To think Mumsnetters should change usernames more often?

[primrosestill]

I'm just following up on a recent thread about Mumsnetters who have been "outed" in real life. Lots of people said they had been, and even more said they had recognised people on Mumsnet, either from their unique stories, or from joining the dots between little pieces of personal info across multiple threads, or from photographs (e.g. of pets) that had also been shared on Facebook or elsewhere. Once you've been even vaguely recognised, your whole thread history can be located using Advanced Search, or even just by Googling the word Mumsnet along with the username.

It's easy to change your username. You just go to settings, overwrite the name, add your password and click save (you might get an error if it's not unique, so keep trying). Mumsnet rules say you can change the name as often as you like, so unless you really do want to build up a profile across multiple threads (fine if you do), why leave a trail for others to follow?

Basically the best feature and the worst feature of mumsnet rolled into one.

Someone has recognised me on here if they've thought about it. They recognised someone i was talking about and if they know her in the circumstances i was talking about then they'd know me

I post on another site and there are people i know in real life who have posted on there for years and i have had no idea until the site came up in conversation in real life

I can’t be arsed to change names, tbh.

Sometimes all you are looking for is a bit of temporary support over lifes hurdles rather than an a permanent internet history

@Isthistrueor removing Advanced Search wouldn't help because all you need to do is Google the word Mumsnet and the username and it's all there. You don't even need a Mumsnet account to do that.

Because, like many others, I don't say anything on here that I wouldn't say to friends in real life.

No doubt some people I've spoken about (exes) might be a bit annoyed if they could see what I've written about them, but a) most of them would have absolutely no intention of ever going anywhere near MN anyway and b) they shouldn't have been such dicks if they didn't want their dickishness discussed in an anonymous online forum.

Plus my name is my brand. It's nice when people recognise your name and remember you from other threads. Helps the sense of community, which I think is important.

Plus my name is my brand. It's nice when people recognise your name and remember you from other threads. Helps the sense of community, which I think is important.

This

So many people missing the point as to why people like to name change, saying “I don’t because there’s nothing I’d say that I wouldn’t say in real life. That won’t be the reason. It’s more about not wanting the world to know your business. Mumsnet is popular because of it’s anonymity, you lose that if people work out who you are in real life.

No need to change. My life’s an open book.

moondance but that is the point! If we only say things that we'd say in real life it doesn't matter if we're recognised because people IRL will know this stuff anyway! Anonymity is nice, but most of us who say this would still post even if we used our real names!

It’s more about not wanting the world to know your business

I get what you are saying, and for some people it is potentially a way to get support that they can't get from those around them. However, I still think that if I don't want the world to know my business then I simply won't post it online.

@GoatyGoatyMingeMinge I think your name is brilliant

I rarely change mine because I don't post anything much, I reply to some threads but nothing identifying and I rarely start my own thread. I think I have started a couple under an old username.

Because I forget it's me and start answering my own threads

I did that once on an employment thread. I think I managed to vaguely cover it up, but if I didn't, it wasn't do controversial. I've changed names again since then!

If we only say things that we'd say in real life it doesn't matter if we're recognised because people IRL will know this stuff anyway!

In real life, like on MN, you say different things to different people depending on your mood or theirs, you say things you regret, or which are taken the wrong way, you sometimes hide things or reveal too much, or give bad advice. But if, like on MN, all those real-life conversations were recorded and published for anyone to scrutinise - including friends, work colleagues, relatives, neighbours, ex-partners - you might think differently about them.

but that is the point! If we only say things that we'd say in real life it doesn't matter if we're recognised because people IRL will know this stuff anyway

Yes but not everything. Most people only know things we allow them to know. I really wouldn’t want them to know everything.

I’m very, very private and don’t use Facebook, or post on my neighbourhood website although I belong to it and lurk, because you are expected to use your real name and I don’t even like seeing it appearing, least of all in a context where people actually may know who I am. This is nothing to do with saying anything that would offend either strangers or people who know me.

A pseudonym is not anonymity. I don’t like having what a pp called a “brand” at all – if I could be actually invisible in RL I would!

Would it be feasible not to have usernames at all? Not an actual suggestion as I’m sure lots of people wouldn’t like it – just musing, whether it would be at all possible to run a forum without any distinction between individuals, just their comments.

Those saying you never namechange -- do you ever post about your children? I think it's more important for those of us who do, as it's not just our own privacy at stake.

I mention my DC sometimes but nothing about them that's particularly personal or outing. They are both over 18 now.

@GoatyGoatyMingeMinge well at least you've nailed the sensible name thing. Well done

I have been a mumsnetter for 14 years. First account I think I closed when mn had heartbleed virus or something? I named changed once to post for advice on something I want kept private, then a few more times for no real reason to other than it makes me feel more anonymous.

@Toothsil
I think your name is brilliant

I wish you'd tell them this over on the baby name board. They're very reluctant to shortlist it.

I have at least 20 usernames. I must be on the verge of a breakdown.

I get bored after a while and change them. If I am posting for advice on something potentially outing I use a throwaway name. I have another one I use to post in woo threads. It's not difficult to remember which is which, unless I'm also a genius as well as in need of mental health care?

I just looked at my username history and I have 43!

Pretty much everything I've said on here has been said in my blogs under my real name, so there would be no point me changing my mumsnet name currently.