To think it’s silly to not go by your name on Facebook?

[RosieGuacamosie]

Unless you’re a teacher/work with children for obvious reasons.

I have a locked down Facebook with photos of me as my profile pictures, but nothing offensive or anything that could be considered dodgy.

Equally only friends can see my timeline, but again I’d never post anything offensive.

Am I being really naive here? A lot of my “friends” seem to go by firstname middlename but surely you can just decline a friend request?

I guess it’s what people feel comfortable with. Or they might have people in their lives they don’t want finding them.

I have a different name on FB for work purposes (not a teacher) and so I can be sure only people I know personally can search for me, because they know the name I use or I’ve sent a friend request. I am also very careful about what I post. I don’t want randoms searching for me.

I've my dogs name

And 7 friends

Suits me fine 🤷‍♀️

I am gender critical on Facebook so no I don't use my real name. We have seen what has happened to women who do.

Why do you think it's silly? It's more silly when people aren't careful online and put all their information out there.

Meh - what other people chose to be known as isn’t an issue.

There’s a myriad of reasons why someone chooses to be known by a different name.

A lot of teachers don't use FB under their real names so pupils can't try and stalk them. It's hard to control what your friends post about you, for example.

I sometimes wish I had. I get a lot of requests from DH’s pupils. I can also think of a lot of professions where you’d want to be under not your full name, it isn’t just teachers!

Good for you?

Some people don’t want to be found so easily by their colleagues / old ex boyfriends / nasty bully from when they were 6 / just don’t want their real name out there

Horses for courses and all that?!

I posted about this recently as I use my first name And middle name on Facebook and got my account suspended and a warning! It’s actually against their rules but I was shocked as pretty much everyone I know uses a different name, not sure how/why I was flagged up.

And I use it to stop exes looking me up.

@HumunaHey

Why do you think it's silly? It's more silly when people aren't careful online and put all their information out there.

I have literally no information about myself, other than a few photos of me in generic locations as profile pics.

People will have their own reasons for choosing to use a different name. Really doesn't matter at all, I'm sure you can figure out who's who.

@drspouse

A lot of teachers don't use FB under their real names so pupils can't try and stalk them. It's hard to control what your friends post about you, for example.

That is literally in the first line of my post

@ChiefClerkDrumknott

I have a different name on FB for work purposes (not a teacher) and so I can be sure only people I know personally can search for me, because they know the name I use or I’ve sent a friend request. I am also very careful about what I post. I don’t want randoms searching for me.

Me too. I don't post any photos. However I hardly use FB, it always strikes me as odd that people want to go public about their private lives and there is much banality. Even if you want to be 'private', you can be found on facebook.

And funnily enough on the other thread I was told I was unreasonable for using my middle name!

I used to have a fake FB account a few years ago. I set it up to join a FB group and I’m glad I made up a whole new persona. They were all absolutely bonkers and I left eventually and got rid of the account.
Also didn’t want family to find me.

So why aren't you using your real name on MN, if you think social media being linked to your real name is nothing to worry about?

(Awaits being told your real name is in fact Rosie Guacamole 🤣)

When I was on FB I always had a fake name. I dont owe FB anything and seeing as how dreadful they are at protecting privacy then I'm happy to be Arabella Bollockzwitz (not real, just an example).

I've quit the thing completely as by 2019 my feed reduced to adverts for cheap sandals and kaftans, clickbait etc. and I had to do deep searches to find friend's content. FB is terrible.

I go by my first name and middle name because I don't want potential employers to be able to just look me up, etc.

Maybe you’re ‘on it’ but it is really easy for someone else to tag you in a photo or a post that would show up in searches.
Or some people have their profile locked down but don’t realise their partner/sister/aunty has an open one and tagged them in lots of photos on there.
Or they post things to sell in local selling groups that also show up in searches, and sometimes reveal quite a lot about location, house in the background of photos etc

I have literally no information about myself, other than a few photos of me in generic locations as profile pic

That's not how many people use Facebook though. Many people use it to share family photos or news, or express political views. And Facebook is never locked down, because you can't control what you get tagged in by others many people have completely open profiles. It's sensible to use a different name unless you don't care who can find out about you.

I invented a whole fake FB life for myself. No kids, lived in the US, 10 years younger etc.

For me, I prefer a stage name, e.g. The same way as some musicians do, e.g. Ozzy, ect plus it prevents anyone tracking your specific profile unless they know your Alternative name. E.g. Companies, old friends, people you don't know etc

Abusive exes are a reason for name changing.

My friend who is a nurse has recently name changed after a patient found her and sent abusive messages.

My aunt who was adopted changed her name on there when her birth family tracked her down.

Plenty of reasons.