Is there a way to hide your real name on your forum profile page?

[Sara Janel]

I'm hesitant to post anything on here because some people are really rude about repeat questions so I'm really sorry if this question has already been asked; I didn't see it anywhere, but maybe I just didn't search with the right words. Anyway, I noticed that when I go to my profile page (here on the forums) and click on 'View your "About Me" as seen by everyone else' it shows my real name. For privacy reasons, I really don't want this to show. Is there a setting to hide it? I can't seem to figure it out. Thanks in advance for any help! :secret:

[Mel]

I'm hesitant to post anything on here because some people are really rude about repeat questions so I'm really sorry if this question has already been asked; I didn't see it anywhere, but maybe I just didn't search with the right words. Anyway, I noticed that when I go to my profile page (here on the forums) and click on 'View your "About Me" as seen by everyone else' it shows my real name. For privacy reasons, I really don't want this to show. Is there a setting to hide it? I can't seem to figure it out. Thanks in advance for any help! :secret:

First and foremost, if anyone is rude to you via a post/or a private message you can "report" that post at any time and I encourage you to please do so. We can miss some posts from time to time however, if they reply to you and you are offended you can report it. The person does not know who reported them and any actions we take are kept between us and the person who was reported. So please do not let yourself feel bullied by anyone!

Here's a link to the Forum FAQ: http://www.myfarmcommunity.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_user_profile#faq_vb3_public_profil e
This link should help you make any modifications that you feel you need to make. I agree that I do not like seeing your real name on this, however, not for the same reason you stated/

I know you can customize your profile so that only friends can see it. You do that in your User CP which is located on the blue bar of this forum.

I hope this is the information that you need. Again, I am sorry if any has been rude to you.

Happy Farming!
~:O)

[jaytay]

Here's a link to the Forum FAQ: http://www.myfarmcommunity.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_user_profile#faq_vb3_public_profil e
This link should help you make any modifications that you feel you need to make. I agree that I do not like seeing your real name on this, however, not for the same reason you stated/

Mel, thanks for posting this link again, but I have gone through the information posted here without success on figuring out how to change my name. I think, once I registered with my "real" name, I got stuck with it. I can edit e-mail accounts, passwords, who sees my profile, etc. - but I can't find a way to change my name to something less personal and more farm-related. Wish I hadn't been in such a hurry to register on the new forum without reading the directions carefully first!

[smbeia]

... I noticed that when I go to my profile page (here on the forums) and click on 'View your "About Me" as seen by everyone else' it shows my real name. For privacy reasons, I really don't want this to show. Is there a setting to hide it? ...



...I have gone through the information posted here without success on figuring out how to change my name. I think, once I registered with my "real" name, I got stuck with it. ...


The only way to change your user name on this forum is to send a private message to (Clare, but she doesn't seem to be around much these days) Wakey asking him to do it. Please see the following posts:

http://www.myfarmcommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1881&postcount=1
http://www.myfarmcommunity.com/showthread.php?t=203


Good luck, -Suzanne

[farmergirl]

Mel, thanks for posting this link again, but I have gone through the information posted here without success on figuring out how to change my name. I think, once I registered with my "real" name, I got stuck with it. I can edit e-mail accounts, passwords, who sees my profile, etc. - but I can't find a way to change my name to something less personal and more farm-related. Wish I hadn't been in such a hurry to register on the new forum without reading the directions carefully first!

once you connect with your facebook id, your facebook name will be displayed on your public page. the only thing to do would be to remove your facebook id, which i dont recommend as we really need that to look at your farm. changing your facebook name might change what shows, that can be done from your FB privacy settings. you may also control who sees what info on your public forum profile by editing your settings in user cp. i am going to do a little research on this for you. if you want to change just your forum name,the name that shows in the top left corner of your posts, that may be done by sending a private message to simon or clare.

[jaytay]

if you want to change just your forum name,the name that shows in the top left corner of your posts, that may be done by sending a private message to simon or clare.

Thanks, Cheryl. Done!

[farmergirl]

Thanks, Cheryl. Done!

good! glad you could get that done. try to give them a little time bc they get massive amounts of messages to go through. it is funny with the names. we all did the same. we were in such a hurry to get the registering done so we could get to the forum. i had the opposite problem. once i registered i wished i had just used my regular name instead of a forum one. alas, we are never happy. LOL.

[farmergirl]

for anyone not wishing to show their 'real' name in your profile, try logging out and logging back in without using the facebook connect button.

[kiminbend]

for anyone not wishing to show their 'real' name in your profile, try logging out and logging back in without using the facebook connect button.

In the user CP under edit options there is this
This forum features a visitor messaging system that allows members to send messages to one another publicly.

If you do not want to receive visitor messages, you may disable the visitor messaging system.
Enable Visitor Messaging

You may limit the usage of your visitor messages to just moderators and your contacts.
Limit usage of Visitor Messages to Contacts and Moderators
Just check that box:cat-catching-fly:

[farmergirl]

In the user CP under edit options there is this
This forum features a visitor messaging system that allows members to send messages to one another publicly.

If you do not want to receive visitor messages, you may disable the visitor messaging system.
Enable Visitor Messaging

You may limit the usage of your visitor messages to just moderators and your contacts.
Limit usage of Visitor Messages to Contacts and Moderators
Just check that box:cat-catching-fly:

him kim. we arent actually talking about messaging. were talking about your actual name showing up on your forum profile and your forum name.

[kiminbend]

him kim. we arent actually talking about messaging. were talking about your actual name showing up on your forum profile and your forum name.

Yeah...I knew that...but it is a way of keeping the PM's to a minimum until she can get it changed...

[farmergirl]

Yeah...I knew that...but it is a way of keeping the PM's to a minimum until she can get it changed...

just covering all my bases. i fig'd you did. LOL

[Teresa]

bumping to top of forum, as it is relevant to this forum

[Daniela]

once you connect with your facebook id, your facebook name will be displayed on your public page. the only thing to do would be to remove your facebook id, which i dont recommend as we really need that to look at your farm....

Hi farmergirl,

I have a question that is related to what you've said regarding the Facebook ID.

My Facebook ID is connected to this forum. Additionally, my signature is a link to my farm. I'm taken to the same page/url if I click on the tree icon beneath my name or my signature. Is it the same for admins and mods, or does only the Facebook link provide direct access to farms if, for instance, they need to make adjustments?

My thought is if access can be gained either way and if there's no specific reason or rule that Facebook users must use Facebook links, perhaps people with privacy concerns (like Jo Anne) can choose instead to provide a more generic farm link in their signatures and dispense with the Facebook connection to their profiles altogether.

:unsure:

[Teresa]

Hi farmergirl,

I have a question that is related to what you've said regarding the Facebook ID.

My Facebook ID is connected to this forum. Additionally, my signature is a link to my farm. I'm taken to the same page/url if I click on the tree icon beneath my name or my signature. Is it the same for admins and mods, or does only the Facebook link provide direct access to farms if, for instance, they need to make adjustments?

My thought is if access can be gained either way and if there's no specific reason or rule that Facebook users must use Facebook links, perhaps people with privacy concerns (like Jo Anne) can choose instead to provide a more generic farm link in their signatures and dispense with the Facebook connection to their profiles altogether.

:unsure:

Hi Daniela, yes, the mods need to have the Facebook ID# in order to offer support. With that number we are able to use a program to view your farm just as if we were you. In other words, we can harvest crops, trees, etc in order to test things when they go wrong to see if the problem is on our side or your side.

[jaytay]

Hmmm, you guys are solving problems I don't have. MY issue is just that, when I was setting up my original forum account, I entered my "real" Facebook name instead of using a nickname. I have good reasons for keeping my Facebook name real, and I don't plan to change it. The only reason I want to change my name to a nickname on the forum is to comply with security protocol set by the forum (and to feel a little less silly, since everyone else has followed the directions I missed when I set up my account in December). I rarely use the PM feature, and my Facebook link to my farm should remain intact, as far as I am concerned. I have followed the directions for completing a name change, and I can wait patiently until Clare or Wakey have time to deal with it.

That said, you are addressing issues that really do need to be considered, I think, as the forum continues to refine itself and become an ever-improving resource for farmers. For this, and for all the work the moderators do, I am grateful!

BTW, if I Google myself, I have to scan through 2-3 pages of other people named "Jo Anne Taylor" before I get to any links related to me. Most of those connect to recording work I did ten or more years ago, or to the school where I teach, and I don't mind if folks check out those sites!:cowboy:

[Daniela]

Hi Daniela, yes, the mods need to have the Facebook ID# in order to offer support. With that number we are able to use a program to view your farm just as if we were you. In other words, we can harvest crops, trees, etc in order to test things when they go wrong to see if the problem is on our side or your side.

Hi Teresa,

Thanks for clearing that up. For months I've been wondering why some farmers were being asked to add Facebook IDs to their profiles when they'd already provided farm links in their signatures. Now I get it. So...how do I get one of you mods to harvest my crops when I'm feeling lazy? (lol)

:wink1:



Hmmm, you guys are solving problems I don't have. MY issue is just that, when I was setting up my original forum account, I entered my "real" Facebook name instead of using a nickname. I have good reasons for keeping my Facebook name real, and I don't plan to change it....

That said, you are addressing issues that really do need to be considered, I think, as the forum continues to refine itself and become an ever-improving resource for farmers....

Hello Jo Anne,

I completely understood your name issue but didn't know how to resolve it. One of farmergirl's responses to your question reminded me of something I've been meaning to ask but kept forgetting to bring up. I do hope you're able to change your name. smbeia's suggestion that you contact Wakey (http://www.myfarmcommunity.com/member.php?u=2) seems to be your best bet.

Initially I regretted the choice to use my real first name on this forum. Unlike my MySpace account, 99% of my Facebook friends are friends in real life. I've always viewed Facebook the same way I view classmates.com. That said, it would be much harder for people to find me on Facebook if I was using an alias. I just felt weird about casual forum users being able to click a Facebook icon and learn personal details about me. Because of that possibility I removed some information from my Facebook profile. I don't believe anyone's abused the privilege so I'm no longer as concerned as I was in December. As you've said, it was simply something I thought needed consideration and clarification.

:yes4:

[Teresa]

Initially I regretted the choice to use my real first name on this forum. Unlike my MySpace account, 99% of my Facebook friends are friends in real life. I've always viewed Facebook the same way I view classmates.com. That said, it would be much harder for people to find me on Facebook if I was using an alias. I just felt weird about casual forum users being able to click a Facebook icon and learn personal details about me. Because of that possibility I removed some information from my Facebook profile. I don't believe anyone's abused the privilege so I'm no longer as concerned as I was in December. As you've said, it was simply something I thought needed consideration and clarification.

Just to clear up something, if someone here on the forum is not a friend of yours on Facebook, they cannot see your Facebook profile (unless you have it open to everyone). They can only view your farm.

[Wakey]

Sorry been busy sorting out a moderator guide for the new mods so didn't get round to answering this.

If you manually add a value to the field where your real name is show in your profile it should show rather than the one pulled from Facebook. Just enter something like ? into the field.

Jo Anne Taylor: Sorry I missed your Private message in the masses of messages. I have changed you name as requested. Remember if don't use Facebook Connect then your login username has now changed

[Daniela]

Just to clear up something, if someone here on the forum is not a friend of yours on Facebook, they cannot see your Facebook profile (unless you have it open to everyone). They can only view your farm.

I was hoping that was the case but I wasn't 100% sure. My profile is only open to friends. When I've clicked on the Facebook icon I've been able to see everything, but obviously that's because I'm me, lol. Thanks Teresa!

:smile1:

[Wakey]

I was hoping that was the case but I wasn't 100% sure. My profile is only open to friends. When I've clicked on the Facebook icon I've been able to see everything, but obviously that's because I'm me, lol. Thanks Teresa!

:smile1:

Yeah all anyone who isn't your friend sees is a search listing showing your name, your network, your picture and the ability to message you or request to add you as a friend

[jaytay]

Jo Anne Taylor: Sorry I missed your Private message in the masses of messages. I have changed you name as requested.
Thank you, Simon! I noticed you had a few things on your plate lately, so I wasn't fretting. Bless you!