Traditional dining petition

[Dakota 400]

All of us on this forum need to be careful about action sites that take positions on issues. Especially if we don't know background and legitimacy of such sites.

Wise advice and I do "think before I do so".

For those foolish enough to put their main (or a heavily used) email address at every Tom, Dick, and Harry site, may I suggest you look into disposable email addresses.

#1: I don't consider myself foolish. I have enough internet experience, along with a "learning situation 11 years ago", that was an educational experience from which I have learned.

#2: On my e-mail account, I have a delete button. It's a wonder that the poor thing does not get worn out.

 

[railiner]

For those foolish enough to put their main (or a heavily used) email address at every Tom, Dick, and Harry site, may I suggest you look into disposable email addresses.
Just for the places I trust, I have at least 15-20 email aliases (based on who they are such as friends, financial, government, businesses I often deal with, medical, places I volunteer at, non-profits, etc). Then for everyone else, I use individual disposable emails that route messages from that site and forward them to yet another alias. I use hundreds of these and I can autofill one into any new site at any time with a few clicks. Each one can be temporarily disabled or permanently removed upon receipt of an email from that site with two clicks (delete then confirm) or by going to the privacy site and selecting those to disable/delete.
I don't even give my real email address out to my friends - just another alias reserved for friends I know. The only one that has the real email is myself and my mail provider. For $3/month they give me full privacy and no ads.
I also use an ad blocker, a VPN, and I open all sites in private windows then close them before going to other sites unless I need to be logged in to both simultaneously in which case I use individual private tabs. Even then, I clear cookies on any Youtube/Google/yahoo site constantly even while they are in use.
I use no social media and block their cookies.

Sounds like you might be better off just ditching your computer, and use "snail mail"....and never buy anything mail order....

 

[me_little_me]

Sounds like you might be better off just ditching your computer, and use "snail mail"....and never buy anything mail order....

I've been using the internet longer than most people are alive. Thirty-Five years on the net and used the first browsers which came out in 1992 (28 years ago). I did computer security for a living.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

To be clear I agree that internet security is an important topic that should be taken seriously and the less information you give away the better. My issue is that this concern only seems to come up in the exclusive context of petitions thanks to the same naysayers which is both irrational and disingenuous. I also agree with the suggestion of having one account for important family/friends and businesses with another account for less important communications.

 

[Exvalley]

I view change.org as a device for people to feel like they are doing something - even though nothing will actually be done.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I view change.org as a device for people to feel like they are doing something - even though nothing will actually be done.

Petitions are useful as a measure of interest, momentum builder, and talking point creator. They tend to work best on issues that lack controversy and disruptive impact. A petition for high speed rail would likely face strong headwinds from companies and politicians that benefit from gridlock and road construction while petitions for better treatment of children or animals through harsher penalties for abuse have a much higher chance of impacting future legislation. The idea that the success of a petition should be judged solely on whether it can fix complex issues in a vacuum is the height of lazy reasoning. I think a big part of why America keeps falling behind other industrialized democracies is that we continue to mock the building blocks of nonviolent activism when they fail to function like a magic wand.

 

[Exvalley]

Petitions are useful as a measure of interest, momentum builder, and talking point creator.

I don't think that Amtrak executives need to see a petition to know that customers want better dining options.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I have always been hesitant to sign petitions... placing myself in jeopardy... vulnerability to the group that makes the petition with any consequences of getting your name 'on a list and in the spotlight.'

With all of today's technology... anonymity is my personal preference.