Do You Use Your Real/Legal Name in Online Forums Past 2013?

[Idiysar Almond]

"Nobody use their real name online" and its variations were something that's popular to internet users at least in 00's. Apparently it's outdated now, probably ever since the smartphone era and google starts to asks for real name and integrate almost every service.

It's perfectly understandable for social media to want their user to use their legal identity. But i've seen people starts applying "RealNamePlease" beyond social media: they think people should also use it on online forums, not even they think that pseudonym should be allowed.

I'm personally still conservative to the "don't use your real name online", even on facebook since i have like more than 200 people i never want them to found/connect to me online since i still can't forgive them. I prefer to be able to select people that could be close with me rather than random people went "hey i see you have same alma mater with me, so we must be friend right?" with me or random relative that are older than me went "i've seen you in the days where you're still wearing your diaper, so your opinion on this thing is totally wrong and mine must be right". I also don't really like telling my first name to strangers in my country without meeting me, since most of them would falsely assume my gender (i got my name in both male and female list when i apply for student's union).

What do you think about this? Should you use your real/legal name on any online forum, including fandom forums and gaming forum, beyond professional platform such as social media and job seeker site? If you ever registered in an online forum where the paradigm of using real name online has already switched, did you actually use your real/legal name for it?

 

[Digiforlife]

how about "half"? mix of real/legal + fictitious names? Also I reckon the real issue lies not with names but with passwords nowadays...

 

[BladeSabre]

As a teenager I used various pseudonyms. I now use my real name in most places online. But I'm glad that people can't easily find my teenage stupidities. And even now, I prefer not to be too public about the extent of my Digimon obsession

I think kids and teenagers should be discouraged from using real names online, because they don't have a full grasp of consequences yet. And I'm totally against websites requiring real names, including social media. Here's an interesting list to think about: http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Who_is_harmed_by_a_"Real_Names"_policy?

 

[Unknown Neo]

...Can I use video responses? Is that something only a few do? Sorry if that's too sarcastic. Anyway. The short of the matter is, No F blank way. Never. I don't even really like that facebook made me. Why would I? I don't get to be myself if people can find what I say. The most with Twitter and a forum or two.

 

[Jaybird C]

No. A consistent online persona is perfectly valid means of online interaction and has the bonus of putting an extra layer of obfuscation between you and people who may want to hurt you.

 

[Unknown Neo]

Well yeah. This is how people know me. This is me on the internet. Sort of a superhero thing.

 

[Koharu Nanakura]

Not really, and I never will. Even my Facebook account isn't using my real name.

 

[DontStopPataPata]

I’m surprised how many people on here are against using their real name on Facebook? Most of the people on my Facebook are friends, family, co-workers, and former schoolmates. With only a few online friends on my Facebook. So I have no reason to use a fake name on there. I also have my settings set to private and to where I can only be sent a friend request if we have mutual friends.


Online forums such as this I see no reason to use my real name. That always seemed odd when people do that like on the former IMDB boards.

 

[TMS]

Yeah, it takes the Facebook tradition of being "friends" with strangers rather far.

 

[Muur]

On social media sure, I'm not gonna make up some fake name when I have real people on there. my IRL mates would be like why is your name set as "Meiko Mochizuki"?

 

[PinkIceFox]

Since I have no social media accounts to speak of (anxiety based paranoia on top of a extreme fear/dislike of people keeps that from happening), all of my accounts are various names I came up with in the past. This one just happens to be the oldest of the ones I use. I think maybe I've mentioned my first name in passing once or twice though when referring to myself in a funny story or something.

 

[Lhikan634]

Never. I try to keep online and irl accounts as separate as possible. I juggle 10 admin and admin-related positions across the Internet (mainly account security, anti-phishing, copyright, and related), so it's pretty much a necessity. I've already had to deal with a number of online stalkers (and one who apparently crossed the online / irl bounds) without connecting my online and real-world activities.

But it's weird at the same time because of social media and professional networking. With more and more professional interactions going online, I'm also having more and more accounts tied to my real-life identity instead. It's sort of like leading a double Internet life, I guess.

 

[RasenPoKeimon]

I actually dislike the new era of people using real names since to me it seems so dull. If you are using a name over a username I find it cooler if they use a name like the Myspace era site models. Granted most who use real names on Twitter or YouTube tend to be going for a serious thing over the people I know like fandubbeers,lpers etc so that part makes sense

 

[Donkey?]

Nope not even FaceBook has my real name

 

[HotMagnus]

I have 2 facebooks. 1 for family only/family friends/local moms with my real name and 1 for all my internet friends with a fake name, but I name I want to be real.

 

[cosmicrow]

My social media like Facebook is only for family and personal friends; so, yes I use my real name there. Things like instagram and twitter have my real name (first and last or just first). For platforms like this, where I know I'm going to be more... 'virtual' (does that make sense?) I use a screen name. But I don't really have a problem giving out my first name or last name. Honestly, I think a lot of the logic around not using it was fear for a lot of people. "What if someone finds out where I live based on my name?" which is entirely understandable. But, I think someone could likely just figure that out based on IP, which ... doesn't matter what name I'm using.

Honestly, I just like my username XD it has a fun little meaning for myself, so.. I want to use it!

 

[Faust]

Most people thing my username is just that based on various anime and what not. At this point in life, I am who I am, I don't feel the need to hide things. I still use a handful of usernames but for the most part, it's usually just my name.

 

[Unknown Neo]

If it helps, how many would believe Faust is a real name. Sure there's Lauren but you get what I mean right?

 

[HotMagnus]

As a first name? Does seem a bit unique.