Patch's Poll: Should You Be Required To Use Your Real Name Online?

Thomas Cornick January 12, 2012 at 09:23 pm

I doubt it will make them nicer but it will make them a bit more circumspect.

John Martin January 12, 2012 at 09:28 pm

I notice that many of the most venomous posters use nom de plumes. This is a problem in that it allows people to say whatever they choose without ever having to take any responsibility for their comments. This is a problem in that it actually inhibits rational dialog and allows internet bullies to flourish.
On the other hand, using your real name places constraints on free speech. More than once, I have wanted to contribute to the dialog on a local topic but I have not. Why? Some of the people I might want to criticize have the ability to 'punish' me. While I believe that posting your real name is a practice embracing the highest degree of responsibility and integrity, pen names came into practice for a good reason. Perhaps the best practice - and one the Patch employs - is to warn and then ban posters who engage in abusive, ignorant, or obnoxious speech in this forum.

Larry Erhart January 12, 2012 at 10:22 pm

If you have any integrity and would say something in a public forum face-to-face, then why not use your real name in an online forum?
I always say that "We can disagree without being disagreeable." The best posts are from some of the people that I disagree with but they manage to state their opinion in a polite way.

Bree Shirvell January 12, 2012 at 11:59 pm

Here some additional thoughts from the Stonington Patch Facebook page (http://facebook.com/StoningtonPatch):
Tracy Jo Klatke Anctil: "I always do and I'm guessing I always will." Alec Peterson: "I did on The Day until I was personally threatened by other (anonymous) posters."

BJ January 13, 2012 at 01:40 am

I would rather have people be able to honestly speak their mind, than some forum where everyone has to be politically correct. There are people on patch that hate my guts and are not shy to say it here. But in person they are nice to me, but only because they have no idea what I believe (since I am anonymous here).

Lori January 13, 2012 at 01:54 am

I don't think you should be required to use your real name. I read comments for the ideas and thoughts, seeing something from another's perspective, not needing to know who it is. Also,I feel any preditor could be a part of a blog or article comment post. I don't want them at my front door.

Ron Samul January 13, 2012 at 02:24 am

We had an interesting conversation about these issues. Check them out.
http://newlondon.patch.com/blog_posts/commenting-on-commentary There is a lot of issues and debate on both sides of this issue. Who are we? Does it matter what our name represents?

Sarah Page Kyrcz January 13, 2012 at 04:20 am

I have noticed that many people who use only first names or obvious fake names feel free to post false and often abusive comments. On the other side of the coin when you use your real name you really put yourself out there and I often find I don't omment on controversial or "hot" topics for fear of retribution. It is truly a "sticky wicket."

Ted06413 January 13, 2012 at 12:50 pm

SPK,
You are 100 % correct on all accounts. Bravo on getting "sticky wicket" into play ! I had forgotten that phrase. Works perfectly.

Rick Beaney January 13, 2012 at 01:18 pm

I, sadly, do not think that people should be required to use their real names. In a perfect world where people do not have to fear retribution (even worse if it happens to their children), stalking, harassment, etc... I would like it as I think it would cut down on much of the nastier and personal attacks and fake information. But, we don't live in that world so I think the benefit of having everyone's opinion and different information is worthwhile. I have learned things from even some of the nastier posters here on The Patch and wouldn't want that to go away. Hopefully, just having this discussion will reduce the nastiness a little bit in the future but I'm not that naive.

Brian Phillips January 13, 2012 at 02:10 pm

I do think that using your real name would cut back on a lot of the "trolling" that goes on around the internet. Sure there are several opinions to everything and some of those may even be negative. There's nothing wrong with that or attaching your name to such an opinion. It's when someone is posting negative stuff for absolutely no reason other than to "troll" and be a pest that they hide their names.
As for personal security being an issue, I just don't see how commenting on an article with your real name would allow someone to show up at your front door. My name is attached to this post but certainly not my address. Most services you sign up for want your name, zip code, DOB, etc. Those are the things I'd be more worried about; why I need to give someone my DOB when all I want to do is read a news article.

Sarah C January 13, 2012 at 02:27 pm

Brian - that information is on the internet, and it took me less than 2 minutes to locate another picture of you that linked you to a town in CT, AND find your address. Fortunately, I'm not a stalker, troll, or otherwise interested in you, so I did not bother to save or bookmark your info. The point is that it is so easy to get personal information about someone, that I think it is better we be allowed some anonymity on sites like this.

David Irons January 13, 2012 at 02:29 pm

BJ, it sounds from your own words, that people are nice to you because they no idea what I believe (since I am anonymous here) that you are a hypocrite. You would have them believe one thing about you while the opposite is true. So much for "honesty is the best policy."

David Irons January 13, 2012 at 02:37 pm

Actually Brian, with the information you have posted on your Patch profile attached to your photo, it is not difficult to identify just where you live. It wouldn't take a Columbo to do this.

BJ January 13, 2012 at 02:43 pm

David:
You make my point for me, while simultaneously accusing me of being a hypocrite. My "honest" life experience is that liberals go ballistic when I simply disagree with them (as seen here also). As much as I would like to speak my mind, it is just not safe to do so. Therefore I like the ability to be free to speak my mind on patch, rather than sitting by "forced" to keep my mouth shut because liberals cannot be civil, they have no logic, they are just bullies.

Shifty Lefty January 13, 2012 at 02:45 pm

Does it really matter? Some real names post with so much hatred. A policy that is enforced would eliminate the hatred and attacks and the names would then not matter.

David Irons January 13, 2012 at 02:47 pm

I was raised that if you expect to get credit for that which you do that is right or good then you have to be willing to accept responsibility for that which is wrong or bad. To not be willing to attach your real name to an opinion is to fail to accept responsibility.
Of course, in today's society, everyone wants to blame someone else for their shortcomings. They don't want to be responsible for their own actions. That seems to be the new America way. For examples of this, one only has to look at all the lawsuits by criminals and inmates against "the system".

Sam, Curcuro January 13, 2012 at 03:11 pm

It seems that people who comment under their names tend to be more relevant. It's surprising how many people comment without (obviously) having read the full article. Huffpost is a good example of what I'm talking about!

Elissa Bass (Editor) January 13, 2012 at 03:49 pm

When sites ask for your DOB on registration it is because they want to know the demographics of their users for ad sales purposes. Same way Nielsen asks TV watchers their age - there are age groups that are "attractive" to advertisers. Not to send you a gift (although that would be nice too) :)

Brian Phillips January 13, 2012 at 04:26 pm

Sarah, I know the information is on the internet. That was kind of my point. If someone wanted to dig up the info on me they would whether I say who I am or not. Whitepages.com will tell you where just about anyone lives. In fact, I used it to send my Christmas cards this past holiday instead of just asking everyone for their address.
I run a few websites and web applications of my own so I understand the importance of demographics of users. From the user standpoint, though, I've completed sign-up forms where I have given almost an uncomfortable amount of information. I don't see a person's name as some top secret, classified info when our name is all over the place, internet & "real life". There's even iPhone apps which will scan the photo of someone's face and point you to their facebook profile.. now THAT is creepy.

fran January 13, 2012 at 04:36 pm

Real names, come on, do you know how many names the President of the United States has used in his life. Just saying.

Melissa Kwan January 13, 2012 at 05:44 pm

I wish more people would use their real names. Not using your name suggests a fear of taking responsibility for your opinions. In some cases said unidentifiable people are highly rude and inappropriate in their comments, which reflects a lack of integrity. Before the existence of the internet in the early 90s, it seems to me that people were more civil to one another in disputes; the ability to withhold ownership over one's opinion has left an open door to withhold proper manners as well.

Jim Braun January 13, 2012 at 06:26 pm

If someone is so worked up by something a person posts on a local news website that they decide to track down the person, harass them, or use their position for retribution, then they should know they won't end up anonymous for very long. It is the same dynamic with road rage. People that can be the nicest, sweetest people in the world get all fired up and do things they wouldn't do when they are given the sense of anonymity from the comfort of their car. Same thing happens to some anonymous people behind the computer screens. I don't have any concerns over somoene exiting their hiding place to accost me or someone else in the real world. Sure, there is the occasional nut job that takes it to that extreme, but the instances of that are so rare that I'll spend time worrying about things that are actually more likely of happening than not happening.

Virginia McCormack January 13, 2012 at 06:49 pm

"I know who you are and exactly where you live." My jaw dropped after I read that comment posted online. It sounded like a threat and was directed at a gentleman whose posts I enjoy reading. I had already noticed that this commenter seemed more interested in "who" people are, rather than the ideas that they were expressing. The topic was an emotional one and I had dropped out of that comment board before I read this particular comment.
People using their real names have posted some truly venemous and threatening comments directed at others here in southeastern CT. One person who uses a real name appeared to have been banned from a comment board, but is now back on it. The comments are not quite as nasty as before and include fewer personal attacks, but they are still totally lacking in civility. Some CT residents just don't understand that there are two sides to every issue. How dare anyone disagree with them! When I joined the Comment Board at The Day, I used my real name at first. I felt that in an election year, I would lose my credibility if I expressed my opinions anonymously. Now, I agree with my husband. It's a matter of personal safety and privacy. You never know who is reading your posts and may be angered by them. NO, you should definitely not require people to use their real names online.

David Irons January 13, 2012 at 07:22 pm

For those of us who have read The Day and other publications for many years remember when you submitted your opinions in a Letter to the Editor. All letters had to be signed with your real name except in extreme cases where the paper agreed for the sake of safety that privacy outweighed the public's right to know the name .

Donna Kenyon January 18, 2012 at 01:50 am

I'm with Sarah. It isn't hard to find out who you are, where you live and all kinds of information. Some names come up with a simple google.....In this day and age, you have to work very hard to not be found and for the price of about $40.00, anyone can find out whatever they want about you including arrest records, employment etc. While I agree with Sarah about how easy it is to find out who you are...I do use my full name because if I am going to be woman enough to have an opinion than I am going to be woman enough to put my name to it. I love to have a debate with people and just like others on this blog, I learn from it..including that my view is sometimes ascew (sp) whether by my upbringing or just plain smallmindedness. And sometimes you have to just agree to disagree!!

The other end of Town February 21, 2012 at 02:19 pm

This kind of topic will always be 50/50. I can put a real name if I prefer, but it may not be my actual name! The point is, name or no name, most people have intelligence & common sense when reading these... if a comment is nasty they move on to the next. It will never change.

Matt February 21, 2012 at 04:11 pm

If a full real name becomes a Terms of Use requirement, I will gladly use a full name. It won't be my real full name... but it will be a full name. People who can't handle seeing "Matt" really need to get a life.

pavala February 21, 2012 at 05:15 pm

Your correct BJ. Liberals... and don't argue with those darn conservatives either. Like opening a hornets nest and about as caustic.

Jeff Brown February 21, 2012 at 07:39 pm

I use my full real name albeit there are plenty of us browns around but i really don't care if other people do or not. That being said i wouldnt say anything on here that i wouldnt say to somebody face to face , we're all adults on here, just not everyone acts like it.