Anonymous usernames

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 09 Feb 2006, 11:03

At a recent meeting, Bob, Marya and I discussed the possibility of the three of us all registering with our full names, rather than usernames. Well, the two of us, since Bob obviously already does. I said no, but as anonymous usernames have at times been the source of debate at POL, I decided I wanted to say something about it. In the interests of openness, I think it would be a good idea for the admin team to use their full names; however, whilst people may point to the fact this is a local community forum as a good reason for that, it is also on the World Wide Web, accessible to anyone. And there are people out there in the big wide world who, to be frank, I really don't want to be listening in to my conversations (however inane!) here. In the nature of forums we give a lot more information away about ourselves (and more importantly, to me, our families) than we realise; there are people I really don't want to have access to that information. If you google my name, you can't find me; but if you google my POL username, you can (I just did, and the line that came up after the title was... "Bellybabe - You And your cohorts have hypnotised Bob with your snakey hips..."

).

So that's my long-winded way of saying why I keep my more anonymous username. If you're still awake, well done.

BB

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 09 Feb 2006, 12:24

That's fine but where do you stand on regular users suddenly donning a new username in order to insult people?

Robin! · Post by **Robin!** » 09 Feb 2006, 13:12

I wouldn't display my full name, thats my choice! some people do though.

All I would say though is get rid of "Guest" that really bugs me!

CatzVP · Post by **CatzVP** » 09 Feb 2006, 14:09

You will always be Bellybabe to me

Plus whats to stop a user calling himself John Smith, a standard name can be made up as quickly as an anon username

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 09 Feb 2006, 16:30

dccairns wrote:That's fine but where do you stand on regular users suddenly donning a new username in order to insult people?

I think that situation is covered by the posting guidelines whether users are anonymous or not

posting guidelines wrote:Personal attacks against forum members will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, attacks on the comments, ideas, language skills, spelling, punctuation, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, ability/disabilty, politics and cultural or religious beliefs of other forum members. Your right to freedom of speech has to be balanced with your responsibility not to cause offence. You are free to debate and to disagree, but in a manner that is respectful of the rights and feelings of others

Post by **wangi** » 09 Feb 2006, 21:24

And if you want your existing username renamed to your real name, drop me a PM.

CatzVP · Post by **CatzVP** » 09 Feb 2006, 21:27

Or you could change your real name via deed poll to your existing username, and then everyone would be happy

Robin! · Post by **Robin!** » 09 Feb 2006, 21:35

CatzVP wrote:Or you could change your real name via deed poll to your existing username, and then everyone would be happy

hahaha! so much easier that way!

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 09 Feb 2006, 22:16

CatzVP wrote:Or you could change your real name via deed poll to your existing username, and then everyone would be happy

What are you like?! Anyway, I know you don't live here but you should know there's no such thing as change of name deed (aka deed poll) in Scotland. You change it just by usage. So i guess since so many people know me as Bellybabe, that maybe is legally my name now

. Well, I'm always happy to spread happiness.

Yours most sincerely,

Bellybabe Snakeyhips xxx

CatzVP · Post by **CatzVP** » 09 Feb 2006, 22:39

Bellybabe wrote: Yours most sincerely,

Bellybabe Snakeyhips xxx

So your initials are now BS

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 09 Feb 2006, 22:49

Well, naturally!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 10 Feb 2006, 19:37

I like my cybername. Much more exciting than my real name. Although, so many people know who I am now that maybe I should change it

Post by **wangi** » 10 Feb 2006, 23:13

Epykat wrote:... that maybe I should change it

I wouldn't worry about it. Those who have issues with pseudonyms obviously haven't anything better to discuss - afterall the important thing is what you are saying, not who you are.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 11 Feb 2006, 01:21

Epykat wrote:I like my cybername. Much more exciting than my real name. Although, so many people know who I am now that maybe I should change it

like it too

(though your real name is fine too, and unusual only ever known one other)

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 11 Feb 2006, 13:45

Sandra wrote:(though your real name is fine too, and unusual only ever known one other)

Is that the famous one that I look really, really like

(please say yes

)

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 15 Feb 2006, 12:59

As many of you are aware, I am currently using two usernames, this one and my real name. I intend to use my real name in debates relating to the new school. I sought permission from the mods before doing so and they agreed. I was offered the choice of converting Porty into my real name but I declined.

Did I really need to ask permission?
Am I contravening a rule?
Would it have been considered a breech if I had initially used my real name and then chose another to be controversial or even to argue with "myself"?
If the mods became aware that I was one and the same person, would it be appropriate to identify me to fellow users?