No Social Media

I avoid most "free" social media - if you get a "connect" message from a "Keith Lofstrom", find out whether it is actually me. No Facebook (I created an account, then put it on hold to block it), no Twitter (and no texting), etc.

I don't have time, and I prefer some control over how my information is used. If the product is free, you are the product.

I am in a couple of Yahoo groups (a worry), and a few Portland-area Meetup groups. Yahoo is a spying worry, but Meetup covers expenses with donations.

I reluctantly use Linkedin, but that is mostly to not offend friends who want to connect to me. I've turned off all the chatter I can.

I worry a LOT about search engines, and Google in particular. Google's supposed motto is "don't be evil", but they do not discard information. They are a publically-traded company, and their future owners, board, and policies can change radically - yet they will still have my information. I do have a gmail account, but use it only for mail that isn't accepted from my own servers.

If you want to connect to me, use email - and make sure the header is brief and informative. Figuring out how is an intelligence test.