Aa
Testing, testing...
...just curious how the new social media tags work. I noticed nothing happens when I click on the tags in a thread someone else started so I'm starting my own to see how that works. Could be that I'm using Firefox so I'll try it from IE as well. So....nothing to see here, folks. Just a crazy woman indulging her curiosity .....
Hi,
If anybody feels uncomfortable about any information they've posted that may reveal more than they realized when they initially posted it, please let us know and we'll work with you to find the best solution (edit some posts, change your screename, etc.) . Please send your request through the Contact Us link below, and we're pleased to work with you.
The most important point to keep in mind is that public posts have always been public and that privacy measures remains the same. Nothing has changed in that regard - (example: if your journal is friend's only it'll remain friend's only if shared). If you wish to discuss anything that's totally private, we've recently added our new private user groups.
We appreciate and thank you for your feedback. Anytime you have any additional questions or concerns, we're always here for you via the Contact Us link located on the bottom of every page.
Best,
Cheryl
MH Community Mgr
If anybody feels uncomfortable about any information they've posted that may reveal more than they realized when they initially posted it, please let us know and we'll work with you to find the best solution (edit some posts, change your screename, etc.) . Please send your request through the Contact Us link below, and we're pleased to work with you.
The most important point to keep in mind is that public posts have always been public and that privacy measures remains the same. Nothing has changed in that regard - (example: if your journal is friend's only it'll remain friend's only if shared). If you wish to discuss anything that's totally private, we've recently added our new private user groups.
We appreciate and thank you for your feedback. Anytime you have any additional questions or concerns, we're always here for you via the Contact Us link located on the bottom of every page.
Best,
Cheryl
MH Community Mgr
If I’m not mistaken the Facebook and Myspace links were all ways here but on the Journal entries side of your journals and have been recently incorporated in the initial posts on both the community and social side of the site. MH may correct me if I’m wrong but I remember seeing the tags on the journal entry side years ago.
jep
jep
"MedHelp tries to foster a sense of community (thank you for that)."
With due respect, I think this goes a step or two further than that. "Fostering a sense of community" suggests a motivation that's geared towards bringing the members closer together - to one another and for their benefit. Yes we have seen more interpersonal connections taking place, but was were the community features added for the benefit of the members, or to create a stickiness to keep people posting more free content and and eyeballing ads?
Now it's being taken to a new level, atomizing the content and spraying it out onto the social networks to attract more flies to the uhhhhhhhhhh... let's be generous and use the honey metaphor. Just as the shrinks and advice folks appearing on the Jerry Springer show are disingegous to the people they pretend to serve, so is this social media ballyhoo serving a different interest than that of the membership of this site.
Don't get me wrong, the people who've invested in this site have every right to do what they wish with it. But let us not pretend that these new features are added with the best interest of the content providers at heart.
I'm finding the line between free content provider and circus geek to be a thin one indeed.
With due respect, I think this goes a step or two further than that. "Fostering a sense of community" suggests a motivation that's geared towards bringing the members closer together - to one another and for their benefit. Yes we have seen more interpersonal connections taking place, but was were the community features added for the benefit of the members, or to create a stickiness to keep people posting more free content and and eyeballing ads?
Now it's being taken to a new level, atomizing the content and spraying it out onto the social networks to attract more flies to the uhhhhhhhhhh... let's be generous and use the honey metaphor. Just as the shrinks and advice folks appearing on the Jerry Springer show are disingegous to the people they pretend to serve, so is this social media ballyhoo serving a different interest than that of the membership of this site.
Don't get me wrong, the people who've invested in this site have every right to do what they wish with it. But let us not pretend that these new features are added with the best interest of the content providers at heart.
I'm finding the line between free content provider and circus geek to be a thin one indeed.
It's a bit of a balancing act isn't it? You want to reach out and talk to people with similar situations to exchange information, but to do that you have to lay some facts out there. You just need to draw the line on how much you are comfortable saying on a public forum.
That may mean using a unique user name just for our forums, and care in posting personal information like your home town. Only post information that you are comfortable with others seeing.
And as it says in the Terms of Use, you should never post any confidential or personally identifiable information on the MedHelp website. (If you have, you can contact us about removing it).
That may mean using a unique user name just for our forums, and care in posting personal information like your home town. Only post information that you are comfortable with others seeing.
And as it says in the Terms of Use, you should never post any confidential or personally identifiable information on the MedHelp website. (If you have, you can contact us about removing it).
I have to say, now you tell us not to post private information,
when in fact some of us already have.
Some people, not all, have come here in privacy and could open up
and talk freely, this is not the case anymore.
We, as your patrons should have been notified before you made these
changes.
If we want Facebook or MS or twit...we can do that on our own, this
was once a place where people could cohert with others in some privacy and
keep their disease private if that is what they wanted.
when in fact some of us already have.
Some people, not all, have come here in privacy and could open up
and talk freely, this is not the case anymore.
We, as your patrons should have been notified before you made these
changes.
If we want Facebook or MS or twit...we can do that on our own, this
was once a place where people could cohert with others in some privacy and
keep their disease private if that is what they wanted.
I know the content here is searchable and have been for years. I try not to post anything that would identify or embarrass me.
I think there is s significant difference between being searchable and intentionally and actively driving this board/content/members to social networks.
I would still bet that the real motive is traffic and not the welfare of the members or those outside of MH. And traffic = money. That's the way it usually goes so I shouldn't be surprised. I guess it's more of a disappointment than a surprise.
Mike
I think there is s significant difference between being searchable and intentionally and actively driving this board/content/members to social networks.
I would still bet that the real motive is traffic and not the welfare of the members or those outside of MH. And traffic = money. That's the way it usually goes so I shouldn't be surprised. I guess it's more of a disappointment than a surprise.
Mike
The links do help drive traffic to the site. But all the posts are already easily searchable using Bing or Google or DogPile or even Alta Vista (remember that one?). Anyone can use any of those tools (or Facebook, MySpace, etc.) to try to identify people. So don't post anything on any internet forum that you don't want connected to you. Practice safe posting.
TeeTom, I'm not here 24/7 and I don't read everything when I am here. Usually we're cleaning up all the spam that y'all don't see or helping people figure out where best to post. :-)
(and merryBe, I don't want to know the answer to that, lol).
TeeTom, I'm not here 24/7 and I don't read everything when I am here. Usually we're cleaning up all the spam that y'all don't see or helping people figure out where best to post. :-)
(and merryBe, I don't want to know the answer to that, lol).
In no way did I assume you support the status quo. You made that clear in the earlier post. I was just using the reply as a springboard to show just how open it is.
I'm self employed but on occasion I have applied for work and I'm always a little cautious about what would turn up in an internet search by a HR department. It's a common matter of fact now that you are asked for an e-mail address. For some people this privacy issue could be an issue of getting work or not, keeping a job, or therefore having insurance.
When people lose their job (which I have seen happen several times) they can thereby lose their house or insurance and become very likely to slip between the cracks in this economy. No insurance often can = no health care and TX. This is how a privacy issue can become a "life and death issue." I somehow see more potential problem than benefit to the members. On the other hand, maybe employers don't care if employees read and post at MedHelp while they are at work. ; ) They won't care at all when they see the posts from here on the Facebook "wall" made during business hours.
As mentioned, I'm out of step and haven't a Facebook page either and I'm beginning to think that may be a good thing. I'm under the impression that many co-workers communicate on Facebook. (while employers or HR dept merely observe and notate)
Willy
I'm self employed but on occasion I have applied for work and I'm always a little cautious about what would turn up in an internet search by a HR department. It's a common matter of fact now that you are asked for an e-mail address. For some people this privacy issue could be an issue of getting work or not, keeping a job, or therefore having insurance.
When people lose their job (which I have seen happen several times) they can thereby lose their house or insurance and become very likely to slip between the cracks in this economy. No insurance often can = no health care and TX. This is how a privacy issue can become a "life and death issue." I somehow see more potential problem than benefit to the members. On the other hand, maybe employers don't care if employees read and post at MedHelp while they are at work. ; ) They won't care at all when they see the posts from here on the Facebook "wall" made during business hours.
As mentioned, I'm out of step and haven't a Facebook page either and I'm beginning to think that may be a good thing. I'm under the impression that many co-workers communicate on Facebook. (while employers or HR dept merely observe and notate)
Willy
I just made a point - I in no way meant to - nor did I - suggest that I was happy with the privacy situation.
Mike
Mike
"One nice aspect is that you can restrict viewing photos and journals to only your friends.
Mike ."
------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but that is not the default setting.
I can delete my cookies and show up here unlogged and look at virtually anything;
members profiles
members posts
notes to members
Journals
friend list
members personal trackers; labs, mood, diet, pain, etc.
This could probably be as easily secured as by ticking a few feature specific boxes by an admin that pertained to member/guest permissions and default settings.
Should they be private? Well, that is a question for the owners or membership, but the decision currently that virtually anybody can see anything except PM's, with the exception where members can opt out and make photos invisible, perhaps except to friends.
I guess that you can infer that I believe in a more protective and private stance, but who knows? Maybe (*apparently* ; )) I am way out of step.
Willy
Mike ."
------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but that is not the default setting.
I can delete my cookies and show up here unlogged and look at virtually anything;
members profiles
members posts
notes to members
Journals
friend list
members personal trackers; labs, mood, diet, pain, etc.
This could probably be as easily secured as by ticking a few feature specific boxes by an admin that pertained to member/guest permissions and default settings.
Should they be private? Well, that is a question for the owners or membership, but the decision currently that virtually anybody can see anything except PM's, with the exception where members can opt out and make photos invisible, perhaps except to friends.
I guess that you can infer that I believe in a more protective and private stance, but who knows? Maybe (*apparently* ; )) I am way out of step.
Willy
One nice aspect is that you can restrict viewing photos and journals to only your friends.
Mike
Mike
Thank you Mike for your feedback. I think Trish and a few others have questioned if this is a *great* new feature or not. I decided to vent a little, but since then have been wondering if I'm suffering from Andy Rooney chronic malcontentia. ; ) It helps to hear what others think.
When I visit my profile it complains that I'm only 75% "complete". MedHelp and others NEED my picture, birthday, favorite color. ; )
Inquiring minds want to know!!!
Our "Profile" pages are about the only thing that we are allowed to edit ourselves here. We are not given the ability to edit our posts. I'm not sure that I would I want to try to read what I have written and try to sus out what is private or what could be used. (not in one sitting anyway). I sure wouldn't want to draft a requistion to MH detailing what I'd like to remove from a 1000 odd number of posts. Frankly, most of what I have posted is fine for publication; most has not been personal (that is, it may expose my personality, but not my personal data to the extent that I care). That may not be true for many members.
I feel that many members are just as guarded. However, many people show up here under a form of duress needing information about their exposure. I feel that MedHelp should protect them more, not move to make export of information more easily shared. I also feel that with the various features offered here MedHelp is encouraging us to expose ourselves further, as if to say; "it's cool- you are in your "community".
MedHelp tries to foster a sense of community (thank you for that). I just feel a little unsettled when it seems as though some of that is becoming a medium of exchange. I'm more than aware that none of this is private, but members deserve more protection than is being offered and I note that the pendulum at this moment seems to be that MedHelp wants it tweeted, and posted on walls of Facebook and the like. If management was listening, there are starting to be a lot of stories about problems and abuses which occur when too much information is shared with people. I personally feel as though the pendulum is swinging back towards more privacy.
As a parent of children that have recently become adults I find that I am no longer privy to their medical records (without their consent, of course).
Yet I find that I can look at peoples medical records here, I could share them I suppose; tweet them to a HR department or boss. What on earth!!! The default setting on these should be PRIVATE; not PUBLIC. I am very uneasy with the comfort level and ease in which personal information gets shared, how difficult it is to get it edited at this site (we cannot edit our posts) and how impossible it is to get it deleted or retracted once it has been shared on Facebook.
I just mention this for members and management to consider.
Best,
Willy
When I visit my profile it complains that I'm only 75% "complete". MedHelp and others NEED my picture, birthday, favorite color. ; )
Inquiring minds want to know!!!
Our "Profile" pages are about the only thing that we are allowed to edit ourselves here. We are not given the ability to edit our posts. I'm not sure that I would I want to try to read what I have written and try to sus out what is private or what could be used. (not in one sitting anyway). I sure wouldn't want to draft a requistion to MH detailing what I'd like to remove from a 1000 odd number of posts. Frankly, most of what I have posted is fine for publication; most has not been personal (that is, it may expose my personality, but not my personal data to the extent that I care). That may not be true for many members.
I feel that many members are just as guarded. However, many people show up here under a form of duress needing information about their exposure. I feel that MedHelp should protect them more, not move to make export of information more easily shared. I also feel that with the various features offered here MedHelp is encouraging us to expose ourselves further, as if to say; "it's cool- you are in your "community".
MedHelp tries to foster a sense of community (thank you for that). I just feel a little unsettled when it seems as though some of that is becoming a medium of exchange. I'm more than aware that none of this is private, but members deserve more protection than is being offered and I note that the pendulum at this moment seems to be that MedHelp wants it tweeted, and posted on walls of Facebook and the like. If management was listening, there are starting to be a lot of stories about problems and abuses which occur when too much information is shared with people. I personally feel as though the pendulum is swinging back towards more privacy.
As a parent of children that have recently become adults I find that I am no longer privy to their medical records (without their consent, of course).
Yet I find that I can look at peoples medical records here, I could share them I suppose; tweet them to a HR department or boss. What on earth!!! The default setting on these should be PRIVATE; not PUBLIC. I am very uneasy with the comfort level and ease in which personal information gets shared, how difficult it is to get it edited at this site (we cannot edit our posts) and how impossible it is to get it deleted or retracted once it has been shared on Facebook.
I just mention this for members and management to consider.
Best,
Willy
I agree with Willy.
MH should know better. But, it's not always easy to do the right thing once profit becomes the primary motivating factor....oh yeah, along with "Proper Decorum".
Is MH trying to ruin this place? It sort of looks that way to me.
Mike
MH should know better. But, it's not always easy to do the right thing once profit becomes the primary motivating factor....oh yeah, along with "Proper Decorum".
Is MH trying to ruin this place? It sort of looks that way to me.
Mike
I think my nickname is too personally identifiable and I should be more incognito.
Can you change my nickname from Trish77 to Trish007? That oughtta do it.
Can you change my nickname from Trish77 to Trish007? That oughtta do it.
(Steve_MHModerator wrote)
"And check out FlashDude's other thread here about internet privacy. "
____________________________
Steve, I did just that. I noted that "FlashDude" had his membername changed because someone came to him and identified him via the net. He also noted that he seemed to suffer from discrimination after revealing his HCV positive status to the public. Great! Now he is *somewhat* incognito.
The fact remains that MedHelp has provided the means of people posting information about themselves, photos, profiles, medical trackers and such and now is taking steps at encouraging the sharing of this data without informing those people that they are taking this step.
I know people who have lost their jobs after disclosing their HCV status. I could link you to a long list of such "crimes" against people with HCV. They aren't illegal per se. States have "right to work" laws where people can be fired without notice and apparent cause. People have the right to avoid people that they fear as a possible disease vector. Posters do not always get information "right" on MedHelp, but your new updates will allow that all information, the good, the bad and the ugly or incorrect get shared the very instant it gets posted. Such is progress.
I have seen cases where people have had their assistance cut off from some unthoughtful post on a board. We are seeing situations where people suffer legal consequences from posting on the internet. I commonly see people share information (yes, and misinformation too), or personal joking around that could be an embarrassment were it to be shared at their workplace. Whose business is it if someone has IBS as a result of TX or erectile issues due to taking an antidepressant? I have seen many sad situations arise out of people who have been outed and have suffered discrimination on account of fear and ignorance that surrounds this disease. We could be talking about people jobs, loss of employment, being cut from assistance programs and other issues that can negatively impact on peoples lives and their treatment. How would you like it if it became public, your post where you mentioned your infection vector (such as drug use) or had a question about the sexual transmission particulars?
Being on this side of the fence, I can tell you that it feels as though the forum has encouraged the posting of personal information and is now in the business of spreading any and all information made by members.
You can placate yourself or us and tell us that the internet was never *really* private. We share at our own peril. I guess that some of us have.
I feel that one of the reasons for MedHelps success was the focus on content. On some occasions (and this is one of them) I feel that it has shifted towards the number of hits that it can generate or the number of ads that it can place.
In the end.....it is the members who provide the content; the actual product that MedHelp is selling. I encourage people to take a close look at their posts, their blogs, their medical trackers and reflect....... do I want this shared by tweet or facebook to strangers or employers?
MedHelp was so busy asking yourself if you *could* do this you never asked if you SHOULD. If you did ask yourself that question, you surely didn't ask your membership, the very people whose information which will be shared. What does MedHelp get for encouraging the disbursement of our personal information and writings? Their number of "hits" goes up and they continue to enhance their google ranking. This increases their ad revenue I would guess. Our personal data whether it is prose, posts, blogs is only worth a fraction of a cent worth of revenue..... or maybe a penny....as much as a dime?
It's worth more than that to me.
Thanks, I guess for the "heads up." This is how we find out. For some people it should mean taking down some posts or personal information and strongly considering what they post in the future.
That's just my personal take on it from where I sit today.
Willy
"And check out FlashDude's other thread here about internet privacy. "
____________________________
Steve, I did just that. I noted that "FlashDude" had his membername changed because someone came to him and identified him via the net. He also noted that he seemed to suffer from discrimination after revealing his HCV positive status to the public. Great! Now he is *somewhat* incognito.
The fact remains that MedHelp has provided the means of people posting information about themselves, photos, profiles, medical trackers and such and now is taking steps at encouraging the sharing of this data without informing those people that they are taking this step.
I know people who have lost their jobs after disclosing their HCV status. I could link you to a long list of such "crimes" against people with HCV. They aren't illegal per se. States have "right to work" laws where people can be fired without notice and apparent cause. People have the right to avoid people that they fear as a possible disease vector. Posters do not always get information "right" on MedHelp, but your new updates will allow that all information, the good, the bad and the ugly or incorrect get shared the very instant it gets posted. Such is progress.
I have seen cases where people have had their assistance cut off from some unthoughtful post on a board. We are seeing situations where people suffer legal consequences from posting on the internet. I commonly see people share information (yes, and misinformation too), or personal joking around that could be an embarrassment were it to be shared at their workplace. Whose business is it if someone has IBS as a result of TX or erectile issues due to taking an antidepressant? I have seen many sad situations arise out of people who have been outed and have suffered discrimination on account of fear and ignorance that surrounds this disease. We could be talking about people jobs, loss of employment, being cut from assistance programs and other issues that can negatively impact on peoples lives and their treatment. How would you like it if it became public, your post where you mentioned your infection vector (such as drug use) or had a question about the sexual transmission particulars?
Being on this side of the fence, I can tell you that it feels as though the forum has encouraged the posting of personal information and is now in the business of spreading any and all information made by members.
You can placate yourself or us and tell us that the internet was never *really* private. We share at our own peril. I guess that some of us have.
I feel that one of the reasons for MedHelps success was the focus on content. On some occasions (and this is one of them) I feel that it has shifted towards the number of hits that it can generate or the number of ads that it can place.
In the end.....it is the members who provide the content; the actual product that MedHelp is selling. I encourage people to take a close look at their posts, their blogs, their medical trackers and reflect....... do I want this shared by tweet or facebook to strangers or employers?
MedHelp was so busy asking yourself if you *could* do this you never asked if you SHOULD. If you did ask yourself that question, you surely didn't ask your membership, the very people whose information which will be shared. What does MedHelp get for encouraging the disbursement of our personal information and writings? Their number of "hits" goes up and they continue to enhance their google ranking. This increases their ad revenue I would guess. Our personal data whether it is prose, posts, blogs is only worth a fraction of a cent worth of revenue..... or maybe a penny....as much as a dime?
It's worth more than that to me.
Thanks, I guess for the "heads up." This is how we find out. For some people it should mean taking down some posts or personal information and strongly considering what they post in the future.
That's just my personal take on it from where I sit today.
Willy
I suppose that makes some sense...but have you counted how many "I had se.x with a blow up doll and want to know if I'm infected" questions we already get???
Our new "share this" feature allows us to share information such as posts and journals on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. By sharing links to the site, it allows people to find information that may be helpful to them, information that may be critical to their condition that they may not have known was available.
This feature makes it easier for people to share information, information people were already sharing by posting links to posts and journals on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. This feature was created in response to the fact that MedHelp information was already being shared. By creating this feature, we have not altered any of the privacy measures that are in place. Public information remains public, friends only information is still friends only, and private information is still private. If a member shares a journal or user group post that is private, others will still not be able to access it. For example, by sharing a friends-only journal on Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace, only your friends will be able to view your journal. If they are not a MedHelp friend, the link will take them back to your profile. Sharing a post from a private user group will link to the private group's join page, keeping the group's content totally private unless the user joins and access is granted. Posts in forums have always been public and remain so.
As with all public posts on the Internet, please keep in mind that search engines may pick up your post and make it visible to others online. Therefore, as always, never reveal personally identifiable information. Our new "share this" feature is a way to help others find MedHelp and all we have to offer, connecting us to those who need support or can lend a hand to our members.
If you have accidentally entered personally identifiable information, we can remove it for you. Send a link to the page with the information and quote the information you wish removed to our Contact Us link below.
Please don't hesitate to let us know if we may be of further assistance or if you have any other questions.
And check out FlashDude's other thread here about internet privacy.
This feature makes it easier for people to share information, information people were already sharing by posting links to posts and journals on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. This feature was created in response to the fact that MedHelp information was already being shared. By creating this feature, we have not altered any of the privacy measures that are in place. Public information remains public, friends only information is still friends only, and private information is still private. If a member shares a journal or user group post that is private, others will still not be able to access it. For example, by sharing a friends-only journal on Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace, only your friends will be able to view your journal. If they are not a MedHelp friend, the link will take them back to your profile. Sharing a post from a private user group will link to the private group's join page, keeping the group's content totally private unless the user joins and access is granted. Posts in forums have always been public and remain so.
As with all public posts on the Internet, please keep in mind that search engines may pick up your post and make it visible to others online. Therefore, as always, never reveal personally identifiable information. Our new "share this" feature is a way to help others find MedHelp and all we have to offer, connecting us to those who need support or can lend a hand to our members.
If you have accidentally entered personally identifiable information, we can remove it for you. Send a link to the page with the information and quote the information you wish removed to our Contact Us link below.
Please don't hesitate to let us know if we may be of further assistance or if you have any other questions.
And check out FlashDude's other thread here about internet privacy.
"I'll match your "acceptable" and raise you an "encouraged".
I'll fold - better put and more to the point.
I'll fold - better put and more to the point.
"I think that Goofy was referring to either the yeast infection or to the geese, not necessarily to the up north people population. And, for the record, I'm not being derogaty."
I think yeast infected geese are the ones who are flying south proberly ... look out, Florida.
I think yeast infected geese are the ones who are flying south proberly ... look out, Florida.
I think what bothers me is the fact that the inclusion of the links is like a suggestion that it's an acceptable premise to Facebook or Twitter the threads in this forum.
I'll match your "acceptable" and raise you an "encouraged".
I'll match your "acceptable" and raise you an "encouraged".
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Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
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