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Why are people freaking out about this Google thing? It’s not new.

MrBrownstone · 46-50, M
Same people freaking out about a coronavirus with a 99% survivor rate.
SW-User
@MrBrownstone 😆👍👍
TexChik · F
it is to this site. Most of us are here because we appreciated the anonymity and privacy.
OverTheHill · 56-60, M
@questionWeaver Birthday and S.S.# ? 😉
@OverTheHill lol ... even less than that ... just two pieces of innocuous info and 24 hours
@Ceinwyn murder, suicide, career loss, divorce, bankruptcy, legal actions, sleeplessness, business disruption ... it is a long list

People here could be hurt bad
The collective outrage boggles the mind. Posts and usernames on Similar Worlds have been available for viewing on browsers ever since the site went online.
FreeSpirit1 · 51-55, F
It's funny, I made Google my profile pic
Miram · 31-35, F
It is new actually.

Hidden threads were not indexed in google search and they are recently.
Miram · 31-35, F
@iamonfire696

People are mistaking this for google results about usernames, not visibility that can affect future google results. And is already affecting the current one.

I think they should read the details from the admins.
iamonfire696 · 41-45, F
@Miram I think they need too as well.
Andrew · Admin
@Miram
[b]Just to clarify, there hasn't been any change to Privacy Settings, apart from the introduction of "Private/Friends Only Posts", a couple of months ago[/b] (which is an improvement in privacy).

There was at most, for some posts, a "Truncated Preview" of the full post, and that is all.
No further privacy from the URL being found/indexed.

For some longer posts, the full text was shortened behind a "Sign-Up" banner,
which isn't truly a privacy setting.
So we removed that feature some time last year, as it doesn't provide any actual privacy.


What may have happened over the past months, is that we finally improved the site's structure and organization,
which was once a jumbled confusion of posts, and much more difficult for someone to navigate or find what they are looking for.

[b]Because the site's structure and organization was improved,
this lead to an increase in post being findable.[/b]

[b]Improved visibility to Members, Newcomers, and Crawlers,
which resultingly lead to a greater number of posts being indexed by Google.[/b]


So to reiterate once again:
[b]There has been NO change of privacy settings,
only the improved organization of posts, over the past months.[/b]
RedBaron · M
What Google thing and who are freaking out? And why are you freaking out about it?
Northwest · M
You mean all of a sudden people realize their posts are available for anyone to read, if that person is not a member of SW? Generally speaking, I don't think too many people consider this prior to joining, starting threads, commenting or putting their pics online.

It is the responsibility of management to make it clear.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@Northwest But wasnt that the whole idea behind the interweb?😷
CrazyMusicLover · 31-35
I googled my username together with "similar worlds" and there's hardly anything. I remember when I actually could see my own photos I posted at some point in the past. So this seems like an improvement. What is this indexing people talk about?
PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M
@Miram Weird how so many seem to recall that button. Staff claims they've always done indexing. Can't go back in time to verify if there has been such a wording on an option though.

It really is a double-edged sword. Totally get what you mean when you mention doing reports. Sometimes a bit of sleuthing absolutely can go a long way to uncover further transgressions that increases the likelihood of a successful report.

On the other hand, as you also say, the increased visibility puts some people at a whole lot more risk than they were before. Have seen some folks here I respect go into full retreat mode to protect themselves now that they are put much more on blast than before.
Andrew · Admin
Please note that if someone searches in Google for:

"[i][MyUserName] SimilarWorlds.com[/i]" (or whatever other variation),

it likely means that:

[b]1) That person is already a user of Similar Worlds.

2) Is already aware that your Public posts are visible once logged in, on Similar Worlds.[/b]


[sep]


[i][u]To Add:[/u][/i]

Please also note that, "Private Profiles" do not show Google a list of your posts, or any other such information.

It's the fact that one's posts may appear in PUBLIC Groups, that makes them findable at that location.

So posts from "Private Profiles" being findable, doesn't have much to do with info leaking from the profile itself,

but rather, [b]the content being [u]posted to a Public area[/u][/b].


We can still understand the general confusion,
and hopefully our recent changes help to alleviate these issues for users.
PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M
@Andrew
Please note that if someone searches Google for:

[i]"[MyUserName] SimilarWorlds.com"[/i] (or whatever other variation),

it makes the assumption that:

[b]1) The person actually knows that Similar Worlds exist.[/b]

[b]2) Has made the connection that a certain user may have a profile on Similar Worlds.[/b]


[sep]


[i][u]To Add:[/u][/i]

Please also note that, earlier suggestions hasn't been about making a foolproof method of someone being found, but increasing the knowledge necessary to find someone, who doesn't want to be found.

It's the fact that it adds an additional layer, that while they don't eliminate the risk of being found, reduces it.

So posts may become findable without "similarworlds.com" in the search result, when "relevancy" of hits increases on Google.

But you have chosen a model, that [b]effectively hampers someone wanting a broader reach [u]to logged in users but don't want Google visibility[/u][/b].


Some of us can still understand the general confusion,
but hopefully you break out of seeing things just from the developer and manager perspective,
and alleviate the remaining issues for other users,
by further increasing granularity in privacy option,
and letting members properly tailor their user experience.
Viper · M
Admin say the indexing is new (whatever that means)...

And a lot more is able via Google
PirateMonkeyCabinet · 36-40, M
@Viper Indexing on SW technically isn't new. My understand of what they've said is that in the past the site just wasn't optimized in a way that Google crawlers would want them to be, meaning a lot less was indexed and lower visibility on Google. People seeming to recall options of opting out and potentially misunderstandings, combined with the low visibility EP used to have on Google may have contributed to the feeling that this is new. It's just many time more visible in Google now.
PhaqueYou · M
Yeh, that lack of knowledge is rather freakish.

Esp. Webcrawlers been around since the late 90s.
JohnOinger · 41-45, M
It dosent bother me threads on Yahoo Answers were shown In Public In The Search Engine
SubstantialKick · 31-35, M
I heard that it is the indexing thing, which isn't actually new.
Budwick · 70-79, M
I pity this poor bastard.
His picture comes up when I Google Budwick.
I’m guessing they didn’t know. So when you’re just finding something out, it’s new to you ! 😅
Azlotto · M
What Google thing? It looks the same on my end.

 
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