‘ve just typed in to google a four word search based on broad generic terms based on what i do for a living, which i’ve made no secret of, and the town in which I live,again no secret. and my grinning face (which I recently poosted on here) was the fourth result.

You’d need to do that with a “clean” browser, i.e. either in porn mode or with all cookies etc deleted. Otherwise you’re probably getting google’s scary optimisation stuff, which will make searching for yourself a lot easier.

Never mind the MoD’s someone tracked me down via here to ask me who the support band was at a Pogues concert in Edinburgh in 1988! And I managed to get him an answer..it was entirely made up of course, or was it?

I found out this morning that if you make a formal complaint to Twitter about someone stalking or abusing you on there then Twitter helpfully send your real name and address to the person you’ve made the complaint about.

Which seems somewhat counter-intuitive.

Ronnie who?

I had a friend who sent someone what they thought would be an “anonymous” email from a newly created Gmail account. Turns out there’s no such thing as anonymity on the Internet!

In South Africa (and now in Spain I’ve found) you have to give ID to get yourself a SIM card. So no hiding behind a burner-phone either.

I tried that, found a lot of other people with my first name

Weirdly my unusual surname makes me slightly harder to find, because it finds a bunch of chiropractors called Mike. Hence the -chiro* in the Google search I shared earlier.

I had a friend who sent someone what they thought would be an “anonymous” email from a newly created Gmail account. Turns out there’s no such thing as anonymity on the Internet!

I ‘anonymously’ set up a blog. When The Times reported it they used my full name, though that’s now hidden behind their paywall: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1500600,00.html

I tried that, found a lot of other people with my first name (available from my public email address).

Ten minutes and I reckon I know who you are.

I used to moderate on a big audio forum and that software would show you all the IPs a user had posted from, and other users who had posted from the same IP etc, so you could find fake users quite easily.

See, I couldn’t remember if he’d posted on here what his job is so I didn’t search for that.

I actually haven’t.

I actually haven’t.

Not explicitly but you’ve given enough info on your field of expertise and the subject of your PhD that it narrowed the search parameters significantly..there are only so many places that a fellow with those skills could find gainful employment.
Nice hat, by the way. Matches the frock magnificently.

Also ….have tracked down the real identity of molgrips in an idle 10 mins. 😉 More than 20 PR’s on your ride on Monday – Chapeau!

I suspect linkedin might have helped you there PP – otherwise, no idea! I think my name’s abbreviated on Strava?

Anyway, feel free to pop over, I’m giving the Kona a bit of TLC, and the kettle’s boiled.

More than 20 PR’s on your ride on Monday – Chapeau!

Thanks, but it’s ride I’ve only done twice 🙂

your field of expertise and the subject of your PhD

I knew I was revealing a bit, but because I have never come out and said anything specific (as far as I remember), I thought I was being moderately discrete!

Alas, I don’t actually mind people knowing who I am particularly; I just wouldn’t want my posts to be judged based on presupposition.

Incidentally, there are at least two people on this forum who post from my IP address. Lest the mods think I’m cheating.

Thanks, but it’s ride I’ve only done twice

Random Kudos nonetheless 😉
Wouldn’t want to have you at a disadvantage. It’s only fair.

I’m genuinely interested to know how you lot found me – feel free to email me to explain.. and no I’m not phishing for revenge 🙂

Incidentally, there are at least two people on this forum who post from my IP address. Lest the mods think I’m cheating.

Just one from one of your regular IPs but not your main one.

My name is in my public profile. I think this would be a better place if everyone was obliged to use their (verified) real names

Op,

Yes, they know.

🙂

My name is in my public profile. I think this would be a better place if everyone was obliged to use their (verified) real names

My original login was just my full real name (mikemctimoney) but my students kept finding me online, so I started using this name. It was always possible to get from this name/activity to my real name, but the intention was that it was hard to find me online starting from my real name.

They found me anyway.

In the end I decided that I’d just never post anything online that I wouldn’t say to a colleague while walking through the student common room. Much simpler.

I was chatting about this today with the Prost 8 guys while accompanying them through Rothiemurchus. It’s amazing how easy it is to find the real person from their internet personas. There’s folk on here I’ve never met/had any dealings with who still refer to me as Onion and/or my real name.

Bizarrely given no info but my user name threw up “the hundredth idiot” who rides bikes but is definitely not me.

In the end I decided that I’d just never post anything online that I wouldn’t say to a colleague while walking through the student common room.

This is a very good policy, and one I try to adhere to. I’ve always operated on the principle that I could be found, and have therefore tried to keep the tone of what I say mature and appropriate for a variety of audiences.

This is a very good policy, and one I try to adhere to. I’ve always operated on the principle that I could be found, and have therefore tried to keep the tone of what I say mature and appropriate for a variety of audiences.[/quote]I wouldn’t say my tone is mature and appropriate but I would say it’s in keeping with that I adopt face-to-face. I’ve never held to the idea that the internet isn’t “real life”.

Never post anything that I wouldn’t want my wife to read.

My name is in my public profile. I think this would be a better place if everyone was obliged to use their (verified) real names

Good way to kill off a site – I don’t think I would stay.

or you think you’ve not met

I don’t think I would stay.

Still not seeing a downside tbh :Wink:

Joke I agree with you tbh but anonymity, or the perception thereof allows us to act in ways we would not in the real world

This is both good and bad.

Well I can now recommend that you don’t google image search ‘footflaps’ unless you like seeing pictures of feet in various stages of decomposition / surgical re-assembly….

Good way to kill off a site – I don’t think I would stay.

You could just make a name up as no one would know it wasn’t your real name.

Do you go around interrupting other people’s real life conversations and having them gagged because you don’t approve of what they are saying, Scotroutes?

Tea’s ready dear.

Edukator – Troll
Do you go around interrupting other people’s real life conversations and having them gagged because you don’t approve of what they are saying, Scotroutes?

I’m not aware of “interrupting” any conversations on here given that everything typed is for everyone to read /reply to. Sort of the definition of a forum. As for having people gagged. I’m not sure what you are getting at. The only forum members with that “power” would be the mods.

The first 2 words of your quote is your answer.

scotroutes – Member

Reported.

(falls foul of the rules, Jules)
Posted 1 day ago # Report-Post

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ditching-the-missus/page/5

The “troll” tag came after a conversation about EU law and it’s implications for Internet site content, Drac.

Ah. Perhaps the Mods need to issue a clarification regarding the use if certain phrases related to the physical abuse of women. I had a warning / post removed on that same thread for a very similar post.

Thanks for the explanation, Scotroutes. I didn’t know that you had had a post removed and thought it was just a gratuitous thread report from someone who wasn’t taking part in the conversation.

Do the mods care who we are?

FIFY

I did suggest this in my op, bikebuoy.

Not that I think any of them would have enough time on their hands, or even care

A couple of years ago I tried this with a random selection of usernames to see if this was true. About 70-80% of the time I could find the users real name and address within about 10-15 minutes.

I’d be curious as to what you (or anyone else) could find about me given,

a) I’ve tried to separate my account here from personal details generally and,

b) In Real Life I’ve got an Internet footprint the size of Belgium.

And also, you know, I’ll abuse privs if you work it out. (-:

The “troll” tag came after a conversation about EU law

FWIW, we (Moderators) don’t have access to that.