Have you ever found posts from someone you know IRL?

[ginpink]

Just wondering if you've ever found a thread and realised you know them in real life?

I'm always paranoid people will know it's me, just wondered how unreasonable that is - i.e. does it ever actually happen?

Wow, I need to name change soon!

Recognised one of my fb friends on here and dropped her a PM. I name changed regularly but quite like being a little known at the moment.

I posted about something quite difficult that involved a close friend.
I changed a few things like venue, reason we were at venue, host etc.
‘Someone’ replied correcting the things I’d changed to what were the actual things and explained their reasons for their behaviour. I deleted my account and created a new one, rather than simply name change

Never recognized anyone and to my knowledge no one has known me. If they have though it doesn't bother me.

Not yet, but I always wonder.

I try not to say anything on here that I wouldn't say in real life (in context) just in case

I don’t think I’ve been recognised, but I doubt my friends would expect me to be on here... I don’t have kids so according to another thread, I shouldn’t even be on Mumsnet

Yes, a close friend she was using a very identifiable name

I separate out identifying stories under different usernames so they can't be connected as a result

Someone once started a TAAT about me though :

they were deliberately an arsehole to me on a thread and when I pointed this out they tried to poor me bleat and get others to gang and when I didn't respond started a whole other thread about it which was pulled.

Different username than this, I change every six months, but couldn't quite believe that someone wouldn't just own their statement and go to such passive aggressive lengths to get others to affirm that I was wrong and they were the victim

Yes, I think my ex knows. But, it doesn't bother me as he knows me and I wish him no ill will. I have come to the conclusion that he will always be in my life. I used to be mad at him, but I am not anymore. He was my best friend at one time, and my first true love. We essentially grew up together. I will always have a place in my heart for him, and, I think he knows that. He truly is an amazing human being and I think we will always have a special connection to each other. I would not be surprised if he ended up being my son or my father in my next life.

Yes, on two occasions- different people who were unaware I still used MN

Someone I know from other fora on the internet posted. I recognised her "voice" and her situation, in spite of her changing some bits. I didn't say anything to her or anyone. Just felt a bit sorry for her (she was being cheated on).

Yes, I read a friend telling an anecdote she had told me to my face a few days before. I purposely forgot her name and did not search for any of her posts.
My dad has said my mum posts on MN a lot. Sometimes I read something and wonder if it is her. But I don't want to know who she is on here.

I made a post about a very difficult, and for me quite painful, situation that I had to deal with day to day. I then, after receiving some advice, tried to do something about it.
My thread was pointed out to me and caused quite a stir. Other things followed involving different people and they knew all about the thread too. I haven't bothered to name change though. I probably should, especially because Ive posted other quite personal things and now they probably know all about me

Only from another forum, same issue, nothing major.

Have also seen posts from people I recognise, but I would never say anything.

Somebody, and to this day, I don't know who..recognised my 3 linked threads of the absolute saga of my divorce and reported back to my ex-h and OW. To be fair, the circumstances would have been immediately recognisable to anybody who knew any of us, OW's job was very specific, her husband had been killed (he was a firefighter) and that had been widely reported locally, therefore it was all very easy to put two and two together. The first I knew of this was when I was presented with a printout of my 3,000 MN posts just as I was about to go into court for a financial hearing. I had no time to prepare for this and fortunately the judge ignored it entirely (ex was claiming contempt of court because I had spoken of our proceedings, albeit anonymously). My ex-h subsequently posted on my thread, was not treated in the way he expected by the wonderful vipers who had had my back from the outset...and was banned by MNHQ (I believe). The best thing about him printing it all out was that my wonderful supporters had given both ex-h and OW nicknames. Ex-h helpfully provided the judge with a key to assist him with identifying the "characters" in the tale. It was awesome . To be honest, I don't care, didn't care then, don't care now. My threads are still searchable. I have nothing to hide, I did nothing wrong. There wasn't a single thing they could argue with. I didn't change my user ID when it was all over either.

I'm 99.9999% positive but the spin they put on their issue was so flexible with the truth that I have no idea what she hoped to gain from her OP.

Oh my word, @TheFormidableMrsC, that's as dramatic as it gets!

They probably thought they were being so clever too. Fuck the pair of 'em

I’ve found my mum on gransnet. She likes to overshare

I haven't, but I don't care if anyone recognizes me. I don't say anything untrue, or that I wouldn't be ok with everyone knowing
There is nothing interesting about me, I'm not famous or useful connection wise, so I don't think it would matter to anyone

Yep my sister in law bitching about me not letting her look after my son because I apparently don’t like her son (nephew) because he was adopted.
Everyone was agreeing with her but believe me she missed out a lot of crucial detail that would have definitely put her at fault and made my actions justified and nephew being adopted had nothing at all to do with it one little bit

I have, and despite having spoken to the person in real life I don’t think I could tell them that I’d found them on here.

@Skirmisher It was beautiful, truly. I did have a little panic at the time but when I now look at it and my ex put his little key on the pages...I just laugh at this :

Pineapple Pauline = my partner, Mrs X X

Not on here, I found a relative and a friend on another forum. The friend was terrified of being a parent which I sort of knew, but she felt she couldn't reach out for help IRL and basically cut all her friends and family off.

After I knew this I just loitered in the background so that I could contact her when I knew she was in need. I've never mentioned the forum to her and she's doing great now, but if I hadn't found it I'd have assumed she just didn't want to be friends with me anymore.

The relative was a different situation entirely and I still haven't (and won't ever) forgive her. Her username wasn't identifiable but her profile displayed her email address which I knew. She struggled to conceive, my DS was a surprise. I understood she found this difficult so ignored that part of things, I felt sad I'd made her so upset though.

However, as time went on she kept posting - comments became just mean really, such as my taste in nursery furniture and baby clothes. There didn't seem much point in the comments, by this point she had her own children, yet she'd bitch about me to her friends on this forum thread. They'd laugh and join in, it was awful.

I've never made it known that I know, maybe I will one day but I don't really see the need.

I was caught out during the jeremy hack. I learned my lesson. I deleted my old account and started afresh. I namechange regularly and change specific details.

I have, it was someone complaining about the way my Dh had handled a situation at her dd's school. She had sympathy from the replies until I corrected and filled in the gaps in her story! 😂