Register with TOTAL Privacy

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Hawk

When we set up our forum we set it up to maximize communication and to protect your privacy. You can register without having to provide a single bit of personal information under our Zero personal information registration, if you choose.

When you register you are asked for a forum member logon name that you pick (such as Hawk).  There is nothing about that name that identifies anything about your real identity.  It does however keep you from being the victim of impostors (others using your name to post). Pick any name with 3 or more letters that has not already been taken (no numbers please).

Details:
Secure Privacy Method Registration : You are also asked for an email address.  This is so you can be notified more easily of news (like forum moves, down for upgrade, password issues) That email address can be some yahoo account that you set up at http://www.yahoo.com in 3 minutes. You can use any phony name on your yahoo email account.  Your yahoo email account also does not identify you in any way.  Many of you have actual email accounts with your internet service provider that don't identify your true identity.  You could be my neighbor and there is no way for me to know because if your real name is not part of your email name.  Thousands of people have used their real email addresses and none have ever received spam or had a single problem associated with registering on our forum. This method allows you to control whether you want notified of Private Messages, or posting activity on certain topics you flag.  It also allows you to hide your email address from others.

When you register, you can check "no" for "always show my email". You can do this when you first register or any time after you register.  If you do, I am the only one that can see your email address you entered.  I have never and would never share personal information, even about my worst enemy.  No one worthy of being a site administrator or even with common decency would.  

IP Addresses:  A lot of people hear about IP addresses. Any knowledgeable computer person can verify that the following is accurate. IP addresses are temporary, changing, ID numbers that make sure that any information you click on is routed to the correct pc on the internet. All PC's on the internet must use them to route what you click on to your computer. You don't have to know or furnish these IP addresses to register. I alone can see IP addresses of people on our forum. The same is true on the BTC or the APDA forums and every other server and website in the world that you visit, even if you never register. Your IP address does not tell me who you are. At most, It tells me what Internet service provider your computer is connecting through (Verizon for example). Only your own internet service provider could ever figure out who you are since it is their server that randomly assigns these numbers to your PC each time you log in. These IP addresses change, often with every new connection to your internet service provider. Even your own provider would have to exert considerable effort to match the IP number you randomly received during a specific login to you as an individual. Short of threatening the President of the U.S., it is not likely to happen. As I said. the IP number is no more tracable when you register than it is if you just visit a site as a guest.

What can I tell from your IP address? - The most I know is that you logged on with, let's say AOL ,and I could guess the vague region of the country.

Registering actually helps you hide private information because once registered, you can send "private messages to any forum member without me or anyone but the recipient seeing the message. This allows you to have private communication without revealing your email address to anyone.

Finally, many people on this forum have chosen to share their true identity with me. Not one has ever been compromised and will never be compromised. However, if you have any concern, just keep that information to yourself. I can relate to how you would feel. I am one that WILLINGLY gave my personal information to someone on another Peyronies Disease site.  They put that private information on the internet. The lesson is, NEVER give such information to someone that does not have the integrity to keep it private even through serious personal conflicts.

Summary: You expose no personal information by registering. Your IP address is logged to every site your PC ever visits on the internet whether you register or not, but it does not identify you. Only an Administrator can ever see your IP address.  I have never revealed personal information of any human being in my life.  I have had a U. S. Department of Justice security clearance for over 15 years because I was trusted to handle critical /sensitive information.

I hope these facts answer your concerns.  If you have further questions or comments, just leave a post under "General Comments".  We will address it.  

Thank You

Hawk

PS: For the truly unconvinced: Register with a totally phoney email address (noemail@biteme.com) - (I don't recommend this)  If you do this however, you cannot easily get passwords reset etc.  You also must turn off email notification for Personal Messages in your profile to keep from bouncing rejections for such notifications to the PDS email.
Prostatectomy 2004, radiation 2009, currently 70 yrs old
After pills, injections, VED - Dr Eid, Titan 22cm implant 8/7/18
Hawk - Updated 10/27/18 - Peyronies Society Forums