32 replies to this topic

[Uriel]

Hey gang. You know what's great? Not sharing too much personal information on the internet.

I know what you're thinking: there's no such thing as too much personal information on the internet. But I'm here to tell you, as much fun as it is to share too much personal information on the internet, you should probably not share too much personal information on the internet.

Why not? And why do I keep repeating the phrase, "do not share too much personal information on the internet"? Well, I'll level with you. My goal here is to try to encourage everyone not to share too much personal information on the internet. Shocking, right?

Here's Why:

About every two or three months we get a panicked PM from someone to the effect that they need us to change their username or to delete an entire thread full of ideas and beneficial discussion because they decided to share way too much with the group.

At this point we've seen everything:

Quote

"I posted all the things that admissions director said about me and why she's such an idiot, and it just occurred to me that she is on the website and can see the timestamp and knows who she talked to today, and she is my only chance of getting into any Canadian law school --- please take the post down."

Quote

"Hey, it just occurred to me that it might not have been the best idea to talk about what city I come from and what schools I'm applying to, and what degrees I have and what my LSAT is and also all that witheringly hateful racist stuff."

Quote

"I'm told that during recruitment time maybe it isn't the best idea for me to be slagging on the only firm I have a shot with under my real name such that my calling them 'painfully boring' comes up when you Google the firm.."

These actually, for real, happened. And they happen an awful lot. (Okay, the quotes aren't verbatim. It's just how they sound in my head.)

Now, we aren't monsters (except for Mal, who is actually a delightful Loch Ness Monster-like beast with a plush tummy), so we want to help you out. But at the same time sometimes we wonder if these incredible lapses of judgment and discretion are actually important for prospective faculties and employers to know about, given how much trust is going to be reposed in you as a member of this profession.

We've never decided a firm policy either way. We're just saying, don't force the choice on us. Also, we're volunteers, so it's definitely not coming down as fast as you'd like.

Also, there's this:

For what it's worth, lawyers internet-stalk people all day. Professionally. If I could find out how much money that defendant was embezzling from my client by digging through his family's social networks, I can certainly figure out who you are. And if you've said things you probably shouldn't say (like that you're thinking about not disclosing your criminal record to the Law Society), that's there forever. Even if we delete it, lawyers have access to internet-caching technology. Nothing is ever really gone.

So by all means, share almost everything: your ideas, hopes and dreams! Your LSAT scores and prospective schools, your worries and confusion! Just maybe make it a little harder for people to know they're yours, and maybe don't say anything that would cost you your job if it got traced back to you.

You'll hear this piece of advice again and again in your career --- it's a good time to hear it now. Never put anything on the record that you would be horrified to see attributed to you on the front page of a newspaper.

Just think twice, particularly with your real name and negative remarks about actual people or institutions. Thanks.

[serdog]

Uriel can you pin this? It's soild advice

[mcakes]

Great post. This should definitely be pinned somewhere. I often wonder myself how much information is too much to disclose, or if I've crossed a line. Usually, if I have any doubts I don't post. Like you say, stuff you post on the internet really does last forever, and this is a lesson that is particularly important for prospective law students and future lawyers to learn.

Edit: Apparently it has already been pinned which is great.

Edited by mcakes, 15 January 2012 - 12:02 PM.

[visualpurple]

Same goes for facebook, twitter, etc.

[tng11]

Though I think it's common sense to avoid posting too much personal info in this age, I appreciate this reminder. It's not too hard to figure out who I am in real life, but I never say anything on the Internet that I would not say in real life. I'm going to see some of you in school or at work down the road, and it's just not in my interest to have a bad reputation before starting my career.

The only thing I'm not sure I'm comfortable with my future colleagues knowing are my admission stats for some odd reason. Once we matriculate, we're all on the same field anyways, and I don't want anyone to form a preconception of me based on my test scores, but c'est la vie.

[dlb]

Yeah, tng11, I feel where you're coming from. At first I was apprehensive about posting my admission stats, but then my anxiety trumped the more sane part of me and I contributed to (and even started) some "chances" threads. Ultimately, a lot of people have similar stats so I don't think it's too revealing. However, when some people post in length about their EC's, that's when things become dangerous.

But like tng11 said, I don't say anything on here that I wouldn't feel comfortable saying in real life. Hence why I never bash particular schools, adcomms, or speak to fellow posters in a disrespectful way.

Either way though, I appreciate this thread being pinned. It's like my dad always says, "If you're going to say something nasty or incriminating, say it in person. Never, ever write anything incriminating, because there's no way you can change your story."

[Stark]

I love the quotes! Especially the first one.

[Hegdis]

Great post. Don't forget crazy internet people. They love lawyers (not so much as individuals, but as representatives of The System). Your online spat can get offline, fast - I have seen a couple situations where this has resulted in police action.


FWIW, the stats thing will stop being important real fast. I can no longer remember what my GPA was, but it was an average of 82%, and I can no longer remember what my LSAT was, but it was the 82nd percentile, and the only reason I know these things is because they matched and my brain found that entertaining and hung on to it.

Cannot recall what my highschool marks were. They got me into my undergrad. Cannot recall what my undergrad marks were. They got me into law school. Cannot actually recall the bulk of my law school marks. They got me an articling position.

I can, most of the time, remember where I articled

[Uriel]

Yeah, stats cease to matter. One of my best friends aced the LSAT. That was huge and scary at the time, but now it's just a neat trick that he pulled off. I think it takes two years for people to get over any given stage of your career: LSAT, law school, law school grades, articling... After two years of practice, the only question left seems to be what kind of career you've had so far.

[Alon]

What's your opinion about sharing one's personal statement on the forum for peer review?

[staffer]

Alon, on 07 February 2012 - 08:05 PM, said:

What's your opinion about sharing one's personal statement on the forum for peer review?

Bad, bad, bad idea.

Here are some reasons why:

1) Your PS, according to law schools must be entirely by you. Yes, everyone serious about their application has friends and family edit it, but there's no reason to flaunt it.
2) Unless you have no major accomplishments your PS will make it super easy to figure out who you are in real life. See above.
3) Someone else can steal it, or even just portions of it. And then you're pretty screwed.
4) I'll bet law schools do at least some forms of plagarism check on your PS. Do you really want it showing up verbatim when they search for it?

Seriously bad, bad, bad idea.

Edited by staffer, 07 February 2012 - 08:18 PM.

[t3ctonics]

It would be extremely easy for many people (prospective employers, fellow students, anyone who knows me to some degree) to identify me based on my posts. But then, I'm an open book, and I'm used to everything that comes with that. I'm sure I've said some things on this board about my past and about my beliefs and opinions that could get me into trouble with some circles, and I may yet come to regret it. We'll see.

If you're smart, you'll play it safe—don't say anything offensive. If you do, don't post your marks for specific courses, don't go into detail about your extracurriculars, don't go into detail about your course selection, don't go into detail about your family or other life circumstances... etc.

Of course, I've never played it safe.

Take solace in the fact that while you may be identifiable based on your forum posts regarding your undergrad and law school marks, at least there isn't photographic evidence of you doing something like this... which is something that not all of us can say.

Uriel, on 15 January 2012 - 12:56 AM, said:

...
Never put anything on the record that you would be horrified to see attributed to you on the front page of a newspaper.
...

QFT.

[Diplock]

How have I not seen this thread before? It's awesome, thanks Uriel.

[theonly]

t3ctonics, on 07 February 2012 - 08:55 PM, said:

QFT.

Slightly off topic, but what does this stand for?

Probably not Quantum Field Theory...

Quite Effing True?

My internet lingo skills are subpar. Thanks.

[whereverjustice]

Usually, it's "Quoted for truth", expressing agreement with the previous poster.

It can also be "Quit fucking trolling", leading to unfortunate confusion in some contexts.

[theonly]

Ha! Thanks, whereverjustice.

[Electra]

Can I just say no recruiter cares enough about their job to actually conduct online forum research? Trust me. They're not that clever nor motivated. The job market is saturated and people probably give BJs for jobs in Toronto now (I kid! I kid!). Can I also say that this thread is totally in vain and unless you give out your name and SIN # you're being a paranoid OCD freak in giving a shit (i.e. you're a perfect candidate for law school!)?

Edited by Electra, 27 March 2012 - 03:53 PM.

[Hegdis]

Electra, on 27 March 2012 - 03:52 PM, said:

Can I just say no recruiter cares enough about their job to actually conduct online forum research? Trust me. They're not that clever nor motivated. The job market is saturated and people probably give BJs for jobs in Toronto now (I kid! I kid!). Can I also say that this thread is totally in vain and unless you give out your name and SIN # you're being a paranoid OCD freak in giving a shit (i.e. you're a perfect candidate for law school!)?

QFT.

[Uriel]

There is a small but meaningful distinction between "Hm, Heg Dis... let's see what I can find online about this guy" and "Let's see what they're saying about Dal on the boards today... whoa, that was rude. Whoa, I know who that is!" Certain law school recruiters do read these forums and have spoken with the moderators to that effect. Some even post here. You are likely correct if you are speaking only about employers, but certainly incorrect if you are speaking about law school admissions personnel.

[Hegdis]

For clarification, I was using the alternate form of QFT.

[Uriel]

YAASPADM.

[Uriel]

(Your Ambiguous Acronym Simultaneously Puzzles and Delights Me)

[Diplock]

Electra, on 27 March 2012 - 03:52 PM, said:

Can I just say no recruiter cares enough about their job to actually conduct online forum research? Trust me. They're not that clever nor motivated. The job market is saturated and people probably give BJs for jobs in Toronto now (I kid! I kid!). Can I also say that this thread is totally in vain and unless you give out your name and SIN # you're being a paranoid OCD freak in giving a shit (i.e. you're a perfect candidate for law school!)?

Tell you what, Electra. Now that you've shared your view that folks in law schools are paranoid, OCD freaks, and given that you're either attending or aspire to attend a law school pretty soon, how about you tell us all your real name and see how comfortable you feel about that?

Prefer to pass? Good choice. Now please, leave the good advice alone.

[davedavedave]

Diplock, on 30 March 2012 - 10:54 AM, said:

Tell you what, Electra. Now that you've shared your view that folks in law schools are paranoid, OCD freaks, and given that you're either attending or aspire to attend a law school pretty soon, how about you tell us all your real name and see how comfortable you feel about that?

Prefer to pass? Good choice. Now please, leave the good advice alone.

Called out, lol.

[Electra]

Diplock, on 30 March 2012 - 10:54 AM, said:

Tell you what, Electra. Now that you've shared your view that folks in law schools are paranoid, OCD freaks, and given that you're either attending or aspire to attend a law school pretty soon, how about you tell us all your real name and see how comfortable you feel about that?

Prefer to pass? Good choice. Now please, leave the good advice alone.

I really love how you completely ignored the fact that I qualified my comment with the exception of not posting your name. Excellent reading comprehension skills.

[Diplock]

Electra, on 02 April 2012 - 10:27 PM, said:

I really love how you completely ignored the fact that I qualified my comment with the exception of not posting your name. Excellent reading comprehension skills.

If I need to spell this out for you more explicitly, here goes.

Your dismissal of this concern is based on the premise that employers are not sufficiently motivated to discern your real identity based on leading comments, cumulative details, etc. You are likely right.

Your classmates, however, will get to know you better. As will fellow students at your employer. And honestly, it isn't beyond possibility there is a lawyer or two at your firm that lurks here. It isn't beyond possibility it's me.

So yes, you qualified your comment. But you still missed the point. If you aren't comfortable having your class at law school know who you are, don't drop enough information for them to figure it out. The legal profession is a small place. If you prefer, just PM me your real name. Then it won't show up on Google. But I'll remember you're the student who pissed me off here. And you'll never know when that just might matter.

The point is real and valid. Jockeying over stupid points that avoid the heart of the issue won't change that.

[rglasgow]

Uriel, on 30 March 2012 - 09:56 AM, said:

(Your Ambiguous Acronym Simultaneously Puzzles and Delights Me)

To be fair it should be YAISPDM as QFT is an initialism and not an acronym.

>.>

Then again I'm hardly one to be posting in a thread about not posting much personal information on the foru

Edited by rglasgow, 19 April 2012 - 10:28 AM.

[Uriel]

Isn't the difference between an initialism and an acronym whether or not it is pronounced as a word?

(Am I the only one that pronounces it "Qufft"?)

[rglasgow]

Well, it's if it's commonly spelled out as a word, to be "qufft" as a pronounciation you need a U, and the U just isn't there. It's like "FBI" - you COULD possibly say "febi" or somesuch, but it just doesn't fit - compared to sonar, laser, NATO etc. I'd definitely put QFT, WTF, and OMG as initialisms as opposed to acronyms.

Now the real question is what about JPEG or other similar abbreviations.

[Uriel]

"Rhythm"? "Tsks"?