YWN Coffee Room

YWN Coffee Room » Litoeles H'rabim!

1. Jothar
   F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

   In the world of online anonymity, it's very easy for someone to hide behind a screen name, asking innocent questions in an attempt to elicit personal information. Unfortunately, this has happened here in the CR, no need to mention names. So I ask that
   1. Any thread which looks like it is for squeezing personal info out of unsuspecting users be immediately reported to the mods
   2. Any users acting in suspicious ways indicating this type of behavior be immediately reported to the mods.

   I'm not a mod...I guess I'm the inaugural member of the CR Shomrim.

   Posted 6 months ago #

2. golden mom
   Member

   i have noticed ur very into this

   Posted 6 months ago #

3. ZeesKite
   Because Mommy Said So

   I really don't know what this hype is all about. Iv'e not really followed the other threads where I saw you've voiced (stated) your concerns entirely, but I couldn't see anything amiss. I did not note one instance of one asking private info of another. Maybe you could point it out.

   Posted 6 months ago #

4. always runs with scissors fast
   irons with spray starch

   maybe jothar is paranoid.

   Posted 6 months ago #

5. kapusta
   CR Queen - “Best of luck. Avoid roasted cabbage, don’t eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life!”

   ZK, some posters ask questions (maybe a sidetrack of something that was mentioned, or maybe to "understand the question better") and a little here, a little there, and info gets out.

   Ex: "Poster" says they're making a Simcha and are looking for information about a certain hall. Someone else answers and says they had a certain problem with a hall, and to be aware. A third person than asks for more details of the problem. While its not so private, it may be enough information to be figured out. Sometimes it's harmless, other times c'v...

   Another example: Someone mentions having a hard time with a relative/co-worker etc and they ask how to handle it. To "understand the question," someone will ask for more examples.

   Its always good to be aware. Jothar, congrats on your starting a CR shomrim.

   Mods, can this thread get "sticky"ed?

   *kapusta*

   Posted 6 months ago #

6. yentingyenta
   Member

   just FYI, not all stalkers are posters. there are CR readers who do just that-they read without posting. and they know as much info as posters do. please be careful with what you post. its is possible to be found out and busted by one of these silent readers. I know because it happened to me not once but two times in about the span of a couple of days because of a comment i made. i learned my lesson the hard way. i wish we had the CR shomrim before this. THANX jothar for this public service.

   Posted 6 months ago #

7. Jothar
   F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

   There are people here who have had bad experiences based on personal info gleaned here. So this isn't a chumra but a real reaction to ACTUAL info stealing and social engineering that has been done. I'm not naming names or blaming anyone, but the mods are aware of this behavior. I'm just adding an extra layer of vigilance. the CR is my community, and I'm adding a level of shemira. I fully expect to be attacked by those who want the personal info data flow to continue. Such is the expectation of those who wear the CR Shomrim badge.

   Posted 6 months ago #

8. ZeesKite
   Because Mommy Said So

   And, may I ask, what's so "Chas V'Sholom" of being figured out. I think a lot of people know me in real life (they have to live with it - OK, maybe I'm not a total 'ZeesKite'). Uncomfortable, against the rules, but please explain what's so dangerous! Everyone is so paranoid!

   Posted 6 months ago #

9. midwesterner
   Member

   Jothar must not come frmo CH. Otherwise he would not have used Shmira and Shomrim in the same paragraph.

   Posted 6 months ago #

10. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    People may post things here under the cover of anonymity that may hurt their marriage, employment, etc if it was ever connected to them. People have gotten hurt here in the past when the CR was hacked and private info revealed. It's not paranoia- it's safety.

    Posted 6 months ago #

11. charlie brown
    Member

    shkoyach Jothar for this thread, I'd like to join the CR shomrim.

    For those that don't understand the dangers, please read the following thread:
    http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/where-do-you-come-in-in-ur-family

    And as was correctly pointed out by mod72 in that thread and by yentingyenta above, its not just posters that can use this personal info but lurkers as well.

    Posted 6 months ago #

12. BTGuy
    Member

    Jothar; show us your badge. It seems by your own declaration you are going to be scrutinizing every post instead of just socializing. That, in and of itself, is a good way to glean information. "Dont follow leaders and watch your parking meters..." lol

    Posted 6 months ago #

13. charlie brown
    Member

    he can't show you his badge because it has his name and serial number on it. It would be kinda hypocritical if he were to post that personal info here.

    but seriously, it doesn't take much scrutinizing to see personal info being pried out of unsuspecting people, or to see people splilling the beans on their own.

    Posted 6 months ago #

14. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    charlie brown, welcome to the shomrim!

    BTguy, I don't have time to scrutinize every post. I am happy that Charlie has joined the shomrim, and I'm open to as many volunteers as possible, looking at posts for attempts at info stealing, and alerting the mods, who are overloaded with responsibilities and can't do this without volunteers. Feel free to be shomer the shomrim. As the gemara says, despite a chezkas kashrus, the rule by everyone is kabdeihu vechashdeihu- honor him and suspect him.

    It wasn't that long ago that one poster posted up someone's actual name in the CR. We can and we must stop this kind of behavior if we want to keep our virtual community safe.

    Posted 6 months ago #

15. popa_bar_abba
    Incorrigible; semi-retarded; eccentric; perhaps a woman; not Mod 80. Sometimes a bit over the top.

    ZeesKite
    Because Mommy Said So

    I really don't know what this hype is all about. Iv'e not really followed the other threads where I saw you've voiced (stated) your concerns entirely, but I couldn't see anything amiss. I did not note one instance of one asking private info of another. Maybe you could point it out.

    Zeeskite: We have already wondered whether you were a Joseph manifestation yourself. The mods didn't thinks so, and I apologize if you aren't.
    But why do you insist on making us think so?

    Posted 6 months ago #

16. ZeesKite
    Because Mommy Said So

    Maybe you should post on the 'Ashrei Adam Mifakeid Tamid?' post.

    Posted 6 months ago #

17. The Goq
    Founder and president of the CR welcome wagon!

    Oh theres a Coffee Room Shomrim now? good maybe they can keep on eye on the cr sikrikim

    Posted 6 months ago #

18. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    correct, because I am the commander of the CR shomrim. Zeeskite, why are you so upset with unfortunately necessary safety precautions? Aren't you happy with a safer community?

    Posted 6 months ago #

19. popa_bar_abba
    Incorrigible; semi-retarded; eccentric; perhaps a woman; not Mod 80. Sometimes a bit over the top.

    Because zeeskite is joseph

    Posted 6 months ago #

20. Moderator-80
    Member

    lay off zeeskite
    i know him well
    and for a 32 year old dental hygienist in baltimore i find him to be quite reliable, except for that illegal drug incident last year, which i will NOT reveal the details of. just because the police thought that 2346 west delancy street was the correct address, could be they made a mistake.

    Posted 6 months ago #

21. charlie brown
    Member

    80,
    LOL

    Posted 6 months ago #

22. BTGuy
    Member

    Jothar, no, you don't have to scrutinize every post. I did not mean the literally, but it's always good to know another Big Brother is watching. If you do find something suspicious I am not sure how you will be able to respond any better than someone needing, c"vs, to report something to their state police internet crimes bureau. Also, you have to be careful before sounding an alarm and naming someone, even if you have a strong hunch they are up to no good. A poster merely giving detailed information, or someone asking for information because they live in the same area, may still not be enough for you to respond. And, how would you respond??

    Posted 6 months ago #

23. ZeesKite
    Because Mommy Said So

    Make that 2346b.

    Posted 6 months ago #

24. Moderator-80
    Member

    hey zees
    how are ya?

    i know
    i deliberately gave the wrong address
    i didnt want anyone to be able to find those old federal reserve notes you buried in your back yard , you know the ones next to the elm tree on the south west side

    Posted 6 months ago #

25. observanteen
    trying to shteig in midos

    Since the mods seem to agree, I'd like to make a small suggestion. When a new member logs in, it says, Ocupation, interests, state etc. then it says "required". In my innocence, I thought that indeed, they were "required". So I filled in some of the info. I'm not sure how many posters got to see it, but after I realized that everyone has access to that info, I simply deleted it - which I thought wasn't an option! So I suggest, mods, that you remove the word "required" or better yet everything.
    Thank you, and Good Shabbos.

    Posted 6 months ago #

26. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    I'm not working with the cops- just with the mods. I'll let them decide when something is police-worthy. I'm merely helping the mods enforce an existing TOS rule, leaving them to focus on other areas.

    Posted 6 months ago #

27. Moderator-80
    Member

    i agree with you observ
    the mods have no control over that

    Posted 6 months ago #

28. ZeesKite
    Because Mommy Said So

    Hey.. Put it back. Mine to. I need to cheer up (just a bit). 80 where are you?

    Posted 6 months ago #

29. adorable
    Thin people are beautiful but fat people are adorable...Jackie Gleason

    I think I'm out of here....u are all right and you scared me!

    Posted 6 months ago #

30. 2scents
    Mint and Raspberry

    can I join the Shomrim?

    will I be allowed to have sirens in my car??

    Posted 6 months ago #

31. always runs with scissors fast
    irons with spray starch

    Kapusta how does a thread get "Stick-yed?"

    Posted 6 months ago #

32. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    only mods are allowed to have sirens, batons, and badges for now. Our liasons are working with them to resolve this.

    Posted 6 months ago #

33. Moderator-80
    Member

    i fixed the profile
    youll have to tell me exactly where that post is in order for me to do anything

    Posted 6 months ago #

34. ZeesKite
    Because Mommy Said So

    popa_bar_abba: I don't think I'm one. Mods can attest to that!
    And yes apology accepted.

    Posted 6 months ago #

35. kapusta
    CR Queen - “Best of luck. Avoid roasted cabbage, don’t eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life!”

    Kapusta how does a thread get "Stick-yed?"

    The mods can "sticky" a thread.

    *kapusta*

    Posted 6 months ago #

36. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    CR Shomrim isopen to everyone- just keep an eye out for attempt to illicitly elicit info and let the mods know via post or email. No need to know the difference between "illicit" and "elicit".

    Posted 6 months ago #

37. achosid
    Member

    Jothar, you wrote:

    "I'll let them decide when something is police-worthy."

    What does that mean?

    It already is. And it's being dealt with on a legal level. Think about it for a minute. If someone broke into your store in the dead of night, and secretly hung around there for ages doing all types of damage, stalking people, threatening people, blackmailing people etc, you would have them arrested too.

    Posted 6 months ago #

38. Health
    Member

    Yenta -"I know because it happened to me not once but two times in about the span of a couple of days because of a comment i made."

    What exactly happenned? Obviously don't give any private info, but share with us what occurred -so we can protect ourselves.

    Posted 6 months ago #

39. BTGuy
    Member

    Jothar! You have to be putting us on.

    Here is the danger in what you are doing by setting yourself up to be a look out, even though you are unsure of many things and have no power to do anything but run around saying the sky is falling:

    If two people are talking and they seem to share a common location or know of a nice restaurant in the same area and one asks if they know where so and so pizza shop is, etc., YOU come running in with your badge and boots clopping on the floor and point and say you are stopping a crime in progress.

    Well, what exactly is that crime? Also, you should realize you are merely guessing that someone is "mining" information rather than just talking. You are not a trained law enforcement investigator, as far as I know.

    The danger of you "outting" someone "you think" is doing something wrong opens you and the rest of us up to a ton of Shmiras HaLoshon problems. AND, if you are wrong you have the problem of if the person leaves or changes their screen name, you can not ask them to be mochel you. That carries for eternity.

    I would say if you suspect something, report it to the local internet crimes bureau and let them handle it because a suspicion is not the crime.

    Frankly, your monotonous theme is in every one of your posts to the point I am suggestion you are the one with online communication issues.

    Stop with the "shmiras halashon" scream. Enough of that already. We are dealing with a very sick demented mentally disturbed person who intimidates, stalks, harasses people, steals from people, and lots of other illegal behavior.

    Posted 6 months ago #

40. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    venafshi ke'afar lakol tihyeh...

    Posted 6 months ago #

41. yentingyenta
    Member

    Health: i was actually found out because of a thread i started labeled "pharm". one of my class mates recognized my style and txted me "are you so and so on the CR?". the second time was actually from a different comment that i made on a thread about young couples getting divorced. a HS classmate went to a mutual friend of ours and asked her does this person sound like s/o in our class? and my friend (being the good friend that she is) asked me for conformation before spreading rumors. i don't think the info was so specific to me and so identifying but i guess it was. even months later i can't figure out how it gave me away. any ideas?

    Posted 6 months ago #

42. popa_bar_abba
    Incorrigible; semi-retarded; eccentric; perhaps a woman; not Mod 80. Sometimes a bit over the top.

    He Must Go, By Popa_Bar_Kahana

    Posted 6 months ago #

43. Health
    Member

    Yenta - Since it seems you were found out by friends - if it was me - I would be proud of what I posted and not the least bit embarrassed. I hold by everything I write and I know that I'm not perfect and sometimes I make mistakes, but so does e/o! But I try my best.

    Posted 6 months ago #

44. yentingyenta
    Member

    the most annoying thing about being found out is the lack of anonymity. and it doesn't help matters that my pharm classmate blabbed my SN to her carpool. but i got over it and started posting again after taking a bit of a hiatus from posting and just 'lurked' in the shadows. it is good to be back but i am doing it more on the conservative side, just to be safe.

    Posted 6 months ago #

45. observanteen
    trying to shteig in midos

    Jothar: You are scaring the wits out of me. What if they already saw some of your info, will they then...do any harm?

    Posted 6 months ago #

46. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    observanteen, I will pass the buck on this one to the mods who know more details than me.

    Posted 6 months ago #

47. BTGuy
    Member

    Jothar, why dont you calm down? You are causing ripples in the generally pleasant environment here and disturbing a pleasant flow of communication. And please dont say you are doing a righteous thing so you have permission to step on toes. Additionally, your ability to perceive what others mean, and, again, stepping on a few toes in the process, does not lend you to be one who can "accuse" with any trained level of accuracy. I dont want to harsh your gig, but try to blend and let those in charge handle the safety concerns. What would the point be of being a fireman with no training no fire engine no hose no ladder, but who runs around alarming people shouting, "there may be a fire over there...there may be a fire over there"? There are real fireman who are on the job. You can become one, too. But, until then....easy...

    Posted 6 months ago #

48. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    BTguy, I'm the guy calling the fire department.

    Posted 6 months ago #

49. Jothar
    F.M.C.R.S. and occasional creator of chaos.

    And multiple people have said that more fire spotters are needed.
    As my rebbe once said, no good deed goes unpunished. I am ruining the agendas of the infostealers, and am being targeted and harassed for this. Charlie Brown agrees with me, Kapusta agrees with me, 2scents agrees with me, multiple mods agree with me. BTguy, you're the daas yochid here.

    Posted 6 months ago #

50. oot for life
    Member

    for what its worth I also support Jothar

    keep up the good work

    Posted 6 months ago #

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