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AIBU?

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Original poster

To keep namechanging?

62 replies

LeSquigh · 04/01/2015 00:19

I'm a regular. Except you wouldn't know this because I name change excessively. Mostly because everything I post seems to have the potential to out me. I am probably being over paranoid about this admittedly.

I've decided to try and stick with this name for a while though.

Am I the only one that does this on an almost post by post basis?

OP posts:
crapcrapcrapcrap · 04/01/2015 08:18

YY Pag I've been here for ages, 8 years or something, and while I'm not a (m)oldie Wink I do feel sad that I'm never recognised as a long term poster. And sometimes I feel I "know" a poster but they never know me :( but then that's the price of NCing.

waitingfor3 · 04/01/2015 08:24

I change my name frequently because I notice some individuals (potentially hairy handed ones) enjoy hounding a certain name etc. Maybe they disagreed with something they once said/ jealous of something?
That and I remember the bitch kicking I got when I was stupid enough to discuss some actual crap I was going through.

MadamG · 04/01/2015 09:26

I name change a lot just to stop people piecing together all the crap I talk about.

I also have a different identity on a couple if the other boards I use alot. This is to stop people linking my real issues with the rest of my chatter.

Also my DH is paranoid by what I share on MN and how long I can spend on here. I sometimes post about him and would rather he couldn't see all the crap I have written about him over the years.

everlong · 04/01/2015 09:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ClashCityRocker · 04/01/2015 09:37

I should name change, really, but I've grown quite attached to my username.

Might change it to something similar so can't be advanced searched.

Not too fussed about being 'outed' in theory, but suspect I wouldn't like it IRL.

paperlace · 04/01/2015 09:42

I had one name for the first three years on here but I got spooked when I realised it was so easy to be outed/identified/hacked. There is a good reason why I don't want my real name known. Now I change every few months and delete account sometimes too.

It is a shame though, I was 'known' (ie had a few virtual friends and enjoyed the bants) and it does change your MN experience when you don't feel like that.

Everlong - I bet! It's bollocks when people say they reply the same to everyone and don't notice nick names!

paperlace · 04/01/2015 09:43

Exactly crapcrap - you 'know' posters and have had many convos, jokes or scuffles with them but it's not reciprocated. It isn't as satisfying.

imjustahead · 04/01/2015 09:43

i have name changed twice in three months having kept the same name for nine years.

it suddenly seemed like the sensible thing to do as i had left a trail.

it would be nice to say 'hi it's me ' to some posters who i do think would recognise me.

yet i am all about letting shit lie this year.

Sparklingbrook · 04/01/2015 09:47

I have mixed feelings about N/C. I never have, I only post things that I would tell anyone in RL anyway. Anyone stalking me would be very bored if they are hoping to find anything salacious out.
Also in 3 years I have never recognised anyone on here as anyone I know.

I's horrible when people disappear. You have no idea whether they have N/C, flounced, or anything. Especially when they are nice people that you recognise and thought you had a bit in common with. I find seeing familiar names nice and remembering what poster you had fun with on a particular thread etc....

MN is definitely bigger and less familiar these days.

EatShitDerek · 04/01/2015 09:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Snappynewyear · 04/01/2015 09:49

I do after something I said on one thread was taken out of context and twisted despite my explanations to clarify my situation. Then on a different thread the same posters popped up and started attacking me even though I was agreeing with most of the posters and wasn't saying anything controversial.

It's a pity as I could be more 'myself' with my old name Sad

oneowlgirl · 04/01/2015 09:50

I name change every few months for various reasons but mainly because I got spooked a while back with the poor MNetter who was outed nationally & whilst I'm not important / exciting at all, it did make me think that I should be more careful online.

Plus I'd given my name & address (via pm) out to loads of posters during the World Cup for sticker swaps for my son & thought it sensible to do so after that (although the sensible thing would have been to name change beforehand, but I only realised that in hindsight Blush).

Sparklingbrook · 04/01/2015 09:54

It depends what you use MN for I think. If you want to post every minutiae of your life and post about vv personal things about relatives etc I can sort of understand wanting to be v anonymous.

i do suffer from inability to remember what everyone posts though. So I will see a name and it rings a bell but I can't remember why or what they said and whether it was good or bad.

Some people claim to not recognise a single NN, Grin

BallsforEarings · 04/01/2015 09:56

I'm not bothered if I get outed personally, but I have come to realise that others could be embarrassed if I accidently outed them in one of my posts, I do hope not though, I hope nobody would mind what i've said so far!

I had to name change once as my name broke MN rules! Sad

It wasn't done on purpose, I was just used to other forums where that name would be allowed! I won't mention the forbidden name as I don't want to upset MN again and get barred!

Hey - I have just realised - there is a typo in my current name!! Grin

EatShitDerek · 04/01/2015 09:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YoullLikeItNotaLot · 04/01/2015 10:05

Phaedra I remember your impersonator - she was definitely up to mischief.

I name change every 3-4 weeks. I have a fairly niche job and would be very easy to identify. Sometimes I give people advice or information related to my role that I wouldn't necessarily want to have attached to me in RL - think along the lines of a police officer saying on here "well of course it's technically a crime but in reality we'd turn a blind eye" - it's helpful advice for posters on here but I wouldn't necessarily want it on the record as bring said by me. I'm not a police officer by the way!

Additionally I was a member of a very tight knit forum where we did swap personal information and have meets but we were badly burned by a clever troll playing the long game with multiple identities. This has made me very reluctant to build up online relationships again.

IvanOsokin · 04/01/2015 10:06

I name change quite a lot and this is not my first account. One way and another, I've been around for a while.

It's about not wanting to be recognised, although I have been spotted by someone in RL based on my posting style so I'm not sure whether I'm very good at the incognito thing!

I find it interesting that I get better responses with some usernames than others.

BallsforEarings · 04/01/2015 10:13

That's true Ivan - you do get a different type of response with a different name and I've only had two names so far!

It just shows how perceptions are formed instantly - there's a lesson for us in RL with that in mind!!

MyAcheybreakyBones · 04/01/2015 10:46

I name change but keep a similarity to all names iv had unimaginative regularly been on mn for about 4yrs.

I originally used the fluffy site and my abusive dp at the time found me and the stuff I was saying about him on there. I found a file of thread on p.c.
Scared the life out of me and he never did confront me and I deleted everything I could.

Now I never want anyone to be in a position to use anything I may say on here against me.
People with the ability to escalate/inflate what I say.
My dp is paranoid about me posting about him although its only recently I have posted anything negative.

Yanbu

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 04/01/2015 10:59

I've name changed on average once a year, simply because I got bored of the name and was trying to find a name that I thought was 'me'.

I also have a username that I only use when I post on a thread that is connected to my area of expertise at work as it is extremely specialist and we all know each other and I wouldn't want 'that' being linked to all my other posts.

I wonder why people deny it when called on it though. I was one of two posters that spotted a very distinctive regular a few days ago, but she denied name changing even though it was so obvious it was her.

Sparklingbrook · 04/01/2015 11:00

I think there lies the problem. If you have a vv distinctive posting style and post in the same topics a lot people are going to recognise you.

TheFourthLobster · 04/01/2015 11:05

That's interesting how different names get different answers and begs the question, what is it about a name that makes you ignore or answer the person posting?

splodgeses · 04/01/2015 11:12

I nc a lot as I was horrifically embarrassed when my ndn's daughter said she had read a comment on a thread (we both have dc a week apart) about a woman who was sure her male neighbour was spying on her while breastfeeding Blush Due to some of the details I had given to explain the angle of the peeping (which incidentally was being done by her father) she had cleverly connected me to my mn alias. Maybe I gave it away by turning scarlet over my coffee as she spoke. But I was absolutely dreading that she may then dig through and find a thread I had started (using the same name) asking for peoples experiences with labia grazing, lochia and how long before dtd after giving birth Shock
Off I go to nc once again...

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 04/01/2015 11:14

I don't generally look at the name unless I'm trying to pick out the OPs posts or someone says 'I agree with Lobster' as I then want to know what lobster said, but some posters seem to think MN is one big popularity contest and people want to be in with certain members.

It is the same as when people suggest 'likes' or 'thanks' for posts and everyone opposes it because they say that people would just like posts by popular members no matter what they say Hmm.

CaulkheadUpNorth · 04/01/2015 11:17

I keep this name, but have a separate one I use for when I want to whinge about work or something like that. I could be outed by this name, but I don't write anything which could offend anyone I know I hope

I use the app and name changing is such a faff on there that I generally end up messing it up anyway.

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