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jjraak

Expert
Messages
8,073
Location
London.
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Just found myself tagging onto an arbitrary link on my phone..Dr unwin wonderful work on bbc news... Back on the top doctors list..hurrah

That led me to the dcuk forum.
Link was at top of page.. Log in our register.
I did neither
Where I found myself able to search ALL the forum for posts mentioning me.
Without logging in.
.

Is this level of transparency intended?
Most forums I have been on have had limited access to the forum unless you register and join.

While I have nothing to hide, add happy to tell the world I'm T2D of some of these posts and debate are occasionally deeply personal.

I would have not expected a visitor to have such wide ranging access.

If this is indeed the norm, then I think I will curtail some of the more personal side of my own posts, and remind others that they are to ALL intents and purposes in the public domain, and broadcasting to the entire internet.

Please advise if this is a glitch as the recent update has proven buggy, a few issues have arisen of late.

Regards.
 
This is something I have noticed too. Another similar forum (different content type) I belong to limits views before closing off access if not logged in.
 
Yes, the forum is completely open to view for all without registration.
As far as I know it has always been that way. The good thing about that is that it's useful to shy visitors as well as active members (I've been lurking for months before signing up).
To protect privacy, it's a good habit anywhere on the internet to not use your own picture (my picture is me, but I'm stubborn) and choose a user name that's not your own (again, Antje is my name and you'd probably be able to find lots of information about me using google - my choice).
Many members choose different usernames and avatars for this reason.

I guess almost all members have had a good look around on the forum before signing up, making it clear that it can be viewed without signing up.
 
I always knew it was viewable with out signing up.
I’m grateful for that fact. It saved my life. Literally!!
Before I signed up I read through all the stories of people who managed and thrived even with a type 2 diagnosis.
This forum helped me make a course of action to change my life.
I have seen it mentioned many times by moderators that what appears on here is accessible by anyone on the internet.
So it really shouldn’t be a surprise
 
The forum is viewable. . It is intended. Indeed, it is how many of our members find us

If you have concerns for your privacy or personal details you have posted, my advice would be to seriously consider your photographs as avatar images, and/your choice of user name.

You can change your avatar image in account settings, from your browser, or if you favour a user name change, I can do that for you, if you tag me, or any Mod.
 
I agree that I came across the forum the night I was diagnosed and read a little before I signed up and posted myself! If I hadn’t been able to, I may well have passed it by, so I’m thankful I could see straight away what it was all about.
For a long time I had a cartoon avatar but was ‘outed’ when I took part in an article in my local paper complete with my pictures, and posted it here on the forum. Since then I have had pre and post weight loss pics to help (I hope) to inspire new comers. My name isn’t Rachox though!
 
Basic 101 for forums is, no avatars, user names that are readily identifiable as your own, same applies to posting pix of your children, grandchildren etc.

As for personal info I keep it to a minimum so I am not readily identifiable as I have been doing this on many web forums since 1997.

I found some helpful info before I joined the forum here, and I hope it stays the same way.

Edit: typo
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jjraak said:
Is this level of transparency intended?
Most forums I have been on have had limited access to the forum unless you register and join.
Click to expand...
As I look at the forma page just under the names of the members logged in it shows 1,201 (members: 73, guests: 1,007).

That's 1007 guests, people in need of help looking for information, who have found a place of free flowing information discussion and support where; nothing is asked for in return.

That if very rare on the internet.
 
Not sure that was made clear at first registration

seems a rather an unsecured open world, compared to many others i have been on.

i would ask that it be made clearer.

while i will now be debating the information given out any future posts
(forgive me for noit knowing as i don't do facebook, etc.
can people do this with every forum ?

i do feel for those, of whose posts i have read
who were too terrified to tell work colleagues or friends and family even.

much to ponder.
 
jjraak said:
while i will now be debating the information given out any future posts
(forgive me for noit knowing as i don't do facebook, etc.
can people do this with every forum ?
Click to expand...

Facebook is notorious as being very very dangerous in terms of personal information. But in general, if you put it out on the internet, you should assume it isn't necessarily secure, even if it is on a forum that requires registration. Just don't write anything that you don't want the government (or a big corporation) to know, because the info is there for them to browse and the AI will be there for them to pick up mention of any activities they are interested in. The internet provides huge benefits (eg this forum helps a lot of diabetics), but that has its downsides. Personally I thinks the benefits outweigh the downsides, but I am slightly careful about what I post (eg personal details about my children).
 
and yet..it's all personal, isn't it.?

we open up about so many sides of us during our road back from this wretched illness.
i do realise the government etc might have need to spy or pry, but that the whole forum is open to anyone passing along...mmhh

i can see the merits, yet other forums seem to give a taster of whats on offer, without compromising the privacy of others posts so easily.
( surely blocking off the ability to search by someones user name, if your not registered, can't be something that detracts from the forum as a whole ?..)

Lesson learned, shame really.
the being honest part was what i actually liked the most.

ho hum..on with the day.
 
jjraak said:
can people do this with every forum ?
Click to expand...

Diabetes uk’s forum can be read without signing up, I just tried, then I randomly typed arthritis forum into Google and fell on a forum that is equally open to non members, seems it is common for forums to be open to non members. As I said above I may have passed this forum by if I hadn’t been able to read it straight away and decide it’s what I required.
 
It was precisely because the forum is open to all and anyone, that I found the solution to my diabetic condition.
 
jjraak said:
Not sure that was made clear at first registration

seems a rather an unsecured open world, compared to many others i have been on.

i would ask that it be made clearer.

.
Click to expand...

Every forum that ive been on has been public only seen a couple that has private parts.... usally they are wide open.
Personal choice really what you put in public view.... choose wisely.
 
Cobia said:
Every forum that ive been on has been pubic only seen a couple that has private parts.... usally they are wide open.
Personal choice really what you put in public view.... choose wisely.
Click to expand...
Yes. Some forums are open but have private sections not viewable to the public.
 
I always knew that all posts were visible without the need to sign up and this didn't bother me.

What I didn't know was that DCUK shows selected posts from here on their Facebook site. I have always objected to this procedure as I hate Facebook and the Facebook mentality, but it's all done to drum up trade (sorry, of course I meant raise awareness and help others )so our feelings aren't taken into account. It's all done 'for the greater good' and the fact that we don't want our posts to be on Facebook is irrelevant. I can't find the original thread that discussed this, but here's a later one.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/updates-to-terms-and-conditions.142045/#post-1751431
 
There is a message at the top of pages - in a rotating gallery - that reminds members of this. There are also sticky threads discussing forum safety which explain it.
 
Diakat said:
There is a message at the top of pages - in a rotating gallery - that reminds members of this. There are also sticky threads discussing forum safety which explain it.
Click to expand...
Maybe that should be changed to 'Posts can be seen by the public both here and on Facebook'? I would never have joined if that message had been displayed.
 
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