# Would you be willing to verify that you are who you say you are? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152 "2012-06-24T16:33:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/21 "2012-06-24T18:33:23Z")
No way. Being anonymous allows me to comment on things like my sex life and other personal matters, which is something I would never do in a way that could be attached to either my name or my face. I don’t invest too much of my time or emotions on message boards. I’ll ask for or give advice, comment on posts, discuss True Blood, share a crappy customer service story or two; but for me it’s mostly entertainment or a way to kill a few minutes in between activities. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/22 "2012-06-24T18:38:34Z")
Absolutely. I’m already on Facebook and post other places with my real life name, so it is what it is. Plus, these boards are special to me and if that’s what was required to continue participation (or rebut false claims and ease minds), hell yeah I’d do it. My believability has always been too important to me. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/23 "2012-06-24T18:47:46Z")
Eh. My anonymity was inadvertently compromised by another poster four years ago when they posted a bit of writing for a contest that gave both my first and last name _and_ location (there are only 3 people in the world with both my first & last name, so it’s not like I’m Jane Smith). Some posters had already recognized it was me from an older thread about our entries before could ask the contest site to remove my town at least from the entry info; hell, I think it was posted here before I was even notified about winning a category! I still post here, so I guess I could live with verifying my ID for a mod. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/24 "2012-06-24T19:08:33Z")
I… can’t imagine a circumstance where my identity on a message board would even matter. ETA: I’m also not up on the latest SDMB controversies (I don’t spend _that_ much time here), so maybe a brief rundown would clarify this for me. But if all you’re asking is if I’d attempt to prove that Mick Jagger is my best friend, I don’t actually care enough whether y’all believe me to do that. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/25 "2012-06-24T19:08:39Z")
I voted yes. I’ve already verified most of my identity by showing up at Dopefests. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/26 "2012-06-24T19:19:47Z")
If I were asking for something from the community (like asking people to donate money to me), I’d be fine with providing evidence that it was legit. If people were questioning if the things I’m posting here are true, though, honestly I don’t think I would attempt to prove anything to anyone here. My reaction would just be “Believe whatever you want”. I try to avoid revealing any more of my identity online than I have to. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/27 "2012-06-24T19:28:06Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I voted yes. > > I’ve already verified most of my identity by showing up at Dopefests. This! **tdn** , **Cal** , and **Elvis** know what I look like. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/28 "2012-06-24T19:29:48Z")
Why does anything on this board have to “real”? Unless I’m planning to interact with people here in some other way, everything that happens here is as good as fantasy. Even if **umkay** had indeed passed on–or if she’d never come back to tell us she hadn’t–I’d still be mourning her the same way, and in the end it would be the same difference, whether she’s real or a bot. Unless I actually had inclination, as well as the luxury of time and money to go to the would-be wake (for a perfect stranger, no less)–my experience of the whole thing isn’t any different. And it’s not like I’m quoting people here in my dissertation, so that I need to ascertain the authority of their expertise. Contrary to what seems to be the general expectation, nor am I going to starting taking some comment on an anonymous message board with much more than a grain of salt as legal or medical advice, simply because some poster claims to be a lawyer or a doctor. And by the way, if you haven’t noticed, I’m a dog–but I’ll be damned if I’m going to post a copy of my pedigree. ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/29 "2012-06-24T19:30:55Z")
I’m not an important part of the Dope (mostly lurking, desultorily posting) but yeah. In fact, my “Ask the show/pet rat breeder” and my posts about my rats and rat shows have pretty much already outed me. I suppose I _could_ be someone pretending to be the owner of the rattery in question, but I can’t imagine where the benefit would be in that. The fancy rat community isn’t really big enough to make it worthwhile to troll it outside of itself, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/30 "2012-06-24T20:17:11Z")
Wouldn’t mind at all. I went to school with one Doper, and several are Facebook friends. No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/31 "2012-06-24T20:17:12Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > We’re all arrogant enough to think our actual selves are more interesting than anything we could make up. Not really. I for one would be a lot more interesting if I had a pet lion. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/32 "2012-06-24T20:20:18Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > As in the OP, **assume this could be done without giving up anonymity**. Like a picture of you, face obscured, with Mick Jagger, assuming you claimed to be his BFF. Just imagine some hypothetical way. Oh, here’s another. I claim to be a psychologist. I am, but you don’t know, do you? I could email a mod a copy of my license, with my name obscured. …which isn’t any real proof at all. Sorry but your specifics are mutually exclusive and make this totally unworkable and pointless. I could produce a pic of anyone with Mick Jagger and go “it’s me honest!” or find a copy of a doctor’s license and go “it’s mine honest!” etc Given that I choose “yes,” since it doesn’t really matter. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/33 "2012-06-24T20:26:23Z")
I didn’t want to post examples, cause I knew the nitpickers would pick at them. Yeah, you can fake a license, but it isn’t that easy. They aren’t just printed on letterhead. In any case, just assume (if you can) that your anonymity could be protected. Would you mind verifying your identity in some way? My personal interest in this is that I have very much appreciated the emotional support I have gotten here. I would hate to see that disappear for others who might need it. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/34 "2012-06-24T20:29:44Z")
Again, what you ask is not really possible, by definition. Ensuring anonymity means your ID isn’t verified. Anyway, I’m glad you received support here you wanted/needed. Best to you. And no, you can’t have my ID. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/35 "2012-06-24T20:30:16Z")
An ID check would link a username to a name and address, which seems pointless, in that it’s not what people are making up stories about. Where this seems to be heading is that someone claiming to be a lawyer would need to prove they are a lawyer, someone claiming to be married would need to cough up a copy of their license… that would clear the membership out quickly, I think. The world is full of people who tell stories and fudge details to make themselves look better (or worse), it becomes obvious enough with repetition. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/36 "2012-06-24T20:31:21Z")
I wouldn’t have any problem proving I am who I say I am, and no compunction about doing it, either. I don’t say anything on here I wouldn’t say in public, since this IS public. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/37 "2012-06-24T20:37:23Z")
Identification as a pre-req to participation? No, I’d go elsewhere Identification after a perceived slight? A waste of time really. like was said above you can either fake anything or just not respond. I personally am totally willing to identify myself to any law enforcement agency who is investigating a crime, but otherwise, no. Shoot, I haven’t even told Facebook my real birth date! (Shhhh… don’t tell them, they think I’m much older than I really am) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/38 "2012-06-24T20:54:11Z")
Lots of Dopers know me, have met me, are still talking to me. I’ve linked to videos of speeches I’ve given in public. No huhu. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/39 "2012-06-24T20:54:55Z")
I voted yes because I’ve already posted things that one could positively ID me by anyway, but I also feel that if someone wishes to remain anonymous, it should be respected. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152/40 "2012-06-24T21:04:02Z")
I’m not really sure I’ve made claims about who I am that particularly need verifying. I claim that I’m the person who routinely posts to the SDMB under the name Chronos, but if anyone doubts that, I wouldn’t know where to begin with verification. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-be-willing-to-verify-that-you-are-who-you-say-you-are/626152.md?page=3)