A Post For No Particular Reason . . .
This whole internet thing is really quite amazing.
Did you know, for example, that when you visit a website and drop nasty remarks in the comment section thinking that the moniker "Anonymous" protects you, you leave a record of your visit? That record includes a specific "address" for your computer. That internet address can then be plugged into various and sundry tools to match a physical address. That physical address can then be used to obtain a satellite view of your location, and a complete public records report about who the heck you are.
Which is why, I don't post nasty stuff on the web journals of people I've never met.
Cheers.
R. Sherman
Did you know, for example, that when you visit a website and drop nasty remarks in the comment section thinking that the moniker "Anonymous" protects you, you leave a record of your visit? That record includes a specific "address" for your computer. That internet address can then be plugged into various and sundry tools to match a physical address. That physical address can then be used to obtain a satellite view of your location, and a complete public records report about who the heck you are.
Which is why, I don't post nasty stuff on the web journals of people I've never met.
Cheers.
R. Sherman
Labels: Blogging
posted by R. Sherman at 4:53 AM
15 Comments:
I am somewhat of a cyber snoop but I never knew you could turn an IP address into a snail mail address without some sort of court order for the records from the internet provider.
Anonymous comments also tend to reveal psychological characteristics of the writer which can help pin things down as well.
I am always amazed at how quickly things can turn negative in the comment box.
Unfortunately, comment moderation has to be turned on for the many as a result of the actions a few.
Keep the Faith Randall!
Ed, there are mapping programs out there which can give you a couple of clues. I don't do it here, because I'm not a snoop either. I felt like I needed to in this case, to let my interlocutor know s/he is not really anonymous.
UP, indeed. I don't intend to let one person stop me, but I do intend to make sure s/he knows that I skip the comment flame wars and go to something a little more sophisticated.
Cheers.
That is kind of scary in a way---Though, I think it is a GOOD thing in a way, too....
BIG BROTHER IS HERE!!!
Remember 'Big Brother is watching you'? Well...Here we are.
Most security programmes have a feature to prevent just such. Some of them even toss you a bone. I'd be very careful indeedy believing anything that hasn't come with a cert from someone with far deeper pockets than you. You, if any know the potential dangers of getting something wrong.
Vince, it's certainly possible, but my confidence level for various reasons is close to 95% here. I wouldn't have bothered for a one-time visit troll. This person wants attention and keeps returning to the trough.
Cheers.
I am at loss to understand the continued attacks by your "troll." Why doesn't someone who disagrees with you simply disagree with you at least under SOME name.
I get most of web knowledge from the youngsters, but even I know that anyone can be tracked at least to their e-mail address. Ed is right, though, according to my nephew; you would need a court order to get a snail mail address.
However, if this person is harassing you, why don't you do that? Or perhaps "out" them on your website?
Dang, I didn't know you were taking my Mizzou ribbing so hard. I'll consider this post your cease and desist order.
TNS, I'm not interested in hurting someone. I just want them to stop coming here. I've always taken the position that disagreement with me is fine, as long as it's not personal. What I get is more than simple disagreement. It's personal attacks. I don't get mad . . . as others have learned to their detriment.
As for court orders, there are other things out there which track IP addresses to particular locations. It's pretty easy from there to determine a street address. Again, I hadn't paid any attention to this stuff until this particular troll turned up with his/her personal venom. Then I became curious. Then the troll became lazy. S/he told me to not mention "the troll" again, and s/he wouldn't comment again. I tried that. S/he couldn't stand it and kept throwing bombs.
This is last chance for him/her. I'm a merciful person. But mercy is a gift. It can be accepted or not.
EMAWKC, ten and zero so far, baby! I take back all my bad thoughts about Mike Alden and Frank Haith.
Cheers.
Bummer, Dude!
I'm an Old Hippie, Leftist, Not Christian, Agnostic, Bozo and can't really imagine what anybody would deem worthy of assault in your writing or in what you present yourself to be.
Hopefully this Troll will retire to their proper domicile underneath a bridge somewhere and let you have the peace to which I think everyone is entitled.
Thanks, Steve.
As an aside, you are the perfect example of what I wanted to do here, i.e. have respectful, good-natured discussions about stuff. If it were just disagreement, I'd say, "join the fray; the more the merrier."
But this stuff is personal and evinces some severe pathology, in my view.
Cheers.
Sherm........... I would tend to believe 'severe pathology' coming from you is still loaded with mercy. Hope your troll reforms. It's beyond me what anyone sees in degrading another individual .... you're a good man Sherm.
Yet another German student knocking Norwegian culture... what have you got against trolls?!
(Sincerely,
Anon y mouse)
;)
On my site meter when I click location I get something vague like 'Manchester' although I know very well (he's a cyber friend) that he doesn't live anywhere near Manchester. Much of the time I get 'unkOnown'.
So far I have been lucky with comments apart from being berated from shopping at Tesco's. But that was more a nutty comment than malicious.
I haven't had much problem with trolls, just spam. I have comment moderation turned on after a week, so old post don't get filled with spam. I wrote a post about a book titled "To the Field of Stars" about a pilgrimage in Spain, and get about 2 spam comments a day in Chinese! One a post about a Christian pilgrimage in Spain, no less. I just indicate their spam and delete, but they keep coming.
Post a Comment
<< Home