identity and the internet

[sillyberry]

I remember back when I first got an AOL account (1995?), a screen name was something to be carefully considered, as it would also be your email address. And there was NO WAY I would use my real name online or as my email address. Actually, sillyberry was my first AOL name.

Then I went to college and got a school email address using my real name. It seemed super weird! I definitely still never used my real name for anything online, such as a login for websites.

Nowadays, over a decade later, it seems more and more of the internet has switched to real names. Facebook and Twitter accounts tend to be full real names. My Pinterest account is my real name. My GoodReads account is my real name. I myself have come pretty close to accepting that harm will come or not come, regardless of my real presence on the interwebs.

I know some people around these parts are still super-hyper-vigilant about keeping all personal details private. I know others really don't shiv a git about using or posting their real information, but only don't because of board rules. I know many feel this concept is slightly trickier in the context of a forum devoted to high-value items.

But my question is broader -- where do you think we're moving re internet identity? Are we moving away from aliases? Do they serve the internet community well (fostering both honest discussion and maintaining privacy), or do they allow people to negatively use anonymity to say things they never would in-person? Would you use in the internet the same if everything you said could be tied back to you?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I wonder if it also depends on the type of site involved? For example, SB, you may recall - back during our law school forum days, I was young and naive and used my first initial, last name, birth year as my screen name. Now, I'm thinking - DOH. WHY?

I haven't used my real name for a screen name for anything lately, including on PS. I actually changed my name on FB a while back so that it's my first and middle to keep people from finding me as easily (sparking a flurry of "Congrats!" from people who thought I'd gotten married, lol).

And then I see on sites (like, say, online dating sites??) where people use their real names, and I'm in shock (asking for stalkers much?).

Anyway, I don't know but it is an interesting question to consider. As a young single woman, maybe I'm just hyper paranoid about revealing my identity online unless it's to people I've communicated with a lot.

 

[sonnyjane]

My email is [email protected] because when you apply to jobs, that looks a lot more professional than "[email protected]" or something like that lol. For forums, however, I never use my real name. It doesn't even contain anything close to my name.

As far as facebook, I am very careful about my privacy settings. Only friends can see my profile, and I won't befriend anyone that I'm not friends with in real life. I have it set so that my friends can't tag me in pictures or statuses without my prior approval. Also, to avoid the issue you mentioned where you changed your name so people couldn't search for you, facebook actually has a function for that instead that turns off peoples ability to search for me. In other words, if you type in my exact name, nothing will come up. Basically, if I want to "befriend" someone new, I have to look them up - they can't search for me.

I think some people put way too much out there - like having their phone numbers and addresses IN their facebook profile (no way!). I would never do that. Other than that, I'm okay with the lack of privacy. You have to understand that anything you ever type CAN end up somewhere, seen by someone. That's why you have to be careful what you say. I am willing to sacrifice personal privacy for the convenience to keep in touch with long distance friends and to participate in online forums like this one. Not everyone is, and that's okay, they don't have to.

 

[marcy]

I would never have used my real name on here if I knew I'd become a "long time poster". I have my FB account set to only friends can see my posts or info and I don't friend people I don't know very well. I think this day and age you can find out almost anything about anyone if you know how and where to look. It is kind of scary how easily it is to find information about someone online.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

From the start, I used my first initial and last name. It doesn't bother me, since I treat the internet like a public space and I don't do or say things I wouldn't want others to know.

Lately, I have been using my full name, because of my business. It still doesn't bother me.

 

[TooPatient]

My e-mail address is [email protected]
Shared e-mail with FI for some of our project stuff is myfirst&[email protected]
school e-mail is [email protected]
user id for some other places is firstnameMiddleinitialLastinitial

I don't use FB. Partially for privacy concerns and partially because the people I want to have contact with know how to reach me. I'm happy to keep people from my past in my past.

I'm fine using my real first name any place. My last name, I am okay using but try to keep it to a minimum. Part of this (I think) is because I am so careful with my other information. Even if you do a search for my whole first and last name, you come up with old addresses from 6+ years ago (2 moves or better) and out-dated phone numbers.

Of course I do figure that ANYTHING I post here or anywhere else on the internet is public so I don't say something unless it is something I don't mind having read by everyone (parents, FI, friends, potential employers, etc). E-mail I am extremely careful with as well since it can be forwarded to other people (or the dreaded sent to wrong person!)

 

[MissStepcut]

The Internet isn't anonymous. I suspect people using their real names are just reminding themselves of that more and decieving themselves less. I have been identified IRL before (thanks to a law school message board) and have even figured out who someone is on this very site from their posts.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Stolen identities are one thing but staying anonymous on the Internet is probably becoming more and more unlikely. A boss once said, "Don't put anything on the internet via email, FB, Twitter, forums, etc. that you would have a problem with being plastered all over the front page of the Washington Post or New York Times." I couldn't agree more. I think under the right circumstances just about anything you've ever written or signed in on as far as the Internet goes could be resurrected and used against you. It's the same thing as putting something in writing - once there, it's there forever. It's just a good rule of thumb to live by and has stopped me many times from saying something that I might later regret or wish I had just kept as a thought in my head!

 

[Circe]

I've seen it argued from both positions: for example, the anonymity of the internet allows some people to say truly foul things (like, for example, it recently shut down the PostSecret app, because somebody who thought Something Awful was their public role model decided to keep posting violent threats, obscene images, and various other grotesqueries). On the other hand ... the anonymity of the internet is sometimes the only outlet victims of domestic abuse have, precisely because it can't be traced back to them and used against them (see also PostSecret as a good example of this, when it's used correctly.

So I figure that the internet is a mirror of intent. That said, because a lot of people out there have sucky intentions, I like to maintain some strict boundaries: anything linked to my real name is professional; publications, chatboard posts related to professional interests, a FB page with the bare modicum of info. for farflung friends. Stuff like PS? I have a dummy account. Stuff like PS via facebook? Ditto. If, say, I ever wanted to use the Pre-Loved forum? Dear god, would there be a post-office box, because the last thing I'd want would be for somebody to think, "Hey, there's that lady who posts lots of shiny things online. Betcha I can get her home address and drop by sometime when she's just posted to say she'll be on vacation ...."

And so on and so forth. Precautions: we needz 'em.

 

[4ever]

Would you use in the internet the same if everything you said could be tied back to you?

I do use the Internet as if everything I say could be tied back to me, because if anyone tried hard enough it probably could.
The main way this changes my behaviour is that I pretty much never post on Facebook because before I post I think "would I want my mum, co-workers, old school friends and exemployers to all know this?" , 98% of the time the answer is no.

I do think we are moving more towards real names online. I see the downsides, I hear every few weeks about someone who got fired for posting something on Facebook or twitter. However I think it's good for people to take responsibility for their online identity rather than acting poorly because they have an online persona to hide behind.

Saying that, there is obviously a place for privacy online. It would very pretty foolish for people on ps to post photos of their massive bling and then tell everyone their real name and address