Let’s talk about usernames on the SANE Forums

[Daisydreamer]

Hi there forums community,

We’ve been hearing from members over the last few weeks that usernames and privacy are things that we need to talk about as a community.

We want to make sure that we have an open and transparent space to talk about usernames on the forums, and the implications of using a username here that has been used in other online spaces.

Here is some more context:

SANE forums are an online space available to anyone in Australia to seek support. Because we are a public space, anonymity is really important as over 1.4 million Australians visit and read through the forums site every year.

When you sign up to the SANE Forums, our guidelines ask for an anonymous username that doesn’t contain any parts of your real name, email address or usernames you have used on other social media sites.

The main reason for this is, as a public space, posts may appear in search engine results associated with your username. If you use the same username on social media sites, this may compromise your anonymity.

What can be done if I have used a username I have used elsewhere?

If you have signed up with a username that isn’t anonymous, we can change your username for you. This will replace all your previous posts and tags with a new, anonymous username, making sure that your SANE account won’t be searchable alongside social media usernames.

How?:

1. Email us at team@saneforums.org, let us know that you would like to change your username and suggest your new username
2. If you are concerned about a thread or post you have made, you can request it is removed. You can find the instructions to do this here

Let’s Chat

SANE is committed to making sure that your privacy is upheld in line with our privacy policy, and that your anonymity in maintained to allow you to safely use the SANE forums.

We have made some changes to ensure that this information is transparent for community members on sign up so they can make an informed decision. These changes include:

• A new thread in the welcome section of the forums explaining anonymity and privacy 
• Changes to the sign up for information about anonymity and privacy to be more visible
• Updates to our community guidelines relating to anonymity
• A review of our policies relating to privacy

We are always looking to improve and hear from our community. This is a space to discuss anonymity as a community and share your thoughts