Mormon Dot Org Sees You
An interesting little insight came about through messing around with missionaries on Mormon.org.
I was pretending to be a missionary, using the script they rely on to speak with folks who come to their chat box and ask questions. The conversation was intentionally confusing, as you see below. I adopted the name “Courtney” from a missionary I had just conversed with on an earlier chat thread.
Courtney (that’s me): Hi!
–Now Chatting with Joseph– (This is the real missionary)
Joseph: Hi! This is Joseph and Thomas. How are you?
C: Hi Joseph! We have a prophet named Joseph. Would you like to learn more about him and the Restored Church? [Again, I’m pretending to be one of them, talking to an investigator named Joseph / Thomas]
Thomas: Sounds great!
C: So what is your question Joseph?
Joseph: What can we help you with?
C: That’s what I was wondering. How can I help you today?
[after some delay…]
C: Wait, are you a missionary too? This is so funny! I thought you were an investigator!
Thomas: You know it
C: I’m totally confused now. I’m a missionary. I think the system has been hacked or something.
Thomas: What mission are you in?
C: Honolulu. You?
Thomas: What is your last name?
C: Sorensen. You? This is sooooo weird! I’m checking with the office elders.
Thomas: Are you an online missionary?
————————————-
Here is where the little game exposed something. Apparently, I convinced Thomas/Joseph that I was possibly a real LDS missionary, so much so that they began to ask rather unscripted questions, while checking their databases. These questions are the sort an officer of the state would ask strange persons who are found where they shouldn’t be. Papers! What is your name? What mission are you in?
Now I’m inside, right? I start typing “I’m a full time missionary” but delete it, and instead typed, “I’m doing an online split for two hours.” Then I hit /send/. I never hit /send/ until I had deleted the “full time missionary” text, and replaced it with “doing an online split.”
So? Thomas responds, aggressively now (using the wrong ‘your’):
Thomas: Your a full time Elder or your doing an online split for two hours? Your story changed.
I never sent the “full time” text. He was reading my screen while I typed. Not merely seeing what I typed after I hit “send”. I was stunned, obviously a sign of how naïve I am about internet communication.
I checked this pre-send surveillance by typing, “are you full time?” while not actually sending it. And he replied, “No, I am not full time.” So I typed, and didn’t send, “Are you reading my screen, before I hit ‘enter’? Creepy!” And I didn’t hit /send/ this time, either. Here’s what Thomas wrote, in response to what I hadn’t actually sent:
Thomas: You would know wouldn’t you?
Courtney: [typing…not yet hitting /send/] You would know, wouldn’t you?
Thomas: Yes, I would know.
He jumped out of the chat quickly, with a “Yup Its no secret” and “God bless!”
—————————-
Now, he seems like a nice enough kid, just doin’ his job, as they say. And a secret it may not be, but there’s nothing alerting the incoming chatter on Mormon.org that their keystrokes inside the chat box are being recorded and read by an online missionary, whether you hit “send” or not. So, to whom is it NOT a secret? Apparently to online missionaries. And now it’s not a secret to a few others, as well…
I just wish Jesus had a Mormon.org profile. Hi! I’m the Creator of Heaven and Earth, I like redeeming, donkey rides, walks on the beach and on the water, and I’m a Mormon!
Mormon Dot Org Sees You
- Joel
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 7043
Mormon Dot Org Sees You
- Elizabeth
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 11796
- Location: East Coast Australia
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
Joel, you would be wise to find something constructive to do with your time.
- David13
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 7081
- Location: Utah
- Jason
- Master of Puppets
- Posts: 18296
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- captain of 100
- Posts: 380
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
If you are serious that is unsettling to say the least.
If you are joking then it was fairly entertaining.
If you are joking then it was fairly entertaining.
- shadow
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 10542
- Location: St. George
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
That format isn't uncommon at all. You're on their system. it's like a live chat room.
Some of the companies I represent use the same or a similar program. Oh let's freak out!
This is a non story, Joel.
Now if LDS.org was bugging your computer and using your camera to watch you drink morning coffee and sending the video to your bishop, then yeah, post that. That would be interesting. But using communication apps that thousands of other companies also use is a bit boring, isn't it?
Some of the companies I represent use the same or a similar program. Oh let's freak out!
This is a non story, Joel.
Now if LDS.org was bugging your computer and using your camera to watch you drink morning coffee and sending the video to your bishop, then yeah, post that. That would be interesting. But using communication apps that thousands of other companies also use is a bit boring, isn't it?
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- Follow the Prophet
- Posts: 8801
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- captain of 1,000
- Posts: 1537
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
Its called technology........Joel needs to try and keep up.Stahura wrote:Joel, it's okay because babylon does it. Calm down.
- shadow
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 10542
- Location: St. George
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
Babylonians also breath and eat. What's your point?Stahura wrote:Joel, it's okay because babylon does it. Calm down.
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- Follow the Prophet
- Posts: 8801
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- captain of 1,000
- Posts: 1617
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
If the story is true, I find it a little unsettling. Wondering what effect this has on the missionary who knows the church has set up a system and is having them spy on the unsent thoughts of those trusting the LDS system. If I were heading up the mission department I would get rid of that program. How many of our missionaries might find this unethical and leave the church over it? I hope that isn't the case.
- Chip
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 7961
- Location: California
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
So, they see every keystroke of the investigator, but the investigator only sees theIr complete responses, after hitting enter?
If so, that gives the missionaries much more insight into the investigator, than the investigator gets about the missionaries.
If so, that gives the missionaries much more insight into the investigator, than the investigator gets about the missionaries.
- iWriteStuff
- blithering blabbermouth
- Posts: 5523
- Location: Sinope
- Contact:
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
BrianM is already omniscient and omnipresent. He doesn't need to see your keystrokes, as he has already mastered The Matrix and can see what you will say before you say it. I thought you knew this? :-BRachael wrote:Can BrianM do this too?
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- captain of 1,000
- Posts: 2719
- Location: Canada
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
So, if the church had an NSA division, they could check the chat logs for your IP, then whois lookup and geolocate your IP to have a fairly good idea of where you are located in the world and then match that location to ward boundaries. They could then limit the list of potential suspects to a specific ward and then send an abuse of service request to your ISP based on that IP and ask for name and address details which would then be forwarded to your ward or stake president for a "secret interview"! :-$ :ymdevil:
- shadow
- Level 34 Illuminated
- Posts: 10542
- Location: St. George
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
Why would this be unsettling and unethical?onefour1 wrote:If the story is true, I find it a little unsettling. Wondering what effect this has on the missionary who knows the church has set up a system and is having them spy on the unsent thoughts of those trusting the LDS system. If I were heading up the mission department I would get rid of that program. How many of our missionaries might find this unethical and leave the church over it? I hope that isn't the case.
- A Random Phrase
- Follower of Christ
- Posts: 6468
- Location: Staring at my computer, not sure whether to laugh or cry.
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
:))iWriteStuff wrote:BrianM is already omniscient and omnipresent. He doesn't need to see your keystrokes, as he has already mastered The Matrix and can see what you will say before you say it. I thought you knew this? :-BRachael wrote:Can BrianM do this too?
=))
Trying to catch my breath.
- A Random Phrase
- Follower of Christ
- Posts: 6468
- Location: Staring at my computer, not sure whether to laugh or cry.
Re: Mormon Dot Org Sees You
:)) :ymdevil: :((Sunain wrote:So, if the church had an NSA division, they could check the chat logs for your IP, then whois lookup and geolocate your IP to have a fairly good idea of where you are located in the world and then match that location to ward boundaries. They could then limit the list of potential suspects to a specific ward and then send an abuse of service request to your ISP based on that IP and ask for name and address details which would then be forwarded to your ward or stake president for a "secret interview"! :-$ :ymdevil: