The Great Pretender?

In the past year with the recent addition of WebTv on the net I've noticed a disturbing trend that has me somewhat concerned about people's safety.

Previously people using computers had some basic knowledge of computer netiquette, and if they didn't they usually went to the trouble of purchasing books that would assist them. Once online they could usually pick up other details that would result in safeguarding themselves from being led down the garden path by some unscrupulous fellow user. However with the advent of WebTv, and it's ability to open up the market of the Net to disabled people who may not have the computer literacy to cope with an actual computer, I've been seeing problems arise that I hadn't noticed before.

To most computer net savy people the age old saying "you don't know who you are talking to, it could be a dog" is second nature. For WebTV people this is a new frontier, they seem to take people at face value. Unfortunately this can be a serious hazard to their safety.

When a person presents as a medical professional in a usenet group, message base or chat room, how do you really know they are in actual fact a medical professional? You have no way of knowing if it fact or fiction. In my experience it's better to err on the side of caution. Sure you could have them fax their medical degree to you but that is still no guarantee that they are the person listed on the degree! Also you have just provided them with a personal detail of your life with which to harass you at their leisure. They could be a snake oil peddler in disguise and you've just opened the door to them.

There are legitimate doctors who do participate on the net in various areas, it's best to monitor the area in question for a period of time, discover some of the other users who appear to have been around for a long time, and then contact them and ask about any doctors that are operating in that particular area of the net. This doesn't completely safeguard you 100%, but it better than just jumping into the arena and spilling personal details of your life to a stranger who may or may not be what they seem to be!

Also be aware that some people present themselves as researchers, when in fact they could just be curious bystanders! Don't be conned into divulging personal details unless you know their research is ethical and legitimate! I've noticed in one usenet group where a user is professing to be involved in research for a cure for the illness the usenet group is about, however this user has the illness himself and has been participating in this behaviour for several years and the research is only for his personal curiosity. He is not affiliated with any "real research" going on in the field. Thus any information you gave this man would not benefit you, or others with the same medical condition in any fashion.

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