Is it bad practice to use your real name online? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#91

Post by pilif » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 10:37 PM UTC

mrspeaker wrote: post #2

When I got on the intertubes, oh-so-many years ago - the rules were simple: the ONLY piece of information you could freely give on public forums, or IRC, was your nick. Now, the only piece of information you are supposed to withhold is your credit card number. I'll say this about the new ways: I'm extremely glad that I didn't have my teenage years documented and archived. Dodged that bullet!

When I joined the internet, there was Usenet. And Usenet etiquette (at least for de.* which is what I had to restrain myself to due to the general lack of English) required you to provide a real name, so that's what I've done.

This made me much less reluctant to use my real name later on.

However, just as my real name, my pseudonym also stuck and I try to get it whenever I sign up for a service. That way I'm twitter.com/pilif, github.com/pilif, even facebook.com/pilif, though I don't use that.

Unfortunately, on G+, I can't be /pilif. I have to be pilif123459 or whatever. Too bad.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#92

Post by randomdata » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 10:39 PM UTC

eshvk wrote: post #43

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #37

I use my real name everywhere online. The reasons why are pretty straightforward: 1. It reminds me to be civil and think before I post. 2. It makes it easier for other people reach out to me based on things I've posted (I have a fairly unique name). Pseudonyms are relatively easy to 'decode'. If I wrote something particularly dumb, offensive, or stupid, and someone wanted to pin that on me, I'm sure they could given…

One thing that fascinates me is Linkedin Groups/Forums. People post the most outrageously sexist opinions or have kindergarten level fights with other people there; all connected to their real names. It is not as bad as Youtube comments but it is not clear how all these people don't have a filter. I guess only time will tell if Youtube comments get moderated due to the real name connection.

However, the most effective way to learn is to make bold statements based on your current level of understanding and wait for people to correct your errors. Sometimes you even need to play devil's advocate to properly model the information in your head.

Our great folly as humans is in assuming statements connected to names actually mean anything.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#93

Post by gaius » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 10:41 PM UTC

steven2012 wrote: post #66

I used my real name until 1997, when I was posting questions on newsgroups. When dejanews.com came out, I realized that everything I wrote was forever, and since then I've never used my real name, except on linkedin and Facebook. But both of those use one-off email addresses. I really don't think having a permanent internet profile is necessary and is likely more detrimental than beneficial. I know I'm not anonymous,…

Yeah Dejanews was a bit of a shock to many of us.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#94

Post by VLM » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 10:43 PM UTC

return0 wrote: post #19

I am prejudiced against people who use their real names when the website allows them to use a nickname: I automatically assume they will be uninteresting, their opinions sheepish and will always avoid confrontation or controversial ideas. I feel like they are always talking in the presence of their mother.

This assumes the purpose of the internet is trolling and confrontation. If you feel like my mom is watching us talk about Scala programming, the only relevance is she'd be bored out of her skull (its not her kinda thing)

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#95

Post by alan_cx » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 10:47 PM UTC

Using your real name makes the inevitable online abuse harder to take. It feel more real. Using something else makes it seem more abstract, its easier to handle such abuse.

I only use my real name when I have to, buying on line and government services for example.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#96

Post by throwaway344 » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 10:53 PM UTC

danso wrote: post #74

lelandbatey wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I felt the same way about nicknames, but at some point I realized that I had a digital trail attached to my online-name that was a mile wide. I figured I might as well just start using my real name (which is rather unique already). Also, I find your story of rules interesting. When I was first introduced to the internet (when I was about 7 years old, in school), the one "rule" I remember being told to us over and ove…

Wow, you must be very young, i.e. 10-12, or have very perceptive teachers. I feel that teachers and other authority figures still don't get it , especially those above 40 who aren't in a Internet/computer-heavy field. And even young folks in the tech field still don't realize it (basically everyone who uses something like SnapChat too enthusiastically)

Yeah 10-12 is low-balling it. Someone could easily be four or five years older than I am (14), and have been hearing all that advice for much of their lives.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#97

Post by lelandbatey » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 11:02 PM UTC

throwaway344 wrote: post #96

danso wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, you must be very young, i.e. 10-12, or have very perceptive teachers. I feel that teachers and other authority figures still don't get it , especially those above 40 who aren't in a Internet/computer-heavy field. And even young folks in the tech field still don't realize it (basically everyone who uses something like SnapChat too enthusiastically)

Yeah 10-12 is low-balling it. Someone could easily be four or five years older than I am (14), and have been hearing all that advice for much of their lives.

Yes, I'm 19, and this happened in the early 2000's. I think though that I got this advice a bit earlier than others because I grew up in Redmond, Washington, surrounded by Microsoft and people involved in and influenced by computers and the Internet.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#98

Post by simbolit » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 11:05 PM UTC

jkrems wrote: post #64

gngeal wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. It reminds me to be civil and think before I post. That sounds very much like "I don't kill people because I'd get caught". Why can't you be civil (whatever that means) and think just because?

Sociological studies bla, bla - TL;DR: You are more civil when people recognize you. You are more likely to act in the "interest of the group" when you sign stuff with your real name. At least that's the state of the research to my best knowledge.

please do not confuse correlation and causation. i see the correlation, obviously, but i do not see the causation.

in fact causation could be the other way around. those who behave well are more likely to sign with their real name.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#99

Post by return0 » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 11:08 PM UTC

nairteashop wrote: post #87

return0 wrote: post #19

I am prejudiced against people who use their real names when the website allows them to use a nickname: I automatically assume they will be uninteresting, their opinions sheepish and will always avoid confrontation or controversial ideas. I feel like they are always talking in the presence of their mother.

On the surface, yes, I suppose if you use your real name you may be tempted to tone down your opinion a bit (presumably the reason why youtube switched to G+ commenting with real names, etc). But on HN, I've actually seen the exact opposite - people with handles derived from their real names seem to make more serious, well thought-out comments. I don't know about "most controversial", but certainly the most useful, w…

> real-name based handles figure quite prominently

My ( controversial) idea is that people often upvote persons, not their opinions. Many of HN top have curated well known internet personas with separate blogs (either by their real names or nicknames). A familiar handle (either real or famous nick) is downvoted less frequently than an anonymous handle.

Re: Is it bad practice to use your real name online?

#100

Post by return0 » Sun, Dec 08, 2013, 11:09 PM UTC

kylemaxwell wrote: post #56

return0 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Case in point, eponymous comments tend to be content-free and rude.

That is exactly the opposite of what you said above.

i wasnt being entirely serious, and i presume the parent didn't either (he doesnt even have a fullname handle)