Posted by:
suburbanmarx
(
)
Date: October 01, 2012 12:07PM
I suspect this has to do with the amount of sensitive and personal information that is leaking from overly verbose missionaries that blab about everything that they did during their week- and then family members post everything on facebook, tumblr, blogger, etc. etc..
Below is an EXCERPT ( :) ) from the most recent email from my cousin who is currently serving in Italy: (translation below)
"Voi inoltrate le lettere a qualcuno? Non mi importa la risposta, NON LO FATE! ultimamente ci sono stati problemi, con i missionari che mandavano a casa le lettere e parlavano anche troppo delle persone, membri, simpatizzanti etc etc ei genitori pubblicavano sul loro blog la lettera così era accessibile a chiunque. E L'area ha chiamato per dirlo al Presidente di missione, in questa missione ci sono stati molti problemi."
"Do you forward the [emails] to anyone? The answer doesn't matter- DON'T. Lately, there have been problems, with missionaries that sent [emails] home talking too much about people, members, investigators etc. etc. and the parents would publish it on publicly accessible blogs. The Area called the Mission President telling him there have been lots of problems in this mission. "
Aside the fact I did exactly what my cousin asked me not to, it sounds like this is a new global policy.
In Italy, privacy is a huge issue- and I personally know lots of Missionaries who have blogged investigator, random contacts and member names with pictures on their blogs.
If someone really wanted to get TSCC in a pickle in Italy- all they would have to do is tip off the Guardia di Finanza that every missionary apartment contains a book full of names, dates of birth and phone numbers of non-consenting people and you could just sit back and watch the fireworks. The missions are very well aware that it is illegal- and we were specifically told during missionary trainings to NEVER mention the areabook to members or investigators.
The missionaries would have to start asking investigators 'Can we get your phone number as well as a signature giving us permission to save your information a book with your name, date of birth, address, family members, their dob's, possibly your picture, phone number, mobile number and write very intimate and personal details such as whether you're drinking coffee or whether you're sleeping with a person you are not legally married to and save this information for years so missionaries in years to come can harass you? Please sign here.'
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2012 12:08PM by suburbanmarx.