Article about social media outing hobbyists and providers

[xfrankthetankx]

I know this discussion has come up in the past. Pro Publica has picked up this story below via another site that primarily covers the tech industry.

No one can be too careful in this hobby.

https://gizmodo.com/how-facebook-out...ers-1818861596

[jjchmiel78]

Interesting read. Thank you for the share.

[OmahaUser]

Phone numbers are linked to Facebook accounts. It is well established that Facebook will cross-check and correlate.

I first noticed this - before I started "hobbying" - that work contacts would show up on my Facebook. "WTF" I said, until one day I made the connection that the Facebook app on Android and Apple mobile devices has access to your contact list, and your phone number.

Once you've data mined enough people's contact lists it's simple to make correlations.

That is why I have a separate mobile device for "the hobby". My hobby identity has has a unique Google account, phone number, email address, twitter account, etc etc that is not tied to my RL identity in any way.

That mobile device is one of a small number of devices I use to access my hobby identity. I have a separate Windows VM for when I am not using the mobile device. Unless you knew where to look, if you sat down at my home computer there would be no trace of the hobby. No browser history, nothing.

The mobile device is powered on only when I am on my way to an appointment.

My hobby and RL electronic identities DO NOT intersect.

My hobby identity does not have Facebook.

[xfrankthetankx]

You're welcome.

Just sharing information so the less tech savvy of us can minimize the occurrence of prying eyes/technology causing issues in our real lives.

[farmstud60]

I think the biggest issue so many people have location turned on your phone.