https://www.reddit.com/r/AskOldPeople/comments/1iifqy3/are_you_really_anonymous_here/
created by GeekyGrannyTexas on 05/02/2025 at 17:39 UTC
120 upvotes, 301 top-level comments (showing 25)
For those posting using the same handle over a period of time, do you think a curious family member could figure out who you are?
Comment by AutoModerator at 05/02/2025 at 17:39 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Please do not comment directly to this post unless you are Gen X or older (born 1980 or before). See this post[1], the rules, and the sidebar for details. Thank you for your submission, GeekyGrannyTexas.
2: /message/compose/?to=/r/AskOldPeople
Comment by Handeaux at 05/02/2025 at 17:47 UTC
358 upvotes, 18 direct replies
I am a retired public relations professional. First rule for my clients: Never put anything in writing you don’t want to read on the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper. “Anonymous” or not, it’s a rule I follow on social media.
Comment by NYC_DILF at 05/02/2025 at 17:51 UTC
117 upvotes, 10 direct replies
If someone read all of most posts on a variety of Subs, you could probably identify me. That said, I don't really care and I am not saying anything that most of my friends/family don't already know about me.
Comment by ExploringWidely at 05/02/2025 at 17:41 UTC
36 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Depends on how much personal info you share. It's probably possible to remain completely anonymous. Someone tried to dox me once on reddit and I've been creating new accounts every year or so since ... this is the longest I've had a username in many years.
Comment by RealLuxTempo at 05/02/2025 at 17:55 UTC
59 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I’m retired, no family and really don’t give AF anymore about what people think.
Comment by NotMyCircuits at 05/02/2025 at 17:52 UTC
24 upvotes, 3 direct replies
I try to be careful, but I assume there's a chance I could be ... figured out? Doxxed?
So I sometimes type-type-type and then delete-delete-delete before posting.
Comment by madoneforever at 05/02/2025 at 17:54 UTC
11 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Nothing on the internet is “anonymous.” Posting online literally makes it public.
Comment by johndoesall at 05/02/2025 at 17:53 UTC
18 upvotes, 5 direct replies
No one I know in my family uses Reddit. They are mostly Facebookers.
Comment by CraftFamiliar5243 at 05/02/2025 at 17:57 UTC
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I was outed once when bored panda published a story I told on reddit and one of my kids recognized it. I closed my account and opened a new one
Comment by whatyouwant22 at 05/02/2025 at 17:59 UTC
8 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I don't think most of the people who are on reddit are really that curious about who other people are, necessarily. I don't discuss social media much with people, but will sometimes mention, "I saw something on reddit." I have one really close friend who uses it. She could probably figure out it's me, if we were ever on the same subreddits. (I don't think we are.) At any rate, it's not that important to me. I have mentioned using reddit with my sister and she said she's only looked at AITA.
There are a couple of people that I've figured out who they are peripherally. They're not in my general orbit, but I know of them. They're not on r/AskOldPeople!
Comment by Chattering-Magpie at 05/02/2025 at 17:45 UTC
8 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Well I am not anonymous anywhere to be honest. My username here is a pseudonym I use across the web sometimes alone but more usually with my name as a prefix.
Comment by KaptainKobold at 05/02/2025 at 19:41 UTC
8 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I've been using this ID across the internet for over 20 years. I think anyone who knows me would know it's me.
I have friends I've met online who *only* know me by this name :)
Comment by Sufficient_Space8484 at 05/02/2025 at 17:46 UTC
13 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I think a couple of friends and a coworker have tracked me down but I don’t care. I don’t post or comment anything that crazy and everyone already knows I fucking hate being married and am an alcoholic in recovery.
Comment by SherbertSensitive538 at 05/02/2025 at 18:01 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think so but I don’t care if they do. No parents to disappoint, no children to embarrass lol. I’m retired, not running for politics and have my own money. My circle is small and they already know who I am.
Comment by XRaysFromUranus at 05/02/2025 at 18:41 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If someone knows me well enough to recognize me here, they probably know about anything I post. And, just in case I arouse the interest of law enforcement, I'm old and the statute of limitations is up, honey.
Comment by FineEconomy5271 at 05/02/2025 at 18:59 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
A dedicated person could narrow down who I am in real life. It takes surprisingly little information to de-anonymize someone[1]. I abandoned a long-time account last year because it had too many clues in it.
Comment by glassjar1 at 05/02/2025 at 19:36 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I had a high school student who figured out my username back around 2017 or 2018. Knew my interests and at one point or another, I mentioned a subreddit or two in class. Now these were large subreddits but...
Fortunately, he didn't do anything with it other than tell me he'd successfully identified my account. He had.
Eh... I don't work super hard to keep this account anonymous. My wife and one of my sisters both know who I am.
I do have a throwaway account or two that I use for things I don't necessarily want associated with this one. Pretty sure those are private enough (Except from my wife if she really wanted to dig into them, which is perfectly fine.).
Comment by [deleted] at 05/02/2025 at 17:46 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[removed]
Comment by Entire-Garage-1902 at 05/02/2025 at 17:52 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I doubt it although one character recently was convinced he knew me irl. I figure that’s what the “block user” option is for.
Comment by darklyshining at 05/02/2025 at 17:54 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
As much as I’m willing to share with people (friends and family) my dedication to all things Reddit, few it seems are at all aware of what it is, much less use it (unless I’m somehow being gaslit). But if they did, I think they would guess who I am by way of what I’m willing to share here.
My sons know what my “handle” is, and I only post what I wouldn’t mind them reading.
I haven’t dived so deep as to even know what Karma is all about. I don’t DM. I try not to care too much what others think, though I have enjoyed contributing to discussions.
Comment by paradigm_shift_0K at 05/02/2025 at 17:55 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think reddit is reasonably anonymous unless you post too many personal details.
IMO the best way to defend against this is to never post anything you would not be good having someone else, including a family member, finding out about.
Comment by CandleSea4961 at 05/02/2025 at 17:56 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Nah, but mainly because my family isnt on Reddit and I dont give enough away, And I stand by everything so if they did, great for them.
Comment by h20rabbit at 05/02/2025 at 19:21 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Anonymity and privacy in todays world is a fallacy.
That being said I think there are so many people here the chance of running into someone you know is small unless you're participating in local community or niche hobby subreddits or reveal information that is super specific and uncommon.
Comment by onelittleworld at 05/02/2025 at 19:54 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Anybody with sufficient motivation and time on their hands could dig through my years of Reddit posts and come up with enough clues to figure out who I am IRL, even if they don't know me from Adam's housecat. And then... so what? Even my most contentious and objectionable statements here are ones I would still stand by willingly, if pressed.
Comment by mrhymer at 05/02/2025 at 20:15 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
You are never truly anonymous anywhere. The superpower of old people is we give very few fucks about what family or friends think of us.