Virtual Spying?

Quick question folks.

You have someone in your friends list...

For whatever reason, you remove their ability to see when you are online (from the options box)...

Next time you come online -you get an IM from them asking why you have clicked that option and are hiding from them....??

How is this possible?

In this case , hiding myself from them was an accident, but how was the 'friend' able to see that I was online even though I was supposed to be "hidden when online" to them?

Any and all help greatly appreciated

It happened to me once, and the answer was pretty simple: a common friend saw me, and when the other person asked her "have you seen Rey, it's been a while", she said "why don't you call him? he's on now"

They can check your profile from the friends list and it will tell them if you are online. That checking the eye is only for a casual user to see you are "not" online. Though most people would respect that "hiding" option......some don't though.

If you're in a common group, it will tell you if they're online.

If you im someone and they're online, you don't get the message that this avatar is offline.

Ah - right - thanks guys.

Was worried they had installed some kind of spy thingy. Mainly as they IM'd me within 2 mins of logging in (it wasn't like I switched them off whilst on line - thw switching off was done during a previous game crash).


So they must have checked the profile right then or they are checking it regularly - either of which in itself is a bit ....odd.

Hey ho never mind. Ta V much for the super quick replies

Another way to tell if someone is online is to do a Search of that person. If the "Offer Teleport" button is available, then the person is online.

You can also tell if someone is online by looking at your "Calling Cards" folder in your inventory. The calling cards of people online are highlighted.

The are avatar detectors that you can put an avatar name into and be notified when that avatar signs in. Some of these are HUDs that you can wear and others are objects that you can rez inworld. These items can even send you email so you know when the avatar logs in and out even when you are not inworld.

Actually, if they have unchecked you being able to see them online, you will not see the Offer Teleport and the Calling Card will not show them online -- at least it works this way (properly) in the version of the viewer that I use.

Also, if you have 'view admin options' turned on, you will always see the Offer Teleport whether they are really online or not.

hmm I've always felt bad doing that.. but then again crap like this happens if you dont uncheck that box:

I log in, at my gallery hanging up some new pieces.. sum1 IM's me and I don't reply right away.. then they show up right behind me and say Hi Davin.. creepy!

also what's with the influx of alts lately.. I wonder if it's from all the alt discussions here, but I've had a number of like 2 day old avies at my place talking to me and buying art.. I've never known someone to spend 500L on a piece of virtual art on their very first day in SL.. let alone before buying some skin or clothes! poor guy didn't even realize he was still Ruthed..lol

I'm going to write an online tracker real quick you can all use, check back here in a minute...

Heres a simple online tracker.

Use http://w-hat.com/name2key To get your victims key.

Then put the key into this script at the top where it says to.

key _key = "KEY_GOES_HERE"; //Yeah the key goes there
key query;
default
{
    state_entry()
    {
        llSetTimerEvent(10);
        
    }
    timer()
    {
        query = llRequestAgentData( _key, DATA_ONLINE);
    }
    dataserver(key queryid, string data)
    {
        if ( query == queryid ) {
            if (data == "1")
            {
            llSetText(llKey2Name(_key) + " is Online.",<0,1,0>,1);
        }
        else
        {
           llSetText(llKey2Name(_key) + " is Offline.",<1,0,0>,1); 
        }
        }
    }
}//Dante Tucker

Put that in a box or something.

Nice one Dante - you turned a "how can people spy on me" thread into a tutorial that tells others exactly how do to the thing I was worried about.

Great Work. Give yourself a pat on the back why don't you.

The fact that you can mute people makes any concerns of spying moot. If you don't want to deal with them then.. don't!

Also it's not a very complex script, I just wrote it from nothing in 2 minutes

Everyone needs to know how to do things, the more people know, the less negative effect it has. Protect your self by educating yourself I say.

There is no privacy in SL..............why delude yourself?

Very true Dante- sorry about the sarcy tone of the last one. Knowing how easy it is doesn't make it any more palatable. But at least it has opened my eyes somewhat.

And Peggy - I deluded myself because I am a total newb at SL

...and it took all of about 30 seconds to find one on SLExchange...I'm sure there are cheaper models available as well...

http://www.slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=268022

The feature itself has had a less than stellar track record up until now too, it's gone through periods where it just plain didn't work (you'd show online regardless), or where it sort of worked (you'd show offline if you logged on after they did, but if they relogged or logged on after you're already online, they'd see you on).

Even without all the script, checking groups or simply IM'ing loopholes, it's just best to assume that if you have someone on your friends list that they're going to be able to see when you're online and stick to using it for casual "hiding" rather than actually wanting to avoid having someone notice whether you're online or not.

Just out of curiosity, because I'm really straightforward...if you need to "hide" from these people, wouldn't it be better to just take them out of your list? I mean, if you don't want them to know you're online, to me it means you don't want to hang with them, or talk to them, so why have them on your list?

that script is probably in the library as well (on the forums the scripting sub forum)

as for the not wanting someone to know, yeah why not just remove them?

Is it a matter of you want to know when they are on, but them not know when you are on?

I checked, there is none like it. Maybe I should submit it?

Edit: I meant the script library in the wiki.

It is very dumb that it is the way it is. One should be able to check the box and then it also disallows them from seeing "online" in the profile.

sure why not

I was refering to the library on the forums hehe

There is a second box in your preferences, show online status to friends only, that combined with disabling that friends abilitys will disalow them from seeing in your profile.

and this website, under online friends, will tell if your online even if you have not online checked in world.

There is an online notifier HUD for sale inworld (from a popular store) that you can add any number of names to, and it will tell you when someone from your names list logs on and off, even if neither of you is on the other person's actual friends list. I suspect your friend might have been using this, as it's fairly well-known.