3 hours ago, simon43 said:

.. which suggests to me that were you to publish your real photo, then your privacy and family would be at risk from someone (either individuals or government department etc). Why would that heppen unless you had upset someone. No-one should give a flying fig about you and your family, unless you've done somthing to upset them or you are just plain paranoid!

I am sad to say, but you totally fail to understand. For example, why would you be like an open book online, when there are so many scams or people that use images and information for illicit purposes? But, as I said, it seems to go over your head, so let´s leave it at this stage.

18 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

I am sad to say, but you totally fail to understand. For example, why would you be like an open book online, when there are so many scams or people that use images and information for illicit purposes? But, as I said, it seems to go over your head, so let´s leave it at this stage.

Agreed. Identity theft, extortion scams, phishing, and online fraud in general are strong reasons to maintain as little of a digital footprint online as possible.

But there are other risks too, including stalking and harassment, doxxing, account takeover, social engineering, unwanted profiling, reputational damage, and the risk of personal information being copied, aggregated, and preserved indefinitely. The less information about you that is publicly available online, the harder it is for someone to target, impersonate, manipulate, or exploit you.

Ok. I'll come clean.

Edited Monday at 09:21 AM1 day by rocketboy2

1 hour ago, BKKBike09 said:

If you are "open about everything I do so have no need to hide myself", may I ask why you choose to be anonymous on this forum?

People like you maybe?

Post my face? Yeah like I want open mic night in the comments section to post

"So, that's what the idiot looks like, what a loser"

You want to look at face pics join a dating site.

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

Happily I'm not a yank lol. But I am still restricted by the UK Official Secrets Act (which has restircted some of my projects in Myanmar, even though my 'secret' work was decades ago).

I can't say anymore, or I'd have to track you down and kill you....lol

Well, in conclusion, mate, you probably won’t find my fizzog on the internet, but surely you’ve seen my meat and two veg in action every time you’ve had a quick tug on the old information superhighway, visiting one of those websites you pretend you don’t visit.

Edited Monday at 09:37 AM1 day by Alpha84

3 minutes ago, J Branche said:

You want to look at face pics join a dating site.

You mean like Grindr?

What kind of jobs and whatnot do people have where their face never ends up on the internet?

2 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

What kind of jobs and whatnot do people have where their face never ends up on the internet?

Blow jobs. Because it's her face and not yours that is the important factor.

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

What kind of jobs and whatnot do people have where their face never ends up on the internet?

Mostly Clandestine, low level that may be considered insignificant, work for small companies with less than let's say 15 people, people working illegally.

10 minutes ago, Alpha84 said:

You mean like Grindr?

Whatever floats your boat.

On 9/13/2026 at 4:27 PM, simon43 said:

My father taught me to stand by my words and not to hide away, even if that means receiving abuse, ridicule etc.

But your father couldn't have anticipated that random strangers on the internet may take the wrong kind of interest in you, or in something you've done or posted years ago. People I meet face to face usually do know my real name and bio. Or could look it up. That's fine.

42 minutes ago, Caldera said:

But your father couldn't have anticipated that random strangers on the internet may take the wrong kind of interest in you, or in something you've done or posted years ago. People I meet face to face usually do know my real name and bio. Or could look it up. That's fine.

In all my life, no-one has never done that! I'm either too poor or too ugly or too insignificant for people to bother :)

On 9/13/2026 at 6:48 PM, simon43 said:

Yes, I wasn't referring to this forum specifically - I meant the internet in general terms. Many people seem to have an aversion for their image to be in the public domain, and I was wondering why. Paranoia? Something to hide? I can look back 25 or more years and find photos and press releases about my work - no-one has yet tried to blackmail me because of it lol!

For me it's about privacy and nothing to do with having something to hide. If I had something to hide, I would wear a balaclava or a mask like some are doing in Portsmouth (again).

I did input my name. Lots of people with the same name but no pictures of me.

18 minutes ago, simon43 said:

In all my life, no-one has never done that! I'm either too poor or too ugly or too insignificant for people to bother :)

Yet all your life mysterious forces have been forcing you to relocate elsewhere.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Yet all your life mysterious forces have been forcing you to relocate elsewhere.

Lung illness forced me to south-east Asia, not people :)

5 hours ago, FriscoKid said:

Agreed. Identity theft, extortion scams, phishing, and online fraud in general are strong reasons to maintain as little of a digital footprint online as possible.

But there are other risks too, including stalking and harassment, doxxing, account takeover, social engineering, unwanted profiling, reputational damage, and the risk of personal information being copied, aggregated, and preserved indefinitely. The less information about you that is publicly available online, the harder it is for someone to target, impersonate, manipulate, or exploit you.

Absolutely, there are many more reasons as well. I could just arse myself with taking a few examples in hope that he would finally understand. However, I am sorry to say, I failed miserably. ;-)

"The less information about you that is publicly available online, the harder it is for someone to target, impersonate, manipulate, or exploit you."

Lol - who would want to impersonate me? (and why?) Who could manipulate me or exploit me? (and why?) The answer is absolutely no-one! I have no money, no partner, no religious or political affiliation. I depend on no-one, I owe neither money nor affiliation to no-one.

I am a free man :)

Now you may be different....... it depends on what you've done or are doing in your life of course........

56 minutes ago, simon43 said:

"The less information about you that is publicly available online, the harder it is for someone to target, impersonate, manipulate, or exploit you."

Lol - who would want to impersonate me? (and why?) Who could manipulate me or exploit me? (and why?) The answer is absolutely no-one! I have no money, no partner, no religious or political affiliation. I depend on no-one, I owe neither money nor affiliation to no-one.

I am a free man :)

Now you may be different....... it depends on what you've done or are doing in your life of course........

Criminals do not care about any of that. It is completely irrelevant to them. Given the opportunity, they will steal your personal identity and use it to commit financial crimes in your name. That is identity theft.

Many victims of identity theft come from backgrounds similar to yours. The consequences can be serious and long lasting. You could be forced to spend significant amounts of time and money proving that you were not responsible for crimes committed using your identity. In the most serious cases, you could even find yourself facing criminal charges for actions you did not commit. Even in a less serious outcome, your ability to open bank accounts, obtain financial services, or conduct other financial transactions could be affected.

There is no way to predict exactly what will happen once your personal information falls into the wrong hands. The consequences can be severe, difficult to reverse, and entirely outside your control.

The only sensible course of action is to take every reasonable precaution in life to prevent identity theft and financial fraud from being committed in your name. Do not assume that it cannot happen to someone like you. Once someone's identity has been compromised, the damage may already have been done.

In this day and age of massive governmental scrutiny and intolerance for criticism it's best to remain anonymous on public forums. It's not a question of courage it's a question of wisdom and self preservation.

8 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

People like you maybe?

"People like me"? You mean a smokin' hot 19-year old Filipina who can't wait to meet you?

18 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

"People like me"? You mean a smokin' hot 19-year old Filipina who can't wait to meet you?

Pic?

7 hours ago, simon43 said:

"The less information about you that is publicly available online, the harder it is for someone to target, impersonate, manipulate, or exploit you."

Lol - who would want to impersonate me? (and why?) Who could manipulate me or exploit me? (and why?) The answer is absolutely no-one! I have no money, no partner, no religious or political affiliation. I depend on no-one, I owe neither money nor affiliation to no-one.

I am a free man :)

Now you may be different....... it depends on what you've done or are doing in your life of course........

Please stop now! Your deeply naive personality is starting to reach the level of when being naive becomes equal to madness.

7 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Please stop now! Your deeply naive personality is starting to reach the level of when being naive becomes equal to madness.

Lol!! You're paranoid! I've managed to reach 67 years old without having any of the problems that you insist I'm at high risk of falling foul of. Thanks for your comments, but I think I'll continue in the same manner to conduct my life :)

On 9/13/2026 at 4:35 PM, novacova said:

Yes.

Not your or anyone else’s business.

Yes, my face.

No.

Why are you being nosy?

The internet wasn’t around when my father taught me.

Thanks but no thanks, not interested in the faces of strangers and you’ll nor anyone else will ever see mine on the internet.

" Am I ever gonna see your face again!?... No way, get <deleted>, <deleted> off"!... Who sang this song Simon?

Edited yesterday at 12:11 AM1 day by Olmate

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yet all your life mysterious forces have been forcing you to relocate elsewhere.

Nothing mysterious at all, just Western family law and division of assets.

44 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Nothing mysterious at all, just Western family law and division of assets.

Lol, luckily for me I had a non-contested divorce (in the UK and again in Thailand and yet again in Thailand...), no Court involvement, mutual agreement.

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Lol!! You're paranoid! I've managed to reach 67 years old without having any of the problems that you insist I'm at high risk of falling foul of. Thanks for your comments, but I think I'll continue in the same manner to conduct my life :)

When have I insisted you are at high risk? Please point that out.

What I have been posting is that it´s stupid and naive to think like you, and that there are risks.

Please keep to the facts, and stop dream up or fantasies about things i never said nor posted.

3 minutes ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Lol!! You're paranoid! I've managed to reach 67 years old without having any of the problems that you insist I'm at high risk of falling foul of. Thanks for your comments, but I think I'll continue in the same manner to conduct my life :)

I'm slightly younger than you, and have never been in a car accident in my life. So I don't bother with a seatbelt, and feel no need to pay attention to the road, the conditions, my speed, or other drivers. If you do any of those things, you are paranoid.

I had a friend that used to drive with his knees while paying his bills, writing out checks, stuffing envelopes, licking stamps, etc..

Edited yesterday at 01:43 AM1 day by ColeBOzbourne