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Original poster

Have you ever recognised or been recognised on MN?

167 replies

Spidey66 · 21/02/2021 13:22

This thread is inspired by people "namechanging because this is outing'"

Have you ever recognised or been recognised by someone on MN? Have you ever thought "that's my friend/sister/mum/colleague" because of something posted here? Or had someone in real life say they recognised a post here as being you?

OP posts:
KarensChoppyBob · 22/02/2021 14:06

Lol Notavegan, I hardly said anything and I'm tempted.

Hailtomyteeth · 22/02/2021 14:09

My former colleagues (not friends, not friendly) know who I am. I should change names or leave. Sometimes I do.

Loopyloututu · 22/02/2021 14:11

Yes, I recognised a close family member on here as she posted some very outing stuff! I didn’t tell her as I didn’t want to embarrass her. Luckily she didn’t say anything nasty about me ( I sure hope her work colleague wasn’t on here at the time thoughGrin)

EssentialHummus · 22/02/2021 14:12

From your spare room!! 😊 I’m guessing it wasn’t very pleasant either.

It wasn’t too bad - She’d just found out she was expecting a second boy, she’d wanted a girl, but the post was about how all the little girls she knew were fussy/difficult/whatever. Except that at the time we were taking turns looking after one another’s DC and mine is, you guessed it, a girl.

KarensChoppyBob · 22/02/2021 14:15

What about 'Slebs' ?

I'm convinced there are loads, I do believe I've recognised some.

Boysarebackintown · 22/02/2021 15:31

@EssentialHummus 😬 oops!

isseys4xmastinselcats · 22/02/2021 15:36

twice a comment from someone about an animal situation they obvoiously knew me but i had no clue who they were as they had used a user number name,
and i used to post on cat litter a lot and im not worried about anonimity on there was at work in the charity shop i work at which is a cat rescue one and a lady heard one of the other ladies call me issey and asked ooh are you catissey off mumsnet i just said yes i am

Swingometer · 22/02/2021 15:43

Yes, a fairly frequent poster who I knew lived in same area as me also posts on our village FB group. She has previously revealed her first name and employer so I'm 99% it is the same person as everything matches (and her username is a clue too!)

I don't know her as such but we have mutual FB friends etc

ShakeaHettyFeather · 22/02/2021 15:48

I recognised a few when primary school allocations came out. Once your borough is named and the bizarre application policy of one local school, and someone says their position on the waiting list, it was obvious. I did mention it to one friend who presumably name-changed.

Posting about unusual medical conditions can also be a giveaway.

I change enough details that people are unlikely to read a post of mine and go 'ah, that's Shakea', but if people who know me thought 'I bet Thingy has been on MN in the last decade, let's check for advice on X, Y and Z, ah, I bet that Shakea and that other older name are her' I could be found.

coldemortreturns · 22/02/2021 15:51

No, but a thread of mine was once read out loud in work. It was a sex one about a new guy I'd been dating. Tried hard not to blush and join in the general hilarity...

pawncocktail · 22/02/2021 15:53

I recognise an ex colleague purely due to her username being very very specific. Once i noticed that it was very quickly clear it was her. She posts quite regularly. It's odd actually seeing her comment in the middle of threads I'm reading or even on myself.

52andblue · 22/02/2021 15:56

Yes.
Years ago I was posting in SN section about probs with LA.
I was discreet but I guess the specifics were quite specific.

I got a message saying: 'we know who you are and you need to be careful what you say about X professional'. Scared me.

CityCommuter · 22/02/2021 16:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 22/02/2021 16:01

I was present on an AIBU thread when someone IDd the OP and someone else involved in the situation popped up. The OP had been massively unreasonable, had taken a large kicking, and the thread got deleted

HugeAckmansWife · 22/02/2021 16:04

some years ago when my ex left for OW I used MN a huge amount for support and advice. He knew this and as time went on, he (or possibly the ow) used to stalk me on here and show his mother my posts about how I was struggling as a single mum. I gather she wasn't impressed. Once I knew (bit of a long story how) I used to deliberately write posts about what a dick he was so that they would have the pleasure of reading lots of comments agreeing with me and saying how awful they must be as a pair Grin. I don't bother now and have name changed since but it was quite fun for a while - I would post stuff that wasn't true and see how long it took before it circled back to me that they'd read it.

WatchWatch · 22/02/2021 16:13

Yes, I've been recognised - they even privately messaged me. I denied it and then name changed!

thecatfromjapan · 22/02/2021 18:02

I've realised this thread probably makes some people quite paranoid.

The great thing about MN is that you can say things - and ask questions - that you can't to the people you know.

So, in relation to the two threads and people I mentioned earlier - both were really 'out there'. Both were quite unusual people and both threads were quite preposterous. In fact, both were deleted - they were so 'out there', they generated a great deal of response.

That's why I noticed and recognised them.

In real life, both were tricky people. One was just extraordinary, with a wildly colourful life, the other was just an unusually difficult person.

They stood out in RL and they stood out on MN.

I'm absolutely certain other people I know post on MN - but I just don't notice unless they are actually MN friends.

So, the point and purpose of that disclaimer is that I still think MN is a good place to chat.

MyFavouritePlace · 22/02/2021 18:06

Not a person but a situation. Something happened in my DD school and the mum posted in here for advice. There was enough detail in her posts.

Hailtomyteeth · 22/02/2021 18:09

One poster was so forthcoming that I worked out her address ... didn't go round, though.

LemonMeringueThreePointOneFour · 22/02/2021 18:14

@Waxonwaxoff0

I recognised a Facebook acquaintance as she posted the exact same status as a post on here. Never been recognised myself that I know of.
That happened to me, too. Haven't recognised anyone other than that.
BramStoker · 22/02/2021 18:21

I've just name changed coz I'm paranoid after reading this thread Shock

SparkysMagicPiano · 22/02/2021 18:34

Another time (years ago) a Mumsnetter outed herself to me by using the word norks in rl conversation but I didn't know her username.

Norks is a word that is fairly widely used.
Why would it mean they are a MNetter?
Am I missing something?

TurkeyTrot · 22/02/2021 18:47

I recognized my opposite neighbour because her MN username was the same as the first part of her RL email address that she used for school, scouts etc. And it had her RL name as part of it.

WhatsTheEffingPoint · 22/02/2021 23:04

I never really understand the NC before posting, I guess to me it doesn't matter what your username is (plus I don't really pay that much attention to them) because whatever the situation you are describing in your post is the bit that makes you identifiable.

Also I think it's bad manners to out someone or confront them irl about something they post (unless it's life or death maybe) because if it was the other way round you can't bet the 'Outer' wouldn't appreciate it.

saraclara · 22/02/2021 23:28

@JaywickCaravanOfLust

I've recognised one person but she's really boring and I recognised a really boring thing about her.

Hence this boring anecdote.

It's me isn't it? Grin