Be careful with petitions

In days like these it’s only natural to want to do something – anything! – that could help the situation. It could be buying a t-shirt (not really helping, but sure) or sign a petition to stop whatever madness it is that’s bothering you today.

Be careful with petitions. There are several claims that petitions are being used as honeypots to get details on people that adhere to certain world-views. After all, if you sign a petition about something that’s important to you, that means that the admin of the petition will know this about you. What then happens when the admin isn’t who he or she claims to be, but rather is just hosting the petition to collect names and details on people of a certain point of view?

Potentially dangerous, that. Be careful with your personal details online, as always.