Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Unflip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Site stuff

Join our Innovation Panel to try new features early and help make Mumsnet better.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Unflip

1 2 3

Original poster

Netiquette question: Is everyone on Mumsnet anonymous?

63 replies

mindthestep · 16/08/2012 11:03

Is it a kind of unwritten rule on Mumsnet that we are all anonymous? Does anyone either use or reveal their real name/identity?

I understand completely that many people wish to remain anonymous - there is no implied criticism in my question at all. I was just wondering if it would be regarded as inappropriate for someone to join/post as herself?

OP posts:

johnhemming · 19/08/2012 13:05

There are over 90 John Hemmings alive in the UK. Two are reasonably well known. I am not the explorer.

NetworkGuy · 19/08/2012 12:30

I'd never post under my RL name, if only because there are some 225 with the same forename and surname in the UK, and it might bring them into disrepute

Am fairly guarded about what I reveal, since there were (and perhaps are still!) some critics of me even being on MN, when I first joined. Hence no profile or blog pages any more, though hovering over my name is still pretty much true.

Original poster

mindthestep · 19/08/2012 11:53

Lemarchands - thanks, I didn't know about the Webchats.

LRD - I agree, don't think MB meant to be patronising. It was tough on her, but the MNers were courteous too, I thought.

Maryz - more helpful info, thanks.

OP posts:

Maryz · 17/08/2012 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 17/08/2012 19:04

Oh, god, I remember that discussion mind! It was pretty tough on her (though, um, I did feel well patronized by her on that one!) I'm quite sure it wasn't deliberate. She did also offer to have one of the posters on that thread comment for her blog, or her book - I forget which - and I thought that was a very decent gesture.

LemarchandsBox · 17/08/2012 19:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

mindthestep · 17/08/2012 18:30

Thanks again everyone - the Mary Beard example was particularly helpful. Went off to find some of her posts and the replies and so on, and came across (among other things) a rather interesting discussion on this whole subject of anonymity, well-known people posting as themselves, etc.

I thought it was quite brave of MB to come and respond to a very critical thread. Didn't agree with everything she said, but I admire her for coming on here and responding, courteously and with good humour, to some pretty harsh criticism.

But perhaps writers/broadcasters like her join in Mumsnet discussions about their work all the time, and this is nothing unusual or remarkable?

OP posts:

Tee2072 · 17/08/2012 15:46

As I am known by this NN all over the place, I am not anonymous.

However, if you Google my real name, which I've even posted on here, I don't show up for pages and pages.

It's a funny old Internet...

EmpressOfTheSevenFlames · 17/08/2012 15:44

ThisIsNotHoneyDragon · 17/08/2012 15:38

yes indeed, not our sort of person at all.

TalcAndTurnips · 17/08/2012 15:01

ThisIsNotHoneyDragon - I can understand your desire to disassociate yourself with such a person! She must be a right old rabble-rouser. I'd steer well clear, too.

ThisIsNotHoneyDragon · 17/08/2012 14:58

Honeydragon is not so much in trouble for doing blank posts. More that she started a thread telling every other bugger to do it. That spawned more threads. And then Olivia got out her banning finger and Helen did the face.

So I heard anyway.

NaiceHamShopOnHighStreet · 17/08/2012 14:54

i'd like MNHQ to drop NaiceHamShopOnHastingsHighStreet as it's far too close to my NN

TalcAndTurnips · 17/08/2012 14:52

I contain neither Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 or any root vegetables of the species Brassica rapa.

I'd probably be recognisable to someone who knew me well and could be bothered to do a search. Seeing as I post only inane drivel, I am not overly bothered by this.

You can always do a Buppers-style namechange if you want to complain about your scrofulous vagine, for instance, or your husband's propensity to dress up as Cardinal Wolsey during sexual congress.

TheCunningStunt · 17/08/2012 14:49

Am I meant to be on a MN timeout?

TheCunningStunt · 17/08/2012 14:49

I did a blank post too!....

TheEternalOptimist · 17/08/2012 14:40

Like Empress, I have a unique firstname-surname combo so would never use my RL name. I normally post under a different name, but have namechanged recently cause I have been using that one for years and it is now linked to other stuff that I do on the internet.

I have no issue with people knowing who I am, but prefer not to be quite so searchable.

A lot of people change their names to a slight variation so they are still recognisable.

EmpressOfTheSevenFlames · 17/08/2012 14:36

Honeydragon was norty, she did blank posts.

EmpressOfTheSevenFlames · 17/08/2012 14:35

Not seen Honeydragon around for weeks, actually.

I'm Facebook friends with a few MNers but on here I'm careful not to post anything that outs me. It means I'm not worrying about what I post. I'd never use my real name on here, partly because I'm the only one on Google with that firstname-surname combination.

ouryve · 17/08/2012 14:34

I generally stick to the etiquette, but google me and you'll find me all over the internet.

StateofConfusion · 17/08/2012 14:30

I'm meant to be anonymous. But I'm shite at it, too many pics on my profile and often type one or other the dcs names by accident.
As said anyone can read this, if I wanted to be rude/very honest I'd nc.

ThisWeekonFancyPuffin · 17/08/2012 14:19

I am in fact a puffin and lead editor of This Week on Fancy Puffin. We have literally tens of subscribers, including HoneyDragon but no NotHoneyDragon

Mumsnet is secretly intimidated by my readership.

I have a picture on my profile. But think I'm usually distinctive when out.

ThisIsNotHoneyDragon · 17/08/2012 14:14

I am definitely not Honeydragon, at all Honeydragon is a troublemaker

LemarchandsBox · 17/08/2012 14:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

mindthestep · 17/08/2012 12:37

Thank you very much for these helpful replies - and the funny ones!

I agree that one should be careful never to say anything online that one wouldn't be happy for anyone to read. I just wondered if there might be some kind of tacit understanding about anonymity on Mumsnet that isn't in the 'official' rules.

I'm a big fan of Mary Beard! That was the kind of etiquette I meant - whether it is seen as appropriate for well-known people like her to reveal their identity on Mumsnet or not. I understand now that it's optional, as for anyone else, but I'm more interested in whether this is liked/appreciated or maybe slightly frowned upon?

I'm guessing from your replies that most people are happy with Mary Beard (and perhaps other similar people) choosing not to be anonymous?

OP posts:

Unflip

1 2 3