To not want my info on work's web page?

[WhoWants2Know]

My work has asked all employees to provide a brief bio for the "About Us" section of their website. These mainly consist of name, photo, job title, educational background and experience.

As I understand it, the purpose is to illustrate the fact that the team is made up of highly trained staff with specialist experience in what we do. I understand that.

But I also don't really want information about me on the internet.

I have had issues (in the past) with clients trying to contact me inappropriately on Facebook. My profile is as locked down as I can make it, but a name and photo is enough for them to find me on Facebook and send messages until I block them- which is awkward.

I also had a very nasty cyber-stalking experience where an ex used a keyboard logger to access my personal emails and Mumsnet account.

There are some messed up characters around, so is it unreasonable not to want to put info about me in the public domain, unless it's absolutely necessary?

Yadnbu don't think that they should be doing this but I'm sure that they can't make you do it though

Surely if they are clients, they already know your name? All of what has happened to you before is not because your name is on a company website.

Just put something generic
"Jane studied in the north of England and has worked in the UK and France. Jane specialises in xxxx and has worked for the company for xx years."

Something I did was to lock my FB profile down for friend requests. People can only add me as a friend if we have a mutual friend in common. It's in the settings. This might be one way of stopping random ex clients looking you up!

I did the same as Dec2019. My qualifications are all online.

Don't use your real name on Facebook

I don't think you're bu either. Can you explain your concerns quietly to someone in charge?

Sounds like part of your pound of flesh they want for the amount they pay you.

I also like the idea of being vague. Maybe you could also opt out of the photo? I've seen this before and it looked fine.

It's true that what happened previously wasn't because of my name on the website. But as a result of what happened, I tried to remove every trace of my name on the internet. Once my name is on the webpage, any random can search my name and find out where I work.

At present, current clients might have my full name on contracts, but I'm primarily referred to by my first name.

I did actually try to change my name on Facebook, but I didn't manage it. I would be ok with first name/last initial on webpage.

Don't use your real name on Facebook

If you get reported to Facebook they will lock your account until you provide ID that matches what you have called yourself. It's against the ToS not to have your account in your legal name. It might not matter to you, but make sure there are no photos or anything you might want on there, as they won't provide access to them.

Change your settings so that only people with mutual friends can look you up.

Do you have a particularly unusual name, OP? If not, unless your company gets an awful lot of traffic to its site you're unlikely to be found quickly and easily through a search engine algorithim.

If you change your FB profile pic to something less identifiable (mine is my dog's nose but it's been my cat's arse before now), or change your name (mine's an anagram of my own name) then it's much harder for randoms to find you. I work in a school so my social media is not only well locked down but my identity is not discoverable without a fair bit of research and some very good luck. No kids have found me yet but they used to under my own name.

Oh I hate this! The uni I worked for wanted all the receptionists to do this so your name, photo, building and contact number were online. It's OK for the vice chancellor's details to be open to the public but they had an access controlled office and a whole fleet of gatekeepers protecting them.

If you get reported to Facebook they will lock your account until you provide ID that matches what you have called yourself
If fb decided to lock everyones account whose legal name didnt match their fb there would be a huge gap of fb users.
Every teacher,Social worker, police officer, psychiatrist, mental health worker, drug support worker etc only friends list does not have their legal name as their fb name for obvious reasons. Eg Jane Smith maybe Janey sunshine, or JW Smithy, or their maiden name if they now go by their married name ( or vice versa)
I've had a few friends requests and it has taken a while to work out who it is as they normally have a picture of a rainbow or something.

This is standard. I am on the internet because of work.

It's against the ToS not to have your account in your legal name

You'd think FB would crack down on
"Mary Smith was Brown""

""Charlie ManU Green""
""Jane and Tim Titterbonkers""
""MummyToJadeAmberScarlet Grey"

Or the usual diminutives
Jack/John/Jonathan
Bill/Liam/William
Betty/Beth/Elizabeth

Like many thing, FB has two sets of names - you can open an account in your legal name of Mary-Jayne Smith (not visible) but operate it under your pet or maiden name of Mae Green (visible)

And my bio is generic.