Linking usernames? Urgent safety concern

[MissLucyEyelesbarrow]

A poster on page 3 of this thread says that premium subscribers can see all a posters user names? Is this true? If so, this is a major safety concern for me and - I would imagine - quite a few other posters, especially those in abusive situations, who may be identifiable.

If it is true, I need to have all my posts removed, as well as deactivating my account. Please advise urgently on how I can do this.

You might be better to message the forum team. Click on Report on your post and that will go through to them.

Good idea - thanks

Check with MNHQ but I'm fairly sure this was raised as a question when Premium was introduced and the answer was that they can't.

Then can you come back and tell us what they said? I'd be upset if that were true. Thanks.

I forgot to add a general public service announcement pointing out that for people who pay to subscribe to MumsNet Premium, it's possible to click the "see all" link above any post and pull up all of the posts from that poster on that thread, even if they have changed username.

The poster seems to be saying it shows all posts on that thread, not the entire site, even if the poster has changed names. If true that's a little worrying, but how often do posters change names on the same thread? I thought it was discouraged as it could be seen as sockpuppeting.

If it is not true, then the poster that made it up needs a virtual boot up the backside. What a horrid thing to do, knowingly stirring up upset and worry.

Reading it they're saying you can read all the posts just on that thread under any of their other usernames. So not quite as bad as seeing all usernames.

This is really worrying.

I thought it was discouraged as it could be seen as sockpuppeting.

That's for the forum team to deal with, not other posters.

I don't think this is true.

But even if it was, why would someone be using more than one user name on one thread? And why would it be a safety concern if they were?

If it was all posts and all usernames, fair enough. But don't get the fuss if it's just on that thread

Of course it's discouraged as bad form, but happens a lot unintentionally when a poster changes names for the opening post, then has a name change fail latter in the thread.

I guess if someone namechanges for a thread and then changes back to their usual names and posts again. So basic name change fail. But then anyone - even without premium - can search for posts under any username and find other posts across the site.

I don't think a premium user can click on a user's name and bring up all the names they've ever used which is what @MissLucyEyelesbarrow is suggesting

@LynetteScavo

Of course it's discouraged as bad form, but happens a lot unintentionally when a poster changes names for the opening post, then has a name change fail latter in the thread.

But name change fails are usually obvious to everyone, not just those with premium.

@madisonbridges

Reading it they're saying you can read all the posts just on that thread under any of their other usernames. So not quite as bad as seeing all usernames.

That is worrying.

Because if you, for example, tend to be logged in under one name but NC for various subjects but occasionally forget, you might appear on a thread in more than one guise (not deliberate socking, just a mistake, and even MNHQ has said that temporarily forgetting who you are is not an issue)

And once that's blown, other posts on other threads can be put together. Presumably with no limit on how far back,

It's a form of doxxing, and could link issues which are sensitive for individual posters.

I hope this is just an evil rumour

If it's just one thread, that's not so bad, though I still think this is a safety concern, as there are some threads (e.g. about abuse) where posters might have good reasons for NC halfway through, if they realise they might be at risk of being identified. And most of them will have no clue that Premium subscribers can identify them.

There is a big difference between sockpuppetting versus wanting to post something personal and potentially identifying on a thread where you have already posted under your normal UN.

At the end of the day, does sockpuppetting really matter? It certainly seems a lot less important than MNetters' safety and privacy. I'm afraid this seems like yet another example of MNHQ's cavalier attitude to online safety.

The ‘see all’ option on threads just means that you can see all of the posts by that user on that thread. It means that you don’t have to trawl through 15 pages of a thread to see the OP’s 6 comments.

The advanced search option allows you to search for all posts made by a specific user name over a given period of time. I could search ‘WhatScratch’ in the last 7 days and it would bring up links to all those posts. That’s a very old function that’s always been around.

If you change names periodically or for a sensitive post then there’s no way for anyone outside of MNHQ to link your different IDs - unless you accidentally out yourself by using 2 names in the same thread while having a conversation.

You can easily see on a thread if someone has had an unintended name change fail. But what's described (if true) does sound handy for spotting sock puppeting.

OP I hope you have now re-read what was actually posted rather than your interpretation of what was posted and feel reassured.

And once that's blown, other posts on other threads can be put together. Presumably with no limit on how far back

Good point

Testing.

I've just clicked on 'See all' @Letsseewhathappens and I only see the post with this username.

@WhatScratch

The ‘see all’ option on threads just means that you can see all of the posts by that user on that thread. It means that you don’t have to trawl through 15 pages of a thread to see the OP’s 6 comments.

The advanced search option allows you to search for all posts made by a specific user name over a given period of time. I could search ‘WhatScratch’ in the last 7 days and it would bring up links to all those posts. That’s a very old function that’s always been around.

If you change names periodically or for a sensitive post then there’s no way for anyone outside of MNHQ to link your different IDs - unless you accidentally out yourself by using 2 names in the same thread while having a conversation.

I think you are wrong, I'm afraid. Of course, we have always been able to search for all posts by a particular poster, either within a specific thread, or on the site. But what I am describing is being able to search for all a posters' UNs.

For example, if I had another UN called "BoxingDayBlues", a Premium user could search on a thread for my posts under @MissLucyEyelesbarrow, and it would also bring up any posts under BoxingDayBlues. They could then search for all my posts under BoxingDayBlues on the site and potentially dox me.

Ok. Just tested. ‘See All’ only allows you to see all the posts under that one username on the thread. It doesn’t show posts made by the same user under a different name. Ok?

For example, if I had another UN called "BoxingDayBlues", a Premium user could search on a thread for my posts under MissLucyEyelesbarrow, and it would also bring up any posts under BoxingDayBlues.

Surely they would only be able to do that if you posted on the thread using both usernames?

@A580Hojas

You can easily see on a thread if someone has had an unintended name change fail. But what's described (if true) does sound handy for spotting sock puppeting.

OP I hope you have now re-read what was actually posted rather than your interpretation of what was posted and feel reassured.

I don't feel reassured at all. All this means is that it takes two steps to dox me, not one. I'm not sure if I have ever posted under 2 UNs on the thread, but I may have done so.

@WhatScratch

Ok. Just tested. ‘See All’ only allows you to see all the posts under that one username on the thread. It doesn’t show posts made by the same user under a different name. Ok?

Ah so it's not a worry at all then. Thanks for testing.