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Online safety and etiquette
Posted : 2 Sep, 2018 09:36 PM
I'd like to get an opinion on what people have for boundaries in regards to internet safety and online etiquette. In this day and age, the internet is accessed by all sorts of people and you just can't know who you're talking to. I'm sure most everyone on this site is a decent person or at the very least, not a serial killer looking for the next victum.
Since this is the internet and I can't know for absolute certain that I'm talking to Bob Bobson just because Bob says he's Bob because Bob could actually be Bobalina Johnson, I prefer to err on the side of caution. As a rule, I don't like to give away my name, exact location, picture, number, email, or easily identifying details online because you just don't know who you're talking to until you meet. I prefer to talk with the person I meet first and get to know them before deciding whether or not I want to share any personal details about myself. When I first created the profile, I didn't want to post a picture, but after a few days I posted one anyway. I took it down after a couple of months because I kept getting messages and wanted to curb them. I also was worried if my image was being used for more "illicit" purposes.
One person messaged me while my profile picture was up and right away wanted to video chat. I told them I would prefer to get to know them better before doing that. That person said they understood, but didn't want to talk to me because I didn't want to "prove I'm who I said I am" by video chatting. I told them why I didn't want to yet, but they just didn't agree so I just let it go.
Another person introduced themself with their real first name and I replied without telling them my name. They wanted to know and I told them I didn't want to share just yet. They said it was common courtesy that you share your name when someone else does. I told that it's the internet and I wanted to be safe because I don't know if they are who they say they are. They still insisted I was essentially obligated to share my name because they did and I pointed out they were never obligated to share their name in the first place. I suggested I give them a place holder, but they just didn't want to do that.
Recently, after my picture had been taken down, someone viewed my profile and I looked at their profile to see what sort of person was looking at mine. They messaged me like a minute later saying I need a picture. I asked if they needed it for something. Very soon after, they said I should have a picture because they had one and they viewed me and I viewed them. And then right after that, they said "since you can't then bye" and blocked me.
Those 3 instances rubbed me a little wrong because all 3 seemed to demand that I do what they wanted even though it would reveal private information that I was not comfortable sharing. Their arguments were common courtesy and everyone else does so why don't you. But sure that doesn't trump online safety, does it? Should I tell everyone online my real name just because it makes one person feel better? Should I just post pictures for the world to see just to make one person want to talk to me?
I'd like to have some opinions on this because I just feel like it was rude to just go and demand personal information right off the bat and get upset when I refused to do so right away. The blocking felt like such a temper tantrum over nothing, as if simply not messaging me wouldn't suffice. Has anyone ever had this happen to them on here?
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