Be careful what you divulge

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was chatting with a coworker who looked at me and said, "Are you on AllNurses.com?"

I replied, somewhat noncommittally, "Yeah, why do you ask?"

She said, "Are you ♪♫ in my ♥ ?"

I smiled and said, "Yep."

This is someone with whom I get on very well and with whom there's respect and camaraderie in both directions - and I don't think I've posted anything which I'd prefer not to be ascribed to me but it does drive home the point:

Be mindful of what you post... you may end up owning it and the internet is forever and ever.

I'm pretty sure that anybody who's read a lot of my posts and who works with me could ID me without too much trouble - and I'm mostly OK with that but in >4,000 posts over the last 6 years, I've probably said some things that I wouldn't necessarily say for attribution...

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Reminder: At the time of this writing, the link to your Facebook page (with your real name) is still visible..... just in case you want to change that. :-)

You scared me on that; went into my account just to make sure it was blank. I don't think I've ever said anything that I wouldn't mind my co-workers reading, but still...

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Specializes in pediatric.

grad2012RN- I went in to my account and edited/deleted my FB page right after my post! I didn't even realize it was on there.

Ok, so even though I delete the FB account info and save changes, it just pops back into the space....?

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Thanks for the info

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
grad2012RN- I went in to my account and edited/deleted my FB page right after my post! I didn't even realize it was on there. Ok so even though I delete the FB account info and save changes, it just pops back into the space....?[/quote']

Contact the admin help desk for assistance. There is a link at the bottom of each page of this site.

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Regarding name changing, though, keep in mind...

It only matters going forward. Most webpages are quickly cached and persist eternally so what may no longer be visible on AN is still viewable via Google, the internet history project, etc.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

But it is preventing any new foolishness.

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For those of you saying you figured out someone's identity from their posts - how'd you manage? With so many thousands of nurses and nursing students, I'd need a dead giveaway (e.g. pic or link to another profile). Just wondering how you figured it out so I know how to protect my own identity on here.

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I'm sure people could ID me as well. I have no shame in my comments, and people know I'm direct in real life. However, the internet is public domain, so don't post ANYTHING on any site that you can't own up to. Definitely be mindful of what you share.

And for the love of all that's holy, don't post from the unit computer. AHS has tracking programmes!

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To further add to the conversation...

even an anonymous handle and careful redaction of identifiable information in your posts is no sure protection. Nothing to say that AN couldn't be hacked and your e-mail address or personal information revealed. Or that Edward Snowden starts working for AN...

My motto - to which I'm not completely faithful - "Don't post on the net that which you wouldn't shout from the rooftop."

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For those of you saying you figured out someone's identity from their posts - how'd you manage? With so many thousands of nurses and nursing students, I'd need a dead giveaway (e.g. pic or link to another profile). Just wondering how you figured it out so I know how to protect my own identity on here.
In my case it was because I posted - in very, very general terms - a workplace frustration that correlated just enough with a FB post - which FB post didn't even mention work - for her to connect the dots... and my personality shows through my AN posts pretty clearly so it was pretty simple.

I could have denied it, of course, but really saw/see no reason to.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
For those of you saying you figured out someone's identity from their posts - how'd you manage? With so many thousands of nurses and nursing students, I'd need a dead giveaway (e.g. pic or link to another profile). Just wondering how you figured it out so I know how to protect my own identity on here.
It's easy....especially if you know someone. They post what they are studying in school or what their plans are for school. They say where they are in clinicals. Even when writing people ahve a certain cadence to their written voice....a way of posting that is similar.

There is really no way for sure....it is just important to not post anything you wouldn't want published in your local newspaper.

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Isn't this creating an environment of fear? I agree that you need to protect your ID by not connecting to your social sites and stating names of places & situations at work. You can make it general enough. But fear of AN being hacked and your opionions being held against you pretty much tells anyone that you can't really vent...especially when those vents are expressing the reality on the most part of what's going on. I can't tell anyone how to protect your vents because obviously you may or may not be able to according to these posts. I'm disappointed with this threatening discussion because it really shows how much our field and fields of other workers are being suppressed. There are not many posts here that don't resonate with multitudes of nurses... I don't write here with the thoughts that my opinions would be in the newspaper. I wouldn't expect the site to be broken into in order to trace a writer illegally. If that is the case, then this site will become null and void in my opinion. I would not be able to post anything here anymore... well unless it is stating how wonderful everything is being managed and I just love how much exercise I get along with.... you get what I'm saying. I like that this post warns some to protect their statements. It can be taken further to create a fearful environment. What is AN doing to make sure that our content is safe? Aren't there internet laws that protect the right to free speech especially when a poster is being responsible with posts and relationships outside of posts? I didn't have my lawyer read the TOS. Is there something in there that states AN can divulge info? I'm really concerned about this.

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