I don't post alot of personal info, but I don't use my name either. I have a name I use online and also have an email account in that name. Is all this info you found on someone's real name or just a user name? It wouldn't bother me at all what people found on my user name, because it's not the real me. I've always been careful what info I post and don't post many pictures either.

tina

I cringe sometimes at the personal stuff I see posted on forums, but I figure some people are more willing to put it all out there than I am. I was divorced for over a year before I mentioned it here without a lot of detail.

You are right about the internet being less anonymous than people realize. I go by different names on different sites. I didn't plan it that way; it never occurred to me to use the same handle over and over when I was signing into them. Still, I'm sure someone could collect a fair amount of information on me if they wanted.

Some of this attitude is generational. There is the old-school opinion that a woman's name should appear in the news on three occasions, when she is born, when she marries and when she dies. And then there is Facebook and Twitter.

I wouldn't dare use this name at other sites either. I also don't care if someone looks me up here and see where I've posted on the GW forums.

Interestingly I googled my forum name and found a lot of entries...none from me, tho...except for GW postings. Apparently the other Pesky1's have knee problems posted on a weight loss forum; are 23 yo males; and is a well educated 45 year old gay man from Australia.

My real name reveals I'm dead; I've had hip replacement; and I'm an award winning dancer. About the 3rd page in you finally get to the real me, which is linked to my employer.

I just googled my name here, and Google thinks it's a misspelling of a couple of other names or words, so I don't come up at all.

But then, I'm so paranoid on the internet, I have an internet alias for my cat.

I got the results that I was searching for plus hits on an acne board, a weight loss board, a health board and a travel board! Unless they have a very unique ID, it might not be the same person. I googled my GW user ID once, there's a lot of people out there using that ID.

Still, I do agree about putting too much out there.

Pesky....I'm so sorry to hear about your death! You do type really well for a dead gal though!

Hmmmm.....
"Living dead Girl" is a waaaayyy cool song from Rob Zombie...;-)

Faron

I can't imagine having multiple online names. LOL I probably wouldn't be able to keep up with who I was where. Then again, I post on very few forums.

tina

Tina, it's no different than having multiple passwords.

I don't do that either. LOL

tina

You should!

I set up a google search years ago with my name. I get a daily report. There are a few other people with my name - one is a journalist. So far, none of the people who share my name have done anything to embarrass me. LOL!

I have a few passwords. One I use strictly for financial transactions (very secure) and a couple others for things I don't care so much about (easier).

I know I am an open book but I never say anything I couldn't stand behind on the net. I'm always warning younger folks about complaining about their work on FB, etc. "You must erase that ASAP! People have been fired, etc."

If I google my real name - I am a veterinarian in another english speaking country. Not dead as far as I know :) Poor Pesky!
If I google my GW name, I am an advertising firm! and then quite a few listings down,I am a decorating disaster with a smart aleck attitude. Hmmm maybe that is too telling.

I love my GW name, especially if I hit images.

LOL!!!

When I google my dlm200 screen name I get this;
Yokogawa DLM2000 is the ultimate mid-range laboratory oscilloscope, available to you at an entry level price.
Who knew?! Then there's stuff from Garden Web and then the pics I have Public at Photobucket.

But the thing that kind of freaks me out is when I google my name, I get multiple hits for my high school reunion profile page! That should NOT be coming up on a search. Thankfully I didn't put every little detail of my life in there - not even my address or phone - but still.....

I use different names and passwords. I have never used my name, sorry I am not really Shannon I just liked the name. I may reveal a lot of personal stuff but don't think anyone would find me any sooner than if they hired a private eye.

I feel really bad for my dd. When you google her name a really, really hot 20ish girl from Vegas pops up. It worries me that some freak out there might think that is really my dd. No matter how much I have tried to tell her and her friends about personal info online I am always amazed at how much they put out there. Which is why we are trying so hard to make sure she knows about creepy stuff in case she tries to have a myspace or whatnot without our knowledge.

GD- is that you in your other career?

Unfortunately my dh has a common name. A local child support agency decided to search every guy with that name in CA and start garnishing taxes, wages etc. They served 5 different guys, non of which had same soc sec as offending dad. When we asked why they did not bother to at least check the soc sec number to see if they had the right guy they said "they just don't have the manpower". After speaking with the Attorney General's office we got the county to send us a letter admitting what they did and that they were wrong and would take responsibility for any harm it might cause. Dh's info got mixed up in the credit bureaus with the offending dad. It has taken years of checking every few months to make sure my dh's info stays unmixed up with the bad dad.