been around for a long time. And when you sign up for any service which requires your birthdate, give 'em a fake one unless it's absolutely essential they have the correct birthdate.
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Of course, people may not want all this information in one place for any number of reasons. To finish my thought- it is worth public discussion.
Who cares about public discussion? There are thousands of pages out there proclaiming their sleazy behavior, and they seem to show little self-restraint in finding an acceptable medium in terms of privacy.
One possible route is to work the Google angle: e.g., get them to stop indexing BS. The problem there is that they don't want to be playing a higher authority than the U.S. Constitution and the laws that emanate from it, so they'd probably tell you to take it up with Uncle Sam, and they'd be happy to comply. I'm sure Google has already discussed the issue.
Your other option is the legal route. Take a look at the Jones Day case that they settled on because they didn't want to pay the court costs. Sue them in enough ways in enough places, refusing to settle and driving up costs, and they'll have a change of heart. Where do you get the money? Just scrape their website for names and addresses, send a letter. Where do you get the pro bono lawyers to scrape the listings for cases & prosecute? Put it in the letter. How do you keep them involved if they don't want to donate? Have them sign up to get info any time their page is updated. Hell, I bet you can start with Google employees if you want a good group to hit up first to get things rolling.
My point is discussing won't do much of anything. Committing yourself to the cause will.
I'm not disagreeing with you but it seems like its just a conglomeration of info somebody could otherwise quickly assemble on you by doing a google search. If i google myself i can find pics, employers, and addresses from so long ago I forgot i ever lived there, as well as all known relatives names and addresses.
How long has the Internet been around? 15+ years? And this is news to you? Unless the pictures of you on the Internet are absolutely necessary, get them taken off. If you are a Biglawyer, this is a little bit more difficult. Get yourself off linkedin and pipl, etc. If there are bits and pieces of you mentioned in newsletters, etc. get them taken off too. Over time, cached copies should disappear. Nothing you can do
about your purchase price and address. That is public record. As is maps.google.com. Even prior to blockshopper, your stalker would already have gotten all this information pretty easily.
Also get yourself off genealogical websites. I've lost count of the number of people I know who have their entire family tree on the web.
Oh, and Intelius has been around for a long time. And when you sign up for any service which requires your birthdate, give 'em a fake one unless it's absolutely essential they have the correct birthdate.