Do you ever worry that someone could find you in RL from your postings on here? Or are you more careful than that?

[WideWebWitch]

For example, I posted once (ages ago) about where we were going be at half term and vaguely worried about it at the time and wondered whether I should have done so.

I also posted some details about another event which could have led someone to my rl name and address (it's my old one so it's not relevant now)

I haven't tried but I wonder if I searched on a particular mumsnetter's name, would I be able to find something that would lead me to their rl details were I to want them? I wouldn't, of course as I'm not a weirdo or a stalker but this is the www and anyone else could.

So, should we all be careful what we reveal here? Or am I being over cautious?

yes. i have been FAR too open and now am really afraid of being identified - especially since there are also lots of things i have confided on here that i have not told anyone in rl.

in fact, i have been thinking recently of asking for all my posts to be deleted and just starting again but not posting anything personal!

I was thinking about this the other day, and I came to the conclusion that if everyone made a note of every little thing I ever said about my rl life, there would not be enough to find me.

However, if somebody already knew me in rl, they would have enough information to know that it was me.

Then I came to the conclusion that somebody would have to be really, really sad to do this, and unless I posted that I had been left untold millions and had no rl friends to spend the money on.... nobody would go to the trouble.

I think I would be eay to find. I've said a few times the name of the town I live in and also occasionally what my dh does - it's a small town and I think we would be easy to find.
I do regret being so open - especially if it affects dh's business (he did a search for his company name once and came across a MN thread... He wasn't overly pleased).

If you knew me in RL I would be easy to spot
I don't tend to post stuff I wouldn't tell ppl in RL though so not terribly worried about being identified

I'm not really worried about someone I know irl spotting me although I'd prefer no-one at work knew me as WWW, it's more that most people wouldn't want to post their names and addresses here and that's what you're doing if you give details of something where someone could go and find your rl details.

is an interesting one. mabye a change of name is due anyway...

One should be cautious of course

Bt why anyone wuld want to find me I cannot fathom

i reckon i culd be found in about 3 minutes, the stuff i give away.
why anyone would wat to is a bit of a puzzler... but theres always the unhinged factor to consider i suppose

i don't think people would be that bothered, even if they recognised someone. it's like being in the masons. you just don't mention it! hehe

I never talk about my job except in the vaguest terms, because if I did then straight away quite a few people would know/work out who I am......

if someone knew me then i am sure i could be "outed", not sure a stranger could find out where i live and follow me round if thats what you mean?

some people post photographs of themselves on here - I think that's a bit of a giveaway

Why, are you the Prime Minister UQD?

What I mean is, answering the questions which would ensue would mean citing things I have done which I can't really do without them having my name on!

cam that's exactly what I thought!!

Hmmm. I've been identified by things I say here, and I don't mind at all but I also know there are quite a few things I don't, as a result, discuss here.

If I'm ever in Twiglett's house I will recognise her custom-made under the stairs cupboard

am very findable,as my website address has been posted on here and is on my profile!!

but from the outset, i have never shared anything here, that i would be concerend about getting into the public domain

the things i share, eg re my PND , are things anyone who knows me in RL would know

i share nothing about personal relationships, finances or family stuff...

That's a good point lulu - lots of mumsnetters have revealed their true selves via their websites or given their real names in email addresses on here

Personally, I find the anonymity thing a bit odd. I've been on various internet forums (fora?) over many years (I had the opportunity to be 'in' from the start because of the environment I worked in) and this is the only one where I have a name that isn't mine, though I'm not a particularly active poster. I also find the rl/mn split odd - posting on mn IS a rl activity, surely?

I'd be bleedin' easy to identify but I never post anything on here that I don't say to people in rl apart from to work colleagues.

If anyone from work went on here they'd be very peed off - but they're all far too busy believing and achieving with their PMAs and not making an ass of u and me and their internal locii of control etc. etc. that I doubt they'd ever find the time to come on here!

yes, iota..and i am fine with that ! but not happy to share my innermost thoughts about a lot of stuff, especially as i am findable !!

As I didn't understand a word of that mossie I obviously don't know you in rl

No, no, I don't mean could anyone you know in rl (and yes mn is rl but surely ykwim) identify you, I mean

say someone posts that she's, I don't know, getting married in x church, well, then someone could, theoretically, go to x church, get the banns and your real name and address.

Now, I'm not saying anyone would and I've no idea why anyone would but I have thought about this sometimes, that's all.

So in my first example, once I posted that I would be in x holiday cottage on x date. Well, afterwards I thought I probably shouldn't have done, that's all!

But axe murderers probably don't read mumsnet, they're probably too busy being axe murderers