There’s no such thing as internet privacy. It just takes longer to find out who’s who.
Forums have lots of “trolls” that don’t publish their names. Also it makes it easier for people to post the most obnoxious, rude, and untempered remarks ever, because nobody knows who they are (they think).
As far as protecting wealth is concerned, there’s other ways to do that than worry oneself over internet privacy.
My cell phone number is published on the internet, along with my email and my name, and knock on wood, I haven’t had one problem yet from a forum participation (in five years).
However, craigslist is so dangerous that it should be criminal what can happen to you. I naively posted my actual email address on craigslist and nearly immediately began receiving an avalanche of Viagara, porn, and dating offers. Not to mention “investors” who scrub craigslist for live email addresses using software that also spams my email box.
I think the new best practice is to use anonymous email addresses when possible, disguise your email with long-hand descriptions, using [at] instead of @, spelling out the last number of a phone number, such as 384[six] instead of 3846, etc.
I know that some people hide their actual identities, because they talk trash, or lie like rugs on these forums and anyone knowing who they actually are would expose them. So…
There’s one board where an anonymous poster (who calls himself an attorney) likes to dig up fellow posters way old, skeletons and post what he finds, simply to undermine other’s reputations. It’s sick.
Facebook is horrible for keeping personal information personal. There’s a telephone, telegraph and tell facebook when it comes to protecting personal information. Many people have removed themselves from facebook altogether, because of the sloppy protections.
Leo LaPorte(sp?) of “The Tech Guy” on radio announced that he removed his facebook account, because of lack of security over his personal information.
Meantime, I talk about controversial things, but it takes some discipline not to respond to the unfiltered comments I often receive. The anonymity, and ability to respond instantaneously encourages some posters to write things they wouldn’t ever think of saying to one’s face. However, online they’ll unload like a Turrets victim.
I know that nearly all forum moderators don’t publish their identities, because of the flaming and bleeding off site that can occur when the “wrong person” gets “moderated.”
Well, that’s all I can offer.