G0G Kettering 2025
- Thread starter Pencarrow
- Start date
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
I'm sure we all do that! Maybe we need a Western Thunder badge to wear? Or organise special Secret Handshakes... rolled up trouser leg optional...
Allen M
Western Thunderer
Well I had a name badge on, as I have done for many years.I'm sure we all do that! Maybe we need a Western Thunder badge to wear? Or organise special Secret Handshakes... rolled up trouser leg optional...
Regards
allen
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
Which is...?
Even if I knew somebody's full name, makes no difference if I don't know what they look like, does it?
That's why a badge, or other I.D. such as a hat/cap can help. I had an arrangement to pass on some stock to a third party I've not met in person before, for someone (who I do know what they look like!) who couldn't attend; we'd arranged a time & location, and I was identified immediately from my cap. Sorted!!
Arun Sharma
Western Thunderer
On the forums that I inhabit, I don't use a pseudonym. I am perfectly happy to be held accountable for whatever I publish. Only one of these forums [The Seven mm Scale Society] expressly forbids the use of pen names/pseudonyms as a condition of enrolment. I can certainly see why present [or past, in many cases] professional railway staff might not wish to possibly embarass themselves or future/past employers/employees by commenting on prototype railway matters but such forum members are surely in a minority and an exception could be made in those circumstances.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
jcm@gwr
Western Thunderer
So I'll look out for a lower quadrant signal next time I'm at a show then!
There are a lot of reasons why someone may wish (need) to remain anonymous. Someone who does not want an abusive ex-partner to track them down (I know someone in this situation). Someone in a child custody dispute concerned about possible abduction. Any number of jobs/roles — what if all the accused’s family decided to ‘follow’ the judge? But nowadays the holder of any high-profile position is likely (certain, actually) to receive abuse and probably threats via social media over decisions some people don’t like. So anonymity is just a way of keeping private life separate from the public profile.
simond
Western Thunderer
Like Arun, I’ve no problem at all owning my posts, but whilst WT is a civilised place filled with generally pleasant and helpful co-enthusiasts, publishing one’s name, and any other details which may arise in the course of chatting provides more fish for the bots to trawl, and potentially something for the scammers to chew on.
Those with whom I’ve had private conversations know who and where I am, and those with whom I have not, hopefully, do not.
Those with whom I’ve had private conversations know who and where I am, and those with whom I have not, hopefully, do not.
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Fully agree Simon and you've typed almost exactly what I was going to.
This "what are you trying to hide" old chestnut comes up frequently.
Publishing your full name, address, phone number, email address, birthday, birth place and other personal detail just makes you more exposed to scams, junk mail and people applying for loans etc on your behalf.
My secondary reason for not using my full name as my forum id is that I don't want my WT or other posts appearing when people do work related searches on me. Ditto, I don't say who I work for, or what projects I work on when posting on forums.
Nothing to hide, and there are a number of people on here who I am happy to share my name and contact details, most I've met in person too. I'm just keen to keep home and work lives separate, and not to make it easy for fraudsters.
If folk think placing personal info on a mostly public forum isn't a problem, you haven't sat through all the IT security training I have, and haven't seen demonstrated how quickly fraudsters can gather all the info they need.
timbowales
Western Thunderer
What used to get me at work were the "trap" emails that our (American-based) IT Security team used to send out. If you clicked on the link you were carpeted and sent for yet more IT security training within the hour! We were just an engineering consultancy!
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Yup, get a lot of that. Both from my employer and various clients IT security people.
Andrew Young
Active Member
An interesting and thought provoking response from yourself and Arun (and there was me coming to see what I’d missed by not being at Kettering as I have my layout at NG North next Saturday and two shows on consecutive Saturdays isn’t possible).
Have to admit that I’ve never felt the need to hide my name on forums. Having been employed by a mainline TOC for 25 years and been a volunteer on a heritage railway for longer than that, I find it relatively easy to only comment on work matters to correct inaccuracies or to provide assistance to those modelling the Talyllyn with questions to ask so there is nothing that might upset my overlords on either. Plus, both organisations know that if I’ve got anything critical to say, then I’ll much sooner email the relevant manager and take the issue straight to them (helps that I’m partial to a spot of confrontation from time to time) and find that it often helps resolve the issue better than having a go on a forum!
I’d not considered the cyber security side of things in the past and now wondering whether I ought to adopt one on the various forums definite food for thought.
Andrew
adrian
Flying Squad
Likewise where I work - but then I'm childish enough to get pleasure from reporting emails from our upper management as phishing emails.
Arun Sharma
Western Thunderer
Good point, well bought out - I hadn't considered the scam element sufficiently.
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
The last Company I worked for were hot on anything online - they'd find employee's social media accounts. Any criticism posted of the company, or anything else posted deemed 'untoward', was dealt with severely.
Two warehouse employees were sacked once for forwarding 'funny' memes(?) on Farcebook that on closer inspection had racist language in a small sentence at the bottom.
A petition against their sacking, explanation that they didn't originate the messages, just forwarded them, and the fact they were in the pub in their own time, all were to no avail, and sacked they remained.
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
That depends on which Forums you look at....
