To hate it when people say 'name change obviously...' at the start of a post

[DodoTime]

'NC as this could be a bit outing...'

Why do people say this? Do they actually think people care? Do they think others are following their every word and tracking their MN past. It always sounds so narcissistic to me. If you are changing your name to protect your identity, surely it would be less outing not to tell everyone that's what you've done.

I feel like I lose brain cells whenever I read NC...

It's because they get accused of being a troll

It is because some people will AS search OP and then say stuff like "nice first post", and basically accuse them of trolling.

It's because people get attacked if they don't disclose.

They say it to demonstrate they're a regular user even if advanced search only shows that post, because troll hunting is rampant.

They NC so that if someone recognises their description of the accident their DC had at school today, they can't also use advanced search to read their opinion of their MIL, their lazy DH's cycling addiction, their hatred of their job and the fact that they're ovulating so planning a shag tonight.

NCing is sensible and to be advised.

Yes, as above.

They're trying to avoid a caustic "Welcome to Mumsnet, OP" response.

People look at your previous posts and use them against you in another thread. Or you have shared too much identifying stuff on other posts and want to be totally anonymous on a certain thread.

Really, it isn’t that hard to understand, surely. People do search their names and say ‘Interesting first post’ or ‘Lazy journalist’. They’re just trying to pre-empt it.

It also stops people putting pieces of information together.

Let's say someone has been on MN for YEARS under 1 username.
At various points they've shared where they live, how many kids they've got, that they've got a brother called Terry, that they work as an accountant etc and so on.

Someone could piece it all together and recognise the poster and that would "Out" them.

People have been outed IRL on MN.

Just to clarify I don't have a problem with name changing, that makes total sense - it's the announcing it that bugs me. Although PPs who have mentioned troll hunting make a good point I hadn't considered. I think it's kind of sad though that it's necessary to announce NC or risk being called a troll or a journalist.

I’ve name changed for this response.

It doesn’t bother me to be honest.

I understand.

That's because I feel sorry for the sad sacks on here who spend actual time searching through a posters history to try to gain some leverage on them.

This isn't real life. It's a website. Anyone can say anything and be anyone. What sort of person bothers wasting time researching the history of another poster?!

As per all the posts. Which doesn't make sense that the vote is almost 50:50

This has happened to me. Someone on a really innocent thread (about tech) decided that because I disagreed with them, they had to closely copy my username, do an AS of me to dig up posts, and make a new thread with "me" complaining about all sorts or weird and random stuff. They also sockpuppeted all over it to me look even worse.

Recently, someone AS me to find out where I live, and dragged that into another thread too.

It is sad. I use AS to find threads/topics I am interested in, never people. I personally think AS searching posters other than yourself should not be allowed... but that is a whole different thread.

Except you haven't you rascally crumpet eater! 😝

Sorry I just wanted to see if the search function worked, I won't do it again.

Why would you bother wasting time researching the history of another poster?!

In highly sensitive political topics like the sex/gender debate or Palestine/Israel or Tory/Labour... You'll be amazed at the trolling that goes on, and therefore users need to check whether they're dealing with a genuine MN regular with opinions or wasting their time with a troll-bot. To be fair, even in parking threads sometimes people need to background check who they're talking to first!

People often do go searching a posters history though, and when they find nothing they'll say "interesting first post OP" or "you signed up just to say that?"

So posters who tell people they've name changed are likely doing it for that reason.

I've seen many threads on here where someone goes through a posters history and then mentions irrelevant things on a different thread as some sort of GOTCHA too.

You can't vote in the app. I think that's sometimes why the poll results differ from the posts.

Exactly

Otherwise you get 10 'interesting first post' posts instead of answers to the question!

Cos some individuals like to trawl back through old posts and try and outsmart you. If you’re wanting to rescue a dog, they’ll say, awww but how on earth can you provide for a pet when your DH is redundant/you work full time. That’s just a random example I made up but that’s what happens. It’s horrible if it happens to you, so best to name change really

narcissistic? Are you batshit?

Perhaps they put that because they are a troll😁

They name change because their other half does a very niche activity. Like hit a small ball into a hole with a stick. Or ride a machine with only two wheels. There is only a handful of people that do these very rare 'hobbies'

There are some posters who do have to be careful of people not tracing them, people who have left or are considering leaving domestic abuse for example, it could be they worry about being recognised by some small detail about themselves. Even if their post isn't about the abuse itself, but also especially if it is.

I must admit it amuses me a bit when posters talk about "outing" hobbies, I find my brain is then trying to come up with all sorts of things, the more bizarre the better. I can compile quite a list of niche hobbies in my head!