Do I have a right to feel annoyed about this?

[RezonantVoid]

So, Me, a simple Aussie keeper, breeder and enthusiast has suddenly ended up potentially world known after a news network decided to use my Gumtree ad asking for spiders to use in their rather infactual article about the spider hobby in Australia
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/aust...ng-authorities-can-do-to-stop-them/ar-BBROz4G
Personally, I know that gumtree ads are a public resource but I never was told anything about them being used like this, people now not only know where I live but I take it that this article will be pretty bad for for future business, people now assuming I'm an amateur keeper with nothing more than a bunch of creatures in my "man cave" and a "deadly fixation".

But disregarding some of the lies the article has, I have no choice but to take my ad down now as from there it's pretty easy to find my personal details and for trolls to start responding to my ads.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I kinda feel like asking them to take it down in basically the same manner as copyright striking a YT video, as I had no idea I was involved in any of this until a customer sent it to me. What would you guys do?

 

[Teal]

Are you the Alex fella they have quotes from, or...?

 

[RezonantVoid]

Are you the Alex fella they have quotes from, or...?

No, they "keen to be buyer", but they literally uploaded a photo of the ad with where I live on it, I don't see how that's allowed without permission

 

[Teal]

No, they "keen to be buyer", but they literally uploaded a photo of the ad with where I live on it, I don't see how that's allowed without permission

But the ad has that information already... so anyone viewing the ad can see it? There is no personally identifiable information in their photo, from what I can see? I am not familiar with Aussie addresses... but I assume the location is a general area and not directions to your front door?

 

[RezonantVoid]

But the ad has that information already... so anyone viewing the ad can see it? There is no personally identifiable information in their photo, from what I can see? I am not familiar with Aussie addresses... but I assume the location is a general area and not directions to your front door?

That is correct, but I don't live in a very big area. The ad was intended for a small viewing audience for that site only, that not alot of people were likely to come across. It now doesn't take much for anyone to just head over and check it out, find out pretty much where I'm at, or troll me with fake ad responses. If someone clicks the ad they can bring up things like email and phone number which once again, was only intended to be viewed by a small audience

 

[Liquifin]

Now that's what ticks me off. It's always the same with journalism, bringing slander and exaggeration just to get a story out there. Being exposed in any animal hobby is not good, but I don't know the laws regarding Australia. Journalism can really ruin any hobby if any article gets out there. If I had to be honest, journalists writes articles about this for a story nonetheless. So there really isn't much you can do than what you already did.

 

[user 666]

Well, if they don't have your real name and don't link to anything that connects to you then the actual harm is minimal.

I'd take the ad down and write a new one.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Well, if they don't have your real name and don't link to anything that connects to you then the actual harm is minimal.

I'd take the ad down and write a new one.

It does have my actual name in the ad when you to make an offer but I agree on re-uploading it. The reason I don't like using much social media is so stuff like this doesn't become majorly public but seems like it's almost inescapable.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Italians (Southern Italians, being correct, invented this) have a proverb, old as heck, that states:

'Chi si fa i cazzi sua campa 100 anni' which means: 'Those that doesn't bother to check other people stuff/activities etc, lives 100 years'

It's a 'memento', quite "intimidating" proverb

 

[user 666]

It does have my actual name in the ad when you to make an offer but I agree on re-uploading it. The reason I don't like using much social media is so stuff like this doesn't become majorly public but seems like it's almost inescapable.

I'm sorry, I didn't see your name.

 

[viper69]

Never put something on the internet with personal info, or something that can identify you etc etc if that is going to bother you later on life. In the digital age even the most well meaning posts here on AB can be edited to make the poster look like an evil jerk.

 

[Greasylake]

Well that article was a cringy read. Absolutely nothing of substance there.

 

[Minty]

If nothing else, contact the newspaper about how inaccurate and awful the article is. Shoddy journalism.

 

[SonsofArachne]

Well that article was a cringy read. Absolutely nothing of substance there.

This looks more like a cheesy click-bait site than a legit news site, so yeah, nothing of substance.

 

[Teal]

That is correct, but I don't live in a very big area. The ad was intended for a small viewing audience for that site only, that not alot of people were likely to come across. It now doesn't take much for anyone to just head over and check it out, find out pretty much where I'm at, or troll me with fake ad responses. If someone clicks the ad they can bring up things like email and phone number which once again, was only intended to be viewed by a small audience

I'm sorry, but I truly don't understand how they can find you just by knowing the area you live in? Do you have a sign in your yard or something?

I say this as someone who lives in a tiny rural town.

At any rate, just remove the ad. If you post a new one, perhaps include less information about yourself if it worries you that much?

 

[RezonantVoid]

I'm sorry, but I truly don't understand how they can find you just by knowing the area you live in? Do you have a sign in your yard or something?

I say this as someone who lives in a tiny rural town.

At any rate, just remove the ad. If you post a new one, perhaps include less information about yourself if it worries you that much?

Only reason I have those details is for buyers and sellers in a relatively small area, I was not expecting a news group to go about telling everybody.

But here's a few things Ive found to be wrong, or at least an attempt to make spiders look worse than they are:
1. Deadly Funnelwebs and Tarantulas - tarantulas are not deadly and an uninformed person can easily take this to mean our tarantulas are medically significant.
2. 10,000 tarantulas are poached in Queensland each year - so what, you're telling me that the poachers come and willingly tell you how much they catch? You go and survey 100,000 burrows a day and see whose missing with footprints nearby? Unless you're in on the poaching (I do not support such behaviour in any way) you can have no idea how many are taken from the wild, and while I do not deny it happening, 10,000 a year (according to the average legspan of a small Phlogius adult, 84 square metres of tarantula) seems a bit exact and excessive.
3. Under the funnelweb section, "They can kill pets in 30 minutes" - wrong. Funnelweb venom has little effect on non-primate animals. Tarantulas however, can do such. I believe they have twisted the words of Dr Raven to overrate funnelwebs.
4. 13 deaths from funnelwebs in Australia to date - they neglect to mention that since funnelweb antivenom has been invented 40 years ago, not a single spider related death has been recorded here. Also, only male Sydney funnelwebs are known to have caused deaths, being 6 times more potent than females, which is what most people keep.

So in all honesty and in conclusion, I have no idea what point they are trying to make with this, that we need better management or something or this is like some black market deal keepers have going, but I think they are just stupid and inconsiderate of others privacy. This is more of a rant than anything but I still feel what has been done is not a good way of doing it

 

[Teal]

Only reason I have those details is for buyers and sellers in a relatively small area, I was not expecting a news group to go about telling everybody.

The internet is anything but a "relatively small area."

Like I said... there is nothing in their photo of the ad OR their article that identifies you. YOU identified you by posting it here and saying it was your ad. No one else would have known otherwise.

I DO agree it is an incredibly ridiculous article.

 

[RezonantVoid]

The internet is anything but a "relatively small area."

Like I said... there is nothing in their photo of the ad OR their article that identifies you.

When you search the ad on google, THATS what contains it all. Anyone who has previously viewed it can now take it that I'm just a dodgy poacher or something exploiting a lack of regulations. My whole point in bringing this up was more just to state that this article is a rushed mess with no consideration for who they have mentioned, and even where they have quoted people they've twisted the wording. I just hate to see our hobby get negative promotion by such people

 

[Teal]

When you search the ad on google, THATS what contains it all.

We are just going in circles here. Unless you put your specific, actual home address on the ad then you really have nothing to worry about. Hopefully you've learned to be more discerning about what you post online if that sort of thing worries you. I had to learn that lesson, too, in the dog sports world.

 

[Ungoliant]

So in all honesty and in conclusion, I have no idea what point they are trying to make with this

Fear-mongering and/or lobbying for increased regulation.