Possibly outing someone?

[Kaloobear]

I read a thread on here the other day and thought 'gosh that really 'sounds' like my friend X'. I didn't comment or anything and pretty much assumed it was a coincidence as there ate gazillions of people on here.

I was with her today and she said 'I really want a Y' - Y being the username of the poster I thought sounded like her (and which had stuck in my head).

I asked her later-different conversation-if she's on Mumsnet and she said no, but I reckon if she is she wouldn't tell me because she's very private and would want her privacy online especially.

I think it's her and I feel awkward. I should tell her right? And then if it's not her it doesn't matter and we can laugh about it, and if it is she can name change (if she wants of course).

I just feel awkward-like I've inadvertently been snooping around on her. I haven't, but if someone said the same to me I'd feel really embarrassed thinking they'd read stuff I thought had been anonymous.

I should tell her though right?

[OnlyWantsOne]

Is it me?

[Kaloobear]

No!

[GlaikitFizzog]

Nope, do not tell her. I would hate it if someone I knew "found" me on here then started bringing up what they had read. You tried to get it out of her by asking if she was on here and she said no, so she obviously doesn't want to be found and outed, even if it is her.

[Kaloobear]

It occurred to me too that if it is and she lied to me then she'd be embarrassed that I knew she lied.

I might just avoid the poster just in case it's her!

[LydiaWickham]

Hmm, I'd want to know. Why PM the MNer in question and say, "sorry, odd question, are you called X in real life?" that way if it is her, she might say no, but will def namechange and you won't feel like you're on-line stalking when you see her posts. (If you do this, you have to 'out yourself' back and tell her it's you)

[lisad123]

I found a RL friend on here, I told her and suggested she might want to change her user name, if she didn't want me to know anything.

[Kaloobear]

Lydia that's a good idea. If she says no then either it's not her, or it is and she can quietly name change, and if she says yes I'll admit it's me and we can both name change...

[ballroomblitz]

One of my best friends is on here. I 'ran into' her a couple of years ago when something a poster said matched what my friend had done. I just asked her, she said yes and I told her my name. We had a giggle about it, promised not to out each other and had a gossip about some of the more prolific posters. Have no idea if she is still around. I would never search to see if she's on.