# Data Mining and Big brother



## Scorpion8 (Jan 29, 2011)

Does anyone else on here ever worry about how much personal information we give out? Most of us have a location (some very specific) on our location, and throughout the rest of the forum we have polls on how old are you, how many guns do you own, how many do you keep loaded, what's your favorite handgun, what's your favorite CCW gun, and so forth. I'm sure any half-reasonable data miner should be able to put together a search list of Member TooTall who lives in Smallville, Alabama, carries a McJoe1911, has 32 other guns, is 45-50 years old, blah-blah-blah. By the time all the info is collected, you could almost ID someone to an exact address.

Why? Would make a good theft shopping list, don't you think?

That's why I rarely respond to the threads like:

How many guns do you keep loaded at home? _Well, let that be a surprise to you if you break in._

What's your favorite carry pistol? _Why, so you know how many rounds I have? Again, let that be a surprise._

How many guns do you own? _Why would any one answer that, since it's no one else's business. Don't compile a shopping list from my house._

And so forth.

Anyone else?


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

Yeah, I do. In fact, it is always on my mind and I try to be smart about it. Not sure I'm always successful, but I do try.


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## rustygun (Apr 8, 2013)

I thought this whole thing was hypothetical. Guns what guns.


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

Who? What? Nothing.


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## Scorpion8 (Jan 29, 2011)

That's why I always wonder _why_ folks reply to threads like "How many guns do you have and where are they in your house and what's the address?". Sometimes I look at what I posted and wonder who else skims these forums and says "Oh, I _know_ that guy!" and not with the nicest intentions.


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## Philco (Apr 17, 2012)

Boy oh boy I wish *I had a gun. *


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

Privacy in America is, for the most part, gone.......

As far as how many weapons one owns, the federal government(BATF) already has the data for all weapons purchased from a FFL dealer since the implementation of BATF Form 4473......

I think one would be hard pressed to find any posters addresses from the user names used here or from any data given....

I will use me for example......
User name -- cait43
Location -- West Allis, Wisconsin
Normal carry weapon -- 9mm Shield
Amount of weapons owned -- 6

Now tell me how someone will find my address and steal my weapons and/or confront me knowing I only have an 8+1 weapon....

Don't over think the keep it all hush hush.... Is it smart to tell all your friends, neighbors, co-workers all the weapons you have, of course not..... Personally I do not fret too much of what I post on this forum.....

As to "Big Brother", they already have all the data on us they need........

To each their own..........


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## OldManMontgomery (Nov 2, 2013)

I'm a retired federal LEO. If they don't know all about me, they sure missed their chance. Three or four - perhaps more - agencies know my name, have my fingerprints, know about all my marks and scars, know about my ex-wives, probably my sexual preferences and my fascination with old .32 automatics. 

Am I happy about all of that? No. But they have bigger fish to fry than me or probably you. Just remember to vote conservative; for those people who are the closest to Constitutional thinkers and don't want to be messed with or mess with anyone else.


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## Scorpion8 (Jan 29, 2011)

I don't think I'm over-thinking it, because the more and more we all post online, in this forum or others, can all be correlated by computers or even local thieves. You make a comment on this forum, a comment under the same user name on another forum, some random "I love my BFG!" comments, and all of that can be skimmed and collected. I'm not worried about imminent Big Brother stuff, but just saying that over time all of that data (just like NSA phone records of everybody in the world) can be searched, correlated and eventually pinpointed to _you_. Someday going off the grid may become a real option.


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

I do think it is a valid question. I also believe OMM has a good point. The reason I believe it is a valid question isn't so much that they are trying to monitor us as much as it could be used to further a bigger agenda. Trying to corral the horses, if you will. Looking to size up just how many guns are out there, etc. Is it a little paranoid? Maybe. But then we all know big brother does watch.


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## SBV45 (Oct 8, 2016)

How does Google stay in business giving all those epps, etc for free. They sell/share information gathered off the internet. Do a search for tires ans see how quick ads pop up for tires on your web searches.

One more, I wen into a local sporting goods store chain. They are not the cheapest but have a pretty good selection. I was looking for a holster as I have posted here. The clerk asks me to take the handgun outside, unload it, show it to the cleark out front who will put it ina gun case to secure it then bring it to the gund counter. OK. So I comply. The gun case was secured with a nylon tie. The clerk at the gun counter picks up my gun in the case and says, "I'll be right back." He heads to the back room. After a few minutes I asked where he went with my pistol. I just wanted to pick out a holster that would fit. The clerk comes out after a while and explains he had to do paperwork. I asked what paperwork. He says, "ATF" I have owned the pistol for over 20 years. 
They weren't going to do any work on it, examine it or was it my intention to have them take custody of the gun. He and other clerks said i was for liability rules.
I am suspicious of their behavior. Are they collecting information on gun owners, a form of registration?
Any ideaas?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

SBV45 said:


> How does Google stay in business giving all those epps, etc for free. They sell/share information gathered off the internet. Do a search for tires ans see how quick ads pop up for tires on your web searches.
> 
> One more, I wen into a local sporting goods store chain. They are not the cheapest but have a pretty good selection. I was looking for a holster as I have posted here. The clerk asks me to take the handgun outside, unload it, show it to the cleark out front who will put it ina gun case to secure it then bring it to the gund counter. OK. So I comply. The gun case was secured with a nylon tie. The clerk at the gun counter picks up my gun in the case and says, "I'll be right back." He heads to the back room. After a few minutes I asked where he went with my pistol. *I just wanted to pick out a holster that would fit.* The clerk comes out after a while and explains he had to do paperwork. I asked what paperwork. He says, "ATF" I have owned the pistol for over 20 years.
> They weren't going to do any work on it, examine it or was it my intention to have them take custody of the gun. He and other clerks said i was for liability rules.
> ...


I don't know whether they were collecting information on you or not? One things for sure I would never set foot in that store again.

I like to check out different gun stores in my area. There was this one store where they treat their potential customers with suspicion as if they were a God damn criminal. In Arizona for Christ's sake! The clerk's behind the counter acted as if they were drill sergeants. I was forewarned about them, but they had a gun in stock that I wanted that no one else had. They took my driver's license and concealed weapons permit (CWP) in the back room and had it for over a half hour. I was the only customer in the store. By the way a "CWP" is optional and not required in Arizona to either purchase or carry a firearm. WITH A CWP YOU DO NOT HAVE TO UNDERGO A NICS CHECK EACH TIME YOU PURCHASE A FIREARM.

Every gun store with the exception of this one welcomes that as there are no delays not to mention that they can rest assured that the purchaser is not a "prohibited possessor". Anyway, the clerk comes back out, hands me Form 4473, pounds his finger on the counter, and basically orders me to fill out the form making sure that I crossed every "t" and dotted every "i". Otherwise he would send me packing. He gave me this line of bullshit that if I didn't strictly follow his orders the BATF would come and close down the store.

I kind of felt like telling him to go **** himself. But like a fool I bought the gun anyway. Needless to say I'll never set foot in that place again. EVER! I've never in my life been treated like that as a potential first time customer, especially in a gun store. Every other gun store that I had ever gone to for the first time always treated me with courtesy and respect. I'm really surprised that this place is still in business. With the way they treat their customers, the BATF closing them down would be the least of my worries.


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## Argon18smith (Nov 4, 2016)

In Canada we have the Federal Government that keeps track of that. They know how many handguns we have, how much powder we have and how many bullets we have. Just a few years ago they also knew how many rifles we had. Enjoy the freedom you have.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Since 1969 my background has been checked rechecked and rechecked. I have been active in gun rights and anti progressive government. Locally I am known by many which works to my advantage to keep my property safe ( that old ******* will shoot you). So what I post online does not add to what is not already known except exact # of firearms I own or round count I have. I am always 1 short of what I want.


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

I only worry about it when the wind takes my aluminum foil hat away.:smt033

Whew got it back on now. I have never bought a firearm from an estate auction or private indivual.
And I always tell the truth to pollsters.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Argon18smith said:


> In Canada we have the Federal Government that keeps track of that. They know how many handguns we have, how much powder we have and how many bullets we have. Just a few years ago they also knew how many rifles we had. Enjoy the freedom you have.


And they also know which doors to knock on to get your guns if they decide to do so. Unfortunately, your founders didn't see fit to acknowledge that you had a right to your own self defense. Hopefully your government will never attempt to ban firearms, but you have no protection against that. Perhaps you should come here. We are more brothers with Canadians than any other people.


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## Argon18smith (Nov 4, 2016)

Never say never. Every time there is a shooting, the politicians start ranting about gun control. It is the law abiding people that have to pay the price.
I would love to spend some time with our brothers to the south to enjoy some real shooting.


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