Okay, I have a few things to say about this. As context, I've been doing this sort of thing for... too long. Far too long. I got started with AOL (America Online) in the days when modems screamed bloody murder every time you tried to connect, and it took like 5 squillionty years to download a simple photo of a cat. The use of AIM (AOL Instant Messanger) came almost immediately after signing up for AOL. This was... oh it had to be at least 20 years ago. Probably 25... ugh.
Yeah. A lot of experience.
I'm also self-taught in terms of computer/tech use, learned back in the ancient days of DOS.
So yeah, that's where I come from with answers to this sort of thing.
I'm going to quote some of the things directly:
It's okay, really. The issue for some is that it is something they may not understand the use/purpose of. I've gotten that response a few times from people on this forum, if I mention things like the use of Discord or Steam for direct discussion. That just confused lack of understanding. And it makes sense, really... this is an autism forum, and those are communication programs.
Others may simply not be much into computer use, and things like that. Tech in general, even. Still others may already have a "comfortable space" online that they already use, and may not like the idea of adding/changing.
There's no harm in inviting someone to a direct discussion thing like Discord or whatever. Just be ready for the potential rejection there, particularly in a place where people often just have difficulty communicating to begin with.
Oh yes, it matters. And it's rather devious. Theoretically this data is used to make it easier to advertise at you (as if big companies even think about anything else). But the fact that they HAVE the data can be a problem... particularly if there is a security breach. The fact that they outright SELL said data to companies who could be up to who knows what is even worse.
What data are they collecting? Everything, anything. Oh, they wont go after things like credit card numbers or anything... that'd be all sorts of illegal and if found out, the damage to the company and those running it would be immediate and devastating. But plenty of other things get collected. For instance, and this is the bit that bothers many the most, they will essentially follow you online. Watching and recording the things you click on, the sites you frequent and how often/long you use them, things like that. If you've ever wondered why you might look at, say, a pair of shoes in an online store just for the heck of it, and then for the next couple weeks afterwards the entire bloody Net seems to be trying to get you to buy more shoes... that's how and why that happens.
There are certainly other aspects to this, but I think you get the picture. People worry... rightfully... that some very personal stuff could end up in the hands of some frozen-hearted corporation.
Facebook is, frankly, very dangerous. I always warn people to stay entirely away from both that and Twitter. People think they're safe. Somehow, the Net as a whole has trained them to think this way. Even to the point of using their real names on sites like that! Which is a HUGE no-no by the way. Internet safety rule #1: Dont. Use. Your. Real name. PERIOD. There was a time when the whole Net understood this... somehow that has changed, and few seem to grasp this rule or why it is important.
That's not the only reason why that site and those like it are dangerous... but I'll not go into that here. I'll put it this way: it's one deep rabbit hole.
I strongly suggest entirely avoiding it. Dont even make an account.
It's merely a matter of preference and familiarity. And certain programs may be particularly attractive to certain groups. Discord for instance is most used by/for gamers, with a rather extreme number of gaming related servers, as well as their own online vendor for games. Gamers will usually hear about Discord quickly; other groups may not learn of it at all as it has less chance of appearing in their circles.
Also it can be an absolute pain to have multiple accounts across multiple programs. 'Tis a recipe for madness, I tell you.
Oh yes. They all are. ALL of them.
I want to be very clear here: There is no such place as a truly safe space/program/site/anything on the Net. Again, people have this idea that everything is oh so safe these days... just install a virus scanner on your PC and you'll never have a problem! The direct opposite is true. The Net as a whole has been dangerous from day one, and continues to only get moreso as time goes on.
Sometimes the dangers can involve smaller things, like common jerks throwing viruses at you because they think it's funny. But other times... well, you dont want to know. And I'm not going to explain. All I'll say is, I've explored deep. Curiosity of a cat, always have had that. And if you truly explore deep into the Net... the layers most never see and perhaps CANT see... you'll see things you really, REALLY wish you could unsee. Even with my godawful memory, some things... seen as long as a decade ago... remain crystal clear in memory. A couple come to mind as I type this. Yeah... you dont want to know.
Just know that, much like a major city, there can be places that are good (yet still accessible by criminals), places that are rather seedy and suspicious... and places that qualify as "underground", where horrific things happen. In other words... just like real life in a crowded area. That's a good way to think of the Net. Except that the Net is almost impossible to police. It is simply too chaotic.
So yeah: These things are never safe. Dont get me wrong: Discord itself is not at all malicious. But those who go there CAN be. That's the case everywhere. And of course some programs ARE malicious... never forget that. If you're not tech-savvy, you have even more reason to take precaution. I can deal with many things well because of sheer experience and knowledge, but anyone without tech experience will be nearly defenseless in many situations.
It's always potentially dangerous, like a big city. Never forget that.
If you ever have questions or concerns, feel free to ask people around you about it. The best way to stay safe is to LEARN. Heck, ask me if you'd like. Not that I know everything, mind you. The Net is huge. Also again, dont use your real name anywhere, seriously. Frankly the made-up names online are more fun/interesting anyway, and more expressive.
Not necessarily, but there's nothing wrong with that approach. Just remember the stuff above. And dont post it in super public places. I've seen people drop Discord/whatever IDs in places like freaking Twitter and such, that's just asking for some snotrag troll to come at you. Make sure you're comfortable with the people you're dealing with BEFORE sending them something like that. Just like how you wouldnt give your actual phone number to some random doofus in the park.
So, yeah, that's that. Again, based on FAR too much experience.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have or even message me directly about whatever.
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