# Is it against the rules to create a new account on the SDMB for a new username?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 10, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722 "2021-05-10T00:37:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CorpusNeptune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corpusneptune/32/17561_2.png) [@CorpusNeptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CorpusNeptune)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722/1 "2021-05-10T00:37:43Z")

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Recently, I’ve been using other social media with a username different from the one I used to have (which is the same as the one on this account). You can’t change your actual username on here (you can only change your “full name”), so I was wondering if one could create an alternate account on the SDMB for a different username, or if that is against the rules. Many thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722/2 "2021-05-10T00:41:49Z")

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As I understand it, intentionally creating a secondary account here is considered to be “socking,” and is grounds for being banned. So, don’t do it.

There are ways to change usernames here, but I think you need assistance from the mods to do so.

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**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722/3 "2021-05-10T00:43:23Z")

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Setting up a second account is against the rules, but, you can contact the mods to change your username; see the thread following:  
[https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-changes-and-fixes/915847?u=galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-changes-and-fixes/915847)

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722/4 "2021-05-10T00:50:29Z")

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> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> There are ways to change usernames here, but I think you need assistance from the mods to do so.

This. Just send a private message to one of the mods and they will work with you.

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**Author:** ![CorpusNeptune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corpusneptune/32/17561_2.png) [@CorpusNeptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CorpusNeptune)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-rules-to-create-a-new-account-on-the-sdmb-for-a-new-username/941722/5 "2021-05-10T01:01:03Z")

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Thanks for the replies, all. I have just PM’d a mod and am waiting for a response.