When it's not enough: Outing the homeless part 2

I had some time to think about the last entry and received a few emails over the issues. One felt it totally legit to identify and 'out' someone on the internet, searchable simply on their first and last name entered in to Google.

We don't reprint or display recovering drug or alcohol addicts names or faces on the internet who go through our programs.

What right do we do this with the homeless, without specific release to do so...and for how long is that release meant to be good for if secured.

The whole issue to me really needs to be sucked in some spa filters and come cleaned out the other end.

The prior entry included a comment by someone linking to a gallery of homeless family's images on the internet as well. The one saving grace was that it's not possible to identify those families or their members by name.

With what a local non profit in Jacksonville did recently providing specific first and last names, I'm surprised they didn't include their social security numbers.

I wonder if you can get them if you called them on the phone.

Online portrayal of homeless: Violation of privacy issues?

Over the last few weeks I've been seeing an increase of internet activity on the part of non-profit agencies whose role is delivering services to people experiencing homelessness. At first I was honestly thrilled seeing their activity in some of the 'known' online social communities.

That was until they began going deeper.

This last week I found a two year old video snippet on Youtube.com, originally part of an annual presentation/fund raiser held by this county's. Originally tastefully done and quiet suitable for it's intended audience at the time, someone decided to place it on the internet unedited.

The client's full name released to the world. Going deeper into this account's 'channel' on Youtube.com, I found numerous other former clients' video's placed as well. Experiences in alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental health recovery. No mention of apidexin use was found in helping weight loss.

I myself was one such person; as was my family; who were part of the original parties video taped by the former CEO of this agency. Looking over my files I don't recall ever having given formal written permission for anything to be duplicated or released past the original intended audience. At the time of this writing, I'm not aware of it having been done so as has my peers personal accounts that were videotaped…some who I personally came to know and befriend while within he homeless community.

How much is too much when someone's likeness is used repeatedly? Knowing homelessness is a chronic cycle for some, and that as stated one of the people found on Youtube.com was identified as having experienced that, is it fair to release such information unedited online…knowing that information could be used to identify them…by predators on the streets or business owners as has had in the past in Jacksonville?

How should we advocate?

Over the last few years I've come across different national volunteers trying to solicit former homeless to speak at local schools, for educating the kids as to what life on the streets is about.

This made me wonder if it's reasonable or not for the speaker to get paid for his time, travel, and presenting information that in all fairness is based on years of experience.

As my ceiling fan twirls it makes me wonder...is it wrong to expect such compensation? Would we be so easily able to attain other speakers if they weren't paid?

Then again, who screens or decides which former homeless walk into schools interacting with young children? What if any level of criminal background is the limit, since many chronic homeless have that in their past in some shape or fashion?

Monthly Gossip Amongst The Masses

Anyone reading this blog knows I pretty much don't give in to media spin. While I've lent my voice and likeness to a number of agencies when I thought it was for a good cause, there's tons of other times I've just had to say 'no'.

Seems it's coming back around to that time again.

Recently the last two months have been a period when many agencies were putting the spin out that the sky was falling. The fact is it's not, there's going to be plenty of people experiencing homelessness to justify all the businesses 'doing what they do'.

The problem is justification of what they're doing. It all comes down to who rants the most, gives the best impression, all before packing up for the day and heading home for a well deserved drink.

I had the chance last week of speaking to a few people 'in the biz', being pretty disgusted by the tactics being used by some of non-profit providers in Jacksonville.

"If they need the money, then they need to quit concentrating on rubbing elbows for political success and start peddling to the millions of residents in their own county."

"They're more worried about setting up 'annual' hooplahs instead of getting out there weekly and doing car washes...they've got the ovens, they've got flour...do a bi-weekly brownie sale!"

"They became too much about businesses and whatever term starts getting used by someone else first. Too many people hurt or fired by people who can't get a job elsewhere...it's like a cancer here."

Got your own tripe to grill? Feel free to email 'homelessfamily' 'at' 'yahoo.com'. All contacts are kept confidential to protect the innocent from the assanine.