To wonder why people bother name changing

[ElderflowerWaterIsDelish]

Aibu to wonder why people bother name changing for threads, and why they say things like "name changing for this thread because this is so outing"

If their post is so outing and they are worried their dh/dw/bf/gf /friend/DM/DD/pil etc could read it, then won't they still know it's them who have written it regardless of the new name change

This is just light hearted by the way

My pretty failed name change was because I'm normally fairly anonymous here but posted something quite specific, and the combination might have been outing.

I say failed as the thread I name changed for I managed to post under both names anyway, and now the app only posts under my "new" name.

Because they’ve made it up and don’t want it connected to their normal name / are a new poster pretending to have name-changed to seem like they aren’t a troll. If someone doesn’t have posting history or says “name changed!” I immediately think troll, whatever the subject.

I always think the same thing Elder! If it's outing it's outing. No one's going to say "hmmmm, I thought this post was writen by someone I know but since they're called cuddlecakes I guess I must be wrong"

Maybe they don't mind people in rl knowing what they are talking about but don't want it linked to other stuff they've said ? I get what you mean tho

It's so that if the 'name change' thread does get noticed by others involved or known to the op they can't search through previous posts to see what else they have been posting.

I think it's so if they are outed, they can't have all of their other threads scrutinised by the outee.

It’s so if someone recognises their post and thinks “ah that sounds just like Cheryl from next door. I wonder what else she’s posted about?” they can’t just search the username and find out all about their UTI and how their husband likes to wear women’s underwear as well! Yes they might recognise you from that one post, but it stops them from learning everything else too.

Cos they don’t want anyone recognising their story then advance searching them and discovering other threads where they’ve been talking about them

I name change regularly. Bizarre how many people share so many details of their life online in quite an identifiable way

I have 3 name user names saved. One which I use generally, one when I post something which could easily be linked back to me, picture of my dog, or picture of garden in gardening forum etc. I then have one that I have used once which I didn't want linked to anything that could possibly be tracked back to me in real life.

I NC regularly because I don't want my twunt of an XH stalking me on MN.

I name changed because another poster and I disagreed on a post, and she started following me around all threads and tried to bring up the topic we disagreed on and make it fit into whatever the current thread was about so she could bash me some more. So I changed and havnt gone back.

Because of the capacity to Advanced Search

Suppose I thought I recognised someone but wasn’t sure, did an AS and see they asked for tips on a day out where i know they live, have said their pets name mentioned a gig they are going to - trivial shit

BUT
The thread in question is something they would never want their friends to know

I’ve also seen someone get outed on a thread

People ask things on here they would never ask their friends purely because they are anonymous

I understand it

I’d say majority of the time it’s because they are a troll and therefore can’t get outed with “interesting first post op”

I named change from time to time because sometimes I put personal information which on its own wouldn’t out me but if someone was to put it all together it might put me, for example I had one thread about the specific town I live in and another which was about a personal family situation which I think is pretty unique.

I kinda understand the name change but why announce it? It makes no sense to share this info with your audience if your aim is to convince them that you are a first time/one off poster.
The mind boggles...

I kinda understand the name change but why announce it?

Cos otherwise some fucker says INTERESTING FIRST POST OP a la troll huntery

This question gets asked periodically and I always think the OP must be slightly hard of thinking.

You know the way that in detective stories, clues add up to reveal one baddie? That. That's why people name change.

If you know six jugglers, three of them live in Margate but only one who owns a jaguar as well.... can you stretch your mind into thinking that if the margate juggler posts about those two things and their car under the same name... you could link them?

Engage the little grey cells.

Lying liars and the lies they tell

I understand it when it's something very sensitive.

Reminds me of the "Vicarage Rape" back in the 1980s. Various newspapers printed one or two details about the victim, when combined she was easily identified. On MN, you could mention your job title on one thread, your town on another, the fact you have 4 sons on another, news about your new Labrador puppy on another...and before you know it you're identified by someone with nothing better to do than investigate where/what you've been posting.

It's not about lying. It's so that people you regularly chat to about politics don't find out you're having cancer treatment. Or so that people you're getting help from with your five year olds tantrums don't know you're on the stately home thread, etc,etc.
If you're a resident MN expert on steam cleaning, you don't necessarily want people asking for help to know you're hiv positive.

Ok, let’s imagine this.

Under ILoveDSLoads I have posted that I live in oxford, my DS is about to start school, and a load of stuff that anybody who knows me would recognise.

Then my husband is having an affair with another man. I don’t want Mary Jones next door knowing about it, so I namechange.

Sometimes as well if youre having marital issues you don’t want some knobber popping up with a whole list of things you might have previously mentioned about your DH to contradict or humiliate you or use out of context