United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

thanks mandie.

Thanks, Peggy, for clarifying.

Thanks, Janet. I thought you brought out some good points too.

Kate, thanks for bringing that up about the false sense of security online. I was going to get into that, but my post was already so long. In our depos, they asked us about any support groups we were involved with. I'm surprised they didn't ask about any message boards, but would expect most defense attnys to do so. I know that before our trial, I wasn't just concerned about not posting about the actual birth / dr's name / hospital name, etc., but I used to worry about posting about any positive progress my daughter made for fear that it might be twisted and used against us in trial. The defense attny did end up getting copies of all my e-mail correspondence b/w our specialists b/c they asked me for them and I still had copies. They could've gotten message board posts as well had they known to ask for them. When you can't post as a guest, but have to use an alias, it certainly be easier to compile all of someone's posts. I don't know the legal rights -- if attny's can get orders to obtain message board posts, etc., but never wanted to take that chance.

BTW, for those wondering about why to be hesitant to post a phone number online -- google your own phone number and see what comes up. Also, I used to wonder, when people posted that they'd be away for surgery, vacation, etc. if there might be lurkers here looking for that info. (finding out when someone's home would be unattended). Then there's also the concern about child s** offenders knowing our home addresses. Most of us are so careful when it comes to the info. our children type onto the computer, but what about checking ourselves?? It's sad that we live in a time that we have to have these concerns and I certainly don't live my life in paranoia or anything, but I do try to practice online safety b/c sadly these are real problems in this day. I look forward to a day when we will have true peace and security. Until then,...

~Tina

BPPF can be subpoena'd to provide listings of all the message board contents. Nothing can stop an attorney who really wants to dig to the core. And if they want, they can hire someone to sit in your neighborhood to tap into your internet connection and see everything on your computer and listen to your phone conversations. It's done everyday by people who don't want to pay for internet connections or phone service. I actually had someone follow me for two weeks to see what I did with my child. What did they learn? That I was a devoted mom and that I took my child to therapy every single day. And what would they have learned from my internet usage? That I was a devoted mom searching and searching for as much information and support as I could find.

So post intelligently. Don't talk about your case. Don't talk about your birth.

I have never seen a post here that discussed a case that was harmed by message board posts - do you know if anyone has ever been affected by this?

http://membrane.com/bpp is the Foundations old site.

This is off-topic, but Marlyn asked about caller ID and telemarketers. I don't have caller ID, but I am on the national "don't call" list. OMG, it really really works! I used to have 3 or 4 calls a day. Now it's maybe one every three weeks, and that usually a company we already have an account with, so are somewhat legal.

I highly recommend signing up!

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

Kate

For all of you worried about your information on the internet, check out the following site:

www.zabasearch.com

Well, so far I'm not showing up on zabasearch under my married name, so I must be doing something right

Kate

That site has nothing to do with you putting your info on the internet though. It has addresses for me under my birth name was WAYYY before i eve had a computer. That must search some sort of other database. They even had MY name with my mother in laws address and telephone number...i NEVER EVER lived there lol TG!!

Mandie

Not directly - most of us are not aware that information we think is private is actually public and made available through the internet - you may not be putting your information out there but others are.

So if you type your phone number on a website to order something and that information is sold it has the potential to be found on the internet.

This was just to show that even though you may have reservations about giving out your phone number over the internet it may already be out there.

The only way any data can be safe is if it is entered into a secure database. If the address is prefaced https (rather than http)and there is a security padlock thingy at the bottom right of the screen, then data entered into the site is encrypted and as safe as its possible to be from hackers. If those things are not there, then don't enter data you wouldn't want in the public domain. For me, that means telephone number as mine is unlisted and as a previous poster says, I've had my backside bitten before. It's not the site you enter the data into that's the problem, it's the hackers who can get at it.