Why do people hide their profiles?

I find myself wanting to check someone’s profile in about 1 out of about every 15 or 20 post I read. So when I come across the one that refuse to allow their profile (which only means you can’t know their sex or number of posts they have) I find that very frustrating.

And do you know what? HALF of the time it is because when they signed up on DU they just set it up that way not realizing what it meant! Even if they DID indicate whether they were male or female, they didn’t realize that would be hidden if they blocked out PROFILE.

I don’t know about you, but I would like to know how many posts people have, or whether they declared themselves males, female, undecided, or undeclared. (heh – I just threw the undecided in there for a little joke)

SO! Why do people hide their profiles?

Why do YOU hide YOUR profile?

:-)

or something...

And always feel free to PM me if you want more info

:D

There's nobody home! Go away! We don't want any!

Just a little paranoia for your mornin'.

Have a nice day.

that I had my profile set to "hidden," unintentionally. If it's not fixed now, let me know. :)

I think it is an accident half the time!

with LESS than 300 posts, who not only has his/her profile hidden, they also have blocked PM messages??????? WTF is THAT all about??????

because I understand they have a generic moderator profile now, that can be used by all moderators to post anonymously.

but why do they have a generic profile, why should the moderators be permitted to post anonymously?

I have not seen what you are referring to.

remember one can still check gender undeclared for a non-hidden profile!

sometimes people who have been here a long time change user names

I know of DUers who have been here as long or longer than I have with a very low post count

I also know of Duers who have been her a lot Less time than I have with a lot higher post count than mine

You can not always jusdge by post count!!!!

The only time I find it alarming is when Moderator locks posts under that username. It's better for the moderator to use his/her own username so in case there's some snafu Admins will know who did it.

Anybody curious (with a star) can search by author with keyword Moderator to find Moderator posts.

It puzzles me, too, frankly... :shrug:

I'm not asking you to show it. Just explain why you hide it, if you please?

But I took care of it. Now it is there for all to see!

Thanks for the heads up.

I don't think half the people who hide it realize they are or why they are hiding it!

Just wondering

But you would go to OPTIONS on the home page to check.

Yep, my REAL identity is "Senor Misterioso"



don't ask how I glow in the dark or wound up in Indiana.
Now you know everything that's in my profile.

On a more serious note, because I don't like giving my info out to people I don't know. A few here know my real name. I am not as concerned about the DUers as I am about the freepers though.

JM

So, that's what I mean. I don't think people understand what "profile" means when they choose it in their options.

Showing your profile would not reveal your real name.

AND! You DO show your profile in DU. But, it does not reveal your real name. *sigh* (Nor is it supposed to.)

...just for you. Actually, for me. I didn't want you thinking I am hypersensitive...

Now I can turn off the profile...

JM

I used to not worry about it. But, after a couple of years on the CSPAN forum, i published one of economics papers and the supporting models that i claim proves Reaganomics was an utter failure.

I got over 500 hate emails.

That's enough of that.
The Professor

Thanks Professor :thumbsup:

:shrug: is it? B-)

Love your website, BTW. :D

My theory is that it is usually an accident or not knowing how to use the profile feature in DU

you can disclose as much or as little as you want, it doesn't seem like it would be such a big deal to at least let the rest of us know whether you are a guy or gal. :argh: :shrug:

and to these types of forums in general ( only ever posted on the Old House Web previously, where the only battles are about wood siding vs vinyl), I am trying to tread lightly and being a bit cautious. Privacy perhaps? A bit of paranoia, perchance? :)

and the longer you are on the internet the more you realize the dangers of disclosing to much. I always go with the barest amount of info that I can give out, just gender and general location.

I can understand it for a newbie and why they might feel skeptical.

Paranoia is also a good excuse. Hey! Paranoia is not always unreasonable!

but it doesn't say much about me. Just my hometown, and number of posts and testicles.

Congratulations! I think that is a DU record, but I'd have to check with GD to make sure.

:toast:

no wonder I can't put anything into my pockets anymore.

man with hand in pocket not alway counting change?

man with hand in pocket not crazy - just feeling nuts.

You knew that. :D

for life in the Lounge