Do you keep secrets here?

On a site based on anonymity, do you feel like you still have to protect your reputation?

I see some people shamelessly say anything they think, because being anonymous means everything you say doesn’t matter, it can’t effect you.

While others still say things like “Thats personal” “Thats none of your business” and “It’s a secret”
Why?
I don’t mean things that protect your identity.

Yes, I keep things private 7
No, I’m an open book online 19
Somewhere in between 22
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Comments ( 22 )
  • JellyBeanBandit

    I have crippling social anxiety irl and can't say how I really feel or even express my opinion on things like movies, so online then I just completely let go and share everything. It's really cathartic.

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  • --

    The website mods or owners will probably blackmail ya all using ya sick "want to fuck mum" or "hate the world" posts.

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  • SkullsNRoses

    I don’t think I have much to hide, I try not to be too mean on here as amongst the trolls there are confused people who genuinely want advice. I do believe in “ask a stupid question get a stupid answer” though.

    I’ve been careful right from the start not to reveal anything that could identify me irl, even in my anonymous posts I never mention names or specific locations. It’s not so much out of fear of the government or employers but fear the that people I write about could find it.

    Now that I think about it nearly all my posts have been about other people’s behaviour rather than my own “dark secrets”.

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    • bbrown95

      That's my main fear as well, people I write about recognizing me talking about them, lol. That or someone I know in real life stumbling across one of my accounts from years ago and reading some cringey shit I wrote (that can't be deleted).

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      • SkullsNRoses

        I made one post a few years ago that I felt so guilty about that I “Americanised” it, I changed mum to “mom”, university to “college” etc so I would have a level of plausible deniability if it was ever unearthed. Which mercifully it wasn’t.

        The government probably see my search history so why does it matter if they see my IIN account.

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        • bbrown95

          Yeah, I'm not too concerned about the government seeing my posts. I don't post anything illegal or suspicious and am probably one of the least interesting people out there, lol.

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  • Mammal-lover

    I keep certain secrets. Anything that can be used to easily identify me. Most of yalls know why I dont want just anyone to be able to recognize me and associate me with this account. Plus my desired career is very word of mouth based and I dont want to risk (no matter how small) a buildup of bad reputation that could screw me over before I even get my foot in the door

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    • MaxineFinnFoxen

      There's some people who care about those secrets you don't want to tell just because they matter to you. Motive varies, but for me its because I'm naturally compassionate.

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  • Boojum

    I first posted on an online forum about twenty-five years ago. I decided very early on that the sensible approach would be to assume that everything I wrote would exist forever somewhere, and that there's no such thing as true anonymity online. It's safest to assume that if a powerful person or a government organisation _really_ wants to identify who put something online, they'll figure out a way to do it.

    I'm more blunt and open here than I am when I'm sure people I know IRL will read what I write, but there are a few things I'll never post online. I don't have any truly dark secrets that could put me in jail, but I just don't see any rational reason for sharing absolutely everything. Also, I'm not so egotistical that I believe they'd be of much interest to anyone.

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  • MrToxic

    Thus far my comments have been based on my genuine feelings/values and as such are what I too would easily voice in person too in the event my anonymity were no longer possible.

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  • bbrown95

    I keep things private because 1) there's no reason for me to spill my personal secrets online, and 2) nothing is really as anonymous as you'd like to think.

    If I don't want people in real life knowing about certain things, I certainly don't want Internet strangers to, either, even if they don't personally know me. I just don't feel like anyone needs to know it at all.

    However, with that being said, I'm more open online than in person. In person, I'm pretty quiet and keep to myself unless asked.

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  • McSorley

    No one in my personal life knows about the squirrel I flattened over a month ago.

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  • Clunk42

    What have I revealed on here? Let's see, I have six brothers, am a traditionalist Catholic, live in north Florida, have brothers with down syndrome, am a supporter of the constitution party, am an eproctophile, hate modern house design, weigh about 300lbs, and am an imperialist. I'd say I'm a pretty open book on here.

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    • bbrown95

      I hate modern house design as well! *High fives*

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  • Ditnyte

    I’m very different online, irl I don’t tell people shit lol

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  • ellnell

    I'm far more open online than with anyone in real life.
    However I do keep secrets.
    I don't tell everything.

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  • LloydAsher

    Open book in real life and on the internet. I just keep my whereabouts fuzzy.

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  • olderdude-xx

    I've been on the "internet" before it was even known as the internet (and no - Al Gore did not develop the internet - nothing to do with it at all; he just claimed he did). In the USA with the exception of a few early tests between computer researchers it really started as ARPANET developed by the universities and military which is where the TCP/IP, NCP, and 1822 communication protocols were developed and successfully implemented. I sat on a node point and watched (and read)all the traffic that came through it as a college student.

    So I know that there is no privacy or security on the internet - unless you make an effort to have it.

    Most people do not understand that websites have the ability to read your electronic address which at least gives them your town or city - and perhaps more detailed location information than that, determine what browser you are using, and the size of your computer screen, etc... unless you go through efforts to shield that. Then using internet databases on the above info (Google is the biggest compiler and seller of this info) they can identify exactly where you live and likely your exact name (or at least the names of the people who live there).

    For sites like this I use systems to keep my id more anonymous and don't use my real name.

    I've actually had a site (Paid membership) that promised that they would never use my personal information - actually research who I was in the past and then ban me from the site as I have a MLM business and they thus concluded I was using the site for personal business (I was not). Then they sold my email address (I tend to use separate email addresses for different types of sites - so I know who the culprit is for the sudden/massive increase in spam mail). So, I'm fairly careful unless its a Professional site.

    VPN's Tor Browser (properly used), and truly secure email (Protonmail) and paying for things with generic money orders (US Postal Service) mailed from other towns and using a fake return address are the basis for real identity security. Use of all of those combined and your identity is as secure as you can get it.

    I am honest about my location as "Eastern Wisconsin" or in some cases down to the county. I never list city or town unless its a Professional Website (Linkedin, etc.).

    So with that these kinds of protections, I'm free to discuss most anything. No reason to keep anything secret. That does not mean that I don't exercise judgement on what to discuss.

    Hope this helps,

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  • RoseIsabella

    I share whatever I want to share, and keep secret whatever I want to keep secret.

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  • my_life_my_way

    I say everything on here, I have no secrets

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  • PTSD

    I share things that I am most very uncomfortable about but it would hurt to see negative backlash against my secrets.

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  • Unknown_player

    I don't want people targeting me. I'm okay now but that might not mean I'll be okay the next time I sign in. And anything negative can really upset me

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