AIU to name change frequently - am I the only one?

[MiddleOfChaos]

I name change probably every 3 or 4 posts. I enjoy mumsnet but often use it as a sounding board for difficult decisions I've got to make or whether I am feeling ok about something. A few years ago, prior to name changing frequently, a post was recognised and the person suddenly had access to difficult things I'd been dealing with over a prolonged period of time - mainly regarding a series of miscarriages I'd been through but hadn't told people in rl, I'd come here to talk. My knowledge of this emerged through lots of local gossip after my username was shared about. So now I namechange all the time. I really value mumsnet especially with dealing with ongoing difficulties with my family, so didn't want to stop using it but wanted to protect my privacy. Do wonder if I am the only one though or do others nc frequently?

I've name changed 3 times in 2 years I think. I like this name though, it feels like 'me'.

At first I was a bit keen and shared loads, but now I try to hold back so don't see the same need to change. I only changed last time because my previous name was rubbish.

I think it probably depends on how and where you post, plus how much you care about being identified.

Probably monthly. Maybe once every 2 months.... I don't do that "I'm a regular, I've name changed". To me it doesn't matter if it's your first post or your millionth

The many people that name change every 5 minutes for spurious reasons have ruined it for people who name change for genuine ones. They are the ones that have cause everyone to be massively suspicious.

Because actually a name can elude to your job, where you live, how many kids, family problems. I feel more comfortable name changing although i do often change the gender of my kids and that kind of thing

I have never namechanged. I don't think I post enough to create an easily identifiable profile nor do I know anyone in RL who is a mnetter.

I do miss some of the old names who were on this board 5 or more years ago when my dc were very young and I was in the trenches of parenthood. I never see those poster names anymore and I wonder whether they are still here under another guise.

I joined in 2011 and namechanged after about 6months to this one. No one I know is on MN, not one sausage.

Thinkgs that may be gleaned from my Posts:
I don't live in UK.
I have one child.
I once walked to work (20 minutes, rush hour) with the previous day's pants stuck on my trousers

I so derserve to be on the DM sidebar of shame!

I name change a lot for privacy. No nefarious reasons I promise

I namechange for private stuff, but otherwise have only had two or three names in 9 years on Mumsnet.

I don't like the limitless namechanging facility tbh as it encourages trolling as much as anything else.

The thing that makes my blood boil is that non name-changing regulars who recognise each other and speak to each other on threads are so often written off as "royalty" or Tall Poppies (or whatever the stupid saying is) or cliquey. When, actually, some people like to just chat on Mumsnet. It is part of the reason why they are here!

Like lakari says, sadly certain posters back track through someone's posting history not because they're suspicious about something, but because they actively WANT to find fault and score points in a vindictive way.

And they don't just do it the once. They keep on doing it. Even if they do find discrepancies why does it matter so much to them? Those discrepancies could have been deliberately posted for a valid reason. They don't mean the poster is a compulsive liar leading an entirely fantasy life.

And again, why would someone else care so much about a stranger on the internet? Care so much that they're prepared to put effort into back tracking them on Mumsnet and even delving into their real life (as happened to me).

This is not normal or healthy behaviour, and it's certainly not idle curiosity. It's a bit well, deranged if you ask me.

The glimpse I had of a couple of the off shoot forums was an eye opener. Quite a lot of very rabid posters on there doing a lot of muck spreading about stuff happening on Mumsnet. There was a lot of paranoia and in-fighting and constant flouncing.

You wouldn't want to spend much time on there, I can tell you. I don't know what people get out of it

I have name changed a couple of times when I wanted to post about DH or DC, to respect their privacy.

Otherwise I don't. I don't post anything I wouldn't say in RL so am quite happy.

I suspect that no one I know in RL is on here anyhow.

I get if you have been outed and gossiped about it would make you wary but i CBA to name change i dont post anything serious i have 1 other name but only used it once or twice.

I think checking folks history is bloody weird ive seen it on threads some vindictive weirdo saying on this day at that time you said,,, I always think what is wrong with you you nutter

If a poster said on one thread they were a single parent of two teens on one thread then the next day on another said were married with a newborn I may raise an eyebrow.

Generally AS is good for looking to see if a GF has had previous threads that were similarly goady.

I havent namechanged for a good few years as I like this name, I try not to say anything I wouldn't be happy for everyone in RL to see and am conscious of trying to protect my DH and DCs' privacy.

have noticed recently a trend towards people copying and pasting texts and emails verbatim, which I think is a huge invasion of other peoples' privacy. There was one a while ago (and I rasised it on thread) where a poster copied (to ask opinions on it) a v personal letter her DH had written to her and I was , along with the recent SIL tandem feeding wedding saga, where an alleged email was copied verbatim.

It makes me wonder that so many of us are careful to protect our own privacy but are cavalier with other peoples'. I would be RAGING if my DH, or anyone else,put any private correspondence, in whatever format, on a public forum.

I got outed, I change if I want to bitch and moan.

Outing is a shitty thing to do

For me it's not about being publicly outed, more the fear that someone on here might recognise me even if they don't say so.

Perfectly fine to raise an eyebrow at massive discrepancies

But that wasn't the case with me. It was just that my face didn't fit and I wasn't suitably chastened at being bullied.

I always check there's a posting history when someone posts something emotive like a bereavement thread (theres been a few trolls there)...

I name change every few posts. I don't like the idea of being tracked on here, or of being outed. I think I could be easily recognisable if someone pieced together all my separate posts, and I know other people in RL who read MN. I also change bits of details (sex of dc etc) to keep people off the scent.

I do if I feel I've given too much away.

mrsjayy it is a shitty thing to do. I felt so violated , i had posted about stuff that had affected me badly in rl but didn't feel comfortable discussing face to face. I then replied on an Aibu thread and gave an opinion and told a story to back it up and I was recognised by the person I mentioned in the story even though I mixed up children ages etc. tbh it could have related to half the population but I went puce when asked about it when confronted not because of that post but because I knew then that that person knew stuff I didn't want others to know. I still worry about it nearly every day , cut myself off from friends and mums in school and basically have become quite introverted because of it.

I'm always KingJofferySomething.

Haven't changed for a while.

Might change at the weekend. Been posting about the election and I don't want to be quote on The Wright Stuff on Monday...

Outing is such a shit's trick.

I lied earlier - I did once change my name to Passmethepenis as a quiche joke.

I also like seeing familiar names. Like walking into a local pub you won't necessarily talk to everyone but you know their faces and whether to avoid them like the plague

I name changed for a vair special fred. I've not been back to see how it ended, or if the OP ever came back...