to wonder if some of you consider how recognisable you are?

[Serendippy]

Loads of threads today in which the OP details a very specific situation they are in at the moment, asking for advice and opinions. (Not a thread about a thread, so you can read on). I would imagine that if I were the person being complained about in the OP, I would recognise myself instantly from the topic, even if fine details have been changed. Do any of you think, or even care, if you are recognised?

AIBU to think there could be backlash from finding out that someone recognised you posting about them on an internet forum?

nah.i talk bollocks a lot in real life as well as here. i think it would be very obvious to anyone who knows me who i am. although if i am they've been far too polite to point it out.
i've recognised one of my sisters around here but don't see her often.

To be honest i dont think id recognise anyone i knoew on here - because if something sounds similar i never assume i know them anyway!

If someone were to "recognise" me from something i said and it was mentioned in RL that they know, i can honestly say i generally know my posts well enough and change them just enough to be able to deny it if it was a big issue.

Plus im far too uninteresting nowadays to stalk or anything like that.

the first time i posted on here - the very first time, i was asked if i lived in x, (my username was an unusual girl's name and a number) and the poster thought she knew me as she knew a girl of that name and age.

i didn't, but freaked out much?

i also de-regged when the twitter and fb buttons were introduced.

i really don't know why i bothered. my circs identify me without a shadow of a doubt to anyone who does actually know me in rl.

i'm on the fence as to whether it actually matters though. i live in the middle of nowhere. i would have to work really hard to piss someone off so badly they'd bother to actually find me tbh. and there are mners who've got my rl name and address because i've sent stuff.

and anyway, we move a lot.

I am very recognizable I expect. But I don't really care. I don't name change but I don't post views or opinions or info that I don't hold in real life.

I did get one poster who said 'ooh I know who you are' (an ex-workmate). I happily sent her a message and she never replied. So apparently I am a twat in rl.

No, that's Bonsoir.

yeah i have slagged off friends and told some pretty personal stuff on here, so now i no longer have pics on my profile! as i would be in BIG trouble if anyone from rl spotted me

I'm sure everyone know exactly who I am and everything about me (I'm the one on the left)

Seriously, when I'm using my usual name (SoMuchToBits), yes I'm sure most people who already know me in RL would recognise me from my posts/profile. However,I rarely post about anything really intimate, and don't slag off RL people on here. If I wanted to post anything embarrassing about myself I'd namechange, and if I wanted to complain about RL people I'd change some of the details about them so that they wouldn't recognise themselves.

So I wouldn't worry about it unless I was going to make no attempt at concealing my identity and then go round making derogatory comments about all and sundry.

You have me sussed, maryz.

The truth is, I need to keep this persona for a while to post as Norman, and can't be bothered to keep namechanging every time I want to post on another thread. And will become fed up with trying to explain that I'm not a female builder with a child....

Mmm. I namechange regularly as we are being stalked by my DH;s ex-wife before the one before me. Divorced him 11 years ago, but she still pops her head up for things. most recently an inheritance we may [not] have from his aunt.

seriously i think 'knock yourself out', dear.

Yes, I am worried about being identified and name change to try to avoid it. Although no one I know has ever mentioned MN IRL.

I do tweak the odd detail here and there or stay vague about certain things to cover my tracks, just in case.

I suspect I'm just being paranoid as I have read posts on here before thought I'd typed them, when it was someone else.

Terrified, tbh. So I change things about a bit but hopeless liar so sound like a weirdo who tells lies.

HOW DO YOU NAME CHANGE FGS! there's plenty I'd like to post about (rejigged of course) and got a lot of docs in word wiating to be posted. (don't let that put you off telling me how to name change though)

humanheart - click on MyMumsnet at top of page. Then log in as instructed. Then go to registration details, where you can change your name. Then click save changes. HTH.

Early on I read a message suggesting changing details slightly to prevent identification. But if you do people say you're a troll because your back-story doesn't always match up. Name-changing is necessary if you're giving personal or recognisable info. Perhaps I need a professional name for threads where I want to try to be helpful to those people I can actually try to advise and another name for just random ranting.

One of my mum's friends had a very sensitive, difficult family situation to deal with a while ago and I recommended MN to her for advice on how to deal with it. But I think it would be very difficult for her to have posted without it being very obvious to anyone who knew them. I wouldn't have posted about that sort of thing, but am lucky enough never to have needed to.

For day-to-day stuff, I don't think it's really a problem, but it's a shame that it's hard to get advice on some very difficult things without it being obvious who you are.

VERY helpful thank you norman

Everyone knows who I am. I am totally shameless