Remember when Mumsnet…

[Spudthespanner]

Used to let you change your name as often as you wanted in a single thread? And you’d often see “name change fail?” when posters sockpuppetting made an arse of themselves.

Mumnset only changed that very recently. I always wondered why it took them so long to stop the ability to constantly name change.

Yes, it was a good move.

Unless you think people are going to disagree?!

It still happens, they just log in under a different email.

It is a shame you can't jokingly change your name anymore to fit the theme of a lighthearted thread, but I can see why this facility was removed as it was open to abuse.

Didn't know about that 😄, glad they changed it

I didn't either

What part in my post made you think that?

I’ve done that a few times over the years. Sometimes you’d get near entire threads of funny name changes to fit the theme 😅

Is that you UCM?

I didn’t think you were, just wondered!

👀

I did see, once, a post from Poster A change to being a post from Poster B, I guess because somebody had forgotten to switch ID between threads.

It was quite enlightening.

Question. Sometimes people name change on a thread for very valid reasons. Does this mean they can't any more?

Yes - you can’t change names on a thread

Yes, you can name change for a new thread, whether you post it yourself or are posting on someone else's. But once you post on a thread as a certain username, you have to stick to that name on that thread. I suppose you can use different unsernames if you log in and out of different accounts (and I think that happens now and again on here) but this seems like hard work, and I would never do it as I wouldn't want to risk a ban. 😬

What are the valid reasons? I’ve only ever done it to name change for humorous reasons, like to pick up on something funny in the OP and use it as a new name.

For privacy re relationships is one instance not everyone is able to have a secure phone.

Ah now I understand. Thanks

I think we’re talking about different things. You can still name change as many times as you like, but not within the same thread you’ve already posted on. Why would someone need to do that for a valid reason?

Valid reason I have in the past?

DV thread, first posted to support OP. Didn’t want to share RL issues that link to my name as the thread progressed.

It can be in good faith to protect the innocent. It mostly isn’t.

Got you, that makes sense

There was a name change fail the other night and I thought it wasn't possible anymore.

Turns out the OP switched from one device to another when she was going up to bed.

I think she said she'd been using her phone and then switched to her ipad, and she was logged in under a different name on it.

Yes, some threads can roll on for some time over a long period so you might have posted with your 'usual' name then wanted to add some personal info later but be stuck with a possibly identifiable name. I would say that's pretty unusual though, and on balance it's best that people can't switcheroo mid-thread.

On the same thread? That's only going to happen if she has two different accounts which is against MN T&C.

Once you've posted on a thread, that name is the one your account will use on that thread regardless of where you log in from.

That was my understanding too