I too have major issues with privacy on meetup.com. I had set all my account info, groups and photo to private. One day I happened to do google search my name and location and to my horror it returned ALL my meetup.com information, including my groups (which I seriously wanted to stay private). It also showed up the messages sent to me in meetup.com. Furthermore, it showed my photo (and groups) as the first result in google image search. I had uploaded my photo on my meetup.com account only for a few days and then had removed it. Moreover, all the settings were private. The info. and pic still kept showing up. Then, I left the groups one by one and waited for a few days, it was still showing. Finally, I closed my meetup.com account 4 days back but the whole info is still showing up. I tried to resolve this with google.com but their response was that meetup.com has put this info publicly and google crawlers catch all public info. They advised me to contact webmaster of meetup.com and get the info removed. I had been sending emails to quite a few meetup.com contacts including webmaster since last 4 days to remove me completely, no response so far. I am very upset. This is a very serious breach of my privacy. I hope that there is a legal recourse available in case there is no action on their part. Any advice please...
" Hello. This is Hajji Sheikh from Meetup and I would like sorry to say you have problem this listing on the google site... May i have last 4 and home address and phone too so we can confirm who it is for sure, and so get on with rectifying this problem... "
Click.
Meetup is mainly used by people who are one of the following: (1) exhibitionists who want everybody in the world to know everything about them; or (2) people who don't realize that their Meetup involvement will allow everybody in the world to know everything about them. Here is the bottom line: if you care about your privacy, do not join Meetup. Meetup is a privacy nightmare.
My experiences were different. In Cologne (Germany)an American model (unique L.)organized language meetings (Expats in Cologne). I went a few times but more and more her meetups became weird. Almost like a dating party. When I visited with my GF the whole group started to ignore us. One member tried to make a move at her. The biggest joke was that the organizer herself didn't turn up. Her co-organizer got very nasty after I put a bad review on their website. Blocking me and kick us out of the group. The joke was that this lady cheated on her BF on a regular basis. Nagging half drunk why one German member didn't want to take her home. The same lady calling me and my GF pointless and agressive. Wowwwwwwww I agree that it is mainly for exhibitionists
i joined a meet up in ct simply with friends i bought some thing to use and because i was not going to the next meeting i gave the item to the facilitier while then he emailed me that i should not go to anymore meeting BUT he refuses to return my items he is a thief is that the kind of people you want to represent your company
Meetup cannot legally authorize any Organizer to put photo ID stipulations on people looking to join their groups! Most people whom like their 4th amendments rights of privacy prefer not to use their actual photo for reasons of Identity protection, as well as personal reasons! Most people like the idea of using a goofy or funny pic for their profile ID picture!
Meetup in my experience does not assist anyone in particular women when it comes to stalking, harassment, defamation, assault, abuse. Once an event is reported they do nothing, literally nothing - and I believe its because of money and reputation and legal issues (ie. don't want to be involved in getting sued). They hide what is really happening to people in particular women. Try to report a simple defamation or stalking matter and the technicians don't even teach you how to block all members ie. you can select only receive messages from organizers. If you report anything remotely serious they ignore it and do not even respond so they cannot be held accountable. If the police get involved ie stalking then meetup has nothing to say and will not get involved. Meetup condones abuse. Meetup condones abuse particularly to women. BEWARE OF meetup.com The most scariest matter is that if someone is abusive toward you and basically attacking your character, making up lies etc. they can post your picture, business name (if you list it on your profile), your comments (ie. private messages to organizer/owner of that particular meetup group) and this IS ALL PUBLIC ie. on internet, on meetup, on group pages, on event pages - wherever the organizer chooses to do so.