11 ms·

Why so many people in Hacker News do not use their real names?

noncoml 3y ago
The north remembers,and the internet never forgets.
ThrowawayTestr 3y ago
When I was a child, during my very first visit to the computer lab, my teacher told me to never share personal details with strangers online. An indeterminate number of years later, I still follow her advice.
elmerfud 3y ago
What is a name but a way to identify who you're talking to? Does a handle not serve the same purpose?
mouse_ 3y ago
My parents taught me well to never use my real name on the internet.
h2odragon 3y ago
I've been "h2odragon" online since 1991. My real name is completely generic (and shorter). You can find out what it is without a lot of effort, if you want, I'm not paranoid about it. I'm just more comfortable and feel more special as "h2odragon."
fuzzfactor 3y ago
I think you get more wide-ranging comments that way. Seems like a lot less limitation too.
s1artibartfast 3y ago
IMO using your real identity anywhere online discourages open conversation and exploration. I dont want current or future employers sifting through my post history, or anyone else for that matter. Even if you don't think your opinions are controversial today, that doesn't mean they wont be in the future, and there are several groups that scrape the web to archive content they disagree with.
- imtringued 3y ago
  I have noticed that the overton window on some topics has moved so much that you can't even discuss them properly anymore. Attempts to deescalate don't work anymore or even make you a target.
- almatabata 3y ago
  > Even if you don't think your opinions are controversial today, that doesn't mean they wont be in the future, and there are several groups that scrape the web to archive content they disagree with. And language changes over time, what used to come across as a joke can become quite offensive in the future. People will look at the post and interpret it in today's context and apply today's meaning to it. They will not attempt a charitable interpretation by checking what the context of a post was 5 years ago. And they will not check if for example 5 years ago we did not have the same level of evidence as today. Even worse as well I have noticed that often times your statement gets misread. People will read something into your post you sometimes did not even intend. For some it is just because English is a second language. But other times you will see outright malicious attempts to misread a post to make it appear in the worst possible light just to satisfy their daily need for outrage.
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    > People will read something into your post you sometimes did not even intend. I think this is an expression of something that seems to be a fundamental aspect of human nature: we tend to see what we expect to see rather than what is really there.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
rolph 3y ago
we are not in an exclusive enclave; there are hostile elements here. there are also some major techplayers here, that im sure would be flooded out of functionality by a mob of lookyloos, that just want to say hi im your fan, autograph please?
bell-cot 3y ago
I'm not here to enhance my personal brand. Doing that would require a passably distinctive name anyway - vs. I'm much closer to "John_Doe_37" than to "Isaac_Asimov".
JohnFen 3y ago
I don't use my real name here (or anywhere online) because it lets me be more open and honest in my public conversations. If I used my real name, there are a lot of things I wouldn't dare to even comment on. It is my real identity, though. It's one of the names I've been using consistently online for decades, so there is continuity. The "JohnFen" you saw online 15 years ago is still the same "JohnFen" you see online now.
qsort 3y ago
Because while you could definitely find out who I am, I don't necessarily want this account to be the first thing that comes out if someone googles my name. Bonus points for ungooglable usernames.
add-sub-mul-div 3y ago
It's a very privacy-hostile site, it's the only site I've ever used where I can't delete my comments. Since I don't have control over my content here I'd never associate it with my real name. I don't remember everything I posted ten years ago. None of it was blatantly terrible, but I have evolved and don't know if I stand behind everything I've ever said. I could only consider an account here to be for throwaway content.
- s1artibartfast 3y ago
  I have likely posted some terrible things online on various sites that could easily get me fired or cause me trouble. Sometimes these are illustrations in debate to demonstrate a repugnant conclusion. Sometimes they have been roleplaying the opposite of my actual position, to better understand it. Sometimes I have just had bad takes. I think all of these are natural and healthy parts of the human growth, and legitimate uses of online conversation. Not everyone else feels this way, or care about the context of speech they find objectionable.
- tailspin2019 3y ago
  I do kind of agree with this, and I definitely resonate with not wanting to have to worry about what I said ten years ago. But to the degree that HN is "privacy hostile" as you put it, with regards to not being able to delete comments, I'd say that it's also "privacy friendly" to an almost equal degree, given there is absolutely no personal information required in order to create an account. And there is none of the usual invasive social network crap which drives me away from literally every online platform apart from HN.
- StreetChief 3y ago
  I wish I had been this smart.
  - fsflover 3y ago
    You can always create a new account.
    - 3y ago
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
ativzzz 3y ago
I think you should have at least 2 HN accounts. 1 for projects you are trying to market - this account can be publicly tied to the project and you can use it to comment on related topics. Useful for building credibility 1 for everything else Managing online personas is part of living a digital life. There is no need for everything you do online to be easily correlated to your real persona. Anonymity and privacy are much harder to reclaim than give up, so you should give them up sparingly
- andai 3y ago
  3. Account that has already been shadowbanned, for communicating with the fine folks who enabled showdead.
jenkstom 3y ago
Because around 5% of people are profoundly unreasonable to the point of malignancy. That explains a lot of human behavior, actually.
neuronerdgirl 3y ago
I think my handle already gives a pretty clear reason I'd prefer my anonymity here and on the internet more generally.
andai 3y ago
Why don't people sign their comments with their home address like they used to? I blame the decline in testosterone levels ;)
RegnisGnaw 3y ago
I'm using 99% of my real name :) Its the only place I do so.
Joker_vD 3y ago
Those names are real, you can (and do) reliably use them to address people. Did you mean the AFK names, perhaps?
marssaxman 3y ago
The site is called Hacker News, and its culture descends somewhat from the hacker culture of yore, in which aliases always featured prominently. Even outside that culture, creative nicknames were the norm on the multitude of message boards like this one which were common before social media. I suppose the custom persists because it is useful, and comfortable, and people like it.
subtra3t 3y ago
I look back on the views I held 3 years ago, the things I said and/or did back then, and I cringe immensely. I do not want anything I write to be irreversibly linked to my real name, especially on a website that doesn't allow one to delete comments or even their own profile without an email to a moderator [1]. [1]: Not throwing shade at dang here, but I do not want any content I write to be permanent in nature especially when that permanence is at the whims and wishes of another human (I think that phrase was slightly awkward, please tell me if you found it awkward too).
howenterprisey 3y ago
Golden rule: different username per website (and don't connect them afterwards) unless you have an EXCELLENT reason to do so. Real name? Absolutely not. Wikipedia admins have had people call their jobs to try to get them fired. You don't need good privacy practices until you do.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  I don't go with a different name for each website ("forum", really, because it's not just websites). Instead, I go with a different name for each subculture. That way there is still a continuity of identity within a particular social group.
YaBa 3y ago
Life tip, don't use your real name online. Nothing good comes from it.
zer8k 3y ago
Using your real identity anywhere online is a terrible idea. I'm not sure exactly when it happened that it became normal but I'm guessing social media is why. I see two problems: 1. You can never be truly honest. Everyone has a side they don't project when their reputation is on the line. With a pseudo you can project it, and dump the name if things get too hot. Maybe your opinion is en-vogue today but worthy of real life harassment later. Maybe you are a person who belongs to a group of people that are not well liked. Maybe alphabet soup agencies want you. Who knows - all you know is you can't predict the future. 2. It encourages validation seeking behavior. Evidence: social media. Professionally, linkedin is a shithole of validation seeking losers posting below-the-fold faux-philosophy and/or corporate shilling. These people likely wouldn't do this if their identity was not attached to a face, an address, and a company. Overall, it's a net loss to use your real identity. For the last 25 years I haven't needed to tell anyone online my real identity and I won't for the foreseeable future. I have plenty of friends on IRC and other places that only know me by my handle. This is not a bad thing.
iancmceachern 3y ago
I use mine. I've always wondered if they was a good choice or not.
reify 3y ago
My family, friends and colleagues know my real name and that is enough. I value the privacy of my family and friends and the ability to remain incognito. In the world of psychotherapy there is no trust without confidentiality. On the internet there is no trust simply because there is no confidentiality. All this personal sharing doesn't make sense to me. Who in their right mind thinks it is OK to share your real name on any website with the entire population of the world.. Why do you need to know who I am? If only the Internet had an ethical Framework like the BACP Extract from the Ethical Framework of (BACP) The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. We will protect the confidentiality and privacy of clients by: a. actively protecting information about clients from unauthorised access or disclosure b. informing clients about how the use of personal data and information that they share with us will be used and who is within the circle of confidentiality, particularly with access to personally identifiable information c. requiring that all recipients of personally identifiable information have agreed to treat such information as confidential in accordance with any legal requirements and what has been agreed with the client at the time of disclosure d. informing clients about any reasonably foreseeable limitations of privacy or confidentiality in advance of our work together, for example, communications to ensure or enhance the quality of work in supervision or training, to protect a client or others from serious harm including safeguarding commitments, and when legally required or authorised to disclose e. taking care that all contractual requirements concerning the management and communication of client information are mutually compatible f. ensuring that disclosure of personally identifiable information about clients is authorised by client consent or that there is a legally and ethically recognised justification g. using thoroughly anonymised information about clients where this provides a practical alternative to sharing identifiable information
- pitherpather 3y ago
  > We will protect the confidentiality and privacy of clients by: Perhaps add h: keeping the therapist's cell phone in a sound-isolated enclosure.
jiveturkey 3y ago
this is my real name. you insult me, sir
cpach 3y ago
People have different preferences when it comes to online identity. Personally, I believe that for me it’s easier to behave reasonably and hold myself accountable when not being anonymous.
mikewarot 3y ago
I've always used my name or KA9DGX, my amateur radio call sign. I'm lucky to have two identifiers that are collision resistant. I'm only aware of one other Mike Warot, who works as a guard at the British museum. Name collision is the only thing I can think of for a good reason to make up a name.
Clubber 3y ago
You shouldn't ever use your real name on any public forum ever. This has been true since the BBS days.
ImAnAmateur 3y ago
Because it's the internet. Anyone in the world can see a post, decide to do something, and then try and seek me (or my family, job, etc) out. I grew up watching YouTubers struggle under the weight of popularity without the professional teams that celebrities employ. I've also seen a mob of thousands harass an individual for a few days because of something that was false. I'd like to be able to walk away from the computer for some peace if I get upset over something online. I also like the ability to be wrong. I am serious about behaving appropriately so that I don't have to fear being revealed online, but there are some previous posts of mine (even here) that I feel embarassed about because they didn't come across right or I was wrong about something. If one person confronts me about that, I'll live with it. If the internet does, then what if I always have to defend myself because there's ten thousand plus people who ask? Online, it's hard to have a one-on-one conversation. I may speak to one person, but anyone may reply. I'm sure one day the me online will be 1:1, but until then I like the peace and calm. Here's the best metaphor I can think of on short notice: John moved to a new city recently and he was looking at the houses along his block. He noticed they all had something on their doors. Curious, he asks a neighbor, Alice, what it was for. Alice replies, "When it rains." John is confused. "We had a lovely sprinkle just yesterday." He says with an eyebrow raised. "I think you're too worried." "No," Alice shakes her head. "When it pours. The water can reach up to your waist."
akasakahakada 3y ago
Why would anyone use their real name on everything? Are you Chinese government?
wooque 3y ago
They lack balls.
scionthefly 3y ago
Only humans have real names. I'm a figment of the computer's imagination.
VikingCoder 3y ago
Because one time a stalker started harassing me. It only needs to happen once and your attitude changes pretty quickly.
ruskyhacker 3y ago
I don't know the answer to your question, but have often thought the same thing. I used to have this saying - at some point you have to take the tinfoil hat off and just "live a little." My thoughts is I'd never make a name for myself if people didn't know who I was. Now at almost 34, I just straight up don't care anymore. I'll never "be someone" and I'm too old in tech to be taken seriously by the movers and shakers. Not sure where I'm really going with this other than I fully understand opsec, the hacker mindset, cyber security, etc, but I've never really cared to stay private because I wanted to be known. Now that I'm likely as good as I'll ever be, it doesn't really matter lol. If someone finds something I said in poor taste, I'll apologize and hopefully have learned from it and move on.

The north remembers,and the internet never forgets.

When I was a child, during my very first visit to the computer lab, my teacher told me to never share personal details with strangers online. An indeterminate number of years later, I still follow her advice.

elmerfud 3y ago

What is a name but a way to identify who you're talking to? Does a handle not serve the same purpose?

mouse_ 3y ago

My parents taught me well to never use my real name on the internet.

h2odragon 3y ago

I've been "h2odragon" online since 1991. My real name is completely generic (and shorter). You can find out what it is without a lot of effort, if you want, I'm not paranoid about it. I'm just more comfortable and feel more special as "h2odragon."

fuzzfactor 3y ago

I think you get more wide-ranging comments that way. Seems like a lot less limitation too.

s1artibartfast 3y ago

IMO using your real identity anywhere online discourages open conversation and exploration. I dont want current or future employers sifting through my post history, or anyone else for that matter. Even if you don't think your opinions are controversial today, that doesn't mean they wont be in the future, and there are several groups that scrape the web to archive content they disagree with.

imtringued 3y ago
I have noticed that the overton window on some topics has moved so much that you can't even discuss them properly anymore. Attempts to deescalate don't work anymore or even make you a target.
almatabata 3y ago
> Even if you don't think your opinions are controversial today, that doesn't mean they wont be in the future, and there are several groups that scrape the web to archive content they disagree with. And language changes over time, what used to come across as a joke can become quite offensive in the future. People will look at the post and interpret it in today's context and apply today's meaning to it. They will not attempt a charitable interpretation by checking what the context of a post was 5 years ago. And they will not check if for example 5 years ago we did not have the same level of evidence as today. Even worse as well I have noticed that often times your statement gets misread. People will read something into your post you sometimes did not even intend. For some it is just because English is a second language. But other times you will see outright malicious attempts to misread a post to make it appear in the worst possible light just to satisfy their daily need for outrage.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  > People will read something into your post you sometimes did not even intend. I think this is an expression of something that seems to be a fundamental aspect of human nature: we tend to see what we expect to see rather than what is really there.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

rolph 3y ago

we are not in an exclusive enclave; there are hostile elements here. there are also some major techplayers here, that im sure would be flooded out of functionality by a mob of lookyloos, that just want to say hi im your fan, autograph please?

bell-cot 3y ago

I'm not here to enhance my personal brand. Doing that would require a passably distinctive name anyway - vs. I'm much closer to "John_Doe_37" than to "Isaac_Asimov".

JohnFen 3y ago

I don't use my real name here (or anywhere online) because it lets me be more open and honest in my public conversations. If I used my real name, there are a lot of things I wouldn't dare to even comment on. It is my real identity, though. It's one of the names I've been using consistently online for decades, so there is continuity. The "JohnFen" you saw online 15 years ago is still the same "JohnFen" you see online now.

qsort 3y ago

Because while you could definitely find out who I am, I don't necessarily want this account to be the first thing that comes out if someone googles my name. Bonus points for ungooglable usernames.

add-sub-mul-div 3y ago

It's a very privacy-hostile site, it's the only site I've ever used where I can't delete my comments. Since I don't have control over my content here I'd never associate it with my real name. I don't remember everything I posted ten years ago. None of it was blatantly terrible, but I have evolved and don't know if I stand behind everything I've ever said. I could only consider an account here to be for throwaway content.

s1artibartfast 3y ago
I have likely posted some terrible things online on various sites that could easily get me fired or cause me trouble. Sometimes these are illustrations in debate to demonstrate a repugnant conclusion. Sometimes they have been roleplaying the opposite of my actual position, to better understand it. Sometimes I have just had bad takes. I think all of these are natural and healthy parts of the human growth, and legitimate uses of online conversation. Not everyone else feels this way, or care about the context of speech they find objectionable.
tailspin2019 3y ago
I do kind of agree with this, and I definitely resonate with not wanting to have to worry about what I said ten years ago. But to the degree that HN is "privacy hostile" as you put it, with regards to not being able to delete comments, I'd say that it's also "privacy friendly" to an almost equal degree, given there is absolutely no personal information required in order to create an account. And there is none of the usual invasive social network crap which drives me away from literally every online platform apart from HN.
StreetChief 3y ago
I wish I had been this smart.
- fsflover 3y ago
  You can always create a new account.
  - 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

ativzzz 3y ago

I think you should have at least 2 HN accounts. 1 for projects you are trying to market - this account can be publicly tied to the project and you can use it to comment on related topics. Useful for building credibility 1 for everything else Managing online personas is part of living a digital life. There is no need for everything you do online to be easily correlated to your real persona. Anonymity and privacy are much harder to reclaim than give up, so you should give them up sparingly

andai 3y ago
3. Account that has already been shadowbanned, for communicating with the fine folks who enabled showdead.

jenkstom 3y ago

Because around 5% of people are profoundly unreasonable to the point of malignancy. That explains a lot of human behavior, actually.

neuronerdgirl 3y ago

I think my handle already gives a pretty clear reason I'd prefer my anonymity here and on the internet more generally.

andai 3y ago

Why don't people sign their comments with their home address like they used to? I blame the decline in testosterone levels ;)

RegnisGnaw 3y ago

I'm using 99% of my real name :) Its the only place I do so.

Joker_vD 3y ago

Those names are real, you can (and do) reliably use them to address people. Did you mean the AFK names, perhaps?

marssaxman 3y ago

The site is called Hacker News, and its culture descends somewhat from the hacker culture of yore, in which aliases always featured prominently. Even outside that culture, creative nicknames were the norm on the multitude of message boards like this one which were common before social media. I suppose the custom persists because it is useful, and comfortable, and people like it.

subtra3t 3y ago

I look back on the views I held 3 years ago, the things I said and/or did back then, and I cringe immensely. I do not want anything I write to be irreversibly linked to my real name, especially on a website that doesn't allow one to delete comments or even their own profile without an email to a moderator [1]. [1]: Not throwing shade at dang here, but I do not want any content I write to be permanent in nature especially when that permanence is at the whims and wishes of another human (I think that phrase was slightly awkward, please tell me if you found it awkward too).

howenterprisey 3y ago

Golden rule: different username per website (and don't connect them afterwards) unless you have an EXCELLENT reason to do so. Real name? Absolutely not. Wikipedia admins have had people call their jobs to try to get them fired. You don't need good privacy practices until you do.

JohnFen 3y ago
I don't go with a different name for each website ("forum", really, because it's not just websites). Instead, I go with a different name for each subculture. That way there is still a continuity of identity within a particular social group.

YaBa 3y ago

Life tip, don't use your real name online. Nothing good comes from it.

zer8k 3y ago

Using your real identity anywhere online is a terrible idea. I'm not sure exactly when it happened that it became normal but I'm guessing social media is why. I see two problems: 1. You can never be truly honest. Everyone has a side they don't project when their reputation is on the line. With a pseudo you can project it, and dump the name if things get too hot. Maybe your opinion is en-vogue today but worthy of real life harassment later. Maybe you are a person who belongs to a group of people that are not well liked. Maybe alphabet soup agencies want you. Who knows - all you know is you can't predict the future. 2. It encourages validation seeking behavior. Evidence: social media. Professionally, linkedin is a shithole of validation seeking losers posting below-the-fold faux-philosophy and/or corporate shilling. These people likely wouldn't do this if their identity was not attached to a face, an address, and a company. Overall, it's a net loss to use your real identity. For the last 25 years I haven't needed to tell anyone online my real identity and I won't for the foreseeable future. I have plenty of friends on IRC and other places that only know me by my handle. This is not a bad thing.

iancmceachern 3y ago

I use mine. I've always wondered if they was a good choice or not.

reify 3y ago

My family, friends and colleagues know my real name and that is enough. I value the privacy of my family and friends and the ability to remain incognito. In the world of psychotherapy there is no trust without confidentiality. On the internet there is no trust simply because there is no confidentiality. All this personal sharing doesn't make sense to me. Who in their right mind thinks it is OK to share your real name on any website with the entire population of the world.. Why do you need to know who I am? If only the Internet had an ethical Framework like the BACP Extract from the Ethical Framework of (BACP) The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. We will protect the confidentiality and privacy of clients by: a. actively protecting information about clients from unauthorised access or disclosure b. informing clients about how the use of personal data and information that they share with us will be used and who is within the circle of confidentiality, particularly with access to personally identifiable information c. requiring that all recipients of personally identifiable information have agreed to treat such information as confidential in accordance with any legal requirements and what has been agreed with the client at the time of disclosure d. informing clients about any reasonably foreseeable limitations of privacy or confidentiality in advance of our work together, for example, communications to ensure or enhance the quality of work in supervision or training, to protect a client or others from serious harm including safeguarding commitments, and when legally required or authorised to disclose e. taking care that all contractual requirements concerning the management and communication of client information are mutually compatible f. ensuring that disclosure of personally identifiable information about clients is authorised by client consent or that there is a legally and ethically recognised justification g. using thoroughly anonymised information about clients where this provides a practical alternative to sharing identifiable information

pitherpather 3y ago
> We will protect the confidentiality and privacy of clients by: Perhaps add h: keeping the therapist's cell phone in a sound-isolated enclosure.

jiveturkey 3y ago

this is my real name. you insult me, sir

cpach 3y ago

People have different preferences when it comes to online identity. Personally, I believe that for me it’s easier to behave reasonably and hold myself accountable when not being anonymous.

mikewarot 3y ago

I've always used my name or KA9DGX, my amateur radio call sign. I'm lucky to have two identifiers that are collision resistant. I'm only aware of one other Mike Warot, who works as a guard at the British museum. Name collision is the only thing I can think of for a good reason to make up a name.

Clubber 3y ago

You shouldn't ever use your real name on any public forum ever. This has been true since the BBS days.

ImAnAmateur 3y ago

Because it's the internet. Anyone in the world can see a post, decide to do something, and then try and seek me (or my family, job, etc) out. I grew up watching YouTubers struggle under the weight of popularity without the professional teams that celebrities employ. I've also seen a mob of thousands harass an individual for a few days because of something that was false. I'd like to be able to walk away from the computer for some peace if I get upset over something online. I also like the ability to be wrong. I am serious about behaving appropriately so that I don't have to fear being revealed online, but there are some previous posts of mine (even here) that I feel embarassed about because they didn't come across right or I was wrong about something. If one person confronts me about that, I'll live with it. If the internet does, then what if I always have to defend myself because there's ten thousand plus people who ask? Online, it's hard to have a one-on-one conversation. I may speak to one person, but anyone may reply. I'm sure one day the me online will be 1:1, but until then I like the peace and calm. Here's the best metaphor I can think of on short notice: John moved to a new city recently and he was looking at the houses along his block. He noticed they all had something on their doors. Curious, he asks a neighbor, Alice, what it was for. Alice replies, "When it rains." John is confused. "We had a lovely sprinkle just yesterday." He says with an eyebrow raised. "I think you're too worried." "No," Alice shakes her head. "When it pours. The water can reach up to your waist."

akasakahakada 3y ago

Why would anyone use their real name on everything? Are you Chinese government?

wooque 3y ago

They lack balls.

scionthefly 3y ago

Only humans have real names. I'm a figment of the computer's imagination.

VikingCoder 3y ago

Because one time a stalker started harassing me. It only needs to happen once and your attitude changes pretty quickly.

ruskyhacker 3y ago

I don't know the answer to your question, but have often thought the same thing. I used to have this saying - at some point you have to take the tinfoil hat off and just "live a little." My thoughts is I'd never make a name for myself if people didn't know who I was. Now at almost 34, I just straight up don't care anymore. I'll never "be someone" and I'm too old in tech to be taken seriously by the movers and shakers. Not sure where I'm really going with this other than I fully understand opsec, the hacker mindset, cyber security, etc, but I've never really cared to stay private because I wanted to be known. Now that I'm likely as good as I'll ever be, it doesn't really matter lol. If someone finds something I said in poor taste, I'll apologize and hopefully have learned from it and move on.