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Original poster

Have you read a thread and knew the person in real life?

169 replies

sheknowsitstoolate · 05/07/2025 20:03

Have you ever clicked on a post and realised you knew who the person was? Did you say anything to them about it? I have read some and thought I could know the person but there was never been anything definitive to say it was 🫣

OP posts:
WhereOnEarthIsMyPlanet · 05/07/2025 20:04

Yes, more than once! There was one where I also knew that they were entirely lying about the actual situation on here for sympathy. It was weird! I didn’t say anything.

Cyanometer · 05/07/2025 20:05

I have, and it was just from a tiny detail that linked the MN post to a FB post.

I didn't say anything to the person, but I didn't search for them or anything like that.

I think an odd detail, a small number of details, or even a particular phrase can out someone quite easily.

TY78910 · 05/07/2025 20:07

No! But I always wonder this.
@WhereOnEarthIsMyPlanet- did you confront the lies?!

ViciousCurrentBun · 05/07/2025 20:07

Once many years ago because she had actually msg me the very specific and odd story and she was on MN. It was true but it was very weird knowing someone’s total circumstances.

Dinosaursdontgrowontrees · 05/07/2025 20:07

Yes once. I didnt say anything.

WhereOnEarthIsMyPlanet · 05/07/2025 20:08

TY78910 · 05/07/2025 20:07

No! But I always wonder this.
@WhereOnEarthIsMyPlanet- did you confront the lies?!

No, but it definitely made me see the person in a different light.

MintTwirl · 05/07/2025 20:09

Once, they posted about something horrendous that had happened to them irl and were seeking support on here. I didn’t say anything and I avoided the thread too because it kind of felt like I would be prying.

ExitPursuedByABare · 05/07/2025 20:09

Someone recognised me and messaged me. We were only acquaintances then but good friends now 8 years later.

simsbustinoutmimi · 05/07/2025 20:10

I suspected a thread was Jonathan saccone joly once, unfortunately I have the displeasure to know the family

milkandblackspiders · 05/07/2025 20:12

I saw a thread where someone posted that they had saved a person from jumping of a motorway bridge that day.
That exact scenario had happened to my husbands work colleague that day, the details were almost exactly the same as what had happened - however the poster was NOT my husbands work colleague.
The similarities were so much that it was a huge huge coincidence and this highly unusual event had happened twice in the same day, or some vulture had heard about it and posted as if it was really them.

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 05/07/2025 20:12

I don’t know for sure, but I’m pretty sure I recognised a person involved in a specific situation that I knew was happening- there was just so many details that it seemed like it couldn’t be a coincidence.

Steelworks · 05/07/2025 20:12

Someone was asking about whether my old school was any good. I referred to it by its old, slightly different name (think academy to primary school) and a friend got contacts as a result.

Userengage · 05/07/2025 20:13

Yes, it was a unique situation that had happened to her family member, I’d witnessed it and she heard about it secondhand. She completed embellished the truth, even the bits about what she said I had told her. So much so that posters were saying I should have done more based on her outright lies.

I didn’t say anything but it completely changed the dynamics of our relationship.

Nachoinseachthu · 05/07/2025 20:13

I wonder how many members there are on Mumsnet. I imagine some people have two or three or more usernames. But, like, what percentage on UK mums are on here? Surely it must be quite rare, esp if people switch eg DC genders or other details.

Saying that, I’ve come across one person who I’m 95% sure I know in real life, but I could be wrong.

LBOCS2 · 05/07/2025 20:14

Yes, I did recognise a close friend on a baby names thread. I let them know so that they could name change :)

dontcomeatme · 05/07/2025 20:15

I always put real life pictures of me, my DC, and my house so there would be no doubt who I am if anyone I know IRL saw one of my posts 🤣

shinybrightleaves · 05/07/2025 20:18

MintTwirl · 05/07/2025 20:09

Once, they posted about something horrendous that had happened to them irl and were seeking support on here. I didn’t say anything and I avoided the thread too because it kind of felt like I would be prying.

You are a really decent person. I respect you for that.

stealthninjamum · 05/07/2025 20:22

Yes I have recognised a couple of people. One was a friend and I mentioned I’d seen the thread and she laughed as it was a unique situation and didn’t mind being outed.

I also recognised the neighbour of a friend. They’d behaved antisocially but started an AIBU thread moaning about their neighbour (my friend) that left off information about what they’d done first. I posted on the thread that I knew of the op and that they had started the situation and were being unreasonable and they got mumsnet to delete the thread because they’d been identified. I never mentioned it to my friend because it would’ve upset her.

SuffolkMare · 05/07/2025 20:32

I’ve never recognised anyone but I’ve been recognised by someone who read things I posted (when going through a difficult family time) and took the info to school, things like a long term struggle with a teacher, lack of support for ND child, things like that, she used her role at school to try to help but was completely overstepping and for a few months it felt like I was being stalked, despite frequent name changes.
In the end I made up an outlandish fake scenario and she made a fool of herself, I deregistered and avoided MN for ages.
Now I name change every week or so.

Flozle · 05/07/2025 20:42

No, but a friend recognised my carpet when I posted in Sporners’ Corner.

Nomorecoconutboosts · 05/07/2025 20:43

I did recognise a friend of a friend. This was back in the day you could post photos. I was surprised how much personal information she shared - her dc had an unusual health issue and her dp had quite a specific job so she was quite obvious. No idea if she posts now I haven’t checked or searched and wouldn’t do. I never said a word to her or the mutual friend or anyone about it.

Cyanometer · 05/07/2025 20:47

Flozle · 05/07/2025 20:42

No, but a friend recognised my carpet when I posted in Sporners’ Corner.

Oh wow 😄

MargaretThursday · 05/07/2025 20:49

Three times. All through something posted on here and something similar on FB.

On one occasion I just ignored it (they'd have known it was outing because they had a photo of a item) on one occasion I let them know (they'd said the same thing word for word on the posts).

The last time was fairly recent, and it was on here someone had asked about something, and several people had replied with answers, but none was right. The question was then asked on a group I was on - then the person who'd asked responded on here as though they'd known the answer all along.
I'd noticed their user name (it was related to the real name, so I was pretty certain it was them, as well as way of writing) a few times as having a strong opinion on a subject and not really letting go/being quite insulting of people who disagreed, and I did take a quick glance at their fb page and was somewhat amused to see that it was full of "I'm such a chilled person" "I'm always so nice to people which is why people walk all over me" and that sort of thing, which didn't go with their behaviour on here.
I didn't say anything, and I've forgotten their real name, but I do smirk now when I see them being unpleasant on a thread.

GameOfJones · 05/07/2025 20:55

Yes! I recognised someone I know because she posted a photo of her Christmas tree on the Christmas board a couple of years ago. It was 100% her living room so I immediately knew it was her.

I didn't say anything because I don't want people IRL knowing I'm on here and I've forgotten what her username was so wouldn't be able to find her again anyway.

PermanentTemporary · 05/07/2025 21:00

A relative of mine was on here for quite a long time (she stopped posting years ago) and was so characteristic that quite a lot of people ‘knew’ her on the site. I never did get in touch to say I’d recognised her and vice versa. I flounced for a few months after she was very specifically rude about me and my brother but came back again, obviously. It’s easier not seeing her here tbh.