In 2001, I set up a Yahoo! email account because my home account went all kaflooey for awhile. When I opened the Yahoo account, I set it up under a fake name, with corresponding fake personal information from birthday to home location. I never closed the account, and I still use it occasionally to answer questions on Yahoo Questions, and I get some newsletters that I've just never migrated to my regular account.
Today it appeared that my Yahoo email account had been spoofed, so I logged in to change my pasword. What I saw next was not only appalling, but it actually caused me to break out into a sweat. All of my real personal information was in my profile--my real name, my home address and telephone number, my personal email address, my work email address, my current city and state, and more. I clicked on a tab for something called "Y! Pulse," and it appears to be very similar to Facebook. Listed in the Pulse was something akin to an RSS feed showing an "update" every time I posted on this blog, and clearly labeled as "my" blog. Except this blog and the Yahoo email address are not linked in any way. At all. That I know of. This meant that anyone who had a "Yahoo Connection" to me could see these updates and then see my real identity as a blogger.
I thought I was going to be sick.
It took me about 20 minutes to delete all of my personal information in my profile and to undo any identity connections Yahoo had made on my behalf. Essentially, I returned my account and profile information to what it had been when I first set up the account and set all permissions for viewing even that information to "no one." How it all got changed in the first place is still a mystery to me, but now I can't stop stressing over who all saw that information and how long it might have been visible. Part of the reason I'm writing this post is to see if it shows up as an activity update in the Y! Pulse thing that I certainly never agreed to be a part of.
I still feel kind of sick to my stomach.
1 comment:
WOW! I would have seriously shit a brick if I had seen all my personal data spread out before me like that.
I had a major breach in my identity security measures and had to shut down my blog as a result. I'm still heartbroken. Did NOT help that the person who compromised my identity and my family's personal and financial safety is someone I've known for over 20 years. She had the gall to blame ME for writing as I did (thus I compromised myself - HA!) and refused to apologize for her actions because she was only trying to get help for me. Goddess, save me from the "helpers". They screw you every time.
Yahoo was also trying to be "helpful" by putting all of your "May" pieces together in one place... just in case you forgot who you were, where you live, what your phone number is, and where you blog. What's really creepy to me is that someone took the time to dig up all your stuff and then post it for all to see. Freaking creepy.
I hope your anonymity is back and intact. The loss of your voice would be a great loss indeed.
Much love,
Sophie
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