I wonder if I’ll miss the entire point, because… um, I dunno.

I have a pretty unique pseudonym, because poppyseed dot blogspot dot com was already taken when I arrived on the scene so I googled the cede variety instead and could only find one other person showing up using that handle, and very infrequently, so I nabbed it on blogspot. 

You’ve met me, and so have many other bloggers, but I really could have turned out to be that middle-aged Floridian guy also called poppyCEDE, and wouldn’t that have been a Scooby Doo ending?

When I started I was a totally different person and completely hid behind my anonymity (as much as there is anonymity with plug-ins that say who people are and site counters that show exactly where you’re from and log files that give your name, address, telephone number, eye color, and shoe size).

Now I’m a lot more lax about what information I put out there… but, I do protect some things, much to the chagrin of the stalkers.

What makes up YOUR online identity?  Is it NYC Watchdog/NYCWD and that’s “it”?  Or is there more?

I picked my nom de plum just because I wanted my real name to be un-googleable… but it’s still me… just not so concerned with propsective employers knowing a bit too much about me.... ya know?

Now I may have missed the whole point of your question, if so… we’ll talk more later..

I’m not sure I understand the question - what parts make up my online identity?

My words and my actions, I suppose - same as my “offline” identity.

There are a lot of other people out there using the name “Miss Britt”.  That in itself doesn’t make me unique - in much the same way that there are other “Britt"s offline.

Yeah, I don’t understand the question either.  What parts of what?

Everything I say or do reflects on both my online and offline identities.  Luckily, I’m the only Avitable so there’s no confusion there.

A lot of Usenet has been screwed up by idiots posting hate speech.

I was in one group and realized several people were using the same oddly-formed hate-snippet. I’m no Internet Columbo but I was able to determine that of all the users posting ... in thousands of entries ... only the hate-monger was using a particular version of Outlook Express to post.

I “outed” his several users (and, if I say so myself, in a very funny post).  He replied by asking if I were trying to get him to quit posting.  And the tone was as if he was speaking for all of us with his hate speech and he couldn’t believe I’d want him to stop.

His stuff wasn’t very creative. It was the same tired crap every time.

And really, if I want to read mean and grumpy stuff <s>I’ll open my ex’s mail</s> join a Klan site.

After a losing almost everything due to a prior handle I’ve learned that what I need in order to not be cast out completely by my family for the person I am is complete blogging annonymity. My myspace and facebook shows my name, my face the person everyone knows, my blog allows me to talk about the things they’d disown me for.

My online identity is just one part of me, but that part includes my blog, my Facebook page, Twitter, etc.

I am Finn and she is me.

One thing at a time ‘cause you asked and I’m not gonna make my own post about this.

I have a screen name but according to some people, “I hide behind it.” Um, no.  I am known by real name to almost everyone who has ever read my blog.  I don’t have another blog, though I am working on another one which I never thought I would do, ever but I still will not be “anonymous.” If I wanted to go underground, I could...hell, how many people didn’t know I was Bitter Bitch?  It would be easy enough but I won’t and I don’t.  My point being anyone...even one of your long time readers could comment under a different screen name and you would never know because even the most conscientious/obsessed stats watcher can’t catch who the ‘culprit’ is based on time of visit.  This comment is going to timestamp from when I began writing it, not when I actually click submit.

To me, people who let others comment as anonymous are allowing people to say what they want regardless.  Of course treating you like who the fuck are you, belies that, so I can’t even begin to understand the point of that particular blog’s author.

You said, ”force those idiots to become identifiable by a sing-on/alias/handle and therefore we are able to filter them out that much easier”

People can assume and then throw away screen names.  There is no way to prevent that.  People who do not want to be held accountable for what they say (or do) will simply ‘become someone else.’

The whole thing where you state your opinion and get called a troll?  Or get called a troll for what you say on your own blog?  That’s for people who can’t stand an opinion...probably because it’s about them or they think it’s about them...If you are ‘you’, screen name or no, you’re not trolling.  Trolling is an old usenet term for someone who (according to wikipedia) “posts controversial and irrelevant or off-topic messages [...] with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.” There are people who toss out the word ‘troll’ randomly to describe anyone who pisses them off when calling ‘asshole’ would probably be more fitting.

I’m not sure what you mean by ‘filter them out.’ Deleting someone’s comment, to me, is the most horrible action a blogger can commit.  I don’t care how troll someone is...if it got out of hand, I might close comments but deleting them, to me, is just wrong.

I am my online identity.  This is who I am.  I highly doubt anyone would say I’m totally different from what I “portray.” I don’t portray or even really have an online identity.  What you read is what you get whether it’s vulnerable or cuntish, it’s me.  I like me.  But I don’t tell my whole life because I don’t have to and I don’t want too.  Some things are for me and those closest to me.

/end dissertation.

I’ve long maintained the same persona online - I’ve been known as either Simon, Big Simon, “bigsimon”, or some variation on my real name (Simon, duh… *chuckles*) for most of the last ten years, though prior to that I took other names (Phydeaux and Khool).  I believe it’s important to be who you are, and not to hide behind the mask of anonymity, which is why if you check any of the domains I hold, you’ll find my real name, real address, and real phone number. 

That said, I agree with the idea of people owning their own words. Those who aren’t willing to take charge of what they are saying, put a name to a face, are using the notion of free speech as a mask behind which to hide.  And as much as I’m all for “free speech”, I don’t think “free” in this case needs to be looked at.  Free speech means being able to say what you want, when you want, not get away with just spouting off hate and flames without fear of reprisal.  Free speech means that if you believe something, you can stand up for it, and in doing so, you associate your name and face with it.

Free speech is a freedom that requires identity.  When it does not, it becomes a place for snipers to hide and fire on those who are bold enough to stand up for what they believe.

Why is it important to post your picture, full name and address on a blog in order to be real.  Are there people who completely forget that there are bad people out there?

I read a woman’s blog several years ago who was stalked by a man who got her info from her blog, probably because she was a very lovely woman.  After 2 years she was finally able to get a restraining order but ended up moving to a different state and closed her blog for good.

Do you walk up to every person in a grocery store and give them your name, address and phone number?

I seriously do not understand why anyone would even want to put anything other than their first name on their blog.  And it is a blog...you know...nothing but a blog.  Whether you put every single detail of yourself and your kids and your great aunt Minnie on your blog, it’s a freakin’ blog.  It is not your life and I don’t see that there are requirements for having a blog other than typing fingers, story and an opinion.

It irks the shit out of me that people actually expect bloggers to give up their whole lives “for them” otherwise they’re totally not real.  Puh-leeze.

Oh, I wasn’t saying it was necessary, nor was I saying you couldn’t be real if you didn’t include that information.  I was only stating that my identity, personally, is very accessible.  I’m anything but a “professional blogger”, however, and frankly, I don’t think anyone gives a damn about where I live or how long my hair is in such-and-such a picture.

I think the reason we’re discussing identity here, is because it matters, to some degree, in how seriously you can be taken.  And again, in most cases, a first name is fine.  Hell, even a reasonably recognized persona would work, as long as it wasn’t something used to hide behind in order to snipe at those who make a public stand about their ideals.  The idea is that once you take away one tiny bit of anonymity, it becomes harder to troll, because it’s one more step one has to take every time they want to make a post trolling for, well, whatever it is they’re trying to say.

So don’t take it as an indictment against you or your style that someone else’s identity is accessible.  I keep mine so for a number of reasons, all of which are my own, and none of which I would impose on others. But I do require people to register with a valid email address on my site before any comments made can be seen.  Other than that small step, I’m not all that interested in censoring someone unless they go completely bonkers get vile.  I won’t put up with that in my house, I won’t put up with it on my blog.

Pardon me for being pissy.  It’s just that I’ve had about all I can take listening to (reading) people write about who is ‘real’ and who is ‘unaccountable’ and what a ‘troll’ is.  It works my nerves.  Some people think that showing their picture or posting their name, address and phone number makes them somehow more accountable...but it doesn’t do much to stop them from being accountable assholes.

Jesus - you’re never going to understand the distinction I was making, are you?

Someone who hides behind anonymity for no other reason than to snipe and be hateful wouldn’t have the balls to do it if they had to give their real name.  They’re two-faced pathetic little losers.  That goes for people like that Gina who ran the ManufacturedDrama and all the anonymous people who commented.

You are not a troll.  You hide behind a fake avatar and even though “everyone knows your name”, nobody outside of your four readers does, but you would be just a cunt in person that you would be hiding behind your cartoon, so you are not a troll.

If someone wants to be an asshole, and they’re accountable for it, at least it’s genuine to their personality, not something that they are trying to hide because they’re afraid to be accountable for their words or actions.

Hopefully this clears up that little point.

My “cartoon” is a drawn rendition of a photograph of me done by Danalyn who also uses a “cartoon” she drew of herself.  I have no desire to expose my face or body.  It’s my choice and I choose not to.

My 4 readers know my name as do you and about 40 other people who are presently blogging.  Your little point belies itself in a post you wrote about trolls wherein I was lumped.  Does your name and picture make you accountable for that?

I was not referring to you as a troll in that post - I was explicitly talking about people who created fake accounts for the purpose of talking trash.  And I just made it very explicit that I don’t think you are a troll because you will say the same thing hiding behind a cartoon avatar (it’s as much a drawn rendition of you as my avatar here is of me) that you would say if you had your real photo.

No, it’s a much better rendition than yours is.  She’s very talented.  She does post pictures of herself and her avatars are most certainly representative of her likeness.  She did an excellent job with mine.

To me, an online identity is every bit as real. When I see NYC Watchdog post a comment with a link to his blog, I know exactly who that is. Whether or not I know his real name is inconsequential, because who he is online is well established and represented.

And yet… when I see people unload criticism, threats, and whatnot, I’ll have a heck of a lot more respect for what they say if they’re signing their real name to it. If Watchdog were to drop by my blog and call me an asshole, the consequences to his offline self are practically zero. Whereas if I come to his blog and call him an asshole, I can’t escape because my real name is at the top of my blog… any stupid crap I do or say online can follow me offline. In this respect, I am more accountable for my actions because I can’t hide from them.

But what’s an identity? I once made a comment on Robert Scoble’s blog saying that I thought he was being a bit harsh on somebody. He turned around and called me a coward because I signed my comment as “Dave2” (which is how I sign all my comments). Never mind that all he had to do was click on my site link and see my full name… all he saw was my “handle” and immediately assumed I was a troll. This attitude is completely stupid, because I could have made up a fake name to comment under and (assumably) gotten more respect. In this case, my online identity of “Dave2” or “Blogography” counted for nothing because of where I was at… yet if I would comment on blogs of people who know me, it means everything.

So who am I? I suppose it depends on who you ask!

i love that you stood up and made it known that folks need to stop hate speech, racism, etc.
you are a good man, dawg

I’ve seen other versions of this post and the attendant comments many times in almost 15 years on the internet. Yes, my photo is all over the net. I’ve used it as my avatar before. No, my real name isn’t out there, and not a lot of people actually know it. I’m not really hiding it, but other than work, I don’t really use it. I was nicknamed Winterheart in the mid 80’s by some dear friends in my home town, and I’ve been Winter ever since. Even Rott calls me Winter.

If you google my real name you don’t get me. If you google Winterheart, after some funky ass band, you will get my main domain that I’ve had 15 years - winterheart.com. I don’t mention my workplace by name, but someone with half a brain could go through my blog and pick out a ton of clues about where I live and work, google the cemeteries in the county I live in, and arrive at my office.

Also, just so people don’t get the mistaken idea that not telling your name and not showing your face is one way to keep you safe from stalkers… It’s not. Motley and I have personal experience with this issue. Not some story that someone told us… PERSONAL experience.

As a sophomore in high school, Motley had an internet stalker. The police were involved. Other girls were involved. MySpace was involved… and a 19 year old man who had knocked up a 13 year old was arrested. How did Motley get a stalker when she gave out no information about herself online? Other kids gave out the information. Their MySpace pages had photos with real names, the school they went to, the city they lived in… and more.

You can control your own actions but you cannot control the actions of others. If you are going to be online you might as well be like Dave and use your real name, because if you don’t, someone else probably will. And anyone who believes that no one has ever revealed something personal about them to the internet… is wrong.  Everyone does it in some way, shape or form, and it’s more often than not done innocently.

Now, the issue of being accountable? It’s like courtesy. Yes, we should all do it, but lots of people don’t. It can be mandated in some venues, but as others have said, people are devious and will find ways around it. It’s also pretty sad that our world is so filled with people who spew hate from behind fake email addresses and who reply UH HUH when you say Thank You.

I have always used my real name online, partly because my last name is far more unique than it seems. Also, I am lazy, and it is easier for me to remember.

I do have an anonymous blog, but I only use that to vent stuff. It is just for me, is not listed, etc.

I think leaving anonymous comments, especially negative anonymous comments, is cowardly. And I doubt that anything anyone could say will change my mind.

Of course, I also think the blogosphere is chock a block full of adolescent drama, but that’s just me.