The Picard ManeuverMar 13
Many were desensitized by the early, totally unmoderated internet.
Show threadbanazirMar 13

The early Internet had a few simple rules:

  • Never feed a troll
  • Never trust anything written online
  • Never tell anyone your real name or address
  • There are no girls online (i.e. people are not who they claim to be)
  • Online is not IRL

And most people knew these rules. The proliferation of the Internet has brought a lot of people who don’t understand these rules in to the fold and it has made the Internet a worse place. “Normies” seemingly think the Internet world works like your normal social interactions - it does not. The anonymity of the Internet brings out the worst in people. We really need to bring back the rules of the early Internet for the safety of everyone.

Feel free to comment more rules if you remember any.

As much as I miss the early Internet though, I genuinely do wish I’d had more protection from the seedier sites. I am not better off for having seen the gore and shock sites.

Show threadmercMar 13
  • Use a nick (handle, username) that doesn’t give anything away

The people who came after me didn’t know that one and started putting their birth year, hometown, etc. into their usernames.

Show threadtoynbee

One time I was chatting with a woman who told me she was single. I’m still not quite sure if she was, but she had a kid with the claimed ex. However, the ex - or whatever he was - found out I was talking to her and left a voicemail threatening me.

I don’t remember what he said exactly, but I do remember one detail. She and I had only talked online and over the phone. I never gave any really location specific information to her, just my first and last name and phone number. In his voicemail, he said “I will find you. I will Google your ass!”

Even now, if you Google my first and last name, you get results about some CEO, not me. I’ve never tried googling my phone number.

Mar 13 at 8:46pmWeb
Show threadClentMar 13

I’ve never tried googling my phone number.

Send me your phone number and I’ll Google it for you.

Show threadtoynbeeMar 14
Even better - you give me yours and I’ll call you so you don’t have to type it.
Show threadClentMar 14
How thoughtful, (202) 456-1414
Show threadtoynbeeMar 14
Ah, I was expecting the rejection hotline. It never occurred to me that the White House has a general contact number, but it makes sense.
Show threadSabataMar 14
The white house? Probably shouldn’t talk to this guy online, might not be safe.
Show threadmercMar 13
Yeah, there are people who search for themselves and want an ego boost. I search for myself and hope to find nothing.
Show threadtoynbeeMar 14
Indeed. I know roughly what’s going on because back before I cared about privacy I set up a “Google Alert” for my name. Since my tastes developed, I’m glad he’s there to distract from anything notable about me.