Can we talk about a dropdown box for namechanging again?

[MmeLindor.]

I brought this up a while ago and there were mumblings of looking into it but nothing has come of it.

I am going to namechange for normal chatter. I won't try to hide or disguise myself but would be grateful if you wouldn't say, "Is that you, MmeLindor?". I have realised since moving back to UK that I am rather easy to spot and would prefer a bit more anonymity.

I will however keep this name for my blog and the bloggers network and any campaigns etc.

It is such a faff to name change constantly, and I thought that a drop down box would be fab, so that I could choose when posting which name to use.

I personally would like this as I name change regularly to preserve my privacy.

I wonder, though, if it would be an easy shortcut for trouble-makers making mischief?

Troublemakers will make mischief either way. It hasn't stopped them so far.

I almost just outed my new name there. I am not good at this covert stuff.

It would make it easier to be a troublemaker... Right now only people who either know how or can be bothered to figure it out can namechange.

Can you see who I am? This is my Apprentice name.

I agree it someone is upto mischeief, they'll go to heroic efforts anywya.

I think in the light of events this week and posters feeling incomfortable with their names being "out there" as it were, that it should be certainly considered long and hard.

Some posters need to keep certain names for almost prfoessional reasons, iyswim, but want to be less obvious on otehr threads. Let's make that more efficient.

uncomfortable.

i would imagine it wouldn't be that hard to spot 60% of most long term mumsnetters, but why would it worry you? you post intelligent points

i sometimes think i give too much away but then again that's my point - i don't hide behind an online persona and would defend my point in real life

Exactly my thoughts, Chaos.

Making it easier to namechange would assist those who use MN for different purposes, such as the bloggers.

Do you really think that a person intent on trolling would be more or less likely to go ahead if it were easier?

More chance of accidental outings, I would think.

i think people should post in their real life names on the internet for most of the time

don't agree with faceless blogs

SEA
Since two well known MNetters have namechanged to avoid being outed in RL, it worries me that almost all of my posts are searchable.

I am not worried about other MNetters finding out who I am really, but it would be relatively easy to find out my name and other details if a person were so inclined to search through my posts. I have been using this, or a variation of this name for almost 4 years now.

I use the same name on other websites, and it makes me slightly nervous that someone could work out too much private details from here and there and piece it together.

Believe me, SEA, if I were called Sarah Smith then I would put my name on my blog but my name is unique.

I don't blog much about my private life anymore, but when I started blogging I talked about my family. I am not sure that it is fair for children of bloggers to be out there on the internet. What happens when they learn to google? Or their friends do?

my name is too, but i don't think i live a life that anyone would want to stalk in real life

you live by the sword etc...

I would like this. I post about 95% of the time under one name (when not in Spanglish mode) and try not to give away too much identifying detail. (But now you all know that I speak some Spanglish . )

If I'm talking about something which identifies me geographically, work related things or things I have talked about, I name change.

But it is a huge faff. (Is that a word?) Like MmeL I worry about being recognised and having someone search my whole posting history, when sometimes I have said things I wouldn't say in RL.

Bolderes - - have just worked out who you are!

I would like a dropdown box too, please, MNHQ.

I think that as your dc get older, you realise the need to namechange. What people post about their older dc makes them easy to identify in RL: you start talking about options they are choosing, whether their school is grammar/private/comp, single sex/co-ed, then uni choice, then what subject for a degree, career hopes, etc. If you post over a number of years it makes your dc very readily identifiable. And then you start doing emergency posts about drunken nights out, pregnancy scares, health issues, and you are on very dodgy ground.

And it's really hard not to give away where you live.

As MmeLindor says, it is frustratingly difficult to avoid outing yourself. You think you will be able to stick to your resolve not to reveal who you are, but then you do it. Or someone else (very helpfully) does it.

I would like this too, but not because I n/c, as I very rarely do. I support all the calm and well thought through reasoning offered up there.

Plus there will be more chance of accidental outings of wanksplash trolls and that will not be a bad thing. For they are twats

I have to agree with SEA. If you don't want to be known, don't post on the internet. Privacy is dead or dying rapidly.

I am Tee2072 everywhere and I like it that way. I think MN could end a lot of trolling if they removed name changing all together and really wish they would, even though I recognize why some posters use the facility.

If I don't want something associated with my name, I don't post about it.

I have namechanged for the Apprentice thread.

Do you want to time me?

(I have no other tabs open right now, this is namechanging from scratch...

Ta dah

Under 60 seconds.

More if you have the "My Mumsnet" page open.

Bing.

15 seconds - I think that may be a record.

It is not currently difficult to namechange.

The name you are posting under is now at the top of the posting box, presumably to make it harder to have an "is that you UCM?" moment.

Making it more difficult to namechange would not deter serious trollers, but making it very obvious that you can namechange would (IMO) encourage casual half-term trollers to troll in a more namechangey sockpuppety manner. Which would be irritating.

I do understand your concerns about having posted stuff about your children and not wanting them/their friends to stumble across it.

Hello,

We can feel a 'fastest name changer' competition brewing.

Sandy
MNHQ

No.