Posts by Laura Mendoza2

I’ve been watching a lot of combat sports lately, and I’m starting to get a bit of a weird feeling about how these big organizations handle their scheduling. It feels like every other month, we get these "emergency" updates where the lineup suddenly expands at the eleventh hour because the original slate was looking pretty thin.

Don't get me wrong, I love seeing talent get a shot, but there's a certain vibe you get when a card feels like it's being patched together on a Friday afternoon. It makes me wonder if the matchmaking is getting a bit reactive rather than proactive. Is it just me, or does it feel like the "filler" fights are becoming a bigger part of the viewing experience just to keep the broadcast times consistent?

Do you guys prefer a lean, high-stakes card, or would you rather have a packed schedule even if it means some of the matchups feel a bit last-minute?

Or did you intentionally leave almost the exact same avatar up just waiting to see who would take the bait?

This feels a bit insulting because "baiting" implies I was actually out on some kind of hunt or something.
It would be great if we could move past this damn avatar issue, because I honestly thought it was obvious what I was getting at when I set it.
But fine, whatever.

So, the avatar.
The avatar wasn't some kind of bait, because I mean, who would fall for it? Some idiot who thinks they're Sherlock Holmes? That’s definitely not my target audience, thanks very much.
What, did I set an almost identical avatar thinking I was fucking hiding, crouching in a virtual bush waiting for someone to spot me, tee hee tee hee?
Look, I like to flatter myself by thinking people believe I'm smarter than that, so being hit with these constant insinuations that I used it to—hide—is getting old.
Knowing myself, I might actually start overthinking this too.😳

No, the intention wasn't to hide.
Why I switched to a new handle is irrelevant now (unless I have to strip down completely and reveal that too just so I don't come off as a provocateur, as Nicholas King called me?).

Basically, I used to be Marty Za. I stopped posting more than a month ago (Dec 15th).
Then I decided to start posting again and opened a second account (let's agree the reason why doesn't matter, hopefully).
I opened it on Jan 18th specifically to comment on that orange thread on Reddit. And I posted.
I didn't think it was so urgent that I needed to go running through the site from one thread to another, introducing myself to every user like, "Hey guys, it's me, Marty Za 👋."
Maybe I should have before I started posting in threads, I don't know.

Notice that I haven't actually posted in any other threads, except for one post in Mystery, because I had zero intention of spamming around with a new handle just to get someone "caught" or whatever it is you think my motive was.
I was only in that one single thread, seriously; I barely even used this handle. It hadn't even been 24 hours since registration when Rosie called me Marty Za.

I didn't have any chance to make my presence known any other way besides the avatar (and obviously the avatar was set for the purpose of making my presence known, so if you don't get that, you don't get it) because she beat me to it.
And that bothers me. The fact that someone else shouldn't be allowed to decide when, how, or to whom I reveal myself.
Besides, if they are allowed to do that, then I guess it's officially permitted.

And here, it's being justified by calling it a "suggestive avatar."🤷 Well, sure, it's fucking suggestive, but think twice before you post something like that.

And if anyone is wondering where such a massive mess came from that we even have to debate it here—setting aside my own paranoia and fears that I've mentioned—this Moderator's actions put me in an awkward position. They didn't give me the chance nor the time to reveal myself on my own terms to whoever I wanted. Now, people who wouldn't normally do this are questioning my motives, wondering why I chose this or that over something else.

I'm certain no one is stupid enough—at least not among those I respect on this forum—to think my intention was actually to—hide.
Or even worse—to think I'm trying to play games "under a mask."

Sophia Watson24 said:I once did the exact same thing as Rosie. I didn't mean any harm by it. A fellow user sent me a DM, I apologized, and edited my post. Everything was settled with four DMs and one quick edit.

And? I’m sure I’ve broken a rule or made a blunder myself at some point.

When I post nonsense, it's because, as a standard user, I'm allowed to. I have total freedom: a user can be brilliant or an idiot, malicious or kind, a fool or frustrated, illiterate or out of control, an intellectual or a propagandist—honestly, even a monkey could be a user if they manage to register.

A user can be whatever they want or whoever they are. However, from those who hold authority, I expect more than that—specifically regarding Reddit etiquette and following the rules, based on the expectations of both sides. Not talking about real life, obviously.

I'm just wondering if she would have reacted this way if it were some guy with a blue badge, or does it matter that it was the Moderator?

Of course she wouldn't. That’s the whole point of what I’m saying.
It matters immensely.

(Now that it's clear this thread is a total riddle, I can finally say you've uncovered the secret topic.😁)

To earn my trust and my desire to keep writing here, I need to feel comfortable. And I don't feel comfortable if things aren't handled correctly and securely.
Maybe that sounds strange to some people, but to me, it's fundamental.

I view moderators—and I hope I'm not alone in this—as the people meant to maintain order when there's chaos, enforce the rules, watch for violations, manage discussions, and ensure users maintain a decent level of communication... basically everything else that regular users don't have to do, which is precisely why moderators exist.
Period.
And to perform those duties effectively and keep everyone satisfied, certain traits are required.
Personally, I expect them not to be, for example, a psychopath, someone with low intelligence, a malicious individual, or someone incapable of understanding their job or paying attention to detail (no offense to anyone who actually struggles with those things, I'm not discriminating).

Now, I can't know why the moderator addressed me using my old username.
My immediate reaction was that it was intentional. As I mentioned, since I was recently insulted in a way that violated both the rules and basic decency, my first thought was that this was deliberate rather than a simple accident.
If I assume it was intentional, then it's a massive red flag. Given my previous experience, my mind starts racing through all sorts of possibilities.
That is why I don't feel comfortable here.

The second possibility is that it was an accident. I'm willing to consider that, certainly.
But then I have to wonder: what kind of situational awareness do you have on the very platform you moderate if you can't even notice the nickname of the person you're talking to, and you slip up on a name because... 🤔 ...I don't even know.
Terrible, if you ask me. For a Reddit moderator, who I expect to have "eyes and ears" and some level of focus, this is just bad.

Also, if you aren't focused—if you aren't reading, watching, or paying attention, and instead you're just making assumptions without being sure (especially when you're a moderator)—then is it really necessary to bring up the name of a Redditor several pages deep into a thread when you could just write "someone said it"? Is the name even necessary when you aren't even certain who actually said what you're trying to recount?
And then, to top it off, you don't even write the name of the person you're mentioning, but someone else's instead. 🤷 Does that make any sense?
Especially since, by your own admission, you're trying to avoid "clashing" with this specific user, so if you had an ounce of common sense, you wouldn't unnecessarily drag them into it (in this case, it was clearly unnecessary based on the context of the post).
If you have even a slight grasp of how a forum works and how people interact here—and if you're a mod, that should be a given, otherwise why would you be a mod?—then this is, all things considered, an incredibly stupid decision.

Look, fine, it’s not the end of the world... a wrong and stupid decision... mistakes happen.

But what really gets under my skin in a situation like this is that these kinds of errors create discomfort. I lose confidence that I'm in "good hands" here, if you know what I mean.

It makes me start thinking that if it's possible—and this case is my proof—that there are moderators who are either unable or feel it isn't important to follow a thread with at least minimal attention and understanding (and honestly, if someone doesn't notice what their interlocutor's name is, that's a clear sign they lack that attention) before they try to reference it, then if such moderators exist, why couldn't there also be moderators who are... I don't know... malicious or psychopaths or whatever.
! I'm not saying they exist or that I suspect anyone (😁, quite the contrary, what I am sure of is that among them—the moderators, not the psychopaths—there are those I respect deeply, those I care about, and even those I like, in a forum sort of way), I just want to clarify that examples like this open up space for me to question where I am, to have a reality check.

Normally, I don't think about this while I'm writing, venting, reading, or hanging out on the forum...
Once I start dwelling on it, I lose interest, you know?

And that's the point.
If it was intentional—it's awful.
If it was accidental—it's less awful, but it doesn't make me any less concerned.

Sickness? Paranoia? Naivety? Stupidity?
Who knows, maybe it's all of the above. But as long as it's legitimate for me to be that kind of user, I don't see a problem.
I've seen other people's nonsensical threads and people losing their minds over trivialities, nitpicking, and nonsense, and so what? I read it, I write what I think or I don't, I draw my own conclusions and move on to something else more interesting.🤷

Is it allowed to have questions, even if they seem stupid to some, and to want to discuss them without being forced to provide suggestions or being pressured with stuff like "whatever you want, tell us more of what you want!!"?
Why am I being asked to give a suggestion, when I was actually looking for a suggestion through this very thread?😕

If it's allowed to make mistakes (and it is, I'm not disputing that), then I assume it's also allowed to have feelings.
Well, I'm just feeling things, that's all.🤷 I don't know why that's such a hard concept to grasp.

...and moderators are just people...

For Christ's sake, users are too.

Scott Miller5 said:I don't know you. I have no idea what your old username on Reddit used to be, but based on everything you’ve written here, it seems like you either have no clue what you actually want, or you lack the ability to explain it in a way that the mods, admins, or anyone else on this site can actually understand.

You might be onto something there.
Actually, it’s not just possible—you're clearly right.

I wrote that initial post while I was still in total shock, so I know it’s a mess and pretty hard to follow. But damn, I really tried my best to clear things up later on.

It’s obvious my writing style is exhausting. My sentences are way too long, cluttered with commas and parentheses, and I just don't use enough periods.

Alright, I’ll try to break this down using shorter sentences. It's probably best if I frame it as a quick interview—where the FBI asks the questions and I provide the answers.

FBI: Laura Mendoza2, what exactly is your problem?
I’m feeling pretty rough.
FBI: For what reason?
Me: because I’ve always had issues with the whole concept of anonymity on Reddit.
FBI: How does that work?
Look, there were some lapses in the past.
FBI: And what does any of that have to do with Eric Gray2?
Me: her mistake just triggered my PTSD.
FBI: So, you actually started the thread?
Yeah, I wanted to talk about that.
FBI: Why?
Me: because that’s just how it happened.
FBI: A quick question—why’d you bother opening a new account?
Me: that's my specialty.
FBI: And why did you pick an avatar that looks exactly like the one from your previous username?
Me: because it seemed convenient.
FBI: Isn't it a little awkward that they have a brand new username but an avatar that looks exactly like their old one?
Me: Why would that be awkward?
FBI: It wasn’t exactly the smartest move if you were trying to hide behind a new nickname.
Look, I didn't intend for that to happen.
FBI: So why change the handle then?
Me: Do I actually have to answer this?
FBI: Of course not, but people are still asking...
Me: what are they even asking?
FBI: They’re asking... they're wondering why you're acting like such a coward here.
Me: all because the moderator kept dragging out my old username in this thread.
FBI: So, what’s the actual issue here?
Look, the issue is simple: it’s just not allowed.
FBI: But now you’re claiming you aren't hiding.
So? Still not allowed.
FBI: Anyone here have an avatar that looks like mine?
Look, I never said anything about my old username, nor did I ever actually write it down.
FBI: You could have done it; it's your own fault.
Me: Look, I just didn't want to use my old handle.
FBI: You didn't do it, but the moderator did it without your permission.
Me: yeah.
FBI: But the moderator already apologized to you.
So?
FBI: Seriously, why isn't that enough for you people?
Me: That’s because I didn't ask, nor was the topic even about that moderator.
FBI: So, what’s the deal then? Give us the details—people are getting impatient.
Look, I already laid it all out in my intro post, and I’ve been clear about it in the other 13 posts too.
FBI: Which part exactly? It’s a little unclear.
Me: I wanted to sit down with everyone else and really weigh whether or not I can actually trust them.
FBI: Who are we talking about?
Me: on Reddit.
FBI: how does this look on Reddit?
Me: fine, then we're talking about the people who serve him.
FBI: And why are you even torn about this?
This whole thing was the trigger that brought my PTSD back to the surface. It feels like there’s zero effort being put into making users feel even remotely safe, let alone secure.
FBI: To err is human, so why all the rigidity?
Me: because that question hits a little too close to home.
FBI: So, you're saying the problem is actually you?
Me: no.
FBI: So what?
Look, if it wasn't intentional, then it's just plain negligence.
FBI: Where exactly do you see any negligence in this situation?
Look, if you're acting as a moderator, you shouldn't be letting people wander through threads blathering on while actively breaking the rules.
FBI: How does this affect you personally?
me: It affects me when this chatter threatens my right to privacy and my right to decide for myself how much I share about my identity or my handles—which is exactly what was being compromised here.
FBI: And that’s it?
me: No, it’s frustrating because this has shaken my confidence in how serious this place actually is. I just want to be able to communicate casually once in a while without everything blowing up.
FBI: I have to admit, all of this reminds me of when a politician once pleaded with the Speaker of the House for protection. "Luka, protect me!"
me: That's pathetic if that's the case.
FBI: I agree.
me: To me, other people handling this topic remind me more of that situation.
FBI: So, do you need protection or what? What is it you actually want?
me: Nothing. I just said what I had to say.
FBI: But people are asking what the point of this thread is. Some feel it would be only fair if, after keeping us in limbo for over 24 hours, you finally laid out your proposal. They want to know what your suggestion is.
me: I don't have a proposal.
FBI: What do you mean?
me: Like I said, I don't have one.
FBI: But some are demanding that you finally come forward with it.
me: How can I say it if there isn't one? It doesn't exist.
FBI: So you're just playing the victim without even having a suggestion?
me: What kind of proposal are you talking about, for God's sake?
FBI: The proposal you are obligated to present here.
me: Why should I be the one with the proposal?
FBI: So the discussion can actually move forward. Right now, there's nothing left to respond to, which is a waste.
me: A waste?
FBI: Yes, this is a forum. People come here to talk, you know.
me: Which is exactly why I started the thread.
FBI: Why?
me: Because I just wanted to have a conversation.
FBI: And the proposal?
me: What proposal?
FBI: Are you going to finally bring it to light? It's getting late, tomorrow is a workday and people want to go to sleep.
me: Then let them. Who's stopping them?
FBI: Just give us the proposal already, come on.
me: Honestly, screw you and your proposal.
FBI: See, you can't go without swearing.
me: Dammit, I can't help it.
FBI: And what about seppuku? Was that what you were looking for?
me: What a coincidence, I was just watching The Last Samurai yesterday.
FBI: And how was it?
me: Meh.
FBI: To wrap this up: you have no proposal and you didn't want to stay anonymous.
me: There is no proposal, and I should be the one deciding my own level of anonymity whenever possible.
FBI: So everything is fine now.
me: Depends on who you ask.
FBI: Do you have any final words for the users who are just lurking?
me: I don't.
FBI: Alright, then let's end th...
me: Actually, I have a song request, if possible.
FBI: Sure, go ahead.
me: If we can play Ernest Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls."
FBI: We can, I think we have that.

Nicholas King said:Nobody’s actually pinning any blame on you.

Of course not. It’s obvious to anyone with even a shred of reading comprehension who actually bothered to look at the thread.
I’m just someone with a slightly—oops, sorry... let me rephrase—poor choice in avatars.

Nicholas King said:You could really help out by picking a less obvious avatar. Seriously, this one screams, "It’s me, Charles Leclerc!" That’s definitely not how you stay anonymous.

Jamie Davis17 said:Of course you have a right to privacy. Just don't go using an avatar from your old handle, otherwise, it'll be way too easy to link the two.

Sophia Kern43 said:I didn't actually view that as a faux pas, mostly because of your avatar.

Nicholas King said:By choosing that specific avatar, you essentially made the decision to reveal everything to everyone.

You're right. My mistake.

Eric Gray2, sorry for picking such a terrible avatar for my profile. I didn't realize it would cause you so much trouble while you're hanging out on Reddit.

So, is this finally good?🤷

Nicholas King said:There’s absolutely no guarantee that some admin won't decide to mess things up just because they feel like it. More in-depth. Use your authority to get things done. In the moderator lounge. Not happening. More in-depth. Let's swap some intel. At those moderator meetups—or whatever they’re calling them these days—live. Not gonna happen. It’s like a cheap knockoff of the Animal Kingdom—barely holds any water. More in-depth. Trading info about certain Reddit users.

I get what you're saying. It’s not even that it bothers me—actually, far from it.
Of course you’ll claim it doesn't bother you—it's easy to play the indifferent bystander when it isn't your own skin on the line.😁)

It’s obvious that everyone loves to talk, and there’s just no stopping it.

While all this talk happens over coffee in various little corners and local haunts, it’s really just intel for a very tight-knit circle. In fact, you'll be hand-picking exactly who gets to hear which pieces of confidential information—and let me tell you, that group isn't going to be anyone special.

The second you take information like that—or really any post you've made—and blast it out publicly to everyone, it stops being just forum gossip. In my opinion, it turns into something way more dangerous than just gossiping with your grandma.
Anyone making claims like that clearly doesn't grasp the stakes. They have no idea who ends up reading what they post, nor how sharing private information can ripple out to wreck someone's digital footprint or their actual life.

Or maybe they can just find out for themselves—which, let's be honest, gives them the perfect excuse to hide behind the guise of "keeping the public informed."
So, we’re right back to the same issues: trust and discomfort.

Nicholas King said:In what way did Rosie, or anyone else in the administration, betray your trust in this situation? 😕

Where exactly am I making that claim?

I asked a question: as a user, do I actually have any guarantee that things won't be abused?
(And by the way, I've noticed I keep writing about...) I can't find anything.)

What concerns me—and I’m saying this for the fifth time now—isn't actually that "someone" decided to publicly leak information that should have remained private under our community guidelines. The real issue here is that the person who did it was a moderator.
If this were just some random guy on Reddit, I wouldn't give a damn. These threads wouldn't even exist.

And here I am, asking for the fifth time: how are you supposed to actually relax when the very person who’s meant to protect you is the one making you feel unsafe?
It just feels unsettling.

Look, I didn't exactly plan on being put in a position where I'd feel this much discomfort. But since life doesn't give you a heads-up when things get awkward, why wouldn't you prepare for the worst-case scenarios?
Especially since this isn't the first time this same moderator has screwed up with me.
How am I supposed to know what else might be waiting for me here? For all I know, she—or anyone else, really—could let slip some other piece of information about me without even realizing it. Who knows what kind of data they're actually holding onto?
Look, these are all just hypothetical questions. I'm not making any accusations—not beforehand, anyway.

I get that there isn't a literal interpretation here. Guarantees.Look, moderators really ought to practice some level of self-censorship on certain topics. Ideally, you’d want someone in that position who actually understands where the line is from the jump. The parking brake. He knows exactly when and how to pull it off, even if his own car starts rolling downhill.
Look, I’m not saying anyone needs to be malicious. I just think people should have enough self-control to act in a way that doesn't embarrass themselves or this subreddit. You need at least a baseline level of focus to actually keep track of who you're even talking to.
I’d suggest setting up some training boot camps for moderators. It would be a way to actually teach those who aren't naturally cut out for the job how to handle things properly.

And finally, we have the classic move: someone trying to cover up their own screw-up by pointing the finger at the very person who suffered because of it.

In this specific instance, after reading through those two pages, I feel a bit isolated—honestly, it feels like being cornered by a cop. Two citizens actually tried to justify it, and my profile picture was my signature mini dress.😢

I'm feeling a bit let down, though I certainly get why nobody from the outside stepped in—unless you count those who find the whole situation, the players, and the underlying issues just too boring to care about.😁). I’ve been through this before. Done it all.

I wouldn't have even weighed in if I hadn't been the one to start this thread.
I’d probably just shake my head in disappointment one more time. After being offered yet another "universal solution" to problems that don't actually exist for anyone else, I’d conclude that this subreddit simply isn't for me.

That’s just not the case.

I’m genuinely curious to hear how everyone else feels about this—specifically regarding any discomfort, trust issues, or general sense of security on Reddit. If you're dealing with these concerns, how are you handling them?

Sophia Kern43 said:If this is your question, I honestly don't see how my slip-up today serves as an example for this situation.
That's really all I have to say on the matter.

I’d be free to add: you said far too much.

And that’s exactly the point. To you, it was just a slip-up, some trivial little moment that I'm apparently making a mountain out of. But for me, it isn't "just" anything.

The issue is the sheer ease with which you—in this specific instance—are able to just "blurt out" things. These comments were eventually deleted, but not because you realized you used the wrong handle and went to fix it; they were wiped only after I opened this thread, essentially following a formal complaint. You're speaking for someone else (me, in this case) without any authorization to do so, regardless of your or anyone else's assumptions about what that person actually meant or intended. It's that lack of concentration, that total absence of thought or self-censorship when you blurt things out from that position that bothers me.

Today it was calling me Marty instead of Laura Mendoza2, but tomorrow... who knows. I certainly don't know what to expect.
Especially after being told repeatedly here that it was all just a clumsy accident.

As if that's a valid excuse for negligence. As if someone else's carelessness can't cause me harm just because they "didn't mean it" or "it slipped their mind."

Sophia Kern43 said:Why don't you just ask me to explain it to you instead?
You just snapped at Nicholas King for trying to speak on my behalf.

I definitely snapped at him. 😕 Oh, I absolutely did. 🙏

And why wouldn't I ask you?
Give me a break. 🙂

If you wanted to keep things private with certain people, you could have just sent them a DM. 🤷

Jesus🤣🤣

Is this actually normal?
You mess everything up and then have the nerve to lecture me on what I should have done to prevent your own screw-up?

I'm done.

Nicholas King, unfortunately, I'm too exhausted to keep going with this; I hope you understand.
I almost wrote... ...I hope you'll at least realize..., but I know you get what I mean—you're just playing dumb. I get it.

Look, 😳

The issue here is the right to online anonymity.

Am I the only one who feels uneasy when the reality of how this site works hits you right in the face?
How do you deal with this without just quitting?

Is there any actual guarantee that all the moderators and admins are sane individuals who won't abuse the trust we, as users, have placed in them?

What am I supposed to do now? Go create a fifth account just because someone accidentally used my real name?
(It's pretty clear this account is finished after this whole thread🤣)

Nicholas King said:Look, deciding when and to whom you reveal things about yourself is entirely your call. You’re the one in control of that, not some random people on Reddit. It’s the same logic with your profile picture—you chose that avatar, and that was your decision. She finally decided to come clean and tell everyone everything..

Look, anyone else could have posted their own photo alongside a shot of their house and the street number, but nobody—especially not the administration, Reddit opinion—has any right to demand that. They just don't have that right. ...man, that’s just Joe Biden from Nowhere.Either they have proof, or they’re just making assumptions because this guy clearly wasn't trying to hide anything. What’s the deal?

Boldano: I'm not. Yeah. I decided to lay it all out there. I've spilled everything. Just the avatar. And let’s be real—it isn't just about fingerprints. It’s not like only one person on the entire planet could have a specific avatar. Besides, that profile picture is... let's call it "suggestive," because it clearly isn't an exact match.

Look, what you're saying is just plain wrong. I didn't expose anything—I didn't even leak my handle. All I did was have an avatar, and if that gave anything away, it was the moderator who made that call, not me.

And why did I choose this avatar? It’s my call. I shouldn't have to deal with any fallout or people trying to label me or broadcast who I am just because of it. It’s obvious that I am. For some people. She wanted to make it clear that she was talking about me.😁).
Just take a look at the difference: For some people. Not really. To everyone.My choice, my reasons. Not yours, not hers, not what you think, and certainly not what Barrett thinks. Mine.

Rosie screwed up, she owned it, apologized, asked for an edit, and even offered to take the hit. It’s pretty clear you just can't prove it was nothing more than a simple oversight.

Fine, why don't you just explain to me how I'm supposed to interpret her saying "oh, snap"?😳After she said "Marty for," and you responded by asking "who?" 😬".

Quote : Nicholas King

Sophia Kern43 said:It’s clearly about a forum regular who went off and posted on an unmoderated PDF—doing it in bold, black letters, and staying strictly on topic.

If you're just sharing your own take on a topic, fine—you can act like any other random user on Reddit. But once you start exposing someone else's private information, you aren't just some casual commenter anymore. At that point, the rules change, and you're expected to exercise a bit more discretion and actual thought. I hope the distinction is clear.
Quote : Nicholas King

I sent you a DM (which, by the way, you completely ignored). To be more precise, I apologized—because, clearly, I wasn't thinking.

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what my response to him should even be. It’s not like I haven't given it some thought. I eventually just landed on the conclusion that I have nothing left to say. I simply don't know.
Maybe I should have said something. Sometimes, you just need to speak up, even when there isn't much to add. It’s possible I handled that poorly. I'll fix it.

Thanks for the DM.

Quote : Nicholas King

It was purely by chance. I learned a long time ago not to get in your way.

When did you learn that? A long time ago? If my memory serves me right, it was barely a month ago when you decided to insult me in the most hideous, indefensible way possible over a completely different topic—for reasons only you would understand.
If you ask me, this interpretation is more accurate. our relationship Look, it’s not like I’m making any kind of move on you, but if I had to say, it feels like you’re being pretty persistent about throwing yourself into my arms. 🤷

I couldn't care less about you personally. This isn't an interrogation of your character, but if you—and let’s be clear, anyone else who acts exactly like you do—are actually functioning as a moderator on this subreddit, then we have a much larger problem to discuss. moderator I don't expect to be served some garbage cooked up by the moderation team every five minutes.
Look, I just don't have that sense of security. I don't trust that I'm actually in a place where I can let my guard down. Whether it’s by design or just pure coincidence—whether it's an accident or a total mess—it doesn't matter. Honestly, I wouldn't care if things were chaotic as long as they were comfortable, but they aren't.

Quote : Nicholas King

Well, damn. It isn't. What's your move then?

I'm not making any suggestions. Should I be?

Sophia Kern43 said:"Just because I can"? Excuse me, what??? Every registered user on Reddit *can* leak your info since that data was used for this leaking and is attached to every single one of your posts.

Regarding the point you made in the second half of your post, you were free to report it.

Also, since it seems you refuse to address me directly and insist on speaking in the third person on this thread, I'm signing off. I'll face whatever consequences come my way according to the rules, even if they involve removing the moderators.

Drama queen?
Sorry, I had to run, I don't have time right now. Maybe I'll get back to you later, okay?

Jamie Davis17, you missed the point entirely. It’s not like I’m trying to hide or pretend I just discovered Reddit yesterday and now I've finally signed up🤣

Nicholas King said:Just as it’s wrong to play games with "It is I, Leclerc" while simultaneously demanding total anonymity on the forum. Honestly, it's just tacky 🙂.

It looks like you didn't get it either. (And was it really necessary to imply I'm being vulgar and drag unnecessary drama into this?)
Like any user on a forum, it's my business when, how much, or how, and in what way I choose to reveal myself.

I should be the one deciding that, not other users and certainly not the moderators. That's my point.

Now, tell me something else.

rustydrifter10 said:She told me it was an accident and asked for an edit because she couldn't delete it herself anymore. The Reddit moderators probably haven't spotted it yet.

They wouldn't have seen it anyway since I didn't report the post.

edit: ah, you mean they weren't reading the thread, got it.

What really gets to me about this whole situation is that this isn't coming from some random user; it's coming from someone labeled as "verified," "trusted," and so on—someone who has access to my other data that a regular user doesn't.
If I wanted that info out there, it would be available to everyone. Clearly, I don't.

And I think people will understand if I say I'm just not comfortable with people tossing my private information around so recklessly just because they have the clearance to do so.
How am I supposed to know if this happened because of one reason or another? (And by the way, especially since that same moderator recently called me someone with lower intellectual capacity or something along those lines, my first thought is that this wasn't an accident). All I know is that I don't expect this kind of behavior from the very people who are supposed to monitor these things and actually enforce the rules when they see them happen.

Nicholas King said:Of course you have a right to privacy—but part of the burden of exercising that right falls on you. Choosing a less suggestive avatar would go a long way. Seriously, this one practically screams "It is I, Leclerc!" That isn't exactly how someone seeking anonymity behaves.

I’m certain the mistake regarding her username was completely accidental, without any malice whatsoever. The same thing could easily happen to me if I weren't constantly double-checking my replies.

First off, we aren't talking about a regular user here; we're talking about a moderator. In this context, there is a massive difference. At the very least, I think we can agree on this paraphrase: what's allowed for an ox isn't necessarily allowed for Jupiter. 😉

Second, the "burden of exercising a right" should be exactly that: mine and mine alone.
Not yours, not some other user's, not a moderator's, etc.
Mine.
It is my right, and it MUST remain solely mine (on a standard, healthy online platform, anyway) when I choose to reveal anything about myself to others.
The decision of HOW MUCH and in what manner I disclose must also be mine and mine alone.
And so on.
I think we understand each other.

As for your assumption about whether it was an accident—don't take this personally, but I am not in a dialogue with you or anyone else except the person who actually did it. Your opinion, my opinion, Petrov's, or Markov's—they are all just guesses. My take, by the way, is that it wasn't an accident at all, because I don't see how that could even be possible. Especially since the conversation continued via a response to your question.

Third, do you honestly think this is okay?

rustydrifter10 said:Sorry, I need a bit of clarification here. Are you asking if it's against the rules to call out someone else's other handles when they haven't explicitly stated those profiles belong to them?

Exactly that.

I’d like to keep this as its own thread because I really want to hear different perspectives on this, and honestly, I didn't see a better place to start the conversation than here.

The reason I'm starting this is because of how Taylor Swift acted as a moderator on this thread.

Alright...
It’s 2013. We aren't kids anymore, and those naive delusions about total anonymity are long gone...
(I’ll be honest for a second—for me, the biggest reality check regarding privacy, and honestly on many other fronts, was the whole Watergate scandal that went down right here on this Reddit thread.)
But let’s set aside the issue of leaking user data to third parties for a moment.

Let’s also move past why a user might choose to abandon their profile or decide not to post under their old handle, opting instead to start fresh under completely permitted conditions.

What I really want to know—and I'm looking for input from both the mods and the general community—is this:
As a standard, non-banned user on this site, do I have the right to enjoy the anonymity of whatever handle I choose? Or is it acceptable for the administration—the very people who, in my slightly naive view, should be protecting me—to publicly out someone's "real name" (in a forum sense; since our handles are our only IDs) or a handle that, just to be clear, I didn't reveal myself?

Is it permissible for moderators to unmask user identities (whether forum handles or real-life info)?

If it happens, whether it's allowed or not, what could possibly motivate a moderator to do it? Is it provocation? Some attempt at humor? Malice? Pure incompetence?

Maybe I’m missing something, or maybe it’s just me. Perhaps I was under the illusion that this was actually a somewhat serious forum?

Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive.🤷