I recently learned that voting on lemmy is not anonymous. Anyone can get information about who has upvoted and downvoted a post or comment.
In combination with your IP, this is a massive privacy (maybe even physical security) risk. Also, people can target you for your votes.
Sadly, this is something where I would prefer Reddit over Lemmy. Big tech scrapes data from both places anyways, at least Reddit is safe.
Anyone can get information about who has upvoted and downvoted a post or comment.
In combination with your IP, this is a massive privacy (maybe even physical security) risk.
Why?
If I know the things you post/vote about and I know your general location (from IP), I can use that along with other metrics from other usage of your IP (on other websites) to get a fairly accurate location and profile of who you are. One slip up in a comment or a post and I can probably know your name and address.
This is assuming someone is specifically targeting you. But as tech advances, it might already be possible for the average person to do this on a large number of people. Big tech does it already.
If I know the things you post/vote
Post or vote? As you appear to be specifically butthurt about people being able to see how you vote? Or perhaps you would like your posts to be anonymous as well?
I know your general location (from IP)
You don’t.
other usage of your IP (on other websites)
You don’t.
fairly accurate location and profile of who you are
You don’t.
One slip up in a comment or a post and I can probably know your name and address.
Yeah, if I put in my name and address when commenting 🙄
Fuck, I’ve been on the internet from the mid 90’s - with very few handles…
I knew from the beginning that you should always expect the worst.
Never gave my name or info unless absolutely necessary.
Even avoided smarthphones until last year, from then it was simply forced upon me since there was no other option for many services.meh, my cell phone number and name is even on the internet - the joy of being a site manager
Admins can have IPs. What do you mean “you don’t”?
Every IP has a geolocation.
Yeah, if I put in my name and address when commenting
You underestimate how much information we leak through just using the Internet.
Admins can have IPs. What do you mean “you don’t”?
Precisely what I said. You don’t. Admins of your instance can - you know, like Reddit admins.
You underestimate how much information we leak through just using the Internet.
Yes, downvoting is definitely “information leaking”.
Look, you don’t like that anyone could see how you voted, I get it. That’s your view and it is fine. But stop making it a privacy issue as it isn’t one.
