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View Full Version : Very Creepy


word
10-12-2007, 11:02 PM
I've had an account on ESPN forums for years. They've changed the format a bit and you can add personal info which I just entered a bunch of humourous BS. I don't even give an accurate name, dob or anything. When I saved this they asked, 'do you want to keep this as your primary address ?'

It was a 15 year old address I had in Austin. There wasn't even an ESPN message board back then. I signed on 2001 and I lived in Denver then but I never gave them that information or any such information.

HOW DID THEY DO THAT ?
RuffnReadyOzStyle
10-12-2007, 11:13 PM
Probably data matching.

In the age of the internet, where databases of all kinds are linked, these things happen. The world knows all about you, and me, and everyone else.
word
10-12-2007, 11:14 PM
Probably data matching.

In the age of the internet, where databases of all kinds are linked, these things happen. The world knows all about you, and me, and everyone else.

Yeah I figure they got the name matching my IP and then the name from my providor then matched an address from a public database. I don't man, it just seems wrong.
word
10-12-2007, 11:17 PM
And an even better question is WHY would they do it ?
RuffnReadyOzStyle
10-12-2007, 11:32 PM
I'd say some consumer database just automatically matched your name with your old address. I'd say it was automated.
word
10-12-2007, 11:44 PM
Well yeah but if they matched my IP from my Internet providor, my providor has my current address here in SA. All I know is, it came from an IP address because I've NEVER given them ANY accurate information as to my identity. It's not a pay site so IP address is the only way. Had they my current address I would have been slightly less shocked I guess but there barely WAS a WWW when I lived at that address in Austin. There was no Netscape back then. Mark Andreson(sp), inventor of Netscape still worked at IBM Austin during that time I believe. I worked at IBM-Austin then.We all used Mosaic to surf. It's just *wierd' they pulled that address out of their ass. No biggee I guess. I don't do anything wrong but hey, what if I wanted to plot an overthrow of the government ? How am I going to do that with all this invasion of privacy ?