Why Did Lots of You Change Your User Names?

I changed mine because I didn't want it to end up on facebook and be traced back to me. I have enough issues with my mother without that kind of drama.

Just changed mine after reading all of this. Blah. Wish all of these social sites would offer some tiny degree of privacy. My old name had something to do with writing.

They're hiding from the paparazzi.

ETA: 8kidsdad, I really doubt they're embarrassed about the things they've espoused on here. I'm sure they simply value their privacy, unless you're willing to agree you too chose a pseudonym because you are regularly embarrassed by your own words.

No, it has NOTHING to do with those using the facebook forums. It has to do with MP using what we write to advertise their site on their public Mamapedia Facebook page, for all the world to see. MP did this to a longtime member whose fiance died. They made remarks about it (including saying that her son died), acting like she was looking for sympathy. It caused an absolute firestorm and upset a lot of people, including this sweet woman. It certainly brought home to bear that if our names are here, we have no privacy (not that we really had any, but still...) Thus the changing of SO many names.

Somewhat unique name + small gossipy town + posts ending up on facebook = huge embarrassment or even worse.

I'm not even on facebook but so many people I know are. I post what I REALLY think here and sometimes that is not fit for local consumption. How else can I talk about all my friends bratty kids? Joking of course!

Hi CAE990210-

I am formerly catwalk...(now, obviously, feline stroller...lol).

I lost my fiance 4 weeks ago today. I posted here THAT nite, because so many 'virtual' strangers had been aware of my journey...the 'ups' and the downs.

I was made aware that my post had been 'usurped'...and posted on the 'official' (?) mamapedia face book page. I was never consulted (or told by mamapedia) that this was going to happen. Clearly, the rules here indicate that 'that' could happen....As a practical matter ANYTHING we post on line is 'there' for anyone. I was angry that they used a non factual 'tag'...(they said it was my son...not the love of my life)...and then neglected to talk to me when my wish was to have it taken down.

The post was finally removed. It was removed however, only after a HUGE response from some of my 'virtual' friends from here.

8kids dad...I hate to 'call you out'...BUT I resent your inference that somehow 'name' changes are a result of 'espousing' things here we would be ashamed of in real life. I have never posted ANYTHING here that I would not stand behind IRL. My changing my name here was more of a statement against the idea that my personal post could be not only misconstrued in terms of WHO it was regarding....but mostly, that this site would try to 'garner' more members on the 'back' of my grief.

That said, I have learned a valuable lesson...as I hope others have as well.

No matter the 'nic'...IF it is online, it IS 'out there' for anyone to see.

Anyway, hope this sheds some light on this.

And, hell...I thought feline stroller was clever! lol

best

Peer pressure.... everyone else was doing it and I wanted to be part of the 'in crowd'. :)

(I'm really H.... you'll recognize me by the long answers which look like they've been written by someone who eats 19th century English literature.)

PS: What Doris Day said. (Doris, I loved you in Glass Bottom Boat!)

Back at the dawn of time (I think it was 2006 when I joined?) I used my real first name, last initial, and city. Most people did, but then, the site was regional. So the only people I saw were those who lived here in Northern CA. Then the site went national, and I changed my site to San Francisco (I am a San Franciscan, but currently live in exile out in the 'burbs ;). The actual town we live in is very small, and I felt like if someone wanted to stalk me, they could easily do so with my real location and name.

And then, when I realized our Q&A gets posted on Facebook for all the world to see? Yeah, I changed my name and pulled my profile pic in a hurry. I know it's not hard to get a Mamapedia account, but the fact that someone could google something and have one of our answers appear (possibly with real name and location attached) is a no-go for me. I stand behind everything I write, but still, I wouldn't want a friend to feel offended that I had used her child as an example online, you know? Especially for medical and behavioral issues and the like.

Mamapedia has a Facebook page. Occasionally they repost questions from this site on to their Facebook page without permission or notification.
Recently they reposted a post of a long time member. They didn't even get the facts right when they posted it. The post contained this person's name and everything.
After that incident a lot of people changed their name to something different to give themselves more privacy in case Mamapedia decides once again to grab a sensitive post and re-post it over on their Facebook page.
This has nothing to do with the group that is on Facebook where many members from here have joined together.
As for the flurry of new user names with only one post. We seem to have someone or some people with too much time on their hands that seem to like coming on to this site and posting either nonsense or outright rude posts. The definition of a troll essentially. Those brand new users with no posting history are not the same people that are changing their names for privacy because of Mamapedia's re-posting posts on their Facebook page.
Anyone can, at any time, go to their account settings and change the name that appears on their account. You do not need to create a new account to change your name.
Does that help clear things up? I hope so. If not I can work to explain better.

I think some were actual names or close variations. They don't want to show up on FB and be recognized by their friends and family. A lot of us use this site to ask questions we wouldn't ask those we know on FB or we ask questions ABOUT the people we know on FB.

You say "who are using the FB forum" like we have a choice in the matter. Any questions posted can be put on mamapedia's FB page, whether or not we use FB, or want it that public.

My name is clearly not real, and my location isn't even close. The email address I gave mamapedia isn't the email I normally use nor is it tied to my FB account. In fact, it's a junk email address I opened just for this site, that I don't check.

Formerly N. G. here, and as others have said, I'm not comfortable with the FB page that displays our questions/answers. I stand by everything I say, but I sometimes reference family members, friends, etc., so I would hate it if somehow some of that got in their hands. I wouldn't want to offend anybody. I use this place for my own, away from people I know personally. It's a "safe" place. Nothing wrong with that.

Same as SB. I changed the city and name to protect the guilty, me!

I'm 8kidsdad and have been since I've been on here. I use my real name on my facebook, but I'm not adventurous. My family knows I'm on here, but none have ever confronted me about anything I write.

My opinions and morals have been known to my family for as long as they have been my family. But with some of the things some folks have espoused, I can understand why they wouldn't want any one they know to know what they have been saying. But that's life.

Good luck to you and yours.

Great question, but did some of you create a new account to ask a question?

Lately, I click a question and realize it is a new name, click on the name and it is the first question.

Are there really that many new users per day?

i changed my initial but whoever has been here long can recognize my style of answers. i don't recognize most anymore. i feel like i have lost friends.

Thank you for asking! I wondered too. I had no idea about the FB incident.

Thanks for asking this. I am super honest on here, and I stand behind what I say, but would not necessarily want my mom reading it, or my boss, or maybe my SIL since I just asked a question about her... (LOL)

I am changing my name too!

After a couple weeks away due to my oldest being hospitalized, my account somehow got logged off. I asked MP for my password to no avail. So I had to create a new account.

FKA Momof4

All it does is confuse me.....I don't get the point of it, I get what people are saying, it just seems kinda silly to me.