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Original poster

Ability to advanced search on ALL one's own past usernames

35 replies

BarrackerBarmer · 13/02/2018 14:00

I wondered if it might be possible for a user to search on ALL their own usernames. When checking past posting history it's tricky for frequent namechangers to remember which name was used when, and prolific posters can find it quite a challenge.

Is there a possible techy solution to this MNHQ?

OP posts:
okMaybeIAmATERF · 19/04/2018 11:40

What I'd like is not online search, but the ability to download a zip file of all the information Mumsnet has on me, which would include all the posts I've made under any name. Facebook and Google offer such facilities; it's probably easier than online search (which would need to have a user interface designed for it); it lets users use their preferred tools at home; it gives a permanent record of what we've said. How about that?

Beyond11cisRetinol · 19/04/2018 11:39

Seconding this idea. Maybe if it's a serious hacking concern, it could require duel thingy login? Or is that a right pita to set up?

Original poster
BarrackerBarmer · 19/04/2018 11:39

Some users have been here 10 or more years and changed names multiple times, liondance. Principally because we were trying to protect our online identity from being pieced together by using different names.

a poster who wishes to find a specific post from 10 years ago because she is concerned about identifying information in it would have to remember which username she was using and when, or search one by one through multiple names.

It may prove better for MNHQ to help users to quickly find their own posts so that they can delete individual posts, rather than risk posters just demanding a wholscale deletion of their entire posting history because it's too hard to find the worrisome posts in their history.

MN will end up like Swiss Cheese if thousands of posts have to go in one deletion.

OP posts:
liondance · 19/04/2018 11:24

Can you not just look at your username history on your account page and search for each one?

Bumblefuddle · 19/04/2018 11:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Saltcrust · 19/04/2018 11:22

Not sure I like this idea. I am an ignorant technophobe but wouldn't an ability to link info posted under different nick names make users more vulnerable (if info got in to wrong hands or there was a malfunction) than less?

Bumblefuddle · 19/04/2018 11:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
BarrackerBarmer · 19/04/2018 11:14

I'm bumping this because in light if very recent privacy concerns I think posters may wish to be able to more easily search through their posting history and work out if the jigsaw piecing of their posts under different usernames places them at risk.

If anyone else would like this functionality, please add to the thread.

OP posts:
MNHQ
LornaMumsnet · 13/02/2018 16:16

Hi folks,

Thanks for the suggestions - always happy to pass them on and will do this now.

Would anyone else be interested in this? If so, make some noise on this thread!

Flowers
Flamingowings · 13/02/2018 14:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.