Trolling

Blaming trolls for internet thievery gives trolls a bad name. -- Pug Mahoney

Some of my best friends are trolls. -- Liam the Leprechaun

   As Mrs. Mahoney used to say, never tell the neighbors anything about what goes on in the family. Her son Pug learned that lesson well, and applies it to modern technology, knowing there is no privacy on the internet. Even major corporations and financial institutions can be hacked into and personal data stolen.
   That, however, doesn't stop many folks from posting details about what they do and where they have been, posting photos of family activities, assuming that they will be seen only by relatives and friends.
   And despite the assurances of Facebook, it turns out that a company affiliated with the Trump presidential campaign harvested personal and private data from 50 million Facebook users, using that information to help their clients formulate strategy.
   Couple that with the reports that other tricksters post propaganda masquerading as news, and wise users of the internet don't put anything in their computers that they don't want the world to see.
   The concept of sharing information with family and friends who live far away, posting pictures and stories is a wonderful convenience, and millions of people enjoy it.
   However, it also turns out that some people are looking over the internet fence, monitoring what the family and friends are doing, and using that supposedly "private" correspondence with marketers and political campaigners to shape their strategy and mold public opinion.
   So as Mother Mahoney might say, if you don't mind sharing family gossip with the world, go right ahead, but include me out.