Secrecy on Gransnet

NanKate we all take that risk on here but there are ways of not being too specific about the where, when, what, who information we give about our families etc when we post.

Do you know if any of your family members use GN?

You are known on here as NanKate I don't really no anything else about uou but I have seen a few posts. Could you ask GNHQ to allow you to get a username that is completely fictitious pr one that takes you well away from your own name..
Unless you are someone very famous it should be possible to keep a fair degree of anonimity.

I am a clematis. I just used the name of the first variety of Clematis I ever bought.

Blimey. You don't want much! I think you are asking for name changing to be easily available. They won't like that.

This has happened to me too, but I don't think anything on the internet can be private/secure.
I belong to one forum where there's a separate forum for women - to get in you need to use the ?secret password. And you have to have been a member of the main site for some time to join.
But even then, who's to know if some of the others in this "private" group recognise people you're talking about, even if you don't give names?
It's just too risky imo.

If your name is Kate then of course someone might guess that it's you if you post a problem specific to your family on here - that's if they're aware that you're a member and/or regularly 'lurk' on here themselves.

I think it would be too problematic to allow people to change names willy-nilly, although they seem to manage OK on Mumsnet...

If you have another e-mail address you could try joining with a different username.

merlot! That's not allowed!!!

I have recently changed my username and HQ were very helpful, understanding that it was necessary to maintain my anonymity, which had been breached.

Luckygirl, of course you can change your username if you have good reason to do so - I think that NanKate was suggesting that someone could temporarily use a different name to ensure anonymity.

What if two people share a laptop and they both want to be members of Gransnet. Can they not both join using their own different e-mail addresses?

That's a good point, merlot. In the past there have sometimes been allegations of someone using a double identity and GNHQ said they could tell by the internet location thingy (something technical!).

But in theory it could be done with separate email addresses I suppose. Anyone want to try it?

I have read posts lately on Mumsnet when GN gets very slow and some posters change their name to talk about a specific subject. How do I know, because when they have started a new thread about something they don't want to be recognised for they often say they have changed their names. Surely it's no big deal, only when someone has more than one profile name to agree with themselves, which I have seen done on Gransnet.

I imagine they only need to use a different email address to use a different name. Then they can keep their original name and revert back to that on other threads.

I would be interested to hear GNHQ's thoughts on this.

One or two people know I use Gransnet, but to my knowledge, they are not members. I think my problem is I am too open and not savvy enough to keep my comments so I can't be identified.

I think like Luckygirl I should change my username.

I was naive when I joined and didn't realise the breadth and depth of the threads that are used.

Oh, I get it now. I've often wondered about those posts saying, 'You're soooo wise. That was an excellent post....as usual.'

Ok so we could have multiple identities if we use tablet, laptop, phone etc with different usernames and email addresses for each one. We could leap from one to another either agreeing with ourselves or picking on ourselves. We could possibly change outfits to reflect different personalities as well. We could be sensible, silly, argumentative or whatever. But I can't keep up as it is so would forget which one I was at any given time so think I'll give that one a miss.

When I joined two years or so ago, I didn't expect to hang around for long and just used my own name.

Soon realised that wasn't a good idea and registered again using another e-mail address.

Jingle!!! You preaching about changing usernames?

NanKate seems to be concerned that she might be recognised. I think that is not unreasonable.
I have three email accounts. I think is due to other online sites I use which seem to have foisted their Emails on to me.
I am not sure I could cope with two new IDs.

If another clematis name appears, we'll know it's you, Nellie.

I'm not "preaching" about anything.

I just said I don't think they want to make name changing easy. I don't mind who changes their name.

Just de-register and then sign up again. Give it a try.

Someone somewhere, said that you might not be able to get back in again doing that.
Best to check with gransnet first, just in case?

well seeing as though I am now "bikeless" do I need to change mine

Ah but being bikeless now doesn't change the fact that you were a biker, biker

Merlot so that's how it works and there was me thinking it was sycophanty!