Search engines logged in?!

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MacRobin
Posts: 65
Joined: October 16th, 2017, 4:37 pm

Search engines logged in?!

Post by MacRobin »

I notice today that both Google and Bing have a bot logged in as a registered user.
How did they register?
Do we want this?
I regard this forum as a group of like minded folk with whom I can be honest about myself, just like others are honest about themselves. But Google and Bing serve a community who neither understand nor agree with what we like and I do not want anything I say here to be put into their databases for the world to read.

It is true that the forum can be read without logging in but the two bots come up as registered. And casual readers will either move on or join,

What do you think moderators?
And other members?
JellyMan
Posts: 1112
Joined: June 23rd, 2019, 6:47 pm
Location: South of England

Re: Search engines logged in?!

Post by JellyMan »

Too late. If you do a google search you will find content on this site, it has always been that way. It is possible to opt out when you set up a site, but even then it is quite difficult not to get caught by google. The solution is to be anonymous on the site and use private messaging if you wants to say something which identifies you as a real person.

Also there might be three types of person who can view this site: (1) members and guests, (2) general public on the internet, (3) people you know who may not know of your desires. So don't post anything that may identify you to someone's in the third category if you don't want a chance that they find out that you are a member then look back through your previous posts.
mason
Posts: 984
Joined: February 2nd, 2010, 3:34 am

Re: Search engines logged in?!

Post by mason »

The best way to deal with this issue is use aliases so no one knows who you are.

The vast majority of people neither know or care about what their friends are doing anyway. I would only be worried if the media were after you because you'd done something so egregious it ended up in all the papers - hence again, the use of aliases so no one can identify you.
MacRobin
Posts: 65
Joined: October 16th, 2017, 4:37 pm

Re: Search engines logged in?!

Post by MacRobin »

Good advice all round. I remain surprised that the bots can actually register as users. It’s so long ago I can’t remember if I had to prove I was a person by clicking on those squares containing traffic lights, or cars, or buses, or zebra crossings. I usually need 3 tries at those before I crack them. Since the forum is open to be viewed by non members, it’s clear the user has a duty of care to themselves only.
darkbeholder
Posts: 7
Joined: April 20th, 2010, 10:33 pm

Re: Search engines logged in?!

Post by darkbeholder »

The search engines are not actually registered and logged in but are detected by their useragent and are listed as the bot "user" instead of "guest". You will notice you can't click on their names and they have [bot] after their name. They can be segmented by the admins in what they can see but normally they are just left the same as guest but just listed instead of being bundled into the "guest" figure
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