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Daisydreamer
Senior Contributor

Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Hi there and welcome to the SANE Forums 🎉

 

Before you get started, here are a few things you need to know about staying anonymous and maintaining your privacy on the SANE Forums.

 

You can also find the points about anonymity and privacy outlined below in the SANE Forums Guidelines and FAQs.

 

Anonymity

The SANE forums are anonymous to allow all of our members to safely share personal experiences without being identified by forum members, members of the public, and the people in your life.

 

The main way to stay anonymous online is choosing an anonymous username.

 

Staying Anonymous by picking an anonymous username

Your forums username is how you will be referred to on the forums and is important for maintaining your anonymity. Your username will appear alongside all of your posts. Your posts may appear in search engines- this is why picking a unique username is so vital.

What are the top things to remember when picking a forums username?
Our anonymity guidelines highlight that a username should not contain:

  • your name
  • your addresses - postal or email
  • your member names/usernames on other social media services (this includes any accounts such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tik Tok, or other online communities)
  • the name of your workplace, uni or school
  • any other information by which you could be identified in real life

What happens if I have already picked a username and it is not anonymous?

If you are already using a username that isn’t anonymous, or you are concerned about your anonymity, you are welcome to contact the SANE team and we can change your username for you.

 

Send an email to team@saneforums.org and let us know what preferred username you would like to change your account to. Our Community Managers will make the change for you so you can continue on the forums with anonymity.

 

Be mindful of other’s anonymity too

When sharing your story, be mindful of maintaining the anonymity of those in your life too by never posting real names or contact information.

 

This way we can maintain anonymity for all people; our Forum members, the people in our members’ lives, and the general public.

 

Privacy at SANE

SANE takes privacy seriously, and we work within the bounds of our Privacy policy.

 

There are a few important things to note so you can make an informed decision about posting on the SANE Forums.

 

We are a public forum

SANE Forums are viewable and searchable by the public. Every year we have of 1.4 million Australians looking for help and seeking support by reading the posts made to the SANE Forums.

 

As a public site, posts associated with your username may appear in search engine results. This is why picking an anonymous username is so important.

 

SANE Forum Partners

SANE Australia partners with mental health organisations around the country to make the SANE Forums more accessible to a wider range of people in Australia. We do this by working with partners to host the SANE Forums on their website, making the forums visible to people who may be viewing our partners websites. We call this a syndication.

 

When members access SANE through one of our partners, they are still on the SANE Forums, managed by the SANE team. The syndication simply means that the SANE Forums are visible on other mental health websites, making it easier for those looking for support to find SANE. Chances are you may have found SANE through one of our partner’s websites.

 

Can I request for a post or a thread to be deleted?

If you are concerned about a post or thread you have created, you can request it be deleted. For steps on how to do this, check out the Delete a post section of our guidelines

 

If you have any questions about anonymity or privacy, please feel welcome to reach out to the SANE team at team@saneforums.org. We are always happy to help!

7 REPLIES 7

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Thank you for that information @Daisydreamer on privacy but the problem with the online environment is that if someone has access to your private information through their work/job and they want to harass you online, you have no way of preventing that from happening because they have your private data. I can't change my name. I can't change my home address. I was harassed by someone who broke my privacy by hacking into their partners work emails, or maybe she has access to it all the time, which to me, is even worse.....then I get stalked on Twitter by a self described, I think they called themselves an AddictWythapen....original I know, and then this afternoon I get 2 text messages from an unknown number, "wanna party", "R u available", this may not be her, but I live a very small life and since the breakdown of the relationship with my mother I have only given my phone number to a handful of people...........at the end of the day Sane Australia can only do so much, and there isn't any protection for people. Sometimes the best way to stay safe is to stay away and become more reclusive than I already am. 

 

I think Sane Australia has some room for improvement to recognise when some people need to be contacted in person and placed on Community Treatment Orders. 

 

Corny

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Hi @Corny,

 

It sounds like you have had quite a few instances when people in your life have broken your privacy, and I am so sorry to hear of the harrassment you have experienced. 

 

You are right that the online environment is one where we do have to be aware of the importance of privacy, and this is something SANE is really committed to. We know how much courage it takes to reach out and ask for help, particuarly in an online space, so making sure that your information is protected and secure is a high priority. 

 

We really appreciate you sharing your experiences @Corny and it really highlights to me why pirvacy and anonymity are so important for personal safety and wellbeing online

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Thanks @Daisydreamer at the end of day individuals are responsible, they know right from wrong and harassment is not OK, I don't care what your diagnosis is, or if you are in the depths of drug addiction it doesn't give you the right to harm  and hurt other people.

 

I've lost my mind myself, lived it from the inside and there is not some big conspiracy. Certain policies such as Community Treatment orders and involuntary treatment as awful as they are to have to enact - they are sometimes necessary.

 

My guess would be that Freckles partner is a virgin. Bless her. Isn't it humiliating how loving someone can blind you. She's never experienced this mental illness before. She may have read about, talked about, even studied it intellectually, but its not the same. Its one thing to have oodles and oodles of knowledge, education and contacts. Its a whole other thing to have life experience. I swear to god my cells are magnetised to this condition, even people that I have never met latch onto me! All I wanted in life was to marry Michelle Pfeiffer and be Mrs Pfe Pfe Pfeiffer, and I can't. She had other plans. 

 

I just want a peaceful little life, and to be left in peace. If either of them contact you, tell them to leave me the hell alone, I do have lawyers in my family and if this continues that is the next path. 

 

Corn Dog

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Hi @Corny 

If something goes wrong after all we say here and share here call the Police but most of all ring a legal firm for the next step.

there is not a safer place than what these guys do,they look after us all.

they read every single post I believe this.

These guys on this Sane forum have helped me keep my distance and discretion 👏

they don't no me or want to know me or you personally, it's not what this is about, they just simply are kind and help us all help each other 

most of the time they are volunteering their own personal time.

I use my org computer as well, I get what you are saying, if someone dares out me or stalks or even looks at my stuff I would .... be very embarrassed 😞 I am not sure why I would feel this way but I will think 💭 about it now thanks for bringing it up, it's a very good point.

however, trust this web site they do care, seriously there is nothing really like this, if there is, be careful, what you post or say, these guys help us for no gain for on this Sane SIte, I believe and know it's our friend in our lives.

and the end of the day, you will make a new world, that no one else is allowed to enter, these guys keep us safe. It's what mental health is about. 
I hope this is OK it's what I want to believe and what I want to believe and if someone else is up to no good on anyone see you in The Courtroom this is not a threat it's a promise.

from Clawde 👍

Topic Tuesday // Employment and Mental Health // Tues 8th June, 7:00-8:30PM AEST 

@Daisydreamer 

 

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Thank you @Clawde ,

 

I have contacted the police and provided statements to my doctors.

 

I have dropped out of that university and want nothing to do with them. The community mental health nurse I was linked in with after spending over 4 months in hospital in 2019 and my Psychiatrist want me to take it further. when I am stronger....but I have no fight left in me.

 

I just want a peaceful, little life, free of harassment and stalking. My parents offered me up to a local paedophile for some years on a bi/tri-weekly basis <5yrs of age, so as you can imagine, feeling safe is something I have never experienced when your own parents pretty much traffic you to a local creep.

 

Breaking my privacy and feeling stalked is a violation, but some people lack the capacity to respect.

 

All the best wishes for your health Claude, best, Corny

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Hi @Corny 

So sorry to read what your parents did want to say a lot more here but it's not fair on you on any level

you sound like a lovely person and a strong person to come out the other side is an inspiration to the human race

good on you corny 👍

you have helped me today I Thankyou ❤️
Thankyou for so much

from your Clawde 😍

from your Clawde 

Re: Staying Anonymous and Maintaining Your Privacy in the SANE Forums

Thanks @Clawde, I don't need any words, I understand my experiences are just too much, for most people. 

 

I am marginalised, I just have to somehow cope with the cards I have been dealt in life. Whatever, 'coping' means; I do my best.

 

All the best for your own life's journey, health and contentment.....

 

Just concentrate on yourself. 

 

My problems, are my problems. Its up to me, to deal. 

 

Thank you for your time & thoughts , all the best  for your health and goodness, Corn-dog xx

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