9 votes

Topic deleted by author

14 comments

  1. [6]
    mjd
    Link
    I am no expert on doxxing, and have never been doxxed before, but here's my two cents. Make sure that any pseudo-anonymous accounts (Reddit, Tildes, anywhere where you are associated with a...

    I am no expert on doxxing, and have never been doxxed before, but here's my two cents. Make sure that any pseudo-anonymous accounts (Reddit, Tildes, anywhere where you are associated with a username for a long period of time) don't have any identifying information. This could even include simple things like commenting "Oh I live two streets down from that mall" on a news article.

    If you could, would you mind sharing what kind of effects you're seeing?
    Edit: I can't spell to save my life

    4 votes
    1. [6]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. Deimos
        Link Parent
        I haven't read through the rest of this thread yet, but I've revoked your unused codes. You had one used on May 12 though, and the previous one was April 20. If there's a particular code you're...

        I haven't read through the rest of this thread yet, but I've revoked your unused codes. You had one used on May 12 though, and the previous one was April 20. If there's a particular code you're worried about (that you still have in your sent messages or similar) you can PM it to me and I can check on it specifically.

        6 votes
      2. [4]
        mjd
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        You should probably delete your reddit account now if you haven't already. (Edit: forgot reddit kept zombie comments.) I'd suggest trying to minimize your footprint on the internet as much as...

        You should probably delete your reddit account now if you haven't already. (Edit: forgot reddit kept zombie comments.) I'd suggest trying to minimize your footprint on the internet as much as possible. Also it is possible to un-index your Facebook account (if you have one) from any searches. I'm not sure whether this works on just the internal FB search engine or if it works for google as well. It's probably better to just delete/deactivate Facebook altogether if you're worried about your family. I wouldn't be as concerned for Twitter and Instagram as long as you make them private. I think that would help if you're worried about this reddit user doxxing you or spreading information about you to your family/friends.

        2 votes
        1. [3]
          cfabbro
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Do not just delete your reddit account @suspended. IIRC (and it still works the way it used to), doing that will leave all your previous comments' content intact with only your username removed,...

          Do not just delete your reddit account @suspended. IIRC (and it still works the way it used to), doing that will leave all your previous comments' content intact with only your username removed, and with no way to delete the contents without reaching out to Reddit Inc. IMO you're better off using a script to mass edit all your comments to something else first, then delete every comment individually afterwards. There are several programs/scripts out there that do that for you (or at least there used to be, just google around).

          3 votes
          1. [2]
            mjd
            Link Parent
            Here's two I found for you @suspended https://github.com/x89/Shreddit https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/1870-delete-all-reddit-comments/code
            4 votes
  2. [5]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. Deimos
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      It's hard to say much without knowing more about the situation, but overall, try not to get too worried about it unless you see some actual evidence that they're doing something malicious. My...

      It's hard to say much without knowing more about the situation, but overall, try not to get too worried about it unless you see some actual evidence that they're doing something malicious. My real-life identity has been irrevocably attached to my online activity for years, and even though I've done plenty of things that pissed people off (banning them from sites/subreddits, controversial changes, etc.), nothing significant has ever happened.

      That's not to say that you shouldn't worry about it at all, but don't panic unless you're sure. That being said, I'd have two main recommendations:

      1. Avoid getting into major conflicts or making existing ones worse. I'm assuming you're already in some kind of conflict with this person since you're worried about it, so just disengage immediately if you can. People only take really extreme actions when they can build you up into a nemesis in their mind, don't help it get to that point.
      2. Be more careful and think about the information you're posting and the links you're creating. For example, just by telling this story here, if that person looks at Tildes, you've now revealed your Tildes account (if you hadn't already told them what it is). With that in mind, I'd probably suggest deleting this post. Edit: actually, I'll remove it for you, but I'll re-instate it if you tell me you're sure that you want it visible.
      3 votes
    2. [3]
      cfabbro
      Link Parent
      Is this happening on Tildes or you suspect it's being done by a Tildes user? If not, I don't think this belongs on ~tildes and should probably be moved to ~talk, ~tech or even ~comp.

      Is this happening on Tildes or you suspect it's being done by a Tildes user? If not, I don't think this belongs on ~tildes and should probably be moved to ~talk, ~tech or even ~comp.

      1 vote
      1. [3]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. [2]
          cfabbro
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Hmmm... Even so, I don't think ~tildes is the place for this sort of discussion since it being in this group implies the problem is taking place in or originated on Tildes. So where would you...

          Hmmm... Even so, I don't think ~tildes is the place for this sort of discussion since it being in this group implies the problem is taking place in or originated on Tildes. So where would you prefer it moved?

          p.s. It would probably also help if you were a bit more specific regarding what sort of advice you're looking for. Asking for "'best practices' to ensure the safety of my self and family" is a bit vague. Are you looking for advice on how to minimize your risk of being doxxed online in the first place? Since you already suspect you're being doxxed, are you looking for advice or how to proceed from here (e.g. contacting law enforcement, deleting exposed public info, etc)? Etc.

          1. [2]
            Comment deleted by author
            Link Parent
            1. cfabbro
              Link Parent
              k... moved to ~comp for now. Let me know if you would prefer it somewhere else. And I can delete all these meta comments now if you don't want them polluting the topic.

              k... moved to ~comp for now. Let me know if you would prefer it somewhere else. And I can delete all these meta comments now if you don't want them polluting the topic.

  3. [4]
    cfabbro
    (edited )
    Link
    Some general advice for preventing being doxxed if you're genuinely concerned about it happening: Don't use unique usernames. Dictionary words, random word combos and common phrases work well for...

    Some general advice for preventing being doxxed if you're genuinely concerned about it happening:

    • Don't use unique usernames. Dictionary words, random word combos and common phrases work well for this. The more google results your username gets the better.
    • Don't repeat usernames across multiple sites. Connecting multiple accounts together and cross referencing snippits of exposed personal info across those sites makes building a profile easier.
    • Expose as little personally identifiable information publicly as possible. So especially don't publicly share your:
      • Email address
      • Location
      • DoB
      • Educational background (e.g. your alma mater)
      • Even specific/unique interests can sometimes be used to connect the dots
    • Periodically purge your user history on social media. (although archives often exist for publicly facing info)

    What to do when you think you have been doxxed:

    This is much more difficult to give advice for and depends on where you live, the reasons why you suspect were doxxed and how severe you think the threat is. If it is severe enough, then contacting law enforcement should definitely be considered, IMO. However, regardless, purging all publicly available personal information you have exposed is probably a good first step.

    p.s. Some "fun" reading for you:
    https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/business/dealbook/the-unsung-tax-agent-who-put-a-face-on-the-silk-road.html

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. cfabbro
        Link Parent
        NP, and another piece of advice: I would suggest telling your friends/family/coworkers/etc that you may be being doxxed and explain what that is, if they don't know, as reaching out to a doxxing...

        NP, and another piece of advice: I would suggest telling your friends/family/coworkers/etc that you may be being doxxed and explain what that is, if they don't know, as reaching out to a doxxing target's associates and using social engineering on them is another potential way to dig for more information.

    2. [2]
      knocklessmonster
      Link Parent
      I always felt that this was a good thing, sort of. I also always sort of figured this sort of branding, in a sense, could backfire, but I do it, except I'm not connected at all to some more toxic...

      Don't repeat usernames across multiple sites. Connecting multiple accounts together and cross referencing snippits of exposed personal info across those sites makes building a profile easier.

      I always felt that this was a good thing, sort of. I also always sort of figured this sort of branding, in a sense, could backfire, but I do it, except I'm not connected at all to some more toxic communities with this name.

      1 vote
      1. mjd
        Link Parent
        Even in relatively benign communities this could cause problems. My steam username and reddit username are the same and that's been an issue before. Unless you're trying to be an internet...

        Even in relatively benign communities this could cause problems. My steam username and reddit username are the same and that's been an issue before. Unless you're trying to be an internet personality, and then it would probably be better to have a 'branded username' and a different one that you actually use.

        1 vote