Could someone actually find out who I really am on this site

[MACKTEXAS]

If someone discovered my location via a post in SF, I can think of no advantage to them burglarizing my home over any other home in my community. Accessing my files is another matter.

 

[hearlady]

I make it a point not to post anything I wouldn't want someone that knows me to read. Not that I'm concerned about being"outed", but just as a basic practice.
Now, whether someone could find out who I am, for whatever purpose, that is the chance I take and it comes down to a matter of faith. At some point you have to put trust in something but proceed with caution.
Use safe internet practices.

 

[Tommy]

… when they find you … then what?

We probably sit down and share a pot of cold, week tea while I regale them with my stories and they take notes on a Post-It.

 

[hollydolly]

Just for informational purposes, not to argue, etc.

Metadata of an image refers to the additional information stored within or associated with the image file that describes various attributes about the image. Here's an example of common image metadata (in EXIF format, which is standard for photos from digital cameras and smartphones):

---

Example: Image Metadata (EXIF)​

Metadata Field	Example Value
File Name	IMG_20240510_123456.jpg
File Size	3.2 MB
Image Dimensions	4032 x 3024 pixels
Camera Make	Apple
Camera Model	iPhone 14 Pro
Exposure Time	1/120 sec
F-Number (Aperture)	f/1.6
ISO Speed	ISO 100
Date Taken	2024-05-10 12:34:56
GPS Coordinates	37.7749° N, 122.4194° W
Orientation	Rotate 90 CW
Software	iOS 17.4.1
White Balance	Auto

...I have my location turned off at all times.... but even saying I didn't .. who could see all that from a photo on the forum?...aside from the poster ?

 

[VaughanJB]

So some things which I talk about here, or in the future that I intend to talk about, I'm worried that someone may become offended if they knew who I was and that I was talking about them. Can someone find out my actual name here, has it ever happened? Or is this a stupid question, as I guess as long as I'm online, anyone can find out who I am?

My advice, simply change names and even locations if it makes you feel better. It's not dishonesty if done with the intention of protecting others. On that very topic, my name isn't Vaughan.

As an aside - Dilettante mentioned IP addresses, and how they are assigned. This is true, but then again, identifying someone by their IP address is simply the easiest method for reconciling information. It's a trivial thing to do, so it gets mentioned most. Not that I'm going to go into it here, but it's much better to capture some IP and read the frame header for the MAC address. There are simple, commonly used tools that could capture the MAC address of a user - but it's waaaaay off topic for here (and not even that interesting!) I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

 

[ohioboy]

Only if you provide clues.

That is probably the best answer. I was on a legal forum where a bunch of clowns were that had nothing to do but sit behind a computer and insult posters. Well, two morons I know of took it too far with the insults and cut downs. Like you said, they gave out so many collective clues of themselves, the person had enough and made an internet herculean effort to find them. He did, names, addresses etc. You know even after he made that info public, these idiots continued the harassment. Who is that stupid?

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I'm convinced there are a number of cliques here, and many get quite petty.

You’d be right about that.

 

[Paladin1950]

Could someone actually find out who I really am on this site​

Yes, Detective Murdoch, we know who you are. Your wife told us you were a member of this forum.

 

[BlueDragonfly]

So. To answer your question..... Someone may or may not be able to find out who you are on this site, using an IP address, VPN or AI.

They can or can't track you by photos or information you share, echo location , lingering smoke signals and/or that strange smell coming from the basement.

If a person does or does not decide to find you, they may or may not want to "out" you, steal those stacks of Sp0rts Illustrated sitting in the spare closet gathering dust, or rummage through your fridge for leftovers.

The general consensus seems to be: don't share too much person info that could identify you or your location. Don't share photos of yourself unless they have been filtered into oblivion and you resemble a 30+ yr younger version of how you look now.

 

[Dave03]

Heck, all you have to do is look at my avatar to see who I am.