Internet Privacy
 

Hi All

I have just posted a thread and mentioned that both my SR and emails had been breached by my AH who had been reading my personal musings. I have since changed my password and SR account log in name.

I thought that I would start a new thread to warn others about protecting their privacy by regularly changing your internet passwords and keeping them private particularly if you are posting on this website about a loved one with an alcohol problem.

Many of us dont even like telling close family and friends but feel comfortable posting on this anonymous website our most intimate thoughts and experiences.

I am a relative smart cookie but very obviously naive about this happening to me. Alcoholics however, are very manipulative and loose many of their values and morals and as I have found out, will read your postings and use it against you.

Just a warning. Make sure you log out too.

Ah crap, sorry to read this 8ball. When I saw the tittle, I thought, there is no such thing as internet privacy.

What in invasion, though. I'm sorry you're private, special place here was invaded.

I hope you're still going to come here and speak openly. Your posting about how you still love and live with your husband, about how hard he works for your family was very helpful to me.

Maybe this will slap him around a little. I hope so.

Thanks - I am still here - eight ball is my new user name, I was formally someone else. I wouldn't stop coming on SR now as its so good having people who I can relate to. I have gained great strength and wisdom from many who post on here or just by offering my own support.

Both Firefox and IE offer "in private" browsing too. Something to keep in mind. And both IE and Firefox can be set to clear your history when you close your browser window.

Don't save "sensitive" sites in bookmarks either.

My AH bragged to me about reading all of my emails and searching through all of my things when I'm gone. I knew he was doing it, thats just how he rolls.
Paranoia, rage, depression ... all gifts from alcohol.

Good advice--I regularly clear my history (daily, sometimes twice a day), because not only do I want anonymity from AH, but also, my kids come in and ask to use the computer, and if they do a search for something starting with "S" this website will pop right up.

It's kind of a pain, but I just bookmark the other sites that I do want and clear all the rest.

I don't log out every time, but maybe I should.

Pixilation: Thanks for the advice--I have Firefox so I'll check into that setting.

My ex-husband (non-alcoholic, just a garden variety jerk) violated my privacy in a big way by putting a keylogger on my computer while he was living at our house and on a shared network. The only way I could stop him ws to cancel our internet and go to a portable internet with a modem that was for my computer only.

When he confronted me with the "evidence" of my so-called infidelity, I flipped, I freaked out and had never felt so violated or so angry at anyone.
Along with the so-called evidence, he got into my bank accounts along with my mom's as he thought I was hiding money from him in order to decrease what I had to pay out to him in a divorce.

Since then, I have been in a lockdown mode, using high security settings not just on my computer but on any shared network. I have a master password for my internet browser, sweep my computer regularly with SpyBot and Comodo, both free security programs. You can never be too safe or careful and even though we are divorced, I will never take internet security for granted.

8-ball, my AH did the same thing to me a few years ago (not with SR but another support community I was in). For him, it was all part of a controlling behavior trying to cut me off from my online support the same way he had cut me off from my real-life support.

Hugs to you. Everyone needs a place where they can feel safe.

FYI. Recently saw a story on television about a guy who broke into his wife/girlfriend's email using a password she left on a little sheet of paper by her computer.

Bottom line: he was arrested and charged with some sort of computer hacking crime. He may end up going to jail for several years over this.

I didn't pay close attention to the story and I'm not clear on all the details. But, while it's certainly not illegal to read a forum. Apparently it's illegal to hack into or read someone else's email without their consent.

Too bad it's not illegal to be an alcoholic.