A big hello to all BYU students who read/post at RfM.

Just a reminder, in case you haven't read it before: We strongly suggest that you do not post from school computers as BYU **does** track computer usage and they, or other church affiliates, do monitor RfM, of which we have abundant proof.

You do not want them to track you down from posts you write here, which they can do if you post from BYU computers. Also, it is strongly suggested to everyone who posts that you exercise great caution in general about any personal info you provide. Who knows who is reading and gathering info? If you don't want to be identified in real life don't give out any specific personal info that gives big clues to your identity.

This is great advice for everyone who participates here but especially for BYU students, for whom there are huge consequences if they "out" themselves here.

We love to hear from you but please, don't use school computers when you post, and think about details you include in your posts that may ID you to people you really don't want to know where you're at, at least until you choose to tell them yourself.

Can we give random incorrect details that will lead them on a wild witch hunt?

that I post on the board.

Not many. Just enough.

It's only smart to do.

That won't help if they're tracking IPs, MAC addresses, and log-ins. You can change the information all you want, but it won't keep them from catching you.

One could possibly use an anonimizer, but that would also send up flags.

If I happen to accidentally mention that my name is Betty Sue and my pet tarantula is named Harry, and I live at 402 Maple St, would they really try to track me down?
Or even better - have you ever played 2 truths and a lie?

Yeah. At BYU, they would.

Several students have posted about losing out on their degree and other harsh consequences if their loss of belief happens to come out while they're still there.

I'm not advocating lying. I'm just saying to be smart about how to protect yourself while online (advice that is given to all humans, not just exmos or BYU students) and especially to BYU students, who may not realize that their computer use at school is monitored and/or that church people monitor RfM and make use of information they gather here.

I'm not being paranoid and I don't advocate paranoia. I'm just repeating information that has been verified that people may wish to know in order to make their choices in a fully informed way.

And I am advocating lying, when it comes down to specific personal information such as name and address.

cuz sex is a lot of my religion too.

I have done some of the same stuff here too. Mostly true, but just off enough that you can't be sure it is absolutely me.

One of the lies I tell, is that I am in heavy set man in my late forties, who went prematurely gray. I am actually a male underwear model.

lmao!

You have a right to privacy, and the struggles faced by those struggling with mormonism often share a common thread. So if you say you are from Idaho instead of Provo, are 22 instead of 19, your Dad was a branch president instead of a bishop, the important factors are not the identifying information. Be safe. BYU and LDS inc can be relentless. I was once pulled into standards at BYU for an overdue library fine that had already been paid. I was terrified because I thought the branch president had reported me.

How do you know they track the site and track people down? Creepy...

Add a data plan on your smart phone and do all your "subversive" browsing while connected to it instead of the school's wifi. They can see every website you visit if you use their network.

Download the Google Chrome browser and use its "incognito" feature. You close a window, and no browsing history is kept on your computer.

Better yet, run screaming for the gates yelling, "I'm free, I'm free!" And then really become free. There are plenty of us exmos nearby to help, and many other churches in Zion have large populations of exmos ready and able to help on a moment's notice with no questions asked and no commitment required. Some of us even have spare bedrooms and no criminal record. But only some of us, so be careful.

When I graduated from YBU and was headed back home, when I crossed the state line across Utah into a real state, I pulled my car off to the side of the road, got out, looked back to Utah and yelled, "Hooray! I'm back in reality!" It felt so good.

I love that....can just hear the excitement you must have had.

Good thing I only went to YBU study abroad in Israel summer of 98... And that those credits "don't really count" for anything outside of the morgdom. So I don't have to worry about them holding anything hostage if they figured out who I am.

And the advice goes triple for faculty. Smart phones are a good idea, and smart phones with tethering let you use your regular computer.

If you boot your computer from a "live" CD and surf that way, it won't leave any traces on the computer's disk. This is useful if you have roommates or a suspicious spouse.

Be safe.

The fundamental issue is that they're being tracked at all and have to worry about the recriminations that WILL occur. What kind of church DOES that? Who would EVER want to be a part of a "church" that undertakes activities like that??? That's no real church at all.

are on-campus housing ppl Required to use 'approved' ISPs?

Another possible option for posting/browsing is to get a USB modem and service via cricket or virgin wireless, straight talk, any of those no-contract carriers. You can visit any site you want, while at school, and not be tracked by their network. Though you might want to clear your browser history before switching back to their network. That might be paranoid, but I wouldn't put anything past them.