member profiles publicly visible via google

[geographics]

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[Grannyhiker]

In a google search on my username (I didn't type in the rest), my profile here is the first thing to show. Fortunately, there's no private information (like email address or my real name) in it. They could PM me, but I think they'd have to register for this forum first .

My profile on other forums doesn't show so it evidently is a problem for this specific forum.

I suggest that everyone check their profiles here to be sure there's no info there you don't want publicized to the world--I'm thinking particularly of website or email address.

BTW, not all the grannyhiker entries on my google search were mine--there's at least one more of us out there!

It's always a smart idea never to put personal info, such as phone numbers, email addresses and your real name in posts. The last time I put my email address in a post (not here but on a travel forum), I received Nigerian scam letters for months. They were actually pretty funny, but deleting them got to be a pain after a while.

[Dustin DuBois]

You do indeed need to be registered in order to "properly" view a profile.

I searched for mine and, while it does show my Username, that's all it shows. On the "cached preview" it shows the page that says you need to be registered. Were you able to see any more than that? I just see my username and some details about the forum itself.

[Martell]

I changed the settings so bots will not be able to view/index profiles.

Anyone who is worried about privacy should definitely edit their profile and remove any information they don't want shared to the general public since we have open registration.

[Grannyhiker]

Thanks, Dan!

[kepPNW]

Wow. Made me look. I created that username just six weeks ago, as I hit the trail again for the first time in ages. Had to find something unique to post a couple videos on youtube. Kinda crazy how far and wide it spread that fast!

But I've been posting real name and email address(es) on the internet (and other info via whois) since the Internet was born, so I'm not too wary about that.

Huh...