phone lookups

[Bettina Jodda (Twister)]

On Wednesday 26 June 2002 13:40, John Sullivan wrote:
> At 09:10 PM 25/06/2002, you wrote:
> >If the "few" more names and details involves me - or me near and dear -
> >*I* care - and so do they!
>
> I suspect that a lot of people here are missing the wood for the trees. Any
> telephone number is in the public domain - my telephone won't stop me from
> dialing anything (whether it's valid or not; ex-directory or not;
> restricted or not), but we tend to feel that our own numbers are subject to
> some kind of distribution policy over which we have any control. 

Nope - I do absolutely agree with my phone number being accessible for 
anybody.
But:
I do also prefer people respecting some privacy without being "legally forced 
to do so".

I would like to express it this way:
For me I do not have to be told (no matter by the authorities or a lawyer or 
anyone) that certain things are private.

Although my phone number is accessible for anybody, I would like people not to 
publish it with the argument "he it is accessible".

I mean - rough said: If I publish your sexual behaviour in the net, this 
private data becomes "accessible for almost anybody" (it can be forwarded via 
e-mail, somebody can print it out) etc...so people could say "well, anybody 
could have it - so why not publishing it".
I hope that there are many people who have a certain way of saying "this might 
be accessible for anybody but I will not give my share to spreading it out"

I might be on the wrong side if it comes to that matter but I have an example:
there is a web-site calling my and others  "persons who sympathize with 
child-raping"
As this site uses my nickname it can not be legally forced to be removed (I 
tried) - and this sites states this stuff "a comment" so as I do like freedom 
of speech I say "alright, for heavenīs sake, keep it".

But I do hope that the fact that this data is accessible for anybody because 
it is on the net will not be the reason for people to distribute it without 
any rhyme or reason.
Of course I can not do anything against it - but if your girlfriend tells 
other people about your sexual behaviour, you can not do anything either.
But you probably would prefer her to keep quiet, wonīt you?

As usual it is a matter of trust and a matter of respecting privacy or not.
(And I do not talk about the legal idea of privacy :-)

Twister