Author Topic: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...  (Read 31622 times)

Daughn

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #50 on: April 07, 2017, 12:19:33 PM »
I see absolutely no benefit in not being anonymous. Frankly I'm a little suspicious of a person who would suggest otherwise. Unfortunately the internet isn't a safe place. I wouldn't give out my real name anymore then I would leave my front door or car unlocked. Should I be able to? Sure I should, in a perfect world. But it's not a perfect world now is it.......   

Valhalla

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #51 on: April 12, 2017, 09:08:51 AM »
Regarding anonymity, here's a major reason to stay anonymous: 
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/64wpjm/british_man_charged_after_us_gamer_is_shot_by/

And here is a sample of notable cases:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting#Notable_cases

Another detailed story: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/magazine/the-serial-swatter.html

Adding this:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/30/AR2008073003299.html   and  http://www.salon.com/2013/07/10/militarized_police_overreach_oh_god_i_thought_they_were_going_to_shoot_me_next%E2%80%9D/    a mayor... holy fuck.

One Redditor states this succintly:  One of the major drawbacks of the Internet is that it puts many of the world's sociopaths within "arm's reach".

It's really scary what could happen, and what kind of evil things people think of. 

I hope folks like the OP lose their naivety and understand the dangers lurking out on the internet.  The nightmare is worse than you can possibly dream of, especially if you've lived a sheltered, law abiding life.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 09:30:56 AM by Valhalla »

undercover

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #52 on: April 12, 2017, 11:17:45 AM »
Ironically enough it's very easy to find the address of well known people. It would be very easy to track down MMM himself if one wanted to.

But trolls like easy targets and vulnerable people that they can prey on.

partgypsy

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #53 on: April 12, 2017, 02:14:46 PM »
There are quite a few posters here who use real names. If you want to lift the veil, no one is stopping you from doing so for yourself.  but why would you need other people to do it as well?  Unless you think that there is safety (anonymity) in large numbers.

I have an unusual last name, to the point where if you combine my first and last name I am the only "me" that I can see.  yup I'm not changing from Neverrun.

me too. I know this is only semi-anonymous, prefer that than anyone knowing who I am, for whatever reason.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 02:17:09 PM by partgypsy »

hoping2retire35

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #54 on: April 12, 2017, 02:45:39 PM »
somewhat related...
when others message me they often include the first name in the signature. Is it impolite to not do so? I've just always signed -Hoping. Maybe once I am Fire'd Ill use my first name.

partgypsy

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #55 on: April 13, 2017, 05:31:31 PM »
somewhat related...
when others message me they often include the first name in the signature. Is it impolite to not do so? I've just always signed -Hoping. Maybe once I am Fire'd Ill use my first name.

I just use my handle. Good enough for me.

pachnik

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #56 on: April 27, 2017, 03:06:50 PM »
Spartana, that sounds very frightening.  So glad he's in jail. 

I had 'a bit of a stalker' once and it really bothered me but nothing like your experience. 

sol

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #57 on: April 27, 2017, 07:15:56 PM »
Except Sol with his handsome face avatar on the internet for all women to see and desire ;-).

I don't worry much.  If the mugshot doesn't scare them away, the personality usually does.

gex

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #58 on: April 28, 2017, 02:28:34 AM »
Pre-internet days my sister had a very serious aggressive and violent stalker for close to 20 years. She had one date with him (where he brought her dead flowers and a funeral card) and assaulted her and then relentlessly pursued her for years. She was 17 and left home as soon as she finished high school and tried to remain anoynomus for years by travelling and living overseas. But whenever she returned home he was there...waiting. And that was before the internet and social media was popular. I imagine stuff like tyat is easier now. He died so out of her life but scary stuff. 

Very scary stories - both you and your sister.
One trick to is to keep everything online very compartmentalized. In other words keep your MMM identity totally separate from your work/LinkedIn identity, which is separate from your social media circle identity, etc. - all with different names, no connections whatsoever. This makes it more difficult for someone to go through everything online and connect the dots. The less information you provide, the safer your identity remains. And if you want to go Jason Bourne, use separate hardware for each persona.
Also keep in mind that your home router and electronics can act as a surveillance system for hackers and third parties. Linksys routers were found to be vulnerable recently, see here: https://thehackernews.com/2017/04/linksys-router-hacking.html

Regarding how to compartmentalize your different online identities, see #13 here: https://restoreprivacy.com/simple-privacy-guide/

BlueHouse

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #59 on: April 28, 2017, 08:47:31 AM »
I replied early in this thread (since deleted) about getting a RL stalker via this forum
Spartana,
I'm sorry for you and for us.  I've enjoyed your posts precisely because they did give a glimpse into what seems to be a fabulous life.  You've been an inspiration to me and I often picture you playing your sport at your previously disclosed locations (just the type of location...not a city or anything).  I'm sorry that that kind of detail would cause someone to actively seek you out IRL.  I've posted some financial stuff, and I let people know the city I live in and proximity to a major landmark.  I bet you can even guess what color house I live in.  I'm wondering now if I should be a bit more private. 


Sofa King

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #60 on: April 28, 2017, 10:19:12 AM »

I don't think it's for me.  The truth is, I don't care.  I see greater benefit to being known than unknown.  I feel I have insights or information that could be beneficial to other people and to me - but I don't share because then I wouldn't be anonymous on the forum.

So what do you say, drop the curtain and say "who cares?".  Or stay inside my anonymous internet shell like everyone else?

Then why are you not using your real name for a user name and a pic of you to go with it?

Jakejake

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #61 on: April 29, 2017, 08:33:51 AM »
For most of us, it's a combination of three factors:

1) ...
2) ...
3) We don't want to be bombarded with bailout requests from spendy, irresponsible family members who only hear that we're "rich"

This! Bailout requests, presumptions that we will always take the out to fancy restaurants and foot the entire bill (even if we'd never pay that much for our own food), etc. Or visiting and assuming we will give them our own household items that we are still using to replace ones they've worn out - which they can't afford to replace because they've spent all their money on useless collectibles. That's happened to us!

Not to mention inheritance drama. In other generations in my family, I've seen the least frugal members create all sorts of inheritance drama by helping themselves to the finances of their still living parents with dementia - since the other siblings don't need it as much as they do. And I can see the warning signs of that happening in my generation.

Zikoris

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #62 on: April 29, 2017, 01:33:14 PM »
I replied early in this thread (since deleted) about getting a RL stalker via this forum
Spartana,
I'm sorry for you and for us.  I've enjoyed your posts precisely because they did give a glimpse into what seems to be a fabulous life.  You've been an inspiration to me and I often picture you playing your sport at your previously disclosed locations (just the type of location...not a city or anything).  I'm sorry that that kind of detail would cause someone to actively seek you out IRL.  I've posted some financial stuff, and I let people know the city I live in and proximity to a major landmark.  I bet you can even guess what color house I live in.  I'm wondering now if I should be a bit more private.
is it a white house!? Yeah yeah I bet its white ;-). Thanks for the compliment. I'm pretty anonymous now and not doing any social media now so dont worry much and can use some of the techniques Gex mentioned above. FWIW I do get what the OP was talking about though.  Reading about RL non-anonymous people and their path to FIRE (think Arebelspy et al) and following along here or on their blogs/Facebook/Twitter etc... really does help confirm that this is really all possible and pretty easy to do.

This resonates with me. Part of the reason we decided to "go public" is because our situation is pretty unique in the "ER-Sphere" - lower income, expensive city, still saving 60%+. I do think there's a lot of value for people to demonstrate that it's possible for people don't fit the ER stereotype (high income tech people, basically) to still do this thing. On the other hand, at this point it's very easy to find out a lot about us, and people sometimes recognize us on the street. It even came up in a job interview for me last year, because the person googled me and stumbled across a lot of stuff (still got the job though!). No bad side effects yet, luckily, but it's always a possibility.

BudgetSlasher

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #63 on: April 29, 2017, 05:44:03 PM »
What is in a name?

I've got friends that I do not think I have ever called by their given name and I have had friends that had entire parts of their life that, for one reason or another, I knew nothing about.

So you come out online and wish to be know by your given name of Joe Mchiddenmoney of Elsah Illinois, what does that gain anyone? In all likelihood I will never meet you face to face and I am still am only forming an understanding of who you are based on what you (self-selectedly) have communicated on the internet. I see no difference between that and calling someone by a nickname or them choosing not to involve me in parts of their life.

If you wish to be out on the form by your real name please feel free (I will still probably remember you by your username), for me I would not choose to share detailed personal information coupled with a name on an online forum with open registration and (if I recall correctly) does not even require an account to read the threads. Of course that is only relatively anonymous, if one were to read all of my post they would be able to narrow down the pool of people that I might be.


Thegoblinchief

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #64 on: February 11, 2018, 07:54:31 AM »
I share quite publicly on my journal and for much of my time on the forum have had a picture of myself on my profile. I’ve also met quite a few Mustachians IRL at this point, less than some folks who travel a lot, but I’m not a big privacy/anonymity person.

Dicey

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #65 on: February 11, 2018, 08:53:52 AM »
Just found this thread. Lots of good answers. I have two more to add to the growing list.

- In real life, I would never reveal my net worth upon introduction, nor would I ask someone theirs. Ditto for salary, mortgage balance, amount of charitable giving, etc.

- To protect the privacy of others. When I finally started a journal, I changed my user name, specifically because I wanted to talk about the influence (good/bad/indifferent) of others in my journey to FIRE and beyond.

More simple courtesy than a desire to hide my actual name, I suppose.

SwordGuy

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #66 on: February 11, 2018, 09:07:01 AM »



Some will get jealous and mean about it.  (Ask me how I know.)
How do you know?

Snarky comments from some.   Chewing out by another.


SC93

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #67 on: February 11, 2018, 01:27:18 PM »
Having been on the internet since it became popular back in the 90's, I am anonymous to some and some I am not. I have become very good friends with some people from the internet. Some people from the internet I hang out with every weekend now but if not for the internet, we would have never known each other. From this particular site I have found 2 people that know people that I know and I have given my website to a few others.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 10:33:47 AM by SC93 »

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #68 on: February 11, 2018, 02:13:05 PM »
It's the internet. IRL nutjobs tend to limit their behaviour. IRL most people are bound by some degree of courtesy. On the net, a bored nutjob can and will create havoc, and feel quite entitled to do so. They see it as a fun evening and think no more about it when they shut their laptop. No point making it easy for them. I'm kind of immune from more of the online weirdness due to living on a small island in the Southern Hemisphere, but I've had a bit of it and I've seen a whole lot more of it play out in forums.

SC93

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #69 on: February 11, 2018, 04:03:26 PM »
^^^^^ Once I am off of my computer I think no more of it. If or when I choose to cause havoc, I forget all about it by the time I'm 2 seconds away from my desk. I use certain platforms for my business under a special name and when I am conducting business, I NEVER do anything except business on it. When I am not on under my name that I use for business.... I don't care. But, that's also how I am in person. So I'm not being someone on the internet that I'm not in person. Everyone else can think of the internet how ever they want... to me, it's just the internet.....

netskyblue

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #70 on: February 12, 2018, 09:22:21 AM »
I'm not concerned about people I know IRL "figuring out" who I am on MMM or any other internet platform.  I AM concerned about run of the mill psychos using info found online to track me down and do who knows what to me.  The number of PMs I've received on this forum alone asking me to do a greencard marriage creeps me the heck out.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #71 on: February 12, 2018, 09:50:11 AM »
I'm not concerned about people I know IRL "figuring out" who I am on MMM or any other internet platform.  I AM concerned about run of the mill psychos using info found online to track me down and do who knows what to me.  The number of PMs I've received on this forum alone asking me to do a greencard marriage creeps me the heck out.

Really? Weird. Granted, I’m a dude but I’ve never gotten a PM that wasn’t directly related to the forum.

hadabeardonce

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #72 on: February 12, 2018, 10:27:51 AM »
On MMM I use a different user name than I do on other forums to make it a harder to connect all my digital dots, bits and bytes that are on the interweb. I'm not saying I'm worthy of a stalker, but someone may search for my typical handle and I don't want MMM posts to pop up with my financial details.

In person I'm pretty open about my financial plan and helping others navigate retirement planning. I wish I would have gotten started earlier, understood financial fees, and that a pile of stuff wasn't going to give me what I really wanted in life(although the stuff donations did help lower my taxable income), so I try to spread that experience around.

partgypsy

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #73 on: February 12, 2018, 10:43:54 AM »
One guy even posted pictures of me, culled from the web, complete with insulting commentary, for the entire forum to enjoy.  Not cool.

Yeah, not cool at all. Hope that individual was banned.

It's not as bad as it sounds, when you consider that sol has chosen to publish a photograph of his own dour mug with every post he makes.  He even once posted a partial full body shot, not only of himself but also of his brother.

In all seriousness, though, I'm not surprised to hear that sol has been the victim of cyberstalking.  Other popular forum members have complained about similar incidents, and when it comes to forum popularity (or notoriety), I would guess that sol tops the list.

and it's not like I'm anyone famous

You should probably start thinking of yourself as something of a celebrity, sol, at least in early retirement circles (which seem to have been growing significantly more sizable lately).
Um, I'm pretty sure that's not a picture of Sol for his profile pic.
eta oops! sarcasm is hard to read on the internet : )
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 11:01:45 AM by partgypsy »

ePalmtrees

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #74 on: February 12, 2018, 10:46:29 AM »
I'm not sure why you need someone else's validation to use your real name and picture if you choose to. Think about what you share, obviously, I mean duh. But the odds of a stalker or someone sending a police officer to your house are low enough not to be a concern, I would think.

Eric

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #75 on: February 12, 2018, 11:00:54 AM »
Um, I'm pretty sure that's not a picture of Sol for his profile pic.

He knows.  It was a joke.  You can tell by the part where he's joking.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #76 on: February 12, 2018, 11:28:52 AM »
But the odds of a stalker or someone sending a police officer to your house are low enough not to be a concern, I would think.

I doubt I'm not the only one that would disagree with that, due to personal experience.  Don't think it's not something that happens often (it does), or 'it wouldn't happen to me'.

moof

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #77 on: February 12, 2018, 12:29:52 PM »
The brutal reality we live with is that the more posts/info you have online in your own name the more can be misconstrued or improperly used against you, often without knowing it even happened.

Stuff on the web never dies if you want it to.  So my posts from a decade or more ago on various forums live on long past my recollection of my username/password and ability to scrub them.  Discussions I will have here differ greatly with those I have with fellow rock climbers, backpackers, and such on other forums.  Many of those discussions are not what I want popping up if my current or future employer googles me.  Even totally innocent discussions can give the impression that I would be rather be outside than stuck in a cubicle (true), which is not the first thought I want a potential manager to have about me.

How many of us would like our "Permanent Record" from grade school to pop up on a google search?  How about every product review you have ever done (which indicates a lot of the type of stuff you have bought)?  How about any online discussions about your kids, difficulty with kids, health issues with your kids, or health issues having kids?  Using online forums to help navigate the world is totally reasonable, but I don't want someone to be able to casually look up EVERYTHING I have ever said on any online forum with ease.

So it is not just anonymity, but using varying online presences to control how much stuff a creepy search will turn up.  Tools like Google default to "Full Privacy Invasion Mode" by default, thus I default to "Full Obfuscation Mode" by default.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 02:44:27 PM by moof »

MrThatsDifferent

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #78 on: February 12, 2018, 12:44:32 PM »
I can’t imagine why, on a site about how people make themselves financially independent anyone would reveal their identity or details that would motivate a clever hacker to ruin them!?!

That said, MMM has put everything out there, has more than most of us and seems ok. Still though, no way in hell for me.

Just Joe

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #79 on: February 12, 2018, 03:13:08 PM »
Nope. Don't want to be judged along side the 1996 version of me scattered across the web. I've learned a few things since then. I was never a bad person prone to rants but still, nope. Naive would best describe me at times (even now).

Some of us have had open, frank conversations about various financial topics here using people around us as examples.

Nope, don't want to publicly call out anyone. I'm trying to improve myself as much as delivering metaphorical dope slaps to people around me.

IRL I'd rather lead by quiet example than call people names to their faces. That wouldn't accomplish anything but put me at odds with people around me.

Working through some of the topics I've studied here was very educational in many ways and I don't want to stop that.

I invite you to reveal yourself in your entirety if you so feel motivated. Not me though. I'll remain a GMail user with a handle.

Kyle Schuant

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #80 on: February 12, 2018, 03:25:08 PM »
So what do you say, drop the curtain and say "who cares?".  Or stay inside my anonymous internet shell like everyone else?
I believe my answer is in my username.

Ideally I would have some privacy online. If I could go back... but I've been on the internet since 1998, that horse has bolted. People can always track you down, and credit card databases and the like are always being hacked and sold or published. May as well just decide to be all out there.

We had privacy once, but we traded it for online gossip, cat videos and porn.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2018, 03:26:58 PM by Kyle Schuant »

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #81 on: February 12, 2018, 04:24:58 PM »
There’s a great talk called “Privacy is Dead...Get Over it” or something like that. It’s quite a few years old, can’t even imagine what the same talk would be like today. I really don’t worry about privacy because a truly motivated attacker (the only one I’m really worried about) can deanonymize basically anyone.

BDWW

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #82 on: February 12, 2018, 04:51:02 PM »
There’s a great talk called “Privacy is Dead...Get Over it” or something like that. It’s quite a few years old, can’t even imagine what the same talk would be like today. I really don’t worry about privacy because a truly motivated attacker (the only one I’m really worried about) can deanonymize basically anyone.

Good Luck, I'm behind 7 proxies

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #83 on: February 12, 2018, 04:53:24 PM »
There’s a great talk called “Privacy is Dead...Get Over it” or something like that. It’s quite a few years old, can’t even imagine what the same talk would be like today. I really don’t worry about privacy because a truly motivated attacker (the only one I’m really worried about) can deanonymize basically anyone.

Good Luck, I'm behind 7 proxies

Steve?

Slee_stack

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #84 on: February 13, 2018, 01:45:00 PM »
What does NOT locking my bike in public do for anybody?

Of course it can still be stolen, but I've just encouraged a shit ton more people to take it...

Slee_stack

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #85 on: February 14, 2018, 09:56:15 AM »
Came across this article: http://www.ajc.com/news/they-shared-their-lives-youtube-then-obsessed-fan-came-calling-with-gun/SLqz60NgrSnxBj9VMVP3xO/.

Another reminder that there are amazingly loony people out there and that that it only takes one nut-job to ruin your life.  Why knowingly create that chance if you don't have to?

Eric

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #86 on: February 14, 2018, 12:26:35 PM »
Came across this article: http://www.ajc.com/news/they-shared-their-lives-youtube-then-obsessed-fan-came-calling-with-gun/SLqz60NgrSnxBj9VMVP3xO/.

Another reminder that there are amazingly loony people out there and that that it only takes one nut-job to ruin your life.  Why knowingly create that chance if you don't have to?

And I'm sure you can find at least one news article about why you should avoid doing every single thing someone would do either inside or outside of their house.  Don't drink.  Don't not drink.  Don't eat red meat.  Don't ride your bike.  Don't fly.  Don't sit for too long.  Don't exercise too much.  It never ends.  Shit, I think I saw something last week about how eating asparagus might make tumors spread faster.  Am I going to stop eating asparagus?  Hell no.  That would be stupid, as it's both delicious and nutritious.

Life's better if you choose to not live in fear.

Slee_stack

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #87 on: February 14, 2018, 12:55:28 PM »
And what is the BENEFIT to not being anonymous on the internet?

Is that worth the negatives?

Everything is risk-return. 

Obviously you agree on this subject as you don't have your detailed IRL info on your post.

Are you 'living in fear' in this regard?

Eric

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #88 on: February 14, 2018, 01:40:52 PM »
And what is the BENEFIT to not being anonymous on the internet?

Is that worth the negatives?

Everything is risk-return. 

Obviously you agree on this subject as you don't have your detailed IRL info on your post.

Are you 'living in fear' in this regard?

My real first name is Eric.  I'm sure if you read through my posts you'll easily find that I live in Silicon Valley.  Maybe you can tell from my avatar that I'm a Cubs fan.  You can probably also deduce that I like to ride my bike.  Come do your worst! 

Up to a point, there are no negatives.  What can you do with that info?  Nothing.  What good would it do me to lie?  Nothing.  Why post at all if you're unwilling to reveal even the slightest identifying characteristics?  You obviously wouldn't want to post your SS# and mother's maiden name, but you wouldn't share that info with your neighbor either.




SC93

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #89 on: February 14, 2018, 02:14:35 PM »
I'm anonymous on Facebook too. lol About half of my real life friends are too. One off my favorite names on Facebook was Ken More but Facebook figured out it was fake and now I can't access it. Keep in mind I sell used washer/dryers..... Ken More :)

I don't really care if people know who I am but why is it anyone's business?

Just Joe

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #90 on: February 14, 2018, 03:25:23 PM »
My real name is Andy Taylor. I live in NC. You can look me up. For real. ;)

ysette9

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #91 on: February 16, 2018, 09:34:21 AM »
My name is Ysette9. No last name, my parents just liked having a number in my name to distinguish me kindergarten. I live in the Bay Area where I can not get funny looks for introducing myself with a name that includes a number.

PDXTabs

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #92 on: February 16, 2018, 03:11:01 PM »
I find this thread interesting, because I work in software, and lots of people that work in software have a large (and not anonymous) online presence.

I have a public blog, with my real name, and I am reluctant to link to it from MMM because... that's the MMM way.

obstinate

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #93 on: February 17, 2018, 07:47:51 AM »
The internet is not a great place for transparency if you are an individual. In some cases, there can be good returns, such as when you blog professionally. But I would only expose myself in those contexts. I was recently involved in a situation where my being identifiable in this forum could have been used to embarrass me. A motivated individual could probably unmask this account through textual analysis and whatnot, but fortunately nobody was pissed off enough to go through that kind of trouble. So I tend to remain anonymous unless there is a foreseeable benefit in being known.

willieaames

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #94 on: May 09, 2019, 02:06:49 AM »
Pre-internet days my sister had a very serious aggressive and violent stalker for close to 20 years. She had one date with him (where he brought her dead flowers and a funeral card) and assaulted her and then relentlessly pursued her for years. She was 17 and left home as soon as she finished high school and tried to remain anoynomus for years by travelling and living overseas. But whenever she returned home he was there...waiting. And that was before the internet and social media was popular. I imagine stuff like tyat is easier now. He died so out of her life but scary stuff. 

Very scary stories - both you and your sister.
One trick to is to keep everything online very compartmentalized. In other words keep your MMM identity totally separate from your work/LinkedIn identity, which is separate from your social media circle identity, etc. - all with different names, no connections whatsoever. This makes it more difficult for someone to go through everything online and connect the dots. The less information you provide, the safer your identity remains. And if you want to go Jason Bourne, use separate hardware for each persona.
Also keep in mind that your home router and electronics can act as a surveillance system for hackers and third parties. Linksys routers were found to be vulnerable recently, see here: https://thehackernews.com/2017/04/linksys-router-hacking.html

Regarding how to compartmentalize your different online identities, see #13 here: https://www.bestvpn.co/

Thanks, This is helpful.

BTDretire

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #95 on: May 09, 2019, 11:30:37 AM »
Most of us choose to remain as anonymous as is reasonably possible, because here we openly discuss quitting our jobs in the near future and we don't particularly want our employers to discover that about us.  There are repercussions to such information becoming widely known in your workplace.

If you're already retired?  Sure, go for it.  Many of the more well-known FIREd forum members have been outed by articles in the popular press.

  Well Sol if you are trying to remain anonymous, maybe you should remove your photo!
Just kidding :-)

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #96 on: May 10, 2019, 05:28:03 PM »
There are the plenty of creeps and criminals out there.

 I’m not going to go to extensive lengths to protect my IRL identity because in the end I think it would be an exercise in futility. That said I also see no profit in being particularly open about my identity, either.

Kyle Schuant

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #97 on: May 10, 2019, 08:17:01 PM »
Two jobs ago, back when I had the power to hire and fire members of my team, I absolutely took a look at candidates' online presence when deciding who I wanted to invite in for face to face interviews.
It's this kind of reasonable fair-minded nonjudgmental behaviour from managers makes me glad I'm self-employed.

HPstache

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #98 on: May 10, 2019, 08:30:32 PM »
I like the anonymity by name, but I wish there was a thread for everyone to post a picture of themselves so that I can put a face with a screen name, but that probably wouldn't happen too successfully.

FIREstache

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Re: Being Anonymous - Maybe it's not for me...
« Reply #99 on: May 11, 2019, 05:00:25 PM »

I've been using the interwebs for well over 20 years, and I've always remained anonymous whenever possible.  Whether this site was for financial, retirement, environment, it doesn't matter to me.