# Rule clarification re: changing names in quotes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-clarification-re-changing-names-in-quotes/809563>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [February 25, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-clarification-re-changing-names-in-quotes/809563 "2018-02-25T18:49:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-clarification-re-changing-names-in-quotes/809563/4 "2018-02-25T20:26:38Z")

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FYI - Previous discussions about this topic:

[https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=815814](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=815814)

> [@Can user names be altered for satiric purposes in the Pit?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-user-names-be-altered-for-satiric-purposes-in-the-pit/776687/6):
>
> But, can you alter a person’s name inside a quote box in the Pit?

> [@Can user names be altered for satiric purposes in the Pit?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-user-names-be-altered-for-satiric-purposes-in-the-pit/776687/10):
>
> No. Text inside a quote box, including the username, should not be altered.

> **[FYI: changing usernames to insult people in the Pit](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353003)**
>
> There has been some confusion about whether or not there is a rule against changing someone’s username in order to insult them. I want to clarify that there is no such rule in the Pit. I suspect the confusion originated when Liberal changed his...

> [@FYI: changing usernames to insult people in the Pit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fyi-changing-usernames-to-insult-people-in-the-pit/338910/1):
>
> There has been some confusion about whether or not there is a rule against changing someone’s username in order to insult them. I want to clarify that there is no such rule in the Pit.
> 
> I suspect the confusion originated when **Liberal** changed his username from **libertarian** , and another poster pledged to follow him around the board using his old username. The mods at the time felt this was inappropriate and made a rule against that behavior, for that situation. That rule was never meant to be a blanket prohibition on writing anyone’s username inaccurately.
> 
> So, go nuts. It’s the Pit. If we let you call each other twats and ass-lickers, it seems silly to warn you for changing **Poster** to **Postard** or whatever.
> 
> I would ask, however, that you refrain from changing usernames in quote attributions. I don’t know what the mod consensus would be in terms of warning such behavior, but it’s certainly borderline, so better not to do it. Cool?

As **Colibri** said, we’re still discussing this in the mod loop. We’ll get back to you.

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