Have you ever been ‘outed’ on Mumsnet

[Thebigblueballoon]

There are so many threads now where people feel they might be ‘outed’.
Have you ever recognised somebody or been recognised on Mumsnet?

Yes but it was completely my fault - the stupid nickname I had chosen gave me away 😂

Thanks. It's from the simpsons movie. Couldn't think of a name and that was on so thought it would do.

The point is so if somebody does recognise you they can't look at all your other posts I guess

Thanks for the name change reminder!

😂 I’m glad this has been a useful name change reminder.

As far as I know I've never been recognised (I name change regularly) but I have recognised a distant family member (see them maybe once every few years) and inadvertently learnt their side of a family drama that they would never have mentioned to me in real life.

I'd seen her fishwife half-sister openly posting her side in an appalling way on Facebook and was frankly heartened to know that I had a fairly sensible relation in the mix!

I never told her I recognised her but it did prompt me to reach out in real life in a generally friendly way which we wouldn't usually do (not mentioning anything to do with the drama which would have been inappropriate) just to give her a bit of tacit support from the family so she didn't feel completely cut adrift.

I've also recognised an ex-colleague's wife via comments made about her husband's job.

Neither know i know and both have since name-changed, I think.

It's a small world!

Yes. Twice. It wasn’t a big deal though. But I’m careful about what I post and name change frequently.

I can honestly say never.

I recognised my sister on here years ago from a story she posted. I did mention it to her. No one has ever claimed to recognise me.

Yep I have been. I was sharing lots of personal info in relation to pregnancy/ baby loss and someone recognised me.

I've spotted a school mum complaining about something that happened at our school. I had a suspicion of who it was, did a search and it was who I thought it would be. I never mentioned it.

I've not posted anything I'm concerned with being outed for.

I've recognised maybe 3 people on here, spotted them IRL. It's amusing when you know a little more back story...

I got fully outed once (different talk name). I had a stalker back then who literally attacked anything I ever posted which started to get creepy. I still remember their talk name (15 yrs later??). Now I Try harder to be very boring.

A few years ago I bumped into someone I only knew via the DC. I mentioned something very niche about one of my pregnancies. She paused in the convo and asked if I ever used MN. Realised I had recently talked about this issue in a MN thread. I felt very uncomfortable and denied using MN but changed my username as soon as I got back home! I learned my lesson.

I recognised a post from someone I knew elsewhere on the internet, the "voice" was the same. She was posting about her partner cheating which was interesting as in other internet spaces she very much presented as having the perfect happy family. Didn't say anything but wonder how they're getting on from time to time.

I've now spotted 2 people I know in real life on here, completely by accident, not searching for anything.

I NC daily.

I have spotted a family member here. V inoffensive posts and I have not mentioned it.

I’m guessing you mean from the whole site, not just this thread?

Can you share any more?

Not that I know of but I am very careful about any anecdotes, stories, personal situations that could easily identify me because I think more people use this site than we think. I'd be mortified to be recognised.

I frequently wonder, in some of the glorious CF threads, whether people recognise themselves in any of the posts and realise who it is posting it. Who cares if it's an ex-colleague from 15 years ago; but when people give specific details of the CFery of a close family member with whom they must still be in contact...!

I don't think I've ever been recognised, but then you wouldn't necessarily know if the rumbler never mentioned it to you (or anybody). I'm not a big fan of name-changing, as I like to see familiar names in threads; but sometimes you just have to.

Do tell… 😂

This thread has made me mega paranoid...

I made a thread once about a breakup so bloody obvious (did name change, no point though really!) I still think about it sometimes, anyone would have known it was me.

Big regret!

Kind of. I posted about the huge fall out with my mam after my wedding and a pal from work knew bits from my post that we'd not chatted about in real life

It was a very outing thread (different username that I loved but can't get back into?!) but the advice and support I received here was worth the outing

Exactly this - I have been approached a couple of times via PM by people who have put two and two together from posts on a niche board here. There’s been another one recently fishing for info who I think has a hunch about who I am. I don’t go anywhere near the niche board now and I’m also staying away from another board which had a thread tenuously related to the niche topic, and which sparked off the fishing expedition.
I’ve never recognised anyone myself and I don’t discuss MN in real life because the one time I did mention something I’d read on here there was one of those awkward moments where silence falls for a few seconds then someone clears their throat and changes the subject 🤣. I didn’t realise it’s quite so de trop!

Last week me and another mner worked out we lived on the same estate 12 doors away as dc.. Same high school.. Quite bizarre..

No, but I name change very regularly and don't put exact details in posts!