Curious. If you don't post your childrens names in your siggy, can you tell me why?

[Copswife]

DD or nickname vs. actual first name.

 

I'm all for privacy, but is there a reason why you wouldn't post a first name?

 

:glare:

[Just Robyn]

I don't just because it is SO unpopular to do so on these boards. I'd just rather play along. Honestly, I don't think child abusers get on the internet to decide whom to abuse next.

[Sevilla]

For privacy - it's a public board, I'd rather not parade my IRL identity for anyone to see. I've been around the internet for a decade and have seen enough to make me convinced that less is definitely more when it comes to what you share online ;). (And it has nothing to do with fears about random internet 'child predators' and everything to do with not wanting people who know me IRL to find me on boards when I don't desire for those parts of my life to be publicly broadcast - or might not want them stalking me online :)).

[Just Robyn]

I'd just like to figure out HOW to make a signature. :lol:

 

But you have over 8,000 posts!:001_huh:

 

Ok, click on your username. Go to your personal profile. Click on user control panel at the top. Then click on edit signature on the left.

[laundrycrisis]

For privacy - it's a public board, I'd rather not parade my IRL identity for anyone to see. I've been around the internet for a decade and have seen enough to make me convinced that less is definitely more when it comes to what you share online ;).

 

:iagree: Our kids do not have very common names and if I used them, combining the two of them in a Google search specific to this forum would quickly bring up all of my posts if that was in my signature, or all of the posts that included their names. Anyone who had met me IRL and knew their names and wanted to "check me out" online would only need to combine our kids' names in a search to get a lot of information here and at other forums. I have known of people who were cyber stalked by someone who barely knew them IRL. I don't want to make it easy to do that. I do not have anything to hide or be ashamed of. But there are unreasonable people who use the internet in less than nice ways. Frankly I don't like that forums are searchable by the public and I figure the less personal information I put out there, esp my own kids' combination of names, the better.

[foxbridgeacademy]

For privacy - it's a public board, I'd rather not parade my IRL identity for anyone to see. I've been around the internet for a decade and have seen enough to make me convinced that less is definitely more when it comes to what you share online ;). (And it has nothing to do with fears about random internet 'child predators' and everything to do with not wanting people who know me IRL to find me on boards when I don't desire for those parts of my life to be publicly broadcast - or might not want them stalking me online :)).

 

:iagree:exactly

[AmericanMom]

Privacy. My dh is kind of a public figure locally and I don't want to have to be so concerned about what I say or that someone might use that against him in some weird way. And it seems like giving our children's names would make it easier for someone to figure out who I am.

[ourjourneys]

For privacy - it's a public board, I'd rather not parade my IRL identity for anyone to see. I've been around the internet for a decade and have seen enough to make me convinced that less is definitely more when it comes to what you share online ;). (And it has nothing to do with fears about random internet 'child predators' and everything to do with not wanting people who know me IRL to find me on boards when I don't desire for those parts of my life to be publicly broadcast - or might not want them stalking me online :)).

:iagree:

[Gracily]

It's a public board that anyone can read, registered or not. I'd rather not have all my family's info out there in public. As the pp said it's not so much a concern about predators but more about nosy IRL people.

[boscopup]

Yeah, it's just the fact that the board is googlable. Though if anyone wanted to figure out who I was, they could probably easily do so. :tongue_smilie:

[EKS]

I say a lot of stuff on these boards--mostly about special needs and gifted issues--that I don't talk about as frankly with people I know IRL. Even without names an astute person who knows me well will probably be able to put me here together with me IRL, but I figure leaving out the names makes it a little less obvious.

[warriormom]

I just like nicknames. I think it really shows the personality of my children. My captain america told me that I needed to have more children since he is going to be a super hero when he grows up. He does not want me to be lonely :tongue_smilie: Princess Pea cries princess whenever I put her in a dress.

[Copswife]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate it. It makes more sense to me now. And being a cops wife, hello. I try to be smart about these things, but couldn't see how just a first name would make it easier w/o the last. :) But now it does!!

[Maverick_Mom]

For privacy - it's a public board, I'd rather not parade my IRL identity for anyone to see. I've been around the internet for a decade and have seen enough to make me convinced that less is definitely more when it comes to what you share online ;). (And it has nothing to do with fears about random internet 'child predators' and everything to do with not wanting people who know me IRL to find me on boards when I don't desire for those parts of my life to be publicly broadcast - or might not want them stalking me online :)).

 

What she said. :001_smile:

[MrsMe]

Don't see why anyone needs to know.

[stripe]

I don't keep my kids' names secret in real life but I don't see why anyone needs to know my kids' name -- what difference does it make? I don't really post much about them either except as it involves educational stuff. I think posting about their toilet training or temper tantrum isn't really fair.

[tristangrace]

I post ages because they may be relevant to whatever topic is under discussion. The names of my kids are not going to be relevant.

[mcconnellboys]

I just started blogging this school year. I did a search using the name of my blog the other day and already someone has stolen the one head-shot I have on there of my older son to create what looks like a fake account of some sort. It's really weird and creepy, too. Another link tied to the name of my blog seems to be linked to a computer virus. So it is apparent that once your info is out there in cyber-space, lots of nefarious creatures may take hold of it and attempt to twist it or mis-use it.

 

I already use my name online, so if I throw around my children's names, too, folks will have access to their complete names. I don't keep my whereabouts a secret. Once in my city it would be very easy to find us. I'm just not interested in that much togetherness....

[nansk]

I don't keep my kids' names secret in real life...

:001_huh:

 

Sorry, but what exactly did you mean? No one I know would talk about their kids with nicknames IRL :tongue_smilie:

[Crimson Wife]

I use first names on sites where I can control who sees that information but not in public boards.

[RahRah]

Privacy. My dh is kind of a public figure locally and I don't want to have to be so concerned about what I say or that someone might use that against him in some weird way. And it seems like giving our children's names would make it easier for someone to figure out who I am.

 

:iagree:

 

Same here.

[Tree House Academy]

No one else did...and these boards, while they can be intimate at times within small groups, are HUGE. It does me no good to tell my kids' names...no one is going to use them. Heck, 90% of the time, I will post something to a thread and a responding poster will start with, "Hey, Tree House..." LOL. and this after being here for 3 years and my name is in my siggy. So...why bother!?

[Ellie]

Privacy. I don't post my dh's name, either.

[Mallory]

I don't have any specific privacy issues, I just think and age and gender are most important for others looking at my sig, so that's what I put ;)

[Momling]

I don't just because it is SO unpopular to do so on these boards. I'd just rather play along. Honestly, I don't think child abusers get on the internet to decide whom to abuse next.

:iagree:

[justamouse]

Because the boards aren't hidden. Most boards that I DO post them on are private boards that are non visible to random web surfers. I won't do it here. Though I DO think that random surfers should have access because we have such a wealth of info here.

[stripe]

:001_huh:

 

Sorry, but what exactly did you mean? No one I know would talk about their kids with nicknames IRL :tongue_smilie:

I mean, in real life, I don't keep my kids' names secret. I don't use nicknames on the boards. I refer to them as "my child" not as, say, "Wing Tip the Spick" or other random nickname.

 

I also don't care if "strangers" know their name. Some people are paranoid about having kids' backpacks or stickers with their names on them. I am not. And in fact, probably more people address me as my kids' mother, than by my own name.

 

But on here, I don't see it as illuminating anything. It's a false sense of community to think anyone cares, and also, I don't think it is fair to publicize details of my children's daily life that have nothing to do with educational matters.

[Haiku]

If you google my kids' names, there are a bunch of hits that lead to news articles about our family. Glad the articles are out there; want some anonymity here.

 

Tara

[Mom in High Heels]

I personally have a wildly unusual name (which is also spelled weird-I kind of hate my parents for their kre8tiv spelling) which could easily lead anyone to find me (if they knew how to spell my name!). Indy's name is uncommon as well (though not spelled weird). I say a lot of things that I wouldn't necessarily say IRL on public forums and I don't want anyone who might be searching for me (or Indy) to find them. Besides, what does anyone care what our real names are on a public forum.

 

On a side note, I posted on another site (on my birth board) about Han Solo's birth and had about 6 messages asking me if we really named him Han Solo. James Bond and I LOL'd over this. He wondered if they questioned the odds of me being married to man named James Bond and having kids named Indy and Han Solo (which are both in my siggy line there too).

[mytwomonkeys]

i figured most people don't care what their names are, just how old they are or their grades.

[silliness7]

Because the boards aren't hidden. Most boards that I DO post them on are private boards that are non visible to random web surfers. I won't do it here. Though I DO think that random surfers should have access because we have such a wealth of info here.

 

I found these boards due to random surfing, so I am glad they are public. I did post my very common name but no other names. :001_smile:

[Julie Smith]

I never post by my real name. It's a unusual name, and when put with my last name I am the only one in the word with that name combination.

 

So my name is not Julie Smith, or anything close to Julie Smith. I picked that name out years ago as my online name since it is one of the most common ones in the world.

[Hen]

I took names off for privacy, not for fears of predators. These boards are public and anyone can google stuff. I do have a blog, I use nicknames there too- but someone trying hard enough could probably figure out who I am..I just don't want to make is so easy.

 

Regina, that stinks about your photo of your kids! that is one of my fears- tho not enough of a fear to keep me from posting photos, I love photography, I guess it would be more on a dread level. Do you watermark your photos? that might make someone not want your photo if the name of your blog is written right across it. I use photoshop elements to add a watermark, but you can also do it on picassa- which is free. I do a watermark that is see-through and then my blog name on the bottom. you can also rename your photo w/your blogname which could help, too.

[kalanamak]

I am frank about what I do and where I live. If people really wanted to track me down, they could. My son has a different name, and I just don't want to have to always think "can I be frank about this or that" every time I post.

[Satori]

Well, I took off my dd's name from my sig, but there's not much I can do when the domain name and forum name is my daughter, hehe. I'm not worried, we started out our first 4 years with a very public online life. This is mild in comparison. I blog and I'm aware that everything I write is read by my family, high school friends, elementary grade teachers, neighbors, etc... I try to keep out of the General forum.

 

The only photo that (I'm aware of anyway) someone took of mine was one where Ellen DeGeneres got a hold of and put her friend Oprah Winfrey's face in it. I forgive her, even though I wasn't asked permission. :)

[Gracily]

Well, I took off my dd's name from my sig, but there's not much I can do when the domain name and forum name is my daughter, hehe.

 

I would of assumed your forum name was your last name. I grew up with several people who have Satori as their last name.

[Satori]

My last name is one thing I have deliberately tried to keep private in the past two years. But I know if someone wanted to figure it out, they probably could.

[Hedgehog]

It's a public board that anyone can read, registered or not. I'd rather not have all my family's info out there in public. As the pp said it's not so much a concern about predators but more about nosy IRL people.

 

This.

 

And I think it's up to the kids to choose what and how much they reveal of themselves, when they're old enough.

[Bee]

Same reason I don't post my own first name. Though my board name is a variation of my name and it's possible that someone could guess and figure out who I am.

[Audrey]

DD or nickname vs. actual first name.

 

I'm all for privacy, but is there a reason why you wouldn't post a first name?

 

:glare:

 

 

Umm... mostly because it's none of y'all's business. :D

[Koerarmoca]

if it was a pvt forum I would but I rather keep their identities pvt. I don't have an issue using my own real first name. Michelle is not uncommon at all their are tons of us.

[susankenny]

Their names are irrelevant. I don't post any personal info on the internet.

 

Susan

[Ritsumei]

:001_huh:

 

Sorry, but what exactly did you mean? No one I know would talk about their kids with nicknames IRL :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol::lol:Clearly you don't know mw IRL! We called our oldest "Monkey" from conception, and sometime around 18 months I realized he didn't answer to his name... only "Monkey." :001_huh::blushing: We set to teaching him his real name immediately.

 

 

Our family is another that has a collection of unusual names, so I use nicknames online for us all. If you don't know me well enough to know my kids' names (or to feel comfortable enough to ask) then you don't need to know them. I'm careful about our location too: I've done a little with community politics, and it show up in google. I don't want someone to be able to track us down that easily. I'd rather be called paranoid than wish I'd been more careful. Most folks are nice, but the creeps are often really creepy.

Edited April 9, 2011 by Ritsumei

[arghmatey]

I don't think anyone deserves to know.

[Karenciavo]

Hi copswife, haven't seen you in a while. :seeya:

[nov05mama]

These boards are public and anyone can google stuff. I do have a blog, I use nicknames there too- but someone trying hard enough could probably figure out who I am..I just don't want to make is so easy.

THIS!:001_smile:

[edelweiss]

For privacy - it's a public board, I'd rather not parade my IRL identity for anyone to see. I've been around the internet for a decade and have seen enough to make me convinced that less is definitely more when it comes to what you share online ;). (And it has nothing to do with fears about random internet 'child predators' and everything to do with not wanting people who know me IRL to find me on boards when I don't desire for those parts of my life to be publicly broadcast - or might not want them stalking me online :)).

 

This. Exactly. ;)

[Ellesmere]

Privacy.

[eternalknot]

I don't have a signature in which to post their names.

 

:seeya:

[....]

I'm all for privacy, but is there a reason why you wouldn't post a first name?

 

:glare:

 

Two of my uncles are high-profile in the federal government. We have had some safety issues (not in a long time).

 

I do think that people can find you very easily with or without protecting your info...in this day and age. So, it's probably fruitless.

 

And, there's weirdos out there.