I am an Information Security Professional with over 20 years experience in Information Technology. I also happen to be an amateur magician. I wanted to share a concern I have regarding what could be our unintentional contribution to the exposure of magic secrets.

There is a principle in the information security discipline called Data Aggregation. The definition of Data Aggregation as a security risk is that unclassified information from multiple sources can be combined to reveal a piece of classified information. An oversimplified example would be if my employee number and my salary (but not my name) appeared in one database and my name and employee number (but not my salary) appeared in another database, by combining this information someone could know my salary.

For the magic community, the Internet now makes finding out a secret of a trick through data aggregation much more feasible. I have noticed that in a lot of cases, through our passion in discussing tricks we may reveal bits and pieces that by themselves do not seem to reveal something. Combine the information in several posts, a few bits and pieces from elsewhere on the Internet, a video or two from YouTube and suddenly a very good secret may be exposed. Each individual revealing their bit of information may think they are being very obtuse, but when the information is aggregated the secret can become glaringly obvious. The information revealed can be very, very subtle.

I almost posted this observation on another thread that I felt was stepping over the line and threatening to reveal a secret that would not at all be fair to the owners of the effect. I realized that doing so in and of itself would provide a piece of information that would contribute to exposure of the effect through data aggregation.

We produce better magic through sharing ideas and helping each other. But we also can threaten our art and the livelihood of magic creators if we aren’t very, very careful. We need to think about what we are saying and not only ask ourselves if something we post will reveal a secret, but also if something we post could be used in combination with other information to reveal a secret.

Comments?

The problem with your argument is the idea that the revealing of a trick's secret will "threaten our art and the livelihood of magic creators." Many would disagree, and the Café is full of discussions around this argument. further, secrets have always been revealed through the years, and yet, magicians and creators are still here. Lastly, many argue they only people who really care about the secrets and work hard trying to find them out are magicians.

I wouldn't worry about it.

s

Yes, I see how that statement sounds more absolute and extreme than I really intended. Is it a major threat -- no. Something to keep in mind -- yes.

True. But there is no way of knowing what other information is available to the aggregator (or how clever they may be at putting it all together).

So it seems the only options are to either risk it or to say nothing at all. The "say nothing" option might make a very boring Magic Café

I understand the TheRavens concern.

There is a thread here that asks what are your favorite gaffed tricks. Buy answering that question with a list of favorite gaffed tricks you have inadvertantly gave the secret to the gaffed tricks. I hope that was clear.

But others are right in saying that Café would be boring if we could not discuss magic effects. There would be nothing to say.

Haha! you don't need data aggregation to get magic secrets.

Just ask for the blinking secret and there will usually be scads of guys ready to let the cat out of the bag...

Magicians have some of the BIGGEST big-mouths in the world!

We magicians are far more obsessed with the "secrets" of our craft than others and, as a result, are often overly zealous in protecting them. While the typical layman may find magic entertaining, and may even be curious about how a trick that fools him is accomplished, IMO that curiousity is fleeting at best and is soon replaced by other concerns that have far greated impact on his daily life and the "secret," if discovered/revealed, is usually quickly forgotten.

If there is anyone who one would expect to guard the secrets of magic most closely it would certainly be Jim Steinmeyer, the creator of some of contemporary magics most baffling illusions, yet his one of his best known observations is that "Magicians guard an empty safe."

Data aggregation? No one wants, or needs, to work that hard anymore!

I recently "retired" the magic coloring book from my kids show repertoire, after about 20% of my young audience told me they HAD it. I think they are selling the ***ed thing at Walmart!

Jim

HEY! That's where I got mine!! LOL. Just kiddin'...

I see The Raven's point. He's right. My girlfriend once told me that the only one who really cares about my magic secrets is ME.

And Jim, I retired the D'Lite from mine, because I see them at the mall, in movie theaters...now I see they come in different COLORS...

Next, I.T. will be everywhere...

Doug

The rule against exposure is to prevent the idle, feckless, or secret hunter getting secrets. Anyone prepared to spend the kind of effort you describe to find out information, is almost certainly a serious student of magic.

Not necessarily. Remember the guy in Russia who decided that since David Copperfield couldn't really fly or do any other magic, he would expose all his secrets? He was a seriously messed-up religious nut.