When people join...why do some... hide their identities?
It is like hiding behind a mask. How can anyone get to know you and your motives? What is the purpose? I know I am not the only person in this forum who wonder the same thing. Any and all responses are welcome. Just curious, as to why??? |
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| That's one of the major advantages of this format vs some others; that people can have a degree of anonymity, and even post completely anonymously if they choose. I am a member of several forums where my real name is (generally) not known yet at times I am an active member. It can allow for more free expression of unpopular or politically sensitive/controversial ideas. On the other hand, some people tend to be nastier when they feel they aren't known than they would be in person. |
| I don't know - do you mean as not listing their user name, or not listing their real name? You don't list your real name in the info part of each post - Ron added it as an option some time ago. In the lower left corner where is says location, etc. It is something you add in under control panel and it is part of every post we make. I see you have not listed your location or your name.....  It's all optional - disclosure for as little or as much as you desire. Was that what you were asking?? |
| Believe it or not, some people aren't actually here to be a part of this community. Some just want advice on one particular topic and probably don't feel the need to actually be a member here. By signing on to anything these days you always are taking the risk of being scammed or spammed or otherwised hacked. I'm on a couple other forums and basically just lurk because I don't have much to add to the conversation. It doesn't mean the "guest" is always out to be hateful or cowardly or otherwise using it as a means to be nasty without being identified. I don't see anything wrong with remaining anonymous and have sometimes even posted here as a "guest". People have asked questions or made statements that they may take very personally if it came from someone they knew. When a response comes from a "guest" it often makes a person ask why such a response was generated rather than just getting angry at a community member. If something illegal or extremely hurtful is posted here it could be tracked back to the poster. IMHO, if posting as a guest was taken away as an option, fewer people would actually join this board as a member. It's a good way to test the waters before finding out that this is a really good group of people and to join eventually.  |
| I'm extremely open on here, because I trust Ron, and also tend to trust the other members. Also...very very little that I discuss here would ever cause me personal or professional problems, and if I have concerns that they might, I post on members only...so it wont go to google, at least. This is not always the case in other communities, and so I am far more cautious there. Those people who have been "burned" elsewhere, or who have a habitual "internet identity" before coming here, may very understandably want to stay more private. Stalkers, ex-spouses, nosy bosses, members of our own families...there can be many reasons someone might not want these people to know who they are on a public forum. If you google your forum name, many of your responses to various threads will come up. I double check that on occasion, as my forum name is the same as my business name!  |
| If you mean "staying invisible" ...I don't do it but when I first joined I did ...and it was purely because I wanted to post w/o someone pm'ing me OR wondering if I was going to reply back to a thread OR know I was looking at a thread. Just felt like some people like to "hound." Not the rare time someone knows you're there and grabs you on instant messenger (do people even remember what this is? i've been on here forever) ...but there were people who would do it daily. I'm chatty online ...but in person, I am not much of a people person. I know to someone who hasn't had this happen, you could think ...who would waste their time doing that. ...and well, some people do and it leaves me uncomfortable to be free while I'm here. I stopped when i became a moderator. If you mean ...hide their name, I think my "fake" name is just as good as a real name. I know I feel super close to several people here and don't know their real name. I DO know them though and they haven't hid anything from me. They just go by gotsheep or buttersStotch (random). I have real people in my life who like to trace me on the internet (boys), so I don't feel comfortable posting my real name. |
Its interesting how many ways we've found to interpret this question!  |
ravenmoonart wrote: Its interesting how many ways we've found to interpret this question! I agree, and all valid points! |
| Funny thing, isn't the original poster hiding their identity? "Gumbo41" with no indication from where. To me that would be hiding their identity? Which is fine and valid if people choose to do so. I've gone the other way, but unlike a lot of my internet presence, I actively seek to meet people and their sheepies, so I am much more forthcoming here. |
| I also think some subjects can be sensitive topics: training methods, tail docking, breeding and the reasons for doing so, vaccination.... Some people may want to weigh in on these subjects without fear of reprisal in their lives off these boards. Or maybe some people want to participate here without pre-judgement. What if our President's daughters are reading, looking for grooming or training pointers for their shaggy dog? Rush Limbaugh has an OES (or is it two?)- maybe he would like to read and post about breed health issues without having to deal with people's opinions of him and what he says in his public life? There are probably as many good reasons to post anonymously as there are to do so publicly! |
Baba wrote: Funny thing, isn't the original poster hiding their identity? "Gumbo41" with no indication from where. To me that would be hiding their identity? Which is fine and valid if people choose to do so. I've gone the other way, but unlike a lot of my internet presence, I actively seek to meet people and their sheepies, so I am much more forthcoming here. We all have screen names, rarely do people use their own names. But with regulars you usually get to know at least their first names, like Robin (Gumbo) Often times we know each other outside the forum. No one I know calls me Mad Dog, but most people with some degree of formal involvement in the breed, and who cared, wouldn't have a hard time figuring out who I am due to club affiliations and so on and that's absolutely fine by me. There is no real intent to intentionally hide identity from fellow forum members at least. There is one member of the forum who regularly pops up of late who is not quite what she says she is, but that's OK, her postings make it pretty obvious if you know what you're looking at, and Robin's probably noticed that. I find it rather humorous. Anonymous posts on the other hand - not the ones by obvious newbies who just happened by, but the others - even when the poster makes some good points, I generally write off as someone with a hidden agenda and too much time on their hands. And, yes, Laurel, that did turn out to be a pretty open-ended question on Robin's part, didn't it?  Not sure if that was what she had intended.Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: No one I know calls me Mad Dog I think that it would be fantastic to go about the world calling yourself Mad Dog!! If I ever meet you in 'real life' can I call you Mad Dog? That nickname rocks! |
Mady wrote: Mad Dog wrote: No one I know calls me Mad Dog I think that it would be fantastic to go about the world calling yourself Mad Dog!! If I ever meet you in 'real life' can I call you Mad Dog? That nickname rocks! I'm with you- I love the name Mad Dog. |
| This is an interesting topic for me, since Ive been thinking about privacy and anonymity (or the lack of it) as Ive been redoing my art website, and debating adding links to various other sites I frequent. I decided to add a link to oes.org, since many of my art customers meet Abby and Bert at shows or at my studio, and lots of them have asked me for sheepie info. This means, however, that I need to be a bit more careful of what I say here...no griping about my customers, for instance!  . |
| I am so embarrassed as I thought my name and location was filled in for everyone to see. I guess when I joined I did not know much about the computer world. I need to update my profile,please forgive me,I feel like an idiot posting this and I am guilty of the same thing,except I have pictures at least and most long timers know my username relates to me,Robin.Still I feel like saying DUH. What I meant with this question was... The people that posts statements that may not be factual or get into debates without the knowledge to back up their posts. It makes me feel uncomfortable not knowing who they are,so I question their intent. You can choose to ignore it because it can be humorous or you can get your feelings hurt,either way,there still seems to be some hurtful intent. Just my humble opinion. |
| When the internet really started rolling, I was really heavy into pinstriping on cars and I was on several pinstriper's message boards. I just started using my middle name as my online moniker. It's also how I sign my artwork so most knew who I was immediately. So for those who may not have noticed, I sign all my posts with Vance but my first name is Lee. I actually got so used to folks at car events calling me Vance, I habitually respond to both just as quickly. But I still sign my posts Vance for continuity sake. Vance |
Haha, sorry didn't mean to put you on the spot!  I saw recently a post of yours in another thread and some regulars implied you were an "old timer" for the forums, but it did seem ironic for a newer person like me that your profile seemed rather anonymous. I've only been on these forums for slightly over a year, but this is the first place I go to everyday when I'm on the computer. That's mainly a symptom of how important Mady (my sheepdog) is in my life, and I love chatting and being around other people who "get it" (not just dog people, but sheepdog people!). I really miss Sheepiepalooza  |
Baba wrote: I really miss Sheepiepalooza 6 hour drive from Ottawa to NEOESR Picnic this Saturday.... |
Mad Dog wrote: There is one member of the forum who regularly pops up of late who is not quite what she says she is, but that's OK, her postings make it pretty obvious if you know what you're looking at, and Robin's probably noticed that. I find it rather humorous. Anonymous posts on the other hand - not the ones by obvious newbies who just happened by, but the others - even when the poster makes some good points, I generally write off as someone with a hidden agenda and too much time on their hands. Kristine Well, Mad Dog I couldn't have said it better!!! |
| It would nice too if everyone lists where they adopted their OES. Breeder name, rescue name |
Guest wrote: It would nice too if everyone lists where they adopted their OES. Breeder name, rescue name How ironic... Posting as a guest under a thread about why do people hide their identity Besides that of course, that would be a fun thread to see where people and their babies were brought together  Great idea! |
| Would love to see the OES Robin purchased from Brazil |
| Guest .... Which Robin? If you want to know something about me,if you are referring to me, give me a call. Robin |
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