Question about what name to sign up as on a certain forum

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  1. Dorsi profile image88
    Dorsiposted 13 years ago

    I have been on this one conspiracy site informally for over 5 years. I usually go there to get the latest news before the MSM does (I'm a news hound)

    So I am about to take the plunge and sign up for formal membership there and I am thinking about using my first name like I do here at HubPages along with my profile link.

    Any drawbacks to doing this?
    Or would this be good promotion for my hubs and my name search?

    Just wondering how other writers handle their forum names.

    1. Dave Mathews profile image60
      Dave Mathewsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      If you havenothing to hide and are not ashamed for anything even your name, then why hide under a lie?

      1. paradigmsearch profile image60
        paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Stalkers, psychos, hackers, etc. do exist…

        1. Dave Mathews profile image60
          Dave Mathewsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          There is always someone who can come up with negativity. You must be one of them.

          1. paradigmsearch profile image60
            paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I read your profile… Stay the hell away from me…

            1. Dave Mathews profile image60
              Dave Mathewsposted 13 years agoin reply to this



              If you read my profile, what do you fear? little chipmunk I am not harmful. By the way do not swear at me.

              1. paradigmsearch profile image60
                paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                http://s4.hubimg.com/u/4531927_f520.jpg

                11th commandment: Thou shalt not stalk.

                Go far, far away... smile

      2. Dorsi profile image88
        Dorsiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        The site in question is pretty racy and controversial. But your right, I have nothing to hide so may as well take the plunge.

        I can always post as AC if I want too anyway, that comes in handy when researching potential breaking conspiracies!

        Yes, I think that's what I'll do, go for the name on my membership but go AC when working on a big story that I don't want my cover blown...lol...
        ( I do alot of investigative research and writing on certain topics)

      3. Lisa HW profile image62
        Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Having a user name or a pen name isn't always, or necessarily, a matter of "hiding behind" or even always thinking about the possibility of psychos and stalkers showing up somewhere.  It can be about discretion (on behalf our ourselves and/or on behalf of anyone who may even indirectly be associated with what we write).  It can be about "hiding" but not because someone has real reason to hide anything, but because some people want to keep their private lives separate from something (someone like) a potential employer may find when Googling their name.

        I have nothing in particular "to hide".  In fact, there are some things I'd love to make "big and public" and do everything in the world I could do to make sure "the world" knows some things some people have done.    One reason I won't/don't, however, is that even though truth is an absolute defense in legal cases, TOS make it pretty clear that dragging someone else's name through the mud  isn't welcome.

        For me, a bigger reason to use a pen name is that I have kids.  Anyone who has Facebook-generation kids (or adult family members, for that matter) knows that posting hundreds of pieces of writing that might potentially embarrass kids or family members isn't something a lot of kids or family members would appreciate.  I mean...  a Hub about "how much I love my kids" can embarrass a teen whose mother/father wrote that.  Should they be?  Not really - but it's part of development, and it's a reality.

        Another reason is if a person works in a field (say, medical writing) and is applying for work.  That person may not feel he has to hide his writing in general, but he may not want a potential employer to see that he's been busying himself for a couple of years, writing on (oh, let's say) Helium or Xomba.  Sorry.  There's no shame in either of these, but career-wise and potential-employer-wise, they don't particularly sell some job candidates.  I, personally, don't feel I have to hide online writing; but, just as with a person's graduation year, something goes on in the minds of some potential employers that make them see some candidates as less desirable (and having too much Xomba writing associated with someone's last couple of years is one of them  lol  ).  Besides, I don't want someone doing a background check of one of my kids (using the last name or the "next of kin" they put on a job application) coming up with more "personal business" than my sons or daughter would want associated with the new employee files.

        My "online-identity" name (and its derivatives) is something that's been a part of me and my writing (sometimes even sort of part of SOME professional work) for years.  My family and friends know what it is.  It isn't a secret.  I like to think it isn't "a lie".  It's "an extra, little, truth" that only people involved with some endeavors need to have.

        One other reason:  Simple reticence about having one's name on the Internet and a simple wish to keep things a minimal as possible when it comes to who finds what if he searches a name.  I'm a private person.  There are disadvantages to blabbing one's business, opinions, feelings, experiences, in circles of people with whom sharing less is wiser.  I don't happen to want some of my neighbors looking me up, reading a bunch of personal business (even if it's nothing I have to be ashamed of), and telling other neighbors what they discovered.  hmm

        None of these reasons are about finding negativity or being paranoid about more psychos than there really are.  They're just about the realities of sharing too much with too many of the wrong people.  It's stuff we learn when we work in some capacities, stuff we learn when we have kids (or were kids), and stuff we've learned through being old enough to have seen how some things can sometimes work.  There's a part of me that would very much like to (and, more and more has considered) plastering my real name for all the world to see (the one I use online is actually "legal" in the sense that I've established it as a "dba").  It's just that I do know there would be some negative consequences I'm not yet ready to deal with, or inflict on my kids or family members.  They've all got my "dba" name in my Geni profile, so I share what I write with them - just not their friends or potential employers.  They can share what they want with anyone they want to.  I've even shared the name with SOME potential employers, depending on the work in question.  I don't know...   I'm not entirely thrilled to use a "dba" name, but I tell myself it's not much different from calling myself, "Acme Writing Lady" and using that as my "dba name".

      4. darkside profile image66
        darksideposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        Because nutters can follow you, stalk you, and generally be major pains in the butt.

    2. Beelzedad profile image59
      Beelzedadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What site is it? Can you give us the name or link? smile

      1. Dorsi profile image88
        Dorsiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        It's GodLike Productions. I generally get most news there hours before the MSM does at this site. You have to pick and weed through the forum and posts though.

        http://www.godlikeproductions.com/

  2. paradigmsearch profile image60
    paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

    Only you can decide if paranoia should be the number one rule for a given forum. Personally, that would generally be my default decision. However, if everyone is cute and fuzzy at the forum in question… smile

    1. Dorsi profile image88
      Dorsiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It is not a cute and fuzzy forum AT ALL.

      But that's why I like it. It's edgy and a creative think tank.

      I know I'm already on the TPTB's list anyway.

      I've written too much edgy stuff already. And uncovered too many things...lol!!!

    2. Dave Mathews profile image60
      Dave Mathewsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You love playing the negativity crap don't you? I'll bet your own shadow scares you.

      1. paradigmsearch profile image60
        paradigmsearchposted 13 years agoin reply to this

        And good-bye...

  3. paradigmsearch profile image60
    paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

    May the force be with you! smile

  4. word profile image60
    wordposted 13 years ago

    Anyone can use any available name/nick while registering in site/forum. I prefer using same name everywhere on internet. This let me easily remember my username and gives good SE ranking as well.

  5. Aficionada profile image79
    Aficionadaposted 13 years ago

    A friend of ours is currently suspended from a job as a result of a totally innocent online activity involving an open discussion group. I would like to post the details, but I don't know whether that could affect any investigation into the matter, and I don't want to do that.

    But that's just all to say that there can be repercussions to our online activities that we may not be able to foresee, and so it pays to be prudent when choosing what persona we use in various situations.  I don't see it as a matter of being ashamed at all - just being cautious and realistic.

 
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