Jovanka H. in the Daily Mail

[Ian Kingston]

“The misspelling of her name by the Mail strikes me as a similarly gross error.”
...

These are undeserved and maybe disgraceful comments in response to the only newspaper that occasionally publishes chess human interest stories.

I'm not going to get into the discussion of the other qualities (or lack thereof) of the Daily Mail, but pointing out that the paper can't get the most basic things right (name and age) is neither undeserved nor disgraceful.

[Alan Burke]

I totally agree with Harry's comment that "pictures of pretty girls sell newspapers."

My earlier post was not meant as a criticism of the Daily Mail for publishing neither the story nor the photograph, but there are some females who abhor the fact that woman are used as "sex symbols" for various reasons and therefore it might be interesting to hear if any chess-playing ladies out there feel that this is the right way to promote their involvement in the game - or even the right way to try and generate interest amongst others ?

[harrylamb]

Why do you not just accept the reality of the matter that DoB is used for several banks for security purposes and as such it is a sensible precaution not to give it out.

Because I don't believe that is the reality of the matter, having never experienced it with my own bank, who don't use it for precisely the reasons stated. Perhaps I am naive to have expected all banks to do the same?

Alex
You are being exceedingly stubborn. Why do you not believe "that is the reality of the matter." Your post seems to imply that you believe I am lying. I will tell you one last time and then I will give up.

To get on my banks internet banking system the bank assigns me an ID No based on my DoB. I have to type that number in as the first level of security to access the account.

There are of course other security features

[Alan Walton]

Harry is correct, when you originally set up internet banking with a large bank (originally named, maybe best not to, so removed) one of your security codes is your date of birth, you are advised to change this though after the first login, you will be an idiot not too

[harrylamb]

Thanks Alan. In the case of my bank you cannot change it. But I do not have a problem with that as there are other security features you have to go through before accessing the account

[Simon Bibby]

Harry is of course right that d.o.b. should be kept out of the public arena.
Not just banks of course, online ID theft more of an issue.
Remember from IT teaching, we were hammered on this in the training as we were responsible for student records and for teaching school kids to be careful.
Forced to study the data protection acts (1984 the biggie, then 1998 when I was training), had to teach students to be careful of such things, never put your dob anywhere online. Never.
Not difficult for someone to swipe your computerised identity with only a small amount of essential information.

Alex - leave it. You are wrong on this. Very wrong. And this is potentially damaging for those whose personal data you collect and store. Hopefully encrypted.

Was reading a hacker article (academic interest!) not long back - who is common prey for nicking info? Universities. For three main reasons:
1. Volume of data
2. Type of data (personal plus financial -credit card numbers)
3. Very lax security

ECF mostly safe one imagines, as I would suspect to be off malign hacker radar.

[Alan Walton]

Can't believe Alex Holowczak's insensitive comments on DoB.
It's a common security question; I noted the e2e4 website is requiring your DoB, but it shouldn't.

It may require your d.o.b. for discounted entry fees, and maybe some legal requirements (e.g. children under certain ages may need a guardian with them for hotel rooms)

Though this isn't posted anywhere on the website, the only thing visible may be the year of birth (which is also on the FIDE ratings site)

[Geoff Chandler]

Online security. Huh!

I just went on the FIDE site and obtained the four digit
bank account pin number of the top 100 chess players.

M.Carlsen's current bank pin number is 2835.
(I've noticed that he changes it after every torunament......cunning.)

[John Sargent]

I believe the official FIDE rating list updates every two months as opposed to each quarter. For those that are above 2700 there's also the live rating list which does update on a daily basis, but is entirely unofficial.

[Mick Norris]

Online security. Huh!

I just went on the FIDE site and obtained the four digit
bank account pin number of the top 100 chess players.

M.Carlsen's current bank pin number is 2835.
(I've noticed that he changes it after every torunament......cunning.)

Geoff

Why restrict your self to the top 100? - you can find mine there, it is 1991

Ah yes, because the top 100 may have money, whereas most other chess players don't?

[Alex Holowczak]

Alex - leave it. You are wrong on this. Very wrong. And this is potentially damaging for those whose personal data you collect and store. Hopefully encrypted.

I am sure that the date of birth problem is a problem in academic circles, but it just isn't a problem that most people are concerned with on a frequent basis. Indeed, even your birthday is on your Facebook page!

For the Birmingham Rapidplay, only 1 person so far has not filled in the "Date of Birth" field.

I'm just not sure, in the grand scheme of things on Earth to worry about, this is anywhere near the top of the priority list.

[John Foley]

I am sure that the date of birth problem is a problem in academic circles, but it just isn't a problem that most people are concerned with on a frequent basis. ...For the Birmingham Rapidplay, only 1 person so far has not filled in the "Date of Birth" field.

This is a biased sample of the chess population. The people who do not want to publicise their dates of birth may have decided not to enter the tournament.

[Richard Bates]

The probable fact that the vast majority of people, myself not excluded, are careless with their personal data, is hardly justification for dismissing the concerns of those who are.

Anyway, a completely different angle. Under age discrimination legislation prospective employers are, i believe, not allowed to use age as a criteria for employing staff. As such most (certainly public sector) organisations will go to great care to design their application forms in such a way that DOB is only used for monitoring purposes. But such a process is undermined if the employer can go and look the candidate up on the internet and get given the full details.

[Alan Burke]

It does seem that the original storyline of this thread has been forgotten and replaced by a quite different subject.

Therefore, getting back to the start of the topic; we still await any comment as to whether chess players (and women in particular) feel the portrayal of our females in such a manner is the way in which to try and attract more interest in the game of chess ?

[Paul Cooksey]

I don't think that was the original point, but ok...

Depends really, Jovanka wearing a nice frock for publicity photos clearly a good idea. Maria Manakova in no frock at all, less welcome, as Jovanka herself observed.

If we are interested in encouraging young women to play chess, I guess we have to lament that Magnus "isn't really hot is he?" (according to overheard girls in one of the the general interest pieces on the LCC )