Have I been cyberstalked? Yes. I think that kinda gives me a first-hand knowledge of what it is and isn't...

Do I call doing a three second google on someone stalking? Hardly not. If googling someone is stalking, I am sure 99% of members here are guilty of stalking.

What is wrong with you lately?

Obviously, I can't speak for adpiucf, but it does seem like people are jumping on new posters for particularly trivial things in some cases which just gives the place overall kind of a petty vibe.

There's nothing wrong with me lately, but I appreciate your concern. I don't agree with veteran posters jumping all over the newbies, and I'm just as entitled to express that opinion as those who want to snark are entitled to express their opinions. I'm not violating the TOS or calling an particular person out for their actions. I am merely stating a general opinion.

I don't think that expressing a general opinion entitles asking me if I am having a personal problem in my life... It's actually insulting, which I gather is your intent and which I find surprising, seeing as you and I have traded PMs from time to time and I have supported you in the past. I am disappointed. I respect you a lot more than the comments you have flung toward me of late, and I assumed the respect was mutual.

There's nothing wrong with googling someone. But publishing it or using it to make fun of someone is out of line, and plenty of people have outed someone, IE: "Oh you're talking about Bama..." etc., based on a poster's comments. It's come up before and it's generally agreed that it's not nice to "out" people if they haven't explicitly shared what school they are attending. No one has done that in this case, but bringing up the implication that you could figure it out AND doing it in such a way that isn't warning the poster to be more discreet has been regarded in the past as being out of line.

So in summary, there's no need for the mods to lock this post if the intent is to keep me and you from killing each other. I'm not engaging anyone in a war of words or responding to any insults in kind b/c it's just not warranted. I do maintain, however, based on past mod actions, GC frowns on outing people... so making a joke about outing them or implying that you could out them is poor sportsmanship (or the online equivalent).

I've been trying my best to not get into the whole jumping on the newbies, but I've been observing a few things:

Newbies post their questions and (without naming names) the usual suspects answer them or point them into the right direction. The answer (or the link) often isn't good enough and they indicate this, and newbies cop an attitude...which then unleashes the fury of the usual suspects.

90% of the time, the newbies deserve it. JMHO. The blame shouldn't necessarily be limited to the GC usual suspects.

I've noticed that a lot of people are speaking out against the treatment of new posters. You guys are fools if you guys think that this place will get any better any time soon. :rolleyes: If you think otherwise, I seriously doubt you'll be able to enforce that.

I think Googling someone and their school (or threatening to do so) really is cyberstalking and not being very nice to newbies. So what if they ask stupid questions? Isn't that what young people do? And let's not forget--most of the time these are young, college age folks. 18 and 19 years old. Why does it bother people so much that they feel the need to take such action as to Google or otherwise harass?

Yes it get tiring answering the same questions over and over again--then maybe GC isn't for you anymore or just not answer. JMHO. And attacking a veteran user such as adpiucf, who sticks up for newbies and tries to help, really isn't helping matters.

CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG??

I agree there is no need to lock this over us. I was really asking to see if something was going on that would make you seem snippier to me. I noticed that you have seemed different lately. I was genuinely asking if something was going on because it is not like you to jump all over me like you have on some comments I felt were fairly innocuous. I don't think what I did was outing her. Hell, anyone can (and many already have) googled her username. I don't think I outed her. I didn't say her name. I simply said that it's easy to figure out who she is with one search.

I know you were talking to someone else but--you don't think simply saying something isn't threatening? Now that everyone know how easy it is, they'll probably do it too--and that doesn't seem very nice. If you are genuinely concerned for the poster, then why not PM and let her know how easy it was to locate her info, rather than out her publicly?

I am not trying to start anything, I am just trying to point out that we can't say things like this and then claim we didn't do anything.

Oh ok. I wasn't jumping on anyone-- just stating a general opinion. Honestly, I was just referencing the recent comments that it wouldn't be too hard to figure out where the OP was. I had BA flashbacks-- GC was not a happy place around that time.

Definitely I agree with OTW that things aren't going to change, LOL, but after a certain point things can get a little silly around here with the snark and I just felt the need to speak up. I know I'm not alone in feeling that way.

Honestly, I'm just voicing feelings I've had for a while. I get a little tired of people treating their GLO like it's a religion (yes, it is an important part of our lives, but it is a self-selecting social club promoting good ethics, friendship and service), and while I agree there are some ridiculous newbies on board, I'm trying not to get too jaded and give new users the benefit of the doubt! ;)

How do you find people if you dont know their name or where they are from?

If I have to tell people they can google someone's username then people aren't very bright. Also, I really have started to care less and less about people who put it all out on the internet. If it's out there, it'll be seen. Some haven't learned that lesson yet. My post was simply saying that it can be found. What she does with her info is really none of my concern.

Peeps, you guys take this shit too seriously. Who cares?

FWIW, a lot of the newbies getting their heads handed to them this recruitment season are grown women who are well beyond their college years.

Just sayin'.

This is sooooooo true.

Case in point -- that crazy mom who was trying to get 'ASU sorority reputations' on GC after being told by at least 4 or 5 different GCers, "Your daughter will get the chance to meet all of the sororities and hopefully find the home that is right for her", that answer wasn't good enough for her and she kept pushing harder every single time those answers were not good enough for her then things in that thread got nasty and people started jumping on the "LEAAAAVE TEH NEWBIES ALONE!!!!!" train.

Its easier than you think if a person has left enough clues online. (Not saying that it can be done in all circumstances, of course, but plenty of people aren't careful about how much they reveal online.)

It also needs to be said that it's not just limited to GreekChat. Oftentimes, GCers belong to other message boards with the same username/usernames that clearly point to their identity.

Just ask the PNMs who've had shitty rush results because of what they've said online. :rolleyes:

FYI, in defense of Tippie, the googling of this particular screenname produces a real name so common there is no way to tell who she really is.

I googled that too. I have to say I'm a huge fan of the song on her myspace. Now I don't want this to turn into a rash of 'let's google each other' because that is crazy stalkerish and then we're getting retro and trust me-I have had to make changes to my online behaviour etc. because of the retro so I'm not a fan.
Simply put-use your screen name other places and here if you're not ashamed or worried about what you've got going on online. Otherwise make some changes because there are some batshit people out there who stop at nothing.