to think that posting something on the internet is now a much bigger deal, than it was ten years ago?

[vvvodka]

Maybe i am just being an old gimmer?

I used to be able to come on to mumsnet, and talk about my real life problems, without worrying about being judged, and get some really good advice. Now, i am always worried that if i say too much, people in rl will recognise me. therefore my posts are temepered in a way they never were before.
similary, on facebook. every post now has to be tempered with thoughts of what people will think. in exactly the way real life works, except that in real life, unless someone is actually holding a microphone or camera to you, it doesnt get recorded for all posterity.
am i the only sad old person in the world, who longs fro the semi privacy of the internet of old?

Facebook is a bit different - on facebook you are deliberately showing things to people who know you in real life, under your real name.

When MN started up there were fewer people on it, so of course the chance of someone you knew also being on here was smaller.

i've been here since 2004 too, but wont use my original name, as too much personal stuff attached to it still exists there. its scary. i've moved on, but the stuff is there, for anyone to access.

Not to mention having to change your username just to be allowed to continue posting.

leQueen

I got outed the first time I ever posted! am still living with the aftershock...now I name change about as often as I change my drawers and am forever looking over my shoulder

it's a bit meh...

It doesn't really bother me, I've pretty much grown up online. I only namechanged to Kaloki recentloy, my last username stayed the same for about 10 years. I'd have kept it except I feel I've outgrown it.

I posted a bit ago and got a text off a friend warning me how obvious it was that I am me I keep thinking of namechanging again but then I realised that i am essentially a knob who gives herself away at every opportunity so it was pointless

I have to say I have never really thought about this!. I have never name changed I always use this name. Then again my life is very boring so even if someone reads back everything I ever wrote online I doubt they would find anything juicy in fact they would probably give up through boredom after a short time lol.
I suppose if people knew me in real life they may identify me but I honestly cant think of anything that would bother me. I feel like I need to do more interesting things and post about them now!

Not all of the information I share is true and I don't post much personal stuff at all. Like Kaloki I have virtually grown up online so can't remember what it was like before.

leQueen, thats awful

i changed my name, because i didnt want to be known on mumsnet purely becasue of one particular thing, which i also dont want anyonein rl knowing about either. but basically, i feel that the net has become exactly like real life. if you dont want the world to know, you keep quiet about it. gone are the days when youcould discuss stuff anonymously, and get good advice.

I'd also like Mumsnet to delete stuff. say from more than five years ago? currently they keep things for thirty thousand years.

Bloody hell Jack really?

How awful to be outed like that..I am thinking of doing a name change soon. Getting a bit twitchy about having the same name so long but I will admit I find the thought of doing it hard. How sad is that

twas my own naive and stupid fault, gibbon

...me and my big maarf

I am a sadder and wiser woman now, of course

but it means I can't use mn to its full potential/post anything personal, jic

[cagey]

when i started posting was worried about it then read something custy wrote about not posting anything they would not be ashamed to say in real life and that sort of stuck.

...that's a bit like your mum turning up unexpectedly to a party, when you're pissed and seventeen, and dragging you off by your ear

I'm a terrible one for foot in mouth in RL though SEA, so that makes it a bit tricky for me.

I got spotted by a stalkery person, being mean about them last year. Not a good time. At all.