Have you ever been "discovered" by your real-life friends? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

FreeBird3 · 03-17-2011, 02:49 AM

They say that the internet is a "big" place, but I don't think that's necessary true. Whose to say that the people posting on message boards, such as 3FC, are people that you may already interact with (i.e. coworkers, people from chruch, etc.)?

A big fear of mine is posting TOO much information about my life where someone from my real life can figure out who I am. I have posted information about my abuse as a little girl as well as my life struggles. I always have a bit of paranoia about someone figuring out who "FreeBird3" is in real life.

In order to decrease the risk of having my true identity discovered, I use different screen names for the several message boards that I usually post on a regular basis on. What about you? Do you feel paranoid about others finding out your true identity? Or it is just me?

indiblue · 03-17-2011, 03:00 AM

Haven't been discovered, but a bit nervous about that. The way I see it, it's not unlikely to happen. I found 3FC by googling 'diet support' or something like that and it was one of the first sites to pop up. It's highly likely several people I know IRL have done the same thing and been directed to this board.

fillupthesky · 03-17-2011, 03:14 AM

i worry about that...mostly because i made the mistake of posting my real name here on the intros once. my name is not common, pretty ethnic, and i doubt that more than one person with that name moved from brooklyn to seattle.

too late now i guess. i would just hope that if that were to happen, that they would keep any info to themselves, be discreet, etc.

Rosinante · 03-17-2011, 03:28 AM

I haven't been discovered by anyone I know in the real world but I have had someone on a chatty showbizzy forum ask if I was the same (former username) as had been on a debt advice forum. Yes - but I'd shared quite a bit on the debt forum about financial situation and my job, I really didn't want anyone making further links. That was a bit scary.

chickadee32 · 03-17-2011, 03:49 AM

I worry about it too, and always think I've posted enough information for someone who knows me in real life to figure out who I am here. And, since this board is public someone wouldn't even have to be registered here to read the posts I've made. Then again, all that info that seems personally identifiable to me is spread out through so many posts, and who would go to the trouble of reading them all?

However, I'm not posting anything that I'd be truly embarrassed by. I don't broadcast my weight in real life, and I'd be embarrassed to have my co-workers or an ex-boyfriend, for instance, know exactly how much I weigh... but other than that, there's not much that someone would learn about me by reading here besides my daily struggles with weight loss and my random thoughts.

Gogirl008 · 03-17-2011, 06:22 AM

I have several friends that visit the 3fc site. I haven't told them my user name but I still worry that I might say too much or say something that's more personal than I'd be comfortable sharing with them directly. I'm sure they'll never know it's me, but I definitly think about it when I post something. Even if they did know it was me, I doubt that they would judge, it's just weird that it feels so anonymous, when there is a chance that it isn't.

Ruthxxx · 03-17-2011, 07:33 AM

Remember that you can use the edit feature to go back and remove things from previous posts. PM me if you need help.

niafabo · 03-17-2011, 07:47 AM

I've never thought about it. I use my real picture so I'm obviously not that concerned with it. It'd be strange if someone I know joined the site but I also think it would be exciting. It would mean that someone else wants to seriously lose weight and that I would have someone I could talk to in real life about things and work out with.

MonicaM · 03-17-2011, 07:48 AM

Although I discuss dieting, weight struggles, binges, etc. with several struggling friends, I have never mentioned this forum because I do not want them to put two and two together and get four!

MiZTaCCen · 03-17-2011, 08:57 AM

I don't really care to be honest, I have my picture up for my display pic so it wouldn't bother me. Also I post at work so I'm sure everyone knows I'm on a diet site by now. I don't have anything to hide or have a problem with people finding out I don't really say anything too personal that I wouldn't say to other people.

nina125 · 03-17-2011, 10:52 AM

I knew this lady from another forum who made a ton of friends and added them on FB. She would post quite frequently on the forum about her MIL who never got along with her. One of her real life friend or family member snooped around and found those posts and sent them to her MIL. Not only did it create a lot of drama with her in-laws, but that lady also felt violated because what that person did was pretty stalkerish and creepy. Ever since then, I am very careful about what I post online and I never reveal my real name.

manders01 · 03-17-2011, 11:03 AM

Wouldn't care in the least. A real life friend is who directed me here and we both know each other's screen names so there's no hiding (though the forum we both post mainly in is not the same one). And for once in my life, I am not ashamed to admit how much I weigh and would gladly share that information.

I have been a member of another message board for over 5 years. I have met several people from that board, am friends on FB with some, etc. That message board is like one big family. I'm glad they know me in real life and would like to meet many others from that one. What I post there has been more detailed about my life but nothing I wouldn't be comfortable speaking to any friend in my life about.

beerab · 03-17-2011, 11:55 AM

Not yet but I did have a person stalk me on another site I was on. I have a different username here so hopefully he doesn't find me. I do have a blog but my real name isn't listed on it anywhere so hopefully that's not an issue either. My photos are on it but I've never mentioned it on the other site I'm on because I worry he may be lurking.

Aunty Jam · 03-17-2011, 12:11 PM

Totally paranoid.... I've posted a lot of stuff here that I haven't said to anyone else. If someone who knew me was to read all of my posts they would figure it out. But again, who would bother to take all that time? But that's the reason I use a different screen name then usual and leave some things kind of vague.

CrystalZ10 · 03-17-2011, 12:25 PM

If someone knows your screen name from one site, they can just Google it and find all the other boards you are using with the same screen name. Using different screen names from site to site, and not putting full info, or real, full name into your bio's will keep it from happening.
I get paranoid as well and try to be careful about what I post cause once its out there, it can't be erased.