Scratch
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#1 2007-06-16 04:11:28
URGENT SAFETY COSIDERATIONS
Fellow Educators in Scratch,
Your sudden publication of registered user´s birth dates under their image is not only IMPOLITE but EXTREMERLY DANGEROUS and doing so, without warning or permission, may also be AGAINST THE LAW of some countries.
We strongly advise that the "Scratch" organization urgently consider whether the appearance of such dates is in the best interest of everyone worldwide, including Scratch itself, and consider removing them immediately.
As an organization of volunteers working in South America with considerable international experience not only in teaching, from primary to university level, but also in business and other walks of life, we are well aware why Scratch like to know the ages of those who subscribe.
But sadly the WORLD IS AN UNSAFE PLACE and people are becoming increasingly concerned with IDENTITY THEFT and the fishing for personal information for whatever reason.
Scratch has been a great step forward but we consider the publication of such dates a GREAT STEP BACKWARD.
We appreciate viewers may like to know whether a creation is that of a young child, a teenager or an adult, and this distinction alone should be sufficient for publication.
For similar reasons the publication of country and province alone under the image, should also be sufficient unless the subscriber positively chooses otherwise.
Wishing you every success - Ciencias y Artes Patagonia.
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#2 2007-06-16 08:25:12
Re: URGENT SAFETY COSIDERATIONS
calm down, please. birth dates don't mean anything as long as you realize that most usernames have nothing to do with the people's actual name, and think about it. Every 10 seconds, 44 (I think) people are born, wich means roughly 380,160 are born each day. I do not think a birthday really matters for identity theft.
"Boinoinoi is the only person on the forums that I expect to be wearing a monocle all the time behind that screen, so I'm sure being as classy as he is, he knows what he's doing"
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#3 2007-06-16 09:02:15
Re: URGENT SAFETY COSIDERATIONS
I'm not sure I understand what the issue is - of the people I've checked, I'm the only one that even has my birth month and year listed - and even then it's not my birth date. All the information seems to be voluntary - based on the number of question marks I see in the fields. If you don't want information displayed - for whatever reason - don't post it.
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#4 2007-06-17 08:06:00
Re: URGENT SAFETY COSIDERATIONS
Thanks for your thoughtful responses!
The "show birth month and year" was for the user to see their OWN only. (It was added Friday so people could update if they saw their own was incorrect.) However, since it caused concern, it has been removed.
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#5 2007-06-18 11:13:36
Re: URGENT SAFETY COSIDERATIONS
Natalie, Scratch Team,
Muchas gracias por su rápida respuesta y por su consideración sobre nuestro comentario.
Les interesará saber que el último sábado, el grupo Ciencias y Artes Patagonia Scratch recientemente formado con el apoyo de una escuela local, unánimemente acordó investigar el potencial de Scratch como herramienta de aprendizaje y pasatiempo dirigido a alumnos de escuelas, discapacitados y jubilados de la región, con la expectativa de poder recomendarlo a las instituciones locales muy pronto. Este grupo probablemente sea el primero en Argentina.
Gracias otra vez.
Cordialmente, Ciencias y Artes Patagonia (CAPat.).......
Thank you very much for your quick response. Your care is much appreciated.
You may be interested to know that last Saturday, a newly formed Ciencias y Artes Patagonia Scratch team met. It is probably the first in Argentina.
The group unanimously agreed to investigate the potential of Scratch as a learning aid and pastime for school children, the handicapped and the retired in the region, in the hope of being able to recommend it to local bodies very soon.
Thanks again.
Yours sincerely, Ciencias y Artes Patagonia (CAPat.)
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