Re: The Current LJ brouhaha

[shipperx]

So the editing bug.

I get it. I understand why it's upsetting. But to be honest, my locked entries aren't particularly exciting. Usually if I locked something it's because I may have an opinion on something that I know someone on my LJ probably feels quite differently about and I wasn't wanting to make an issue of it. So, if random poster X happens along in the locked entry... unless it happens to be the friend who had a different opinion about something (usually something as vapid as a TV show or fictional character) there isn't much to see there.

So random stranger seeing a f-locked entry of mine? Not actually that big of a deal for me.

But I do understand why folks are upset.

Comments

[chloris.livejournal.com]

I guess it depends if they just see a locked post (and, yes, mine aren't all that exciting either - except that I do post family pictures I wouldn't want out) or if they decide to edit, delete, post, or send messages under your name. That could be a real mess!

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

According to their post (but I guess it could be spin) they say that security wasn't actually compromised. Who knows.

http://lj-maintenance.livejournal.com/131843.html

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

...wait, what editing bug?

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

LJ had one of its 'updates' (That then usually require days to fix) and apparently it occasionally and randomly redirects an edit... into someone else's LJ, even f-locked posts.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

...fucking what.

Eh, who am I kidding, if I haven't abandoned LJ at this point, I won't for this either. If they hate their users as much as they evidently do, the best way to annoy them is to stay here. Guess I'm just glad I very rarely post anything remotely personal here.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Apparently you couldn't actually edit or post under someone else's name.
http://lj-maintenance.livejournal.com/131843.html

[kerry-220.livejournal.com]

I must have the wrong friends - or the right ones *g*. I miss all the controversy.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it was a 'controversy' so much as the usual "LJ sucks" which... yeah, it kinda does, but it's LJ.

Anyway, their post on the thing:
http://lj-maintenance.livejournal.com/131843.html

[hobbituk.livejournal.com]

I work on the principle that if it is THAT sensitive don't post it at all. I can see why people would be upset though, if they are posting this type of stuff and think nobody will know.

Having said that, I noticed nothing. I miss everything!

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

That's sort of the rule I go by. If it would really bother/embarrass me if something f-locked were un f-locked, I don't post it.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

You and me both!

[next_to_normal]

Well, the problem is that some of it wasn't posted - people had access to other people's profiles and inboxes. It's pretty clear that "flocked" or "private" doesn't mean much on LJ, but that's stuff no one would expect a random stranger to be able to access.

If you, for instance, have your credit card saved so that LJ can automatically charge you, could that have been accessible during the glitch? It's not really clear.

You could also see the person's inbox, with messages that could contain personal information like addresses and phone numbers - stuff that gets PMed precisely because you don't want to leave it in a comment. I can't count the number of times people have said, "I'm sending out holiday cards, leave a screened comment/PM me your address if you want one," and I've exchanged phone numbers via PM when I'm meeting up with someone offline.

There was also some question whether these glitches allowed people access to edit posts, which is a whole different kettle of fish. LJ claims that wasn't possible, but they claim other things in that post that are plainly false, so who knows? No one I know tested it out.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Who knows whether it was spin, but they are saying it couldn't happen. Who knows.
http://lj-maintenance.livejournal.com/131843.html

[next_to_normal]

Yeah, I've seen that post. It's the one I was referring to, actually, where they provide misleading information at best, and blatantly false information at worst.

The "3 minutes" thing is obvious bullshit. Numerous posters have documented having problems over a span of about 15 hours - in fact, a couple people commented on the maintenance post saying they were still having problems after it was reported as having been resolved.

They also have a bizarre definition of "security," if they think it had no effect on security. Great, so you couldn't edit or post under someone else's account... but people's personal information was accessible to people who shouldn't have access - including addresses and paypal information in PMs to someone who used their journal to sell stuff. I'd call that a serious security problem!

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

They just posted that they've "repaired" the problem. Of course, if they'd just quit mucking around in the first place...

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

They just posted that they've "repaired" the problem.

Do you have a link to this?

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Well.... it was there earlier... "scratches head"

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Seriously.

And do these "upgrades" ever actually upgrade anything?

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

The amount of time it takes me to load a page has been upgraded from 30sec to about 2 minutes, if at all.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

This post?
http://lj-maintenance.livejournal.com/131843.html

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

So random stranger seeing a f-locked entry of mine? Not actually that big of a deal for me.

Yep - my own thoughts too.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the internet being what it is, I don't take "friends lock" to mean actual security, just a deterrent.

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

Well, I post photos of my children and things that could probably identify my location, so that part's disturbing.

ETA: You know what else is weird is that this post is no longer showing up on my FL - I have to come directly to your lj to see it now. Gee, I love it when they "fix" things.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Don't you though?

It may be antiquated (being a decade or so old) but it works fine as long as they aren't mucking with it!

Leave well enough alone.

[rahirah]

I never lock anything (except, these days, my rare comics posts) so it doesn't affect me personally...but for a lot of people, this is a huge deal, and rightly so.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can understand people being upset. I just tend to think that 'friends lock' is more of a deterrent not actual security.

At any rate, here's their explanation of the glitch:
http://lj-maintenance.livejournal.com/131843.html