Hidden identities

I take your point but some of the reasoning may be that this isn't a closed forum ie it can be read by anyone whether a member or not.

I think we are seen as vulnerable. 

I wonder whether it's easier for NAS to have a blanket rule so that the most vulnerable amongst us are protected.

Seeing the awful things that some public figures are subjected to on social media I personally would be anxious to reveal my identity. 

As you say though it might be best being optional.

I think I sit on the fence on this.

I take your point but some of the reasoning may be that this isn't a closed forum ie it can be read by anyone whether a member or not.

I think we are seen as vulnerable. 

I wonder whether it's easier for NAS to have a blanket rule so that the most vulnerable amongst us are protected.

Seeing the awful things that some public figures are subjected to on social media I personally would be anxious to reveal my identity. 

As you say though it might be best being optional.

I think I sit on the fence on this.

I'm sitting beside you this one B, for all that I share a lot about myself, I'm a very private person and I never say anything on here that I wouldn't be happy saying in any public space. I think my fear would be that as I'm not on any social media than here I wouldn't want stuff about me shared and discussed on other platforms that I don't know about. My family are aware of my feelings and don't tag me in anything, not that there are many photo's or anything of me because I hate being photographed so much.

Whilst I wish there was more space for conversations of interest to some of us, but get removed due to others finding it offensive or maybe causing harm, I do get that its a difficult boundary to make and all of us are vulnerable at certain times and about certain things. I do like that there's not the horribleness that infects so many sites and so much public discourse. I think the real answer is more ways to stop the armchair trolls, warriors and selfish nasty people from ruining it for everyone else.

B said:

Seeing the awful things that some public figures are subjected to on social media I personally would be anxious to reveal my identity.

I do not recommend looking this up, but an infamous Autistic internet icon by the name of Chris-Chan had practically her entire life documented from the mid-2000s up until her recent prison stint and she unfortunately had absolutely zero filter about her private life. It is likely the most extensive example of bullying imaginable, but while it’s easy to feel sorry for her on the surface, the more you dig into the details you are likely to realize that she has had so many opportunities to stop opening herself to abuse on the internet. (Also, she made garbage life choices that can only be partially blamed on internet trolls)

With that in mind, I HIGHLY recommend never revealing personal information on the open internet. Even if you are a content creator, use a pseudonym. That way even if you do become a target of bullying, at least internet trolls can’t drop in on your public outings like they did to Chris-Chan.

I think if we are classed as vulnerable then this forum should be private. It doesn't make sense (to me anyway) to have to mask in order to protect myself from random people on the internet when I have signed up to a community specifically aiming to provide a safe space for fellow ND folk. 

Spot on, it should be optional, not as a blanket rule in one or another way ...