Death by Google Calendar

the_harlequin writes "Ok, so the title is a little extreme, but it's a possibility. The link gives an example of how easy it is to obtain information about someone who uses Google Calendar, and is unaware of what they're allowing the world to see."

Comments

Easy problem to solve.

[PrinceAshitaka]

So I should be fine if I simply add some fake reoccurring classes to my calendar. I think I am going to "fake" take up some firearms classes and some marshal arts. It will also not hurt to add something else like, Tuesdays I will have a "fake" pit bull owners club. Or I could just not put flight information in my calendar.

Re:Easy problem to solve.

[Anonymous Coward]

If you spell it "marshal" arts, you will probably give your secret away.

Re:Easy problem to solve.

[phoenix321]

Or better yet: take some real firearms classes. If they visit your house while you're away it's just property damage. A couple of hundred bucks you insurance will gladly repay if you agree to spend your share on improved locks and security measures. You'll feel unsafe for a while after being burglarized, but that goes away with time. After all, it's only a monetary loss, maybe a small insurance quarrel and a sturdier door you get.

But you shouldn't need to worry about money you lose, as 99 out of 100 common burglars don't know jack about teh Intarnet and will visit you anyway, at night if you are away or not. And that's where the hairy part begins and those firearm lessons will come in extremely handy. A burglar in the same house with you, your wife/husband/partner, and kids and grandma and the family dog, is something totally entirely different. Your children may come out unharmed if you bend over and spread, but your dog is either large enough or toast. Think of the dogs, please.

First: put an NRA sticker on your car, if you like and can stand being looked-down-on occasionally. Second: pretend to be interested in guns and order a for-free gun catalogue from somewhere. The resulting self-defense-centered bulk mail you receive might make an impression sometimes. Third: obtain empty rifle and handgun shells and disperse them liberally around your outside property. Not too much, you are no dangerous neighbor, remember. But two or three empty cartridges will make a bold impression on people in the violent businesses. Criminals want easy prey or easy opportunities, otherwise they'd be in the Rat Race like you and me, by the way. And any criminal who sees a clue on a potentially gun-hoarding, concealed-carrying, full-auto-skilled, hard-hitting, M249SAW-under-the-pillow-hiding expert-marksmanly Redneck will wait at least until the house is empty. In which case it's just property damage, again. Not unless you have a vulgar display of wealth in the middle of Somalia...

Re:Easy problem to solve.

[phoenix321]

Could've been me :) - protecting the environment, twice.

pool party?

[gEvil (beta)]

Anyone wanna crash Daisy's all girl pool party?

Re:pool party?

[Bastiaan]

Anyone wanna crash Daisy's all girl pool party?

After some more research on Daisy's identity, I dediced I pass: http://www.tubgirl.com/

Lotus Notes Too

[neonprimetime]

I have this same problem at work with co-workers and Lotus Notes too. They can see everything I put on my calendar by default, unless I purposely block stuff and make it unreadable to them.

...utterly stupid that people display their lives

[Easy2RememberNick]

"I find it...utterly stupid that people display their lives online..."

  Such as a blog?

then if you die via google calendar..

[jkind]

Maybe people will discuss you on www.mydeathspace.com.

Re:...utterly stupid that people display their liv

[Anonymous Coward]

And now Google knows he is stalking this person. Google knows all.

Re:Oop!

[einexile]

LOL thanks for posting all those hilarious comments guys! They really made my morning one big laugh fest.

I always know I can rely on Slashdot to lift my spirits with the crazy, unpredictable observations of the web's finest aspiring humorists.

An extra special thanks to TFA for driving home the ancient bloody obvious while helping the less informed among us to live in fear. Not enough people live in fear these days or structure their lifestyles around paranoid stalker fantasies! If only more folks would tune in for their local 5:25 identity theft nightmare broadcast, certainly the world would be a much friendlier place.

Let's not get into the barely noticeable assumption that the reader never leaves his house and has no more than a dozen acquaintances. Perhaps for a followup the author could focus on the dangers implicit on going out at night, having more than a handful of friends, being seen on the street, being involved in your neighborhood, etc. God forbid we should announce beyond our most inner circles that we'll be working somewhere or hosting a party. Wait, what's a party?

A dash of hypocrisy

[93 Escort Wagon]

I found it insanely funny that someone who is basically a blogger would lead with this sentence:

"I find it utterly stupid that people display their lives online."

So I guess after "people" there is an implicit "(other than me)"?