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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wish that people wouldn't keep name changing!

126 replies

Huskylover1 · 14/02/2018 23:20

I have seen some brilliant posters on here. The women, who every singe time they post, I think "yep, that's exactly how I feel". And, when you are scrawling through a thread, you stop on that posters post, because you just know that she's going to say something brilliant. But, with all the name changing, it's totally lost. How are we meant to feel a bond to the other users on MN, when name changing keeps losing the connection? And there's no need for it!

OP posts:
AppleFaceBeth · 15/02/2018 06:49

I NC constantly. I don't care if anyone remembers me or not. I post about personal things sometimes and don't want to be outed.

DayManAahhh · 15/02/2018 06:59

I kind of see where you are coming from, it's nice to recognise names. But honestly I read on here a lot and the only names I remember are fizzygreenwater anyfucker and donnyvladsomething. (And worra, because I have to read it in an eastenders voice every time Grin It's not because I love their posts more, just that they post regularly (absolutely zero wrong with that btw) so it sticks in the mind. I never scroll through looking to see if a particular person has posted? I enjoy all kinds of posts not just 'regulars', even if it might be their first post ever, makes absolutely no difference to me. That's just me.

I like that MN has anonymity unlike other parenting sites. I love reading the hundreds of interesting usernames too. I like that there isn't a celeb culture about it, with pictures (and tickers!) too.

MaisyPops · 15/02/2018 07:41

See apple I don't tend to post personal info.
Plus, talking on education threads the easiest way to get flamed is to disagree with a poster from a teacher perspective. The inevitable troll hunting/you can't be a teacher because you disagreed with me means that it's more difficult to offer advice. Admittedly, keeping a name means you do get a few who start eith 'eeh uou can tell Maisy is a teacher because she hates parents' but I just Grin at that and Hmm. It matters more to me that I give advice to help parents get matters resolved in schools and challenge schools in a way that helps get a result rather than them get endless echo chamber 'call ofsted/refuse to do x/ demand a meeting with the head/ detentions are safeguarding issues/that's it you challenge blind obedience' which can happen.
Keeping a consistent name helps because people know you actually giving devent advice (even if you do get the odd poster who seem to target anyone who has said they're a teacher)

Topseyt · 15/02/2018 07:43

I don't name change. I have been comfortable with my username for many years and I'm not really too bothered about being recognised.

I get why some people do it though.

Rottweilers · 15/02/2018 07:51

I had an account years ago and I was terrible for NC every post. Fresh set up and quite like my simple name now.

MsAwesomeDragon · 15/02/2018 08:03

I have name changed a few times. I do post things that could be identifying and I would hate for a friend/aquaintance to spot me and then be able to see everything I've posted from 6/7/8 years ago. Not because I said anything controversial, I didn't, but because I was desperately sad back then and posted some really sad stuff that even I don't want to go back and read. It's not who I am now, because I've got over it and am back to being relatively happy with my lot.

I also worry a bit about a parent from school spotting me, and then knowing more than is appropriate about my family.

LilaBlue · 15/02/2018 08:10

No one would 'know' me under this name but my old one, that I loved, I think a few of you would.

I nc weekly now. Don't want to be outed by the Fail or anyone else Sad

McDougalMcPhee · 15/02/2018 08:11

i have my 'outing' name, where people who know me, know its me - where i put none important stuff, and i nc every few weeks, as i dont want outing unless its on my terms

RedPanda2 · 15/02/2018 08:31

I don't understand why posters tell you they name changed. 'Name changed as outing' erm yeah we don't need to know that.

roundtable · 15/02/2018 08:41

I had the same username for (I think) 7 years and no one recognises me. Best of both worlds Grin

roundtable · 15/02/2018 08:41

I have had the same username that should say!

AppleFaceBeth · 15/02/2018 08:43

'Name changed as outing' erm yeah we don't need to know that.

Surely that's because of the constant troll hunting if a supposedly new poster starts a dramatic thread or whatever.

RedPanda2 · 15/02/2018 08:46

Apple possibly. Just seems silly to me! Just name change without announcing it. I'm not overly familiar with the troll hunting thing though

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 15/02/2018 08:53

Sadly, there is a need for it. I've started NC'ing every couple of months, after I saw what some particular individuals on reddit could and would do to people with a lengthy posting history.

Thisusernamethingistricky · 15/02/2018 08:53

I name change regularly. Its not just saying things on here that you would be willing to say in real life, it's saying things on here that you would be willing to shout out through a loud hailer whilst walking through town and being filmed on TV! If you become recognisable on here, then anyone can read your posts and know its you.

I once found someone I knew on here by accident. She posted the same thing on here and Facebook (pretty much word for word) on the same day. I thought it was familiar so of course advanced searched and bingo! And obviously once I knew I couldn't help but stalk and I found out a lot about her that I didn't know and really didn't feel was my business. She also did a couple of AIBUs which were fairly, ahem, embellished.....

She named changed a long time later, and I have no idea if she is still here, but I was shocked that she had put so much out there all under one name tbh.

It only takes one fairly small thing for someone to think, hmmmmmm familiar, and advance search. They don't have to spend hours combing over posts looking for something specific.

DriggleDraggle · 15/02/2018 08:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

greenbeansqueen · 15/02/2018 08:56

Another name changer here. I work with a couple of people who spend a lot of time on mumsnet trying to work out who peeps are! If I write something personal i’d Prefer not to be outed by them... it’s amazing how accurate they are. CID could probably use their forensic skills for good rather than evil! Off to name change now as they be reading this and trawling back through my old posts any second now!

SchoolMoney · 15/02/2018 08:59

I name changed for one thread where I wanted advice. Buggered up switching back so stuck with it now. Shame as I had my previous one for years. I see why people do change a lot though. There's a few posters where I recognise the names because they're witty/I love the show it's from/whatever.
There's one poster (not trying to be creepy) who I recognise the name of on every post because it's based on something I do. From seeing on threads this poster lives quite near me. If someone wanted to they could find an awful lot about this person that they may not want all known/put together. I have no interest in doing this, just saying it could be very easily done if one post was identifiable.

Mycarsmellsoflavender · 15/02/2018 09:04

When I first joined MN about 12 years ago, I used my nickname ( a made up word) as my username. One day a friend commented on my unusual nickname and googled it and there in the search results were various posts that I had put on MN and other forums where I had used the same name. After that, I NC'd to a derivative of my nickname. Then I realised that the Daily Fail were picking up stuff and worried that I might be recognisable as my username still had part of my nickname in it. So I changed again. Just as well as just after Christmas the DM picked a thread where I had mentioned a particularly crap Christmas present. Thinking of NCing for a third time, not because it's identifying but just because it's out of date ( I have a different car to the one that got lavender oil spilled all over it!).

Tinkerbec · 15/02/2018 09:05

. I work with a couple of people who spend a lot of time on mumsnet trying to work out who peeps are! If I write something personal i’d Prefer not to be outed by

Wow! What strange people.

I don’t think I know anyone who posts on here in real life.

FragrantFloozy · 15/02/2018 09:08

Name change every couple of weeks. Bar the Perfumistas thread (my sanctuary!) I don’t want to ‘bond’ with other posters and I definitely don’t want to be identified in RL as I work in a sensitive area. It’s the reason I am not on any social media, also.

The choice of anonymity is one of the good things about MN for some of us.

FragrantFloozy · 15/02/2018 09:08

Oh, and been here 14 years.

NeverUseThisName · 15/02/2018 09:13

But you have no idea whether a poster whose name you recognise, whose posts you agree with, and who gives you a fuzzy feeling of familiarity, ever does namechange.

For all you know WorraLiberty might also any number of other posters.

VioletCharlotte · 15/02/2018 09:25

I only name change if I want to start a thread about something that's v personal or potentially outing. Otherwise I always use this name.

zzzzz · 15/02/2018 09:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.