How anonymous are we?
 

On a few occasions here I have mentioned my decision to use my real name instead of a pseudonym.

A lot of people on the Cellar use pseudonyms. This provides some casual protection, and at some point some of us decide to link to our 'real' selves. Radar linked to his campaign site and Maggie linke to a new article. Some of us link to a page of pictures or other data which give away our identity.

So I guess I want to ask what kind of anonymity do we think we have on the Cellar? What do we expect?

I'm pretty sure Buster intended to post an old set of papers with his name on them, so he probably didn't care. I did find one user wearing the shirt of a local real estate company where they worked on a picture site. Someone else here mentioned something about trouble at work which could be searched using Google or Yahoo.

Is Cellar anonymity like low grade encryption? Something we use to keep ourselves off of mailing lists and to give ourselves the illusion of not being tied to our words? Does anyone think that the Cellar offers true anonymity?

I don't try to hide anything. If people want to ask I'll be happy to tell them. The reason for this is that if someone really wants to find me, they'll do it whether I help them or not.

There's no such thing as privacy.

True, but what about someone who doesn't ask? Personally, I'm almost an open book, but there are some things I obscure. On websites that insist on asking for a birthdate or zip code, I usually fake it, which can cause some embarrassing moments if you forget your password and can't remember the fake zip code.

In my book, there are the 'real agencies' like banks and credit card companies, who I can give information to, and everyone else, who really don't have a need to know.

In my personal experience, it doesn't matter what sort of protection you have on your computer, if someone wants in, they'll get in sooner or later. After that, they've got enough info to fill in any blanks you don't have on your comp.

That's why I don't bother trying to hide anything.

As some old-timers may know, I made a change in this respect some years ago.

My primary goal is that prospective employers not get easy access to my cellar postings from a casual Google search of my real name. I'm not embarassed by anything (much) I've written here, but this is a place for me to let my hair down, and I prefer not to have my writings here analyzed.

I'm under no illusion that a determined person could find out, but they would be more likely to start with SteveDallas and learn my real name, than vice versa.

I've prettymuch told my age, vaguely, but so many times that its prettymuch narrowed down, and I think my name's floating around here or there maybe.

I'm glad you raised this Rich, 'cause it's something I've been trying to find the words for for some time now. I've deliberately tried to stay (readily) un-identifiable, despite the immediate urges to post away like mad. I've given away my age, city, orientation, status and not much else.

Posting pictures, video and personal info make it so mush easier and quicker for one to be a recognisable part of a group, and make it easier to tell stories or relate to the stories of others with personal experiences. Conversly, not sharing gives the impression that one might have something to hide.

Self-censoring with anonymity in mind seriously limits what you are able to talk about and share (believe me, I know :( ). If everyone did it, this place would be far less interesting, but I'm afraid I'm not about to change too much too soon.

I had a bad experience a couple of years ago. It came about by me giving too much away and being a bit too personal on a forum. I should have known better. That's why I'm stand-offish now.

It's not a matter of fear of being "tied to my words", it's a matter of not knowing who you're talking to, and what their motives might be. In my brief time here I don't think I've said anything here that I wouldn't stand by.

I know that the fact remains, that if someone wants to find (out about) me, they could.

The only thing that would cure this type of "stand-offishness" is if everyone here knew each other well enough to trust them with personal info, but that aint gonna happen.

I like it here, the people are great (mostly :p ) and I'd love to share more, but for the moment, it's "once-bitten-twice-shy" for me. We'll see what happens.

So, with that in mind, to answer the original questions - What do I expect? - simply that my position be respected, and that I 'll respect the views of others. Do I believe I have "true anonymity"? Nup! But the cheap copy we've got will do!

I probably should worry more about my privacy. I've given my name indirectly, through pimping the band. From there, it's a phone book away. I'm not worried necessarily. I keep guitars and amps at another house, the guns are locked up. You want to try to come get some, have at it I suppose. That'll be cause for a thread or two I'm sure.

meh. give me a call anytime. i'll tell you how i feel about it.

I'm in exactly the same situation as Mr. Dallas.

I don't care if you guys know who I am, and where I live, but I don't want people who know my real name to be able to find my posts here.

I'm somewhat anonymous here. I've given clues to who I am. I think I linked to an active aerial shot of my house, so that pretty much gives you directions to my place. I've e-mailed a couple of you, so if you save those e-mails, you have my name. Katkeeper and UT have my credit card number.

My mom now knows my cellar id. One of her readers saw my angry diatribe against -- what was his name? the one pushing the peach-pit nonsense? -- and told her. She took exception to my choice of language. :blush: However, when I described the charlatanism being perpetrated, she agreed that it was warranted.
Oh, well. Now, I have to post everything as though my Mom might be reading it.

I share enough personal details that if someone really wanted to work at figuring it out, I suppose they could, and of course, several folks here know me for real.

At least one other user here has linked to my employer's website, but that's about as close as anyone has gotten. S/he may have remembered that I worked there, possibly not.

Katkeeper and UT have my credit card number.

Actually we just pass the transaction along to authorize.net and no credit info is saved at all. That way we can't make a mistake and let your numbers out by accident.

I've got nothing to hide. I've posted links to the lab I work at, and pictures showing where my building is and what floor I am on if you really wanted to find me. Same with my home. I figure, someone could follow me to my car, get my licence plate and get the same info with a little work so what the hell do I care if someonoe in the UK knows what I've shared here?

Cool! But I'd trust you with that info. Just as I'd trust LJ if I was buying a car from Nissan in NJ.